Christopher S. Spicer is a member of the firm’s corporate practice, and he focuses primarily on entertainment and media finance.

Practice & Background

Mr. Spicer represents financial institutions and other financiers with respect to their film and television lending. He also advises borrowers, distributors, independent production companies, high-net-worth individuals, funds, completion guarantors and others involved in various aspects of the production, financing and distribution of film and television projects.

Mr. Spicer is a Visiting Assistant Professor at the graduate and undergraduate level in the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television.

Mr. Spicer received his B.B.A. cum laude and his B.A. in 2001 from the University of Washington and his J.D. in 2005 from the Georgetown University Law Center. He is a member of the California Bar and the Entertainment Law Section of the Beverly Hills Bar Association.

Representative Matters

Mr. Spicer’s recent engagements include the representation of:

  • East West bank as lender in its providing of a credit facility to Bona Films Group for the latter’s $235 million investment in a slate of Hollywood movies from 20thCentury Fox
  • Comerica Bank in a $124 million amended credit facility with A24 Films LLC
  • East West Bank in an $86 million credit facility with TIK Films for the co-financing of slate of motion pictures produced by Lions Gate
  • Comerica Bank, Union Bank, Bank of America, East West Bank and other financiers on multiple, single project loans providing financing in excess of $1 billion, including for the films: The Twilight Saga franchise, The Hunger Games franchise, John Wick, John Wick 2, God is Not Dead, Zero Dark Thirty, Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, Dear White People, and the television series Orange is the New Black, Disenchantment and Hemlock Grove
  • a U.A.E. sovereign investment fund in connection with various investments in the entertainment and media areas
  • a U.A.E. film and media company in connection with the structure and maintenance of various joint ventures with a U.S.-based sales company and U.S.-based producers
  • Media Rights Capital in connection with a five-year senior secured $350 million revolving credit facility with JPMorgan (including the negotiation of the 2011 refinancing of the credit facility)
  • the American Film Institute in connection with various matters, including sponsorship agreements, licensing agreements and sweepstakes.

Awards & Accolades

  • Chambers USA, California Media & Entertainment: Transactional (2015-2017)
  • The Legal 500 US, Media & Entertainment (2017)
  • Variety’s “Legal Impact Report” in 2017
  • Variety’s “Dealmakers Impact Report” in 2016
  • Daily Journal’s “40 Under 40” list in 2017 which honors the top young lawyers in California
  • The Hollywood Reporter’s “Next Gen 2014” annual list of “the industry’s top execs, 35 and under”
  • Variety’s “New Leaders” in the category of Film and Finance in 2013
  • Variety’s “Up Next” section as one of five up-and-coming individuals in the industry in 2012
  • Variety’s “Best and Brightest of Hollywood Law” in 2011.

Speaking Engagements

  • Speaker, “Cross-Border Collaboration: Joint Ventures in Emerging Economies,” Harvard Law School 2012 Entertainment Law Symposium.