Intellectual property and entertainment in the age of streaming

Intellectual property and entertainment gained new dynamics with the way the content of streaming video and audio services have won the public. This crossover between producers’ copyrights and the digital world, as well as the entry of new players with new business models in this market, bring great challenges and open a promising field of work for intellectual property.
On the one hand, there are the platforms and the respective brands that have emerged with these services, such as Netflix. On the other hand, former players in the entertainment market who were motivated to also launch their platforms, such as HBO Go, from HBO, a veteran in the pay TV market, and even giants from other sectors, such as Amazon, which decided to go beyond retail and diversified the portfolio. One of the bets is precisely the streaming of movies and series by Prime Video.
Opportunities for intellectual property area
In addition to the fact that streaming services are an excellent front in the fight against piracy, since, in the monthly subscription model the user pays affordable amounts ​​and has access to a wide range of content, the streaming service brings an interesting movement to the sector.
First, competition between platforms is healthy for the market and for the consumer. These players, even those who are not native to the entertainment segment, have bet on original productions as great differentials. Many of these productions are local and this involves important contributions to the audiovisual sector, in addition to a number of challenges to legal professionals such as public performance rights of music, the rights of professionals involved in the production of the work, from actor to screenwriter. The rights and obligations of audiovisual productions become more complex due to the multiple platforms and differences between media.
The streaming model captivated the public and only tends to grow, especially in a world still impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic that has shaken some other forms of entertainment consumption, such as shows and new major productions. It is a fertile field and full of possibilities for professionals working with intellectual property and entertainment.