About Surge – A Congressional Documentary of Women In US Elections

A New York-based entertainment lawyer and author, Steven C. Beer is a graduate of Villanova Law School in Pennsylvania. Currently, Steven C. Beer is a partner with New York-based law firm Franklin, Weinrib, Rudell, and Vassallo; he has also been involved in the making of Surge, a documentary about women in the 2018 US midterm elections, which can currently be watched on Showtime and Amazon Video.

A feature documentary, Surge is an extensive recap about the record number of first female candidates to run, win, and upend politics in the entire history of the US up to 2018. The film reveals the brutal realities and biases women face while running for Congress. In the documentary, 3 congressional candidates of 3 different states (Indiana, Texas, and Illinois) are the primary focus. Among these individuals is Laureen Underwood, the youngest Black woman to win the election to the Congress in U.S. history as of 2018.

About “Your Child’s Career in Music and Entertainment”

An alumnus of Washington University in Saint Louis, Missouri, Steven C. Beer currently serves as a partner with Franklin Weinrib Rudell and Vassallo as a media and entertainment attorney in New York. Steven C. Beer’s research in the entertainment industry includes youth in entertainment, which he explores in his book, Your Child’s Career in Music and Entertainment.

Published in 2015, Your Child’s Career in Music and Entertainment primarily provides advice for parents of aspiring young entertainers and performers. It addresses how parents can encourage their children to pursue their artistic passions while being mindful of their health, happiness, and moral development as they grow into their careers in the industry. The book follows a question-and-answer format, covering issues such as family balance, statutory and regulatory legal child protection, finance, and consultation.

Your Child’s Career in Music and Entertainment quotes multiple personal experiences of stars and industry players. Its authors, Steven C. Beer and Kathryne Badura, both have extensive contacts in the entertainment industry.

Hostility Against Journalists and Filmmakers and the JPA

New York resident Steven C. Beer has been a media and entertainment attorney in partnership with Franklin, Weinrib, Rudell and Vassallo for almost a decade. As a professional with a front-seat perspective of the media industry, Steven C. Beer has seen a concerning rise in hostility toward journalists and documentary filmmakers since the late 2010s, as well as exploration of the laws to mitigate this issue.

Over the past few years journalists, particularly those involved in political event coverage or investigative documentaries, have often faced threats or assault in their work. This issue has worsened since the death of George Floyd in 2020; many journalists and documentary filmmakers covering the ensuing protests were injured with no provocation, by political extremists and police officers. Most offenders were not prosecuted, raising concerns about the safety of journalists and the effect this would have on reliable newsgathering.

A promising remedy for this challenge is federal legislation, which has been receiving much attention in light of these issues. The Journalist Protection Act (H.R. 1684) is set to making an intentional attempt or commitment of bodily harm to a journalist a federal crime if the action is done to intimidate or impede newsgathering. In extension, the law prohibits attacks on journalists in newsgathering for whatever reason. Journalists, according to JPA specifications, broadly encompass all individuals who disseminate information or news of public interest through video distribution, motion pictures, or television broadcast for public showing; this includes documentary filmmakers. If this law is enacted, all convicted offenders will be mandated to pay substantial fines and be subjected to 3 to 6-year sentences.