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Bliss Legal Studio, PC

Bliss Legal Studio, PC

Los Angeles, California

Creator and influencer attorneys · Los Angeles

From show business
to creator business.

Two people think they own the same video: the creator, and the brand that paid for it. Only one is right, and the deal decides which. We negotiated for production companies, major record labels, movie studios, and TV networks. Now we bring that experience to the creator economy, so every deal a creator signs builds the business, not just the next paycheck.

Brand deals, creator agreements, contributor agreements, music licenses, management agreements, and the paperwork a channel needs to become a valuable asset.

Schedule a Consultation

Who we are

Studio dealmakers,
in the creator's corner.

Bliss Legal Studio, PC was founded by Brian Alexander and Mara Virabov, two entertainment attorneys who came up through the industry, from talent representation to production to in-house business and legal affairs at studios, networks and music companies.

Creators first. Creators now sign the deals studios used to sign: brand partnerships with paid usage, music licenses, management agreements, and sales of shows and libraries to buyers. We have negotiated those deals from the buyer side and the music side, and now we negotiate them for creators and their managers.

We are a boutique on purpose. Clients work with partners who have sat across the table from the buyers and run business affairs from the inside.

Deal-first perspective

We think like dealmakers first. The legal work serves the business goal.

Both sides of the table

Decades inside studios, music companies, agencies and management. We know what the other side is trying to get.

Clear communication

We explain what matters and why. Clients make informed decisions.

We also provide business and legal affairs counsel to clients in traditional film, TV, and music industries.

What we do

What we do.

We counsel creators, talent, and producers on a selective basis: clearing rights, structuring content ventures, and negotiating platform agreements for clients whose work demands senior-level attention from day one.

Creators

For creators, influencers and creator-led companies.

Brand & sponsorship deals
Review, redline, and negotiate usage windows, exclusivity, paid amplification, whitelisting, morals clauses, payment terms, and FTC disclosure, with an eye on how each deal shapes the next one.
Music in content
Advise on music in organic and sponsored posts. Most tracks carry two sets of rights, publishing and recording, often licensed separately. Review platform library terms and answer Content ID claims and takedowns.
Live shows & tours
Negotiate the deals that take an audience offline: promoter, venue, and tour partner agreements, guarantees and backend splits, merch and VIP terms, tour sponsors, and cancellation. Clear the music and releases for the show, and settle who owns it if it is filmed or streamed.
Management agreements
Draft and negotiate management agreements for creators: commission scope, sunset terms, power of attorney, plus newer income like affiliate links, shops, and digital products.
Business setup
Form the entity, draft partner, co-host, contractor, and IP assignment agreements, then file trademark applications for the name the audience knows, ideally before larger deals are signed.
Ownership & chain of title
Review who owns the content, name, and format, from editors, co-hosts, and guests to music and footage, and draft the assignments and releases that address gaps buyers look for.
Exit strategy
Plan the exit early, then negotiate it: the sale or license of a channel, catalog, or company, earnouts tied to future performance, retained rights, and who keeps the name after closing.

Film, TV & Documentary

For producers and production companies, with extensive experience in music rights.

Film & television
Draft and negotiate development, production, financing, and distribution agreements.
Documentary
Clear life rights, archival footage, and music, and negotiate distribution and license agreements.
Production legal
Handle crew and talent agreements, releases, clearances, and insurance.
Rights & IP
Draft option and purchase agreements, review chain of title, and clear stranded IP.

Music

For artists, labels, publishers, and the companies that license their music.

Catalog sales & acquisitions
Negotiate the sale and purchase of music catalogs, masters, and publishing.
Joint ventures
Structure label, publishing, and content joint ventures.
Sync licensing
License music into film, TV, brand deals, and creator content.
Live events
Draft and negotiate production agreements for live events.

How we work

How we work.

  1. 01

    We listen first

    Before we talk strategy, we learn your business: your channel, your audience, where your income comes from, and what you will not give up. Good counsel starts with the deal you want to make.

  2. 02

    We advise directly

    We give you our honest read on where leverage sits, what risks are real, and which battles are worth fighting.

  3. 03

    We close deals

    We negotiate efficiently and draft clearly, so your deal keeps moving.

