Are There Plenty of Movies in the Sea? How a Revision of the Terminated Paramount Decrees Could Benefit the Market for Independent Filmmakers
Published 2025-05-22
Keywords
- independent, filmmakers, Hollywood, formula, studio, system, vertical integration, modern, film, distribution, paramount, decrees, claim, termination, federal trade commission, rulemaking, authority, industry, price, fixing, joint ownership, formula deals, streaming, benefits
Abstract
In the early years of filmmaking, the Supreme Court passed the Paramount Decrees as a set of rules prohibiting certain practices by major production companies that restrained competition within the industry. The creation of the internet has not only changed the way society has consumed media, but it has also affected the opportunities for filmmakers to share their works with the world. In 2020, the Paramount Decrees were overturned, dramatically limiting the distribution channels, creative control, and marketing opportunities held by independent filmmakers. This note outlines the injury felt by independent filmmakers and proposes specific rules inspired by the Paramount Decrees that the Federal Trade Commission could enact to mitigate some of the adverse effects of the decision.
Recommended Citation: Yaleth E. Calderon, Are There Plenty of Movies in the Sea?: How a Revision of the Terminated Paramount Decrees Could Benefit the Market for Independent Filmmakers, 20 U. MASS. L. REV. 111 (2025).