Douglas R. Stone
Douglas Stone is the founding partner of Stone, Meyer, Genow, Smelkinson & Binder, LLP and is the firm’s managing partner. He is in his 23rd year of practicing law. His practice centers around two primary areas: the representation of talent clients (e.g., actors, writers and directors); and the representation of producers and entrepreneurial production and distribution companies, both national and international, in all aspects of the entertainment and related industries.
Some representative talent clients of Mr. Stone are Daniel Craig (“Casino Royale,” “Quantum of Solace”), Halle Berry, and Dean Devlin (“Independence Day,” “Godzilla,” “The Patriot”). Mr. Stone was named one of the most powerful entertainment attorneys by the Hollywood Reporter in the 2007 and 2008 “Power 100” issues.
Mr. Stone has played an active role in the packaging, financing and exploitation of independent films. Mr. Stone is a co-executive producer of the film “Buffalo Soldiers,” starring Joaquin Phoenix, Ed Harris and Scott Glenn. His involvement culminated in the sale of the U.S. distribution rights to Miramax at the 2001 Toronto International Film Festival.
Mr. Stone was also involved in the financing and production of the film “Beyond The Sea” directed by and starring Kevin Spacey. The film was financed through a UK-German co-production coupled with equity. The film was distributed in the U.S. by Lions Gate pursuant to a deal negotiated by Mr. Stone.
In addition, Mr. Stone helped Dean Devlin put together the independently financed, $60 million feature film “Flyboys.” The unique financing structure for the film allowed the filmmakers the freedom to make the film without any distribution in place, thus allowing for true independence in the filmmaking process.
Currently Douglas Stone is a member of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Mr. Stone is also a principal of Traction Media. Traction is a company created by Stone, Meyer, Genow, Smelkinson & Binder, LLP to further the interests of independent filmmakers. Traction represents films for the sale of distribution rights as well as produces and packages feature film projects. In addition, Traction assists equity financiers seeking film projects and works with production companies that need help packaging and/or setting up their projects. Through Traction, Mr. Stone has been involved in the sale of dozens of films, including “Hard Candy” and “Half Nelson.”
Mr. Stone received a Bachelor of Science from the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University and his J.D. from the Boalt Hall School of Law, University of California, Berkeley. Mr. Stone began his law career with the law firm of Mitchell, Silberberg & Knupp, where he practiced in the firm’s Motion Picture and Television Department.