Key Personel

About Us

GREG S. BERNSTEIN, Attorney

Greg S. Bernstein is an entertainment lawyer specializing in the area of the finance and distribution of indie films. Each year Mr. Bernstein provides legal or producer representative services on dozens of indie films. Through his many years of experience in the industry he has developed particular insights into the nature of the indie film business. For almost 15 years, Mr. Bernstein has made this insight available to students thru a UCLA Extension course he teaches called “From Packaging to Delivery” (taught each spring and fall). His entertainment industry clients include major motion picture producers, distributors and sales agents, independent film producers and production companies, banks and financiers. Mr. Bernstein is a frequent lecturer (UCLA, various film commissions and others), panel moderator (Hollywood Film Festival, Century City Chamber of Commerce Entertainment Industry Symposium, IFP, and others) and author (Variety, Business of Film and other publications), all dealing with the finance and distribution of indie films

Education: University of California at Los Angeles (B.A., magna cum laude, 1979; J.D., 1982). Honors: Phi Beta Kappa; American Jurisprudence Award-Debtor/Creditor Law; Phi Eta Sigma Freshman Honors; Pi Gamma Mu Social Science Honors.

Lecturer/Speaking: UCLA Extension Course: "From Packaging to Delivery: Independent Film Project Financing and Distribution," given twice a year, Fall and Spring quarters, since 1993. Other lectures at UCLA "Motion Picture Distribution and Finance," "Independent Motion Picture Financing Through Public/Private Syndication," "Financing Feature Film Production." Other speaking engagements: Speaker 2003-2008, Cannes Film Festival, SAG Indie; Speaker, 2005-2008, Cannes Film Festival, Producers Conference; Panelist, “Packaging, Promoting, Marketing and Distributing Your Project in the Digital Era,” HollyShorts Film Festival, August, 2007; Speaker, Cannes Film Festival 2007, Producer’s Conference; Panelist, SAG Indie Producers' Panel: 'From Red to Black,' April,, 2008; Moderator, “Navigating the World of Distribution and Sales,” Producer’s Guild of America Seminar, March 2007; Panelist, “Cover Your Assets,” WGA forum, February, 2007; Moderator, “Strategies for Distributing Your Film,” Hollywood Black Film Festival, February, 2007; Panelist, WGA member forum, July 2004; Moderator, panel discussion, “The Future of Indie Filmmaking,” 2003 Hollywood Film Festival, October 2003; “Indie Film Finance and Distribution,” 2002 Hollywood Film Festival, October 2002; Moderator, panel discussion, "Indie Filmmaking in the New Millennium," 2001 Hollywood Film Festival, August 2001; Speaker: "Movies as Merchandise" Women in Film, June, 2001; Moderator, panel discussion, "Indie Films in the New Millennium," 2000 Hollywood Film Festival, August 2000; Moderator, panel discussion, "Distribution- Is There an Independent Market without Domestic Distribution," November, 1998; Panelist, "1998 IFP/West Independent Film Financing Conference," July, 1998; Moderator, panel discussion, "Distribution, the Role of the Majors in Independent Film," September, 1997; Speaker, Variety Show Biz Expo, June 1997; "Independent Feature Film Distribution and Finance," sponsored by the Tennessee Film Commission, Nashville Film Commission, and Nashville Film and Video Association, Nashville, TN, August, 1994; "Drafting Partnership Agreements in the 90's," Beverly Hills Bar Association, 1993; "Motion Picture Distribution and Finance," Puerto Rico Film Commission sponsor, 1992; "Motion Picture Investing - Challenges and Opportunities," The National Association of Investment Companies, 1992; "Blue Sky, Regulation D and Compliance Issues," Los Angeles Paralegals Association, 1989; "A Financial Investment Seminar on Motion Picture Production," Independent Feature Project North, 1988; "Motion Picture Finance, Production and Distribution," Independent Feature Project, West, 1987.

Author: “Hollywood Strike Zone: The Benefits of Filming in America” Business of Film, Cannes Special Edition, May, 2008; “Reasons For The Consumer To Convert To Digital Platforms Accessibility: Easy Storage: Instantaneous Retrieval”, Business of Film, Cannes Special Edition, May, 2007; “The Visible & Invisible Costs Involved in Working with the American Guilds”, Business of Film, Cannes Special Edition, May, 2006; "The Cry From Independent Producers Is Still Show Me the Money" Business of Film, 25th Anniversary Special Edition, November 2005; "The 2005 Modus Operandi For The Independent Producer" Business of Film, Cannes Special Edition, May 2005; "A Practical Guide For Filmmakers In the Independent Film Financing Galaxy" Business of Film, Cannes Special Edition, May 2004; "Annual Report on the State of Indie Film Financing" Business of Film, Cannes Special Edition, May 2003; "Film Finance 2002" Business of Film, Cannes Special Edition, May 2002; "So You Think You Are Ready To Make A Movie" Business of Film, Cannes Special Edition, May 2002; "2001, A Film Finance Odyssey" Business of Film, Cannes Special Edition, May 2001; "The 'Art' of Filmmaking" Business of Film, Cannes Special Edition, May 2001; "Which Right is it Anyway" Business of Film, Cannes Special Edition, May 2000; "The Dream is Much Better Than the Nightmare That Results" Business of Film, May 2000; "Financing Of Independent Films For The Millennium" Business of Film, May 1999; "Indie Producer: Go North, Or East, Or West, Or South!" Business of Film, May 1999; "The Side Letter: Producers/Distributors Beware!" Business of Film, May 1998; "Where Does Pecuniary Loss Guarantee Fit Into the Financing Picture?" Business of Film, May 1998; "Gap Financing...Friend or Foe?" Business of Film, May 1997; "Pre-Selling Co-Productions--With a Twist" Business of Film, May 1996; "Globalization of a Film's Production Leads to Financing" Business of Film, May 1995; "Content Wins Over Commerce" Daily Variety, February 1995; "American & Europe - A Partnership Made in Hollywood" Business of Film, May 1994; "Producers Become Easy Mark" Daily Variety, February 1994; "Indies Must Look Beyond H'wood" Daily Variety, March 1992; "Digest of Current Developments," The Real Estate Syndicator, August 1988; "SEC Giving Syndicators a Break," The Real Estate Syndicator, December 1987. Frequently quoted in various publications.

Bar Admittances/Other: Admitted to California bar, 1982, California and United States District Court, Central District of California; 1983, United States Tax Court and The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals; Passed May, 1979 CPA exam, first sitting (however, not licensed as a CPA).