Vice President Business Legal Affairs

Overview

Annapurna is seeking an experienced VP, Business Affairs & Legal to oversee and execute legal and business affairs functions across the company’s film, television, interactive (video games), and theater verticals, with a primary focus on feature film and interactive. This role is a senior, hands-on position responsible for structuring, negotiating, and managing complex deals while partnering closely with creative, production, finance, and distribution teams.

The ideal candidate brings deep entertainment industry experience, sound judgment, and a collaborative approach in a fast-paced, creator-driven environment.

Reports To: President of Business Affairs/ General Counsel

Deal Negotiation & Contracting

• Lead negotiation, drafting, and execution of a wide range of agreements, including:
• Rights acquisition and underlying IP agreements;
• Writer, director, producer, cast, and above-the-line talent agreements;
• Production, co-production, financing, and distribution agreements;
• Video game development, publishing, licensing, and platform agreements;
• Structure deals that balance creative goals with legal, financial, and risk considerations.

Business Affairs Strategy

• Serve as a strategic advisor to senior leadership on deal structures, risk assessment, and market practices across media formats.
• Partner with finance and production to ensure alignment on budgets, schedules, guild requirements, and delivery obligations.
• Track and interpret evolving industry trends, guild rules, and regulatory considerations affecting content creation and distribution.
• Identify and manage legal risks throughout development, production, and distribution.
• Oversee rights tracking, chain-of-title, and clearance issues in collaboration with internal teams and outside counsel.
• Ensure compliance with applicable laws, guild agreements (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA, IATSE, etc.), and company policies.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with creative executives, producers, and interactive teams to support projects from development through release.
• Provide clear, practical legal guidance that supports creative decision-making.

Team Leadership (as applicable)

• Help establish best practices, templates, and workflows across divisions.

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school; active membership in the California Bar or eligibility to register as in-house counsel.
• 8–12+ years of experience in entertainment law and business affairs, with significant experience in film; experience in video games desirable.
• Deep knowledge of guild agreements, rights structures, and production/distribution models.
• Exceptional negotiation, drafting, and communication skills.
• Strong business judgment with the ability to balance legal risk and creative objectives.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple projects simultaneously.

Desired Attributes

• Collaborative, solutions-oriented mindset.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial, and creatively driven company.
• Interest in and passion for storytelling across multiple media formats.
• Discretion, integrity, and sound professional judgment.

Compensation will be commensurate with experience and will include a competitive base salary, bonus eligibility, and a comprehensive benefits package.

Annapurna is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to fostering an inclusive workplace. We encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply.

In compliance with California law, the compensation range listed for this role represents the total salary the Company reasonably expects to pay for this position. Actual compensation within the range will be determined based on job-related factors, including but not limited to relevant skills, years of experience, education, training, and internal equity.