Media tax

Tax is a complex and often arcane area of the law. Because we understand the media business, our tax advice will always take into account the drivers of your business, the nature of your assets and the interests of the people involved.

Our service

We advise our clients on all tax issues arising across the full spectrum of the media market, including:

• mergers and acquisitions for media companies
• media joint ventures
• film and television production and distribution, including the availability of the UK film tax credit
• film and television financing
• artist and talent taxation
• media tax litigation

We understand the media business, media assets and the commercial context in which the technical tax issues affecting media businesses arise.

Our media tax practitioners are specialists in media tax, and can spot and understand all of the tax issues which may arise in any media project. You can expect an effective and joined-up tax solution without the need to involve a number of sub-specialists.

Our core practice has not involved giving tax advice to promoters in relation to the development and sale of tax-enhanced film or television finance structures. Instead, we generally advise the studios, producers and potential investors offered the opportunity to participate in those structures. This enables us to advise on the full spectrum of structures available in the market while giving independent tax advice on the risks and benefits which may arise.

Our experience

Our wide-ranging experience allows us to adapt tax solutions from one business model to another and to create new and innovative solutions.

Corporate
We provide practical, accessible tax advice on the most complex corporate deals in the media sector to household name media clients.

Production and distribution
We understand intellectual property, licensing and distribution and the production and distribution process. We have acted for:

• the biggest US studios in respect of the biggest budget UK productions and film finance issues
• independent producers on both big and smaller budget productions and financings, including the hit movie “Kick Ass”
• content distributors in respect of international tax issues affecting their distribution documentation and structuring
• UK film tax credit

We have advised on the UK film tax credit since its inception. Although we do not provide a compliance service, we ensure that intellectual property, corporate and finance structures for UK productions provide the maximum benefit.

Film and television finance
We have advised in respect of film finance structures with a total value measured in the billions of dollars.

Artist remuneration
Although we do not generally advise individual artists on their personal tax position, we do advise producers and studios on the tax issues arising from talent remuneration.