The Team

The Team

Brian Alexander, Los Angeles entertainment attorney

Brian Alexander

Founding Partner

Entertainment Attorney & Business Affairs Executive · Creators · Platform & Streamer Deals · Film & TV · Documentaries · Music

Former SVP of Business & Legal Affairs at Universal Music Group, where he helped establish Polygram Entertainment as a premium documentary and music-driven content producer. He has closed deals with Netflix, Amazon, HBO, Apple and Lionsgate.

Before UMG, Brian held senior roles at Viacom, Discovery Communications and Magical Elves. Earlier he worked at ICM and Writers & Artists Agency and co-founded Essential Talent Management, which gave him the talent representation-side view he brings to every deal.

  • In the industry since 1993
  • Admitted to practice law in California
Mara Virabov, Los Angeles entertainment attorney

Mara Virabov

Founding Partner

Entertainment Attorney · Creators · Music · Film & TV · Live Entertainment

Former Senior Director of Business & Legal Affairs at Universal Music Group. Structured label deals, joint ventures, recording agreements, and film and TV projects, and counseled UMG's brand teams on creator campaigns. Earlier, MGM Studios and over a decade producing music-driven audio-visual content.

  • J.D., UCLA School of Law
  • Admitted to practice law in California

Questions

Straight answers.

Who does the firm represent?

Our practice is focused on digital media and the creator economy: creators and creator-led companies. The firm also takes on matters across traditional media: music, film, television, and documentaries.

Do you work with creator managers and agencies?

Yes. We work with everyone in the creator economy: creators, the managers and agencies who represent them, and the production companies and businesses they work with. Email us at info@blisslegalstudio.com to talk about how we can help.

Do you find brand deals?

No. In California, finding and booking work for talent is the job of a licensed talent agency. The firm negotiates and drafts the deals a creator or a creator's agent brings in.

Can you help me take my channel on tour?

Yes, on the deal side. We negotiate the promoter, venue, and tour partner agreements, the sponsorship and merch terms, and the rights to film or stream the show. We do not book dates: in California, booking talent is the job of a licensed talent agency.

Do you pitch, shop, or sell projects?

No. The firm does not represent, pitch, shop, or sell scripts, shows, films, music, or other projects, and does not accept unsolicited creative material. When a creator or producer already has a deal in front of them, we negotiate and document it.

Who owns a video made for a brand deal?

The contract decides. Some deals license the content for a set period, some allow paid usage for years, and some transfer ownership outright. Review before signing is where those terms get set.

What if a brand sends me a deal?

Free contract generators and brand templates are written for the company that pays. Before you sign, you need to answer these:

  • Do you own the video, or does the brand?
  • Can the brand run your face in paid ads, for how long, and are they paying for it?
  • Does the post have to stay up forever?
  • Does exclusivity keep you from working with a competitor, and for how long?
  • If a song in the background draws a claim, who pays?
  • Can the brand walk away after you've turned down other offers to hold the slot?

New brand deal on your radar? Talk to us before you sign so you don't accidentally leave money on the table or lock yourself into an exclusive marriage with a brand. Every single one of these clauses is negotiable. Knowing what to ask for, and what's market, is where the real value is.

Do you work outside California?

Our attorneys are licensed in California and advise on matters governed by California law or U.S. federal law, such as copyright and trademark. Where another state's or country's law governs, the firm works with local counsel.

How do fees work?

New matters start with a consultation. Before work begins, we confirm your fee in a written engagement letter. Depending on whether you need help with a single deal, a project or ongoing counsel, that may be a flat fee, an hourly rate or a monthly retainer. Some deals may also include a success fee, agreed in writing up front.

Do you offer fractional general counsel services?

Yes. For creator-led companies and production companies that need ongoing legal support without in-house counsel, we act as fractional general counsel.

What makes Bliss Legal Studio different from larger entertainment law firms?

Two things. First, our attorneys spent decades inside studios, production companies, music companies and agencies, so we bring business judgment as well as legal skill. Second, we know music rights from the label and publisher side. Most creator lawyers stop at the brand deal, but music is where creator content most often gets claimed, muted or taken down.

A conversation, first.

Every engagement starts with a consultation about fit, scope and the work itself.

Schedule a Consultation