Terms of Service

Hollywood Film Coach — hollywoodfilmcoach.com

Last updated: May 2026

Overview

Welcome to Hollywood Film Coach. By accessing or using this website, listening to the Hollywood Film Coach podcast, subscribing to our Substack newsletter, or purchasing a consulting session, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. Please read them carefully.

These terms apply to all visitors, subscribers, and consulting clients of Hollywood Film Coach, operated by Bob Degus.

Use of This Website

This website and its content are provided for informational and educational purposes. You agree to use this website only for lawful purposes and in a manner that does not infringe the rights of others.

You may not:

Reproduce, distribute, or republish any content from this website without explicit written permission
Use any content from this website for commercial purposes without prior written consent
Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any part of this website or its related systems
Use automated tools to scrape, harvest, or collect content or data from this website

Intellectual Property

All content on this website — including but not limited to text, podcast episodes, essays, graphics, and the Hollywood Film Coach name and brand — is the intellectual property of Bob Degus and Hollywood Film Coach and is protected by applicable copyright and trademark laws.

Nothing on this website grants you any license or right to use any content without prior written permission. Requests for permission may be submitted through the contact form on our Consulting page.

Podcast and Newsletter Content

The Hollywood Film Coach podcast and Substack newsletter are provided for personal, non-commercial use only. You may share individual episodes or articles for personal recommendation purposes, but you may not reproduce, repackage, or redistribute the content in any form without written permission.

All opinions expressed in the podcast and newsletter are those of Bob Degus based on his professional experience and are provided for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing in the podcast or newsletter constitutes professional legal, financial, or business advice.

Film References and Links

The Hollywood Film Coach podcast regularly references and discusses short films for the purpose of education and analysis. Where films are referenced, we make every reasonable effort to direct listeners to legitimate viewing sources — platforms where the filmmakers and rights holders can collect revenue from views or rentals. Where such legitimate sources are not discoverable, we may reference publicly available links on platforms such as YouTube.

We recognize that in some cases these public postings may not represent the preferred distribution channel of the filmmaker or rights holder. If you are a filmmaker or rights holder whose work is referenced in this podcast and you would like us to update or correct a link to your film, or if you are aware of a more legitimate viewing source, please contact us through the contact form on our Consulting page and we will make every effort to update our references promptly. It is our genuine intention to support filmmakers and their work, not to circumvent it.

Educational Purpose

The Hollywood Film Coach podcast, website, and all associated written content are intended primarily for educational purposes. The analysis, discussion, and critique of films, filmmaking techniques, industry practices, and creative decisions presented across all Hollywood Film Coach platforms are offered in the spirit of film education — to help emerging filmmakers develop their craft, deepen their understanding of the art form, and navigate the film industry more effectively.

All film references, discussions, and analyses are conducted under the principles of fair use as recognized under United States copyright law, and are transformative, commentary-based, and educational in nature. Nothing in this content is intended to substitute for, compete with, or diminish the commercial value of any film or filmmaker's work.

Our goal is simply to celebrate the art of short filmmaking and help the next generation of filmmakers make better films.

Disclosure: Use of Artificial Intelligence

Hollywood Film Coach is committed to transparency about the use of artificial intelligence in the production of its content. The podcast episodes you hear in Spanish, French, Portuguese, and any other languages beyond English are produced using AI-powered voice technology that replicates the voice of host Bob Degus.

All ideas, opinions, analysis, and content expressed in these translated versions originate entirely with Bob Degus and are translated and revoiced using AI tools to make this content accessible to a broader global audience.

The English language version of the podcast represents Bob Degus's original recorded performance.

Additionally, AI tools may be used in the research, drafting, or editing of written content published on this website and its associated Substack newsletter. All such content is reviewed, edited, and approved by Bob Degus before publication. The editorial voice, perspective, and expertise expressed across all platforms — in all languages — are entirely his own.

Consulting Services

Hollywood Film Coach offers one-on-one consulting sessions via Zoom. By booking a consulting session you agree to the following terms:

Scheduling and Cancellation

Sessions are scheduled through a Calendly link provided after your inquiry is reviewed and confirmed
If you need to reschedule, please do so at least 48 hours before your scheduled session
Cancellations made less than 24 hours before a scheduled session are non-refundable
Hollywood Film Coach reserves the right to reschedule a session in the event of unforeseen circumstances, with as much advance notice as possible

Payment

Payment is required to confirm your session booking
All fees are listed in US dollars
Hollywood Film Coach uses secure third-party payment processing; we do not store your payment information

Refunds

Single sessions that are cancelled more than 24 hours in advance are eligible for a full refund
Multi-session packages are non-refundable once any session has been completed
If Hollywood Film Coach cancels a session and cannot reschedule, a full refund will be issued

Nature of Consulting Services

Consulting sessions with Bob Degus are based on his professional experience and personal perspective. Nothing discussed in a consulting session constitutes a guarantee of any specific outcome — including but not limited to festival acceptance, distribution, funding, or career advancement.

Hollywood Film Coach does not represent, manage, or agent clients. Consulting sessions are advisory in nature only.

Similarity of Ideas

The film and television industry is built on a finite number of stories, themes, and concepts. It is common for multiple filmmakers and creative professionals to develop similar or even identical ideas independently and simultaneously. By booking a consulting session with Hollywood Film Coach, you acknowledge and agree that Bob Degus — as an active filmmaker, producer, and industry professional with decades of experience — may have been exposed to, may currently be developing, or may in the future develop projects that are similar to or share elements with ideas, concepts, or projects you discuss during your session.

You agree that the existence of any such similar project shall not give rise to any claim of misappropriation, theft of ideas, or any other legal claim against Bob Degus or Hollywood Film Coach. This acknowledgment is a condition of booking any consulting session.

Confidentiality

Bob Degus treats all information shared during consulting sessions as confidential and will not disclose it to any third party. Clients are similarly asked to treat the content of their sessions as private and not to record sessions without prior written consent.

Third Party Links and Services

This website may contain links to third party websites and services including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Substack, and Transistor. These links are provided for your convenience only. Hollywood Film Coach has no control over the content or practices of third party sites and accepts no responsibility for them. Visiting any third party site is at your own risk.

Disclaimer of Warranties

This website and all content, services, and consulting offered through it are provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis without warranties of any kind, either express or implied. Hollywood Film Coach makes no warranty that the website will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of viruses or other harmful components.

Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Hollywood Film Coach and Bob Degus shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of this website or any consulting services provided. Our total liability to you for any claim arising from these terms shall not exceed the amount you paid for the consulting session giving rise to the claim.

Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Hollywood Film Coach and Bob Degus from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses — including reasonable legal fees — arising from your use of this website or violation of these terms.

Governing Law

These Terms of Service are governed by the laws of the State of California, United States, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. Any disputes arising under these terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts located in Los Angeles County, California.

EU and International Users

If you are accessing this website from the European Union, European Economic Area, or United Kingdom, please note that your use of this website and any consulting services is subject to these Terms of Service as governed by California law. Nothing in these terms affects your statutory rights under applicable local law.

Changes To These Terms

Hollywood Film Coach reserves the right to update these Terms of Service at any time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated date. Continued use of this website following any changes constitutes acceptance of the revised terms.

Contact

If you have any questions about these Terms of Service, please use the contact form on our Consulting page. We review all messages personally and will normally respond within 48 business hours.