Biopics, true crime stories, and documentaries raise a question that is only seemingly simple: Is the consent of the subject required? Under Italian law, there is no actual right of ownership over one’s own biography. Protection, instead, is provided through rights related to one’s image, reputation, privacy, personal identity, and the proper handling of sources. This Insight analyzes the role of “life rights” and the main legal risks for producers, authors, and platforms.

The Gomorra case provides an important opportunity to distinguish between plagiarism of a work as a whole and the unauthorized use of individual pre-existing elements. This Insight outlines the legal proceedings, the role of citing sources, and the criteria used to quantify damages, highlighting the practical implications for authors, publishers, and producers.

The legal soundness of an audiovisual project is established as early as the development phase. This Insight analyzes the role of the chain of title, option and development agreements, rights management, and due diligence in making a project more bankable, negotiable, and attractive to broadcasters, streaming platforms, investors, and co-producers.

When can a product’s shape become an exclusive right? Starting with the Stratocaster case and other well-known design icons, this Insight analyzes the boundaries between shape trademarks, design, and copyright, highlighting the opportunities and limitations in protecting the shapes that identify a product on the market.