Brian Kendall Alexander

Business & Legal Affairs executive advising studios, networks, and production companies on film & TV deals, rights, production legal, and distribution, with a practical, production-informed perspective.

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Based in the United States

About

Practical counsel, creative-friendly execution.

I partner with creative, production, and business teams to structure and close deals that are clear, durable, and executable, from first conversations through signatures and delivery.

My background spans production companies, networks/distributors, and studios/funders, which helps me anticipate friction points early and keep negotiations moving without losing what matters.

How I work

Low drama. High clarity. Forward motion.

I aim to be the person who makes it easier for creative and business teams to say “yes”, with terms that are aligned, defensible, and workable in the real world.

I’m direct, collaborative, and disciplined about getting to the key business points early, so negotiations don’t drift into endless paper.

Focus

What I’m often brought in to handle

Film & TV dealmaking Development, acquisition, production, distribution, co-financing, and strategic partnerships.

Rights, clearances & risk Chain of title, underlying rights, music, archival, releases, E&O readiness, and practical risk calls.

Production legal Hands-on support during prep/production/post; issue-spotting that respects schedules and budgets.

Talent & producer agreements Writers, directors, producers, on-camera, voice, estates, and bespoke participation structures.

Docs & unscripted expertise Real-world experience with complex stakeholder sets and clearance-heavy storytelling.

Internal leadership Cross-functional alignment, scalable templates, and process improvements that reduce cycle time.

Selected highlights

Representative work (high-level)

These are intentionally broad. I'm happy to share specifics in conversation where appropriate.

Negotiated high-value film & series packages Closed multi-party stakeholder deals Structured rights + clearance frameworks Supported productions end-to-end (development → delivery) Advised senior leadership on risk + strategy Built templates/process that scaled output

Recent accomplishments

UMG / Polygram Entertainment

As Senior Vice President of Business & Legal Affairs, I led all film and television dealmaking for eight plus years, helping build the division into a meaningful player in premium documentary and music-driven content, with top of the market sales every year.

* Selena y Los Dinos / Netflix * Man on the Run: A Paul McCartney Story / Amazon * Bob Marley Docuseries / Netflix * The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart / HBO * The Velvet Underground / Apple

Across back to back three year contracts, I structured and closed first look agreements, complex talent and distribution deals, and helped establish Polygram as a premium content partner to Netflix, Amazon, HBO, Apple, NBC, and others.

Experience snapshot

Perspective across the full entertainment business and legal ecosystem

Where I’ve operated

Studios / funders / investors
Networks & distributors
Production companies (hands-on production legal)
Unique Music + IP adjacency

What teams get from me

Clear drafting and calm negotiations
Fast issue-spotting (without over-lawyering)
Commercial creativity in structuring
Reliable follow-through and clean closes

Community & board service

Engagement beyond the deal table

Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) — Volunteer advocate supporting youth in the foster care and juvenile court systems.
Outfest — Former board member supporting LGBTQ+ filmmakers and independent storytelling.

These roles reflect a long-standing commitment to mentorship, advocacy, and creative communities.

Contact

Best way to reach me

Email is easiest. If you prefer LinkedIn, that works too.

briankendallalexander@outlook.com Connect on LinkedIn Download résumé