Prof. Dr. Mathias Schwarz

Partner

Rechtsanwalt

Appointed Public Accountant

Mediator

What was your most complex case?

Perhaps providing legal advice for the movie “The Name of the Rose,” for which I was retained as a very young lawyer by Bernd Eichinger (Constantin Film). At that time, the international production and financing business in Germany was hardly developed. We had to deal with experienced UK and US attorneys, Dutch banks, and French and Italian co-producers. This was exciting and instructive, but there was certainly some anxiety involved.

Mathias Schwarz advises on movie and TV productions, copyright and personality rights, licensing, and media financing. His clients are financial institutions, private investors, movie and TV producers, as well as broadcasting and publishing companies. He also represents a number of renowned individuals in the German media industry. In addition, he has been advising a number of family offices and private clients for a long time.

Career

Studied law at the universities of Munich, Freiburg and Geneva
Stage abroad during legal clerkship in a law firm in Rome
Doctorate with Prof. Fikentscher on a topic of industrial constitution law
Three years head of the legal department of the Kirch Group
Since 1987 at SKW Schwarz
Since 1991 also admitted as auditor
Since 1995 Honorary Professor, first in Leipzig, then at the Academy for Television and Film, Munich
Since 2005 also active as a mediator
Since 2008 also working as legal advisor for the Allianz Deutscher Produzenten - Film & Fernsehen e.V

Publications

15.09.2020

„Production Continuation Fund“ for movies finally in force

17.03.2020

Coronavirus and the consequences for film productions

06.12.2019

Mention in “Wir müssen das große Ganze sehen”, Blickpunkt Film

11.06.2019

Mention in “Kinowirtschaft: Drei Fragen zur Eckpunktevereinbarung über die Zusammenarbeit bei Kino-Gemeinschaftsproduktionen”, at: Produzentenallianz (status: 13.06.2019, publication in German language)

10.06.2019

Interview on “Schlüsselposition in der deutschen Kinowirtschaft”, at: medienpolitik.net (status: 13.06.2019, publication in German language)

13.02.2019

Bandenfilm is winner of 2019 SKW Schwarz scholarship

27.02.2018

“SKW Schwarz Stipendium: Erste Förderung geht an handwritten Pictures”, in: Professional Production (status: 01.03.2018, publication in German language)

26.02.2018

“Stipendium für Neusser Filmproduzenten”, in: NGZ Online (status: 27.02.2018, publication in German language)

23.02.2018

“handwritten Pictures erhält erstes Stipendium von SKW Schwarz”, in: mediabiz (status: 27.02.2018, publication in German language)

23.02.2018

First SKW Schwarz scholarship awarded to handwritten Pictures

11.01.2018

“Territorial Principle – saved? Not quite.”, in: Lexology (status: 10.01.2018)

22.12.2017

Territorial Principle – saved? Not quite.

21.11.2017

Mention in “Serienförderung: Die Argumente liegen auf dem Tisch”, in: Blickpunkt:Film (status: 24.11.2017, publication in German language)

01.11.2017

“Eine schwerwiegende Entwertung der Produzentenrechte”, in: medienpolitik.net (status: 02.11.2017, publication in German language)

29.09.2017

Citation in “Internetfernsehen – EU-Verordnung soll den Rechte-Dschungel lichten”, in: Handelsblatt (status: 16.10.2017, publication in German language)

15.09.2017

“Verletzung des Urheberpersönlichkeitsrechts durch Kontextänderungen”, in: iprb IP-Rechtsberater, issue 9/2017, p. 212-216 (publication in German language)

13.06.2017

“EINFALT STATT VIELFALT – Deutsche Filmproduzenten halten EU-Pläne für Nonsens”, in: MEINUNGSBAROMETER.INFO (status: 21.06.2017, publication in German language)

02.03.2017

BFH: Entwarnung für Produzenten und Dienstleister – hohe Hürden für gewerbesteuerliche Hinzurechnung von Mietzinsen

23.02.2017

SKW Schwarz advises X Filme on its strategic partnership with Beta Film

13.06.2016

“Portabilität und Regulierung des Geoblockings als Teil der Digital Single Market Initiative der EU”, in: Kommunikation & Recht, issue 6/2016, p. 172 (publication in German language)

29.02.2016

“Urhebervertragsrecht 2.0”, in: Lexology (status: 29.02.2016, publication in German language)

29.02.2016

“ARD und Produzentenallianz stellen Eckpunkte für ausgewogene Vertragsbedingungen und eine faire Aufteilung der Verwertungsrechte für Auftrags- und teilfinanzierte Produktionen vor”, in: Lexology (status: 29.02.2016, publication in German la

29.02.2016

“Novelle des FFG 2017”, in: Lexology (status: 29.02.2016, publication in German language)

28.01.2016

New Terms of Trade agreed for television productions commissioned by ARD stations

01.01.2016

Interview on “Ohne politische Unterstützung war nicht mehr zu erreichen” (Interview in German language)

21.12.2015

“Geoblocking und Portability aus der Sicht der Filmwirtschaft”, in: ZUM – Zeitschrift für Urheber- und Medienrecht, issue 12/2015, p. 950 – 954 (publication in German language)

21.09.2015

“Auseinandersetzung um Urhebervertragsrecht: Entwurf veröffentlicht”, in: Initiative Urheberrecht (status: 21.09.2015, publication in German language)

13.07.2015

“Reform des Urhebervertragsrechts aus Sicht der Filmproduzenten”, in: ZUM - Zeitschrift für Urheber- und Medienrecht, issue 6/2015, p. 466-469 (publication in German language)

07.05.2015

Modifizierte Pläne der EU-Kommission für ein Verbot des Einsatzes von Geolocation-Maßnahmen?

