M&C in the news: Intellectual Property (IP) in Animation 101

At Marks & Clerk, we love working with the creative minds behind some of the most exciting animations out there. Whether it’s protecting a standout character, securing trade marks for a new franchise, or tackling the latest challenges around AI-generated content, we help animators and studios safeguard what makes their work unique. Without Intellectual property, those iconic characters, unforgettable storylines, and innovative technologies wouldn’t hold the value they deserve.

This article for leading animation magazine Skwigly kicks off a new series where we’ll unpack the key IP issues animators need to know about, from copyright and trade marks to design rights and patents. In future pieces, we’ll dive into hot topics like generative AI, merchandising strategies, and how studios can stay ahead in an evolving legal landscape. 

Stay tuned for part two, coming soon…. 

It is a great pleasure to have the opportunity to provide our first in a series of articles focussed on intellectual property and the animation sector. Our firm works to ensure that our clients’ intellectual property (IP) is free to use, properly protected, and properly enforced and we work closely with a number of animation clients in this respect. There are of course some IP big issues in the animation sector at the moment, such as generative AI and the proposed relaxation of copyright laws, but in the first of a series of articles we hope to introduce you to the various IP rights and their relevance to the animation industry. We will then focus on topics such as generative AI and merchandising in our later articles.

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