Plagiarism versus copyright infringement

Everett Collection Netflix straight up jacked the characters and plot for its hit show "Outer Banks" from an already published book ... at least according to the author of a novel, who's now out for some legal revenge. The streaming giant is being sued by Jeff Wilson , who claims there are way too many similarities between a book he wrote, "Queen Anne's Revenge," and 'OB' for it to be pure coincidence. "Queen Anne's Revenge" by Jeffrey Wilson/Amazon According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Wilson says in 2013 he published his novel, which follows 4 friends on a treasure hunt from a famous shipwreck near the outer banks of North Carolina. Wilson says his book was even promoted by Discovery and History Channel, and he claims the 'OB' creators have even confessed ... they relied on other books and authors for inspiration to write the scripted series. The author claims his book was drawn from heavily ... he says the main cast and their … [Read more...] about Netflix Sued Over ‘Outer Banks’ Show, Novelist Claims Series Ripped Off Book

The Writers Guild of America is taking on the robots. The guild has clarified its position on the use of artificial intelligence in the writing process as it’s in the third day of negotiations with the AMPTP . The WGA highlighted AI , which has been on the rise as a result of services such as ChatGPT, in its Pattern of Demands , saying that it plans to “Regulate use of material produced using artificial intelligence or similar technologies”. The union has now gone further following reports that it would allow writers to use AI to write scripts. “The WGA’s proposal to regulate use of material produced using artificial intelligence or similar technologies ensures the Companies can’t use AI to undermine writers’ working standards, including compensation, residuals, separated rights and credits,” it noted. The guild added that AI can’t be used as source material to “create MBA-covered writing or rewrite MBA-covered work, and AI-generated text cannot be considered … [Read more...] about WGA Takes On AI & Lays Out Position As AMPTP Talks Continue

Bob Bakish , chief executive of Paramount Global , saw total compensation in 2022 of $32 million, up from $20 million the year before. According to the company’s proxy filing today, Bakish’ 2022 compensation included a base salary of $3.1 million (unchanged from the year before ); stock awards of $15.9 million (versus none in 2021); and non-equity incentive plan compensation (like a cash bonus) of $12.9 million versus $16.82 million the prior year. Proxies lay out the compensation of a company’s five highest paid executives. They are Chief Financial Officer Naveen Chopra (total pay of $6.5 million in 2022 from $4.1 million the year before); Christa D’Alimonte, EVP and General Counsel ($5.7 million from $3.2 million); Doretha Lea, EVP Global Public Policy and Government Relations ($2.7 million from $2.1 million); and Nancy Phillips, EVP, Chief People Officer, $3 million from $1.8 million). Discussing Bakish’ compensation, the board noted his strategic leadership and … [Read more...] about Paramount Global CEO Bob Bakish Saw Total Pay Of $32 Million In 2022, Up From $20 Million Year Before

If producers use artificial intelligence to simulate an actor’s performance, they’re going to have to bargain for it, SAG-AFTRA said Friday in a statement on the use of AI and digital doubling. “The terms and conditions involving rights to digitally simulate a performer to create new performances must be bargained with the union,” the guild said in a statement. “These rights are mandatory subjects of bargaining under the National Labor Relations Act,” the guild says. “Companies are required to bargain with SAG-AFTRA before attempting to acquire these rights in individual performers’ contracts. To attempt to circumvent SAG-AFTRA and deal directly with the performers on these issues is a clear violation of the NLRA.” The WGA has staked out a similar position . It its pattern of demands for its upcoming contract talks, which begin Monday, the writers guild seeks to “regulate use of material produced using artificial intelligence or similar technologies.” “Human … [Read more...] about SAG-AFTRA Says Use Of AI To Simulate Actors’ Performances Must Be Bargained For

Friday afternoon : We’re hearing that New Line’s Shazam! Fury of the Gods is currently on its way to an $11M Friday, inclusive of last night’s $3.4M , for what’s looking like a $30M opening at 4,071 theaters. The pic cost $125M before P&A, $25M more than the first Shazam! While that’s nothing to scream “Shazam!” about in regards to that projected 3-day, note that we have to see how family matinees impact the pic’s ticket sales, given how younger skewing it is. Meaning, Batman fans aren’t making their way to this movie. According to Comscore, this Friday in March boasts the most for the month when it comes to K-12 schools (34% out) and colleges (42%) on break. Social media analytics firm RelishMix measured a social media universe across Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok of 385.5M, +4% over Shazam!, but 27% off superhero genre norms. However, the campaign made ground on TikTok with over 80M views for studio-owned materials. Says … [Read more...] about ‘Shazam! Fury Of The Gods’ Seeing $30M Opening – Friday Box Office

