Biography
William Archer - Principal
William has drafted, negotiated and assisted clients in closing a wide range of agreements relating to the acquisition, development, production, distribution and licensing of creative content throughout the entertainment industries.
William recently has closed and assisted clients in closing transactions with Paramount, Dreamworks, the BBC, ABC, Fox, E!, Lifetime, BET, Nippon TV, Appian Way (Leonardo DiCaprio’s company), Lucky Chap Entertainment (Margot Robbie’s company), United Artists Media Group, Reveille (now Shine), Universal Music, Warner Music, E-One, Fuse, True Entertainment and others.
A partial list of clients William has worked with: Ashanti, J.Cole, Toni Braxton, Swizz Beats, Stephen Swid, Howard Shore, Danny Elfman, David Duchovny, Dr. Jane Goodall, Beats Music, Interscope, Zomba, Maverick, Kobalt, Dreamville Records, Varése Sarabande Records, CJ Entertainment, DPG Media NV, Napalm Records, Blue Ice Pictures, the Producers Guild of America, and a number of other artists and motion picture, television, commercial/video production, record and music publishing companies.
William has a particular interest in cross-border matters and has drafted, negotiated and closed content, media and publicity rights agreements with parties in over 30 countries including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.
Representative transactions William successfully closed or helped clients close include:
Motion picture distribution agreement with Dreamworks Animation
Television show format option and license agreement between two entertainment conglomerates
License agreement between UK and Asian companies for on-demand service rights to various series episodes
Television program license agreement between Japanese and Korean television networks
Multiple master use and synch licenses for use of John Williams’ Star Wars score in a video game
License agreement with IFTA on Demand for live K-pop concert television program
Acquisition by foreign film group of majority share in a global digital cinema technology solutions provider
Stock purchase agreement to acquire independent motion picture development, production and distribution company
Life story rights agreement with production company of Academy Award winning actor
Life story rights agreement with production company of Academy Award, Golden Globe and BAFTA nominated actress
William has litigated a wide range of entertainment industry disputes, including copyright, trademark, right of publicity, idea submission, contract, Talent Agencies Act, film investor, defamation, executive employment and reuse fee disputes. William’s copyright cases have included disputes in which television shows and commercials were alleged to infringe copyrights in art and other objects, cases in which motion pictures were alleged to infringe copyrights in stage plays, books and other films, disputes between infomercial producers and a variety of music copyright infringement cases. He also has represented entertainment industry clients in WGA, IFTA, AFMA and ICDR arbitrations. Recent litigation matters include:
Representation of J Cole and Dreamville Records in copyright action
Representation of Drew Barrymore in copyright action
Defense of Beats Music in action alleging over $20 million in contract damages
Defense of a U.S. record company arising from neighboring rights uses in Europe
Right of publicity action for Ashanti
Representation of publicly traded media company in two companion actions against its former CEO
Dismissal with prejudice of $765,000 fraud action against the managing director of a German record company
Defense of right of publicity action filed by Sandra Bullock and Michelle Pfeiffer
Copyright infringement action for record company against TV station
Copyright infringement action for record company against radio station
Memberships
National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
International Association of Entertainment Lawyers
State Bar of California
Beverly Hills Bar Association
Publications & Presentations
Developments in the U.S.: Modernizing Music Copyright Law, published in Nationalism vs Globalism: Regional and Transnational Legal Issues Reshaping the Entertainment Industry (ed. William Genereux and Marjin Kingma) (International Association of Entertainment Lawyers, 2021)
Copyright in the Entertainment Industries - Current Laws in Germany, Europe and the US and How TTIP [the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership] Could Affect Them, University of Music Franz Liszt, Weimar, Germany, December 7, 2015
Getting Real (an analysis of right of publicity, copyright and other legal issues in the reality TV context), Los Angeles Lawyer, 28th Annual Entertainment Law Issue, May 2012
Keeping Score: Music Rights in Film, Los Angeles Lawyer, 25th Annual Entertainment Law Issue, May 2009
From "Ace in the Hole" to "Rounders" - State and Federal Courts in California Have Dealt a Few Good Cards to Screenwriters and Other Idea Purveyors, Entertainment, Publishing and the Arts Handbook 2006-2007 Edition, Thomson-West, 2006
Artists' Rights: Understanding Them, Protecting Them and Fighting for Them, Entertainment Settlements and Negotiations: Leading Lawyers on Contract Negotiations, Dispute Resolution and Litigation Issues in Entertainment and Sports Law, Aspatore Books, 2006
Boards (past)
Law360 Media & Entertainment (Advisory Board member)
Start-up motion picture production, foreign sales agency and domestic distribution company co-helmed by a former major studio CFO (Advisory Board member)