INDUSTRY 101 EVENT SERIES

Holy cow, you just got off the phone with your manager. The capital T "They" – the studio, the network, the producer – want to buy your script. They've sent a contract. Just sign on the dotted line. Well, maybe read it first. Wait, hold on. What does "net points" mean? Delivery? Force Majeure? Is that French or Legalese? What is going on here? You're going to need a lawyer and maybe even an accountant to help you before all this is over. 

But where do you start? What kind of things do you even look for in a lawyer and accountant? What do you need to know about managing your income and your creative rights? Do you have to sign and mail a check of 10% of your earnings to your manager? Do you incorporate? Do you not incorporate? How professional should my LLC’s name be? Wait. Should it be an LLC or something else?

These questions, and more, will be explored on this panel with people who are not your lawyers. and the information discussed does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. Instead, all information, content, and discussions are for general informational purposes only.

Belva Anakwenze

Founder & Principal of Abacus Financial Business Management

Belva Anakwenze is a California native and the proud Founder & Principal of Abacus Financial Business Management. Belva handles the financial affairs of entertainment professionals, creative corporate executives, and their closely-held businesses. This includes the facilitation and management of her clients’ accounting & bookkeeping, payroll, tax preparation, and nonprofit agencies. As the middle child of three siblings, Belva learned early on how to stand out and be different; her clients appreciate her ingenuity and aptness for managing financial matters.

Brandon Milostan

Counsel, Entertainment Department, Greenberg Glusker

Brandon Milostan is a member of Greenberg Glusker’s Entertainment group where he negotiates entertainment deals for emerging and established actors, writers, producers, directors, musicians, social media influencers, financiers and distribution and production companies.

He works on traditional theatrical motion picture, television, and SVOD deals and applies this knowledge and background to an industry that is constantly reshaped by new media sources and emerging technologies.

He ranked in the top 12 of his law school class and was recognized as a 5-time Masin Family Academic Excellence Gold Award Winner. Having completed his undergraduate and law school education at UCLA, Brandon, is a loyal UCLA football season ticket holder.

Graham Fenton

Associate, Entertainment Department, Greenberg Glusker

Graham Fenton is an attorney in Greenberg Glusker’s Entertainment group where he represents both up-and- coming and established actors, writers, directors, producers, and social media influencers, as well as entertainment production companies.

Graham brings a unique perspective to his entertainment legal practice having spent years as a professional singer and actor, most notably starring as Frankie Valli in the hit Broadway musical, Jersey Boys. Graham performed the starring role in more than 1,300 performances as a member of the Las Vegas, Broadway, U.S. National Tour, and Australian casts. With this background, Graham especially understands the challenges facing talent in today’s entertainment business.

Following his acting career, Graham earned his law degree from the UCLA School of Law with a specialization in media, entertainment and technology law and policy, where he was fortunate to study under several entertainment legal legends. Graham was honored by the Recording Academy for his insights into live event ticket scalping as part of the 2020 GRAMMY Week for his paper, Taming the Ticket Market: How a Closed Ticketing System Can Beat Back Scalpers and Recapture Lost Revenue.

John McIlwee

Founder, J. McIlwee & Associates Inc.

Born and raised in San Diego, California, John McIlwee moved to Los Angeles after getting into the pre-med program at UCLA; changing majors almost immediately, he graduated with a degree in Economics. McIlwee began his professional career in Business Management as an assistant; rising up the ranks he helped a shop of three grow into one of the most prominent boutique Business Management firms in town - Shephard McIlwee Tinglof. Sensing the industry and talent changes on the horizon, McIlwee launched eponymous firm J. McIlwee & Associates in December 2019.  J. McIlwee & Associates were ahead of the curve technologically so as the pandemic hit and larger firms struggled to adapt, they were able to seamlessly navigate new changes and challenges; the firm has grown 40% as a result, and currently represents some of the most talented writers, actors, and directors in Hollywood.

Ada Tseng

Ada Tseng is a journalist who was an assistant editor on the Utility Journalism and Features teams at the Los Angeles Times. She worked on projects that helped people solve problems, answer questions and make big decisions about life in and around Los Angeles -- including the Hollywood Careers series, which gives practical advice to those trying to break into the entertainment industry. She was also a co-founder of the Los Angeles Times AAPI Caucus, and she co-hosts the Asian American pop culture history podcast “Saturday School.”