16.08.2013

Der Ergänzungstarifvertrag Erlösbeteiligung Kinofilm. In: ZUM – Zeitschrift für Urheber- und Medienrecht, Heft 10/2013, S. 730 - 736

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Presentations & Events

22.03.2018

F.R.C. I – Finanzen. Recht. Controlling. Weiterbildung für Filmgeschäftsführer (presentation in German language)

Opening lecture by Prof. Dr. Mathias Schwarz on current topics of the past months and future topics

28.06.2017

Early Morning Brunch Filmfest München 2017 (event in German language)

SKW Schwarz Rechtsanwälte would like to invite you to our traditional Early Morning Brunch on the occasion of the Filmfest Munich 2017

22.06.2017

Private Clients Business Frühstück in München (event in German language)

Wir laden Sie herzlich ein zum Private Clients Frühstück.

09.11.2016

Private Clients Frühstück

Aktuelle Entwicklungen der Unternehmens- und Vermögensnachfolge

21.01.2016

Let’s get series. Finanzierung, Produktion und Auswertung von TV- und VoD-Serien made in Germany. Veranstaltung vom Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg und SKW Schwarz

09.10.2015

„Geoblocking aus der Sicht der Filmwirtschaft“ Vortrag auf dem Medienrechtssymposion 2015 des Instituts für Urheber- und Medienrecht, München/Germany

21.09.2015

Stellungnahme zum Referentenentwurf zur Reform des Urhebervertragsrechts auf der Tagung von ALAI Deutschland e. V., München/Germany

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Awards & Recognitions

Chambers Europe 2020:
Recommended lawyer in the category „Media“

JUVE Handbook: German Commercial Law Firms 2018 – 2020
Frequently recommended lawyer in the category “Technology and Media: Media” (2019/2020)
Leading individual in the category “Copyright Law” (2019/2020)
Frequently recommended lawyer in the category “Technology and Media: Media” and leading name in the category “Copyright Law” (2018/2019)
Competitor about him: “professional and fast”

Who’s Who Legal: Data 2018 – 2020
Recommended lawyer in the category “Telecoms & Media”
“Mathias Schwarz is a seasoned and revered practitioner who represents broadcasting companies, film and TV producers, and individuals within the German media industry on licensing, financing and copyright matters.” (2020)
“Renowned for his work in the media space, receiving commendations from peers for his excellent work advising on a range of matters from film and TV productions, media licensing and financing.” (2018)

Who’s Who Legal Germany 2018 – 2020
Recommended lawyer in the category “Sports & Entertainment”
“Mathias Schwarz enjoys a strong reputation as a long-standing figure in the market who provides stellar advice in matters of licensing, financing and copyright issues.” (2020)
“A prominent name in the entertainment sector, who regularly advises financial institutions, private investors and TV and film productions.”
Recommended lawyer in the category “Technology, Media & Telecommunications” (2019)
“An esteemed lawyer in the film and media space with a raft of high-profile clients from across Europe and the US. His world-class practice encompasses movie productions, licensing and broadcasting among other matters.” (2018)

Chambers Europe: Germany 2018 – 2019
Recommended lawyer in the category “TMT: Media”

Kanzleien in Deutschland
Eminent authority in movie law

Handelsblatt
One of Germany’s best business lawyers

Handelsblatt in cooperation with Best Lawyers: Germany’s Best Lawyers 2017 – 2020
Recommended lawyer in the categories “Entertainment Law” and “Media Law”
Recommended lawyer in the category “Media and Copyright Law”
Lawyer of the Year in the category “Media and Copyright Law” (2018)
Lawyer of the Year in the category “Entertainment” and recommended lawyer in the category “Media and Copyright Law” (2017)

Memberships

Mathias Schwarz is a member of GRUR and ALAI.

Miscellaneous activities

In 2005, Mathias Schwarz founded MiMMA e.V. - mediation in the media, music & the arts e.V. He is a lecturer at Munich University of TV and Film and regularly publishes on media law topics.

Mathias Schwarz heads the cinema and animation section of Allianz Deutscher Produzenten – Film & Fernsehen e.V., which he helped to establish in 2008.

He is also a sustaining member of the Deutsche Filmakademie e.V. and deputy chairman of the advisory board of the Bunt Foundation, Munich. Mathias Schwarz is also the founding director of Freunde des Filmfests München.