Support of theater art and online performances for the first time in Ukraine
20.04.2021

Kateryna Ishchenko, the expert in IP and media law, has begun cooperation between the Ante law firm and Theatre 360 Degrees. For the last half of the year, we have been a part of great projects – creating online-version performances such as «The Stone Host» and «The Overcoat», while Theater on Podil has struggled with a lack of spectators due to lockdown restrictions.

About the project

Theatre 360 Degrees has become a new direction in the development of theatrical art in Ukraine. It has combined theatrical performances, film shooting, special and visual effects, and modern sound. The project has allowed acquainting with theatre even without leaving home from any part of the world.

The first project shown on the screens was the Ukrainian interpretation of Don Juan’s history – theatrical production “The Stone host” based on the drama of Lesya Ukrainka.  The video performance was created as a film using 3-D effects by modern Ukrainian director Ivan Urivsky. More than 40,000 spectators watched the online show. The filmed play has received the National Film Status and was shown in cinemas of all regions of Ukraine.

The next project was the art production “the Overcoat” directed by Valeria Fedotova based on Mykola Gogol’s novel. Here, special attention is paid to the musical accompaniment, as the music for the performance was written by famous Ukrainian composers – Oleksandr Filonenko and Dmytro Avksentiev. Some soundtracks of the play were recorded together with the symphony orchestra “Kyiv Virtuosi Orchestra”. They can be listened to separately as independent musical compositions. More than 50,000 spectators from 100 countries watched the online show.

Legal support of the project

Modern online shows and theatrical performances require highly qualified legal support as such projects are created with the involvement of a huge team from various creative fields. Many legal aspects have left behind the scenes, which have made the organization process, record, and show video possible. Kateryna Ishchenko, together with Ante lawyers, was working in the following fields: the facilitation of compliance to intellectual property rights and contractual work with counterparties.

The vital aspect turned out to be the “clearing” of copyright and related rights, i.e., obtaining all necessary permits for the lawful use of music, which required lengthy negotiations with the owners.

Unfortunately, in Ukraine, the need to comply with copyright and obtain the necessary licenses is often neglected. Accordingly, when Theater 360 Degrees has approached us with such a request, we were pleasantly surprised. The unique Ukrainian product that considers all legal requirements and has the necessary permits is an incredible case demonstrating respect to intellectual property rights.

To perform a composition during the performance, we have received licenses for the use of copyright and related rights objects: we held negotiations with composers, authors, and recording studios; agreed on the price, term, and scope of use.  Being inspired by the project, some foreign composers granted the rights free of charge and wished for the project’s success. The contractual work with counterparties of the project is also a significant part of legal work. Properly prepared agreements with directors, camera operators, actors, composers, artists protect both sides: the producer and other project participants.

We are pleased to contribute to the support of theatre art and make it accessible to everyone.

For more information about Theater 360 Degrees activities, follow the link https://theatre360.com.ua/ .

Follow the work of the Ante team on the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/antelawua .