Refresh for latest …: New Line/DC/Warner Bros’ Shazam! Fury of the Gods has had a less than heroic launch with $65.5M global, including $35M from the international box office . We always knew this sequel was going to come in lower than its predecessor , but the result is also far off where projections were ahead of the weekend. Overall, the main issue on Shazam 2 appears to be a disconnect with hardcore DC fans, and, when it comes to China, an increasingly cold-shoulder approach of audiences to Hollywood fare. Fury of the Gods was simply a no-show in the PRC with a slight $4.4M weekend. Despite getting a day-and-date release there, moviegoers did not turn up for Shazam 2 (in the heady days of 2019, the first movie bowed to nearly $30M). This is part of a concerning trend in the world’s second biggest box office market where (outside of Avatar ) folks have shied away from Hollywood fare. Interestingly, Shazam 2 has an 8.8 audience score on Maoyan whereas the … [Read more...] about ‘Shazam! Fury Of The Gods’ Strikes Out With $66M Global Bow – International Box Office

Michael Winterbottom has devoted much of his filmmaking career to revisiting real-life events through works blurring the boundaries between documentary and drama to various degrees. The filmmaker shed light on his approach in a recent Doha Film Institute (DFI) masterclass, going behind the scenes of Welcome To Sarajevo , 24 Hour Party People , In This World , The Road To Guantanamo , A Might Heart and Eleven Days In May . “It’s a continuum, even if you’re filming a fantasy film in a studio on a green screen there is an element of document to that. You’re recording that moment of the act of performance,” he said when quizzed on his attitude towards documentary versus fiction. “Equally, even in a documentary like Eleven Days … you’re trying to shape that story, so it a continuum,” he added, referring to the 2022 documentary commemorating 68 children killed in Israeli bombing raids over Gaza in May 2021. Winterbottom elaborated on this idea through his … [Read more...] about Michael Winterbottom Talks Blurring Of Lines Between Documentary & Fiction; Appeals For UK Film Funding Rethink – Qumra Masterclass

Steve Jobs was vigilant in protecting his copyrights ... and now the photographer who shot his most iconic portrait is following Steve's lead ... and suing two artists who allegedly ripped him off ... TMZ has learned. The man behind the suit is Albert M. Watson -- a prolific photographer who's considered one of the most influential people to ever wield a camera. He shot Steve's famous portrait during a 2006 photo shoot ... and claims he owns the rights to the work. FYI -- the shot was used as the cover art on Walter Isaacson's biography, "Steve Jobs." But in his lawsuit, filed in federal court in NY, Watson claims two well known artists -- Alex Guofeng Cao and David Datuna -- used his famous "Steve Jobs" portrait as the basis for new pieces ... but they never got proper permission. Watson claims one of the unauthorized works, "Steve Jobs vs. Neil Armstrong, After Watson," has become popular and is being sold in multiple galleries across the country. He also … [Read more...] about Steve Jobs — Iconic Portrait Was RIPPED OFF … Says Photog

The Department for Professional Employees , AFL-CIO , with which a dozen entertainment industry unions are affiliated, has set its policy agenda for the 118th Congress , centered on creating diverse talent pipelines, incentivizing diversity in hiring and strengthening creative professionals’ workplace rights. Dorning told Deadline, however, that achieving those goals in this Congress – with a majority of Republicans in the House and a slim majority of Democrats in the Senate – will be no easy task. “It’s definitely going to be a challenge. We see that,” she said. “But we see this as a long-term investment on our part, and our affiliates to create systematic change. So we don’t expect to get everything that we want right away. We’re definitely in it for the long haul, and we’re going to working a lot to try to make change.” Passing the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act is DPE’s top priority, though it remains a legislative long shot. Recently reintroduced … [Read more...] about AFL-CIO’s Department For Professional Employees Sets Legislative Agenda

Sunday AM Update/writethru: Following Saturday 7:28AM post, with final : Warner Bros./Legendary’s Pokémon Detective Pikachu is coming in ahead of its $50M-$55M domestic tracking with a $58M No. 2 opening being called by the studio. They excelled with the first Pokemon movie back in 1999 with a $31M launch, and they’ve done even better with this updated live-action hybrid comedy close to 20 years later. It’s a great comeback for Legendary on the Burbank lot after its five-year deal at Universal. When Detective Pikachu jumped to Warner Bros. last July , it was a sign that Legendary, which was behind such Warner Bros. successes as the Dark Knight and Godzilla franchises, was coming back. Smart dating here on behalf of Warner Bros.: They waited for Disney/Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame to calm down, going two weekends after the summer juggernaut, which, as of this morning, continued to top the box office with its third No. 1 in a row, an estimated $63.1M . … [Read more...] about ‘Pokemon Detective Pikachu’ Grabs $58M In ‘Endgame’ Dominated Universe; Marvel Pic 3rd Highest Domestic With $723M+ – Sunday Update