A filmmaker sued Warner Music Group for allegedly using his footage of Tom Petty in the documentary 'Somewhere You Feel Free' without consent.
‘s production branch is being sued by filmmaker Martyn Atkins over the company’s alleged use of footage in a 2021documentary without permission. Last week, Atkins filed a lawsuit in L.A.
Following the musician’s death, Atkins claims he met with Petty’s daughter and his estate representatives and was promised he’d direct a documentary, so he shared the file location of much of his footage. “Atkins had been conned into believing he would produce and direct the film so that Atkins would reveal the location of his footage to defendants,” the lawsuit claims. “He was then cut out completely — in every imaginable respect. He was not even told as a courtesy that his works would be misappropriated and featured, let alone asked his consent.
According to the complaint, after Atkins watched the documentary he realized that much of his “most compelling and iconic shots” of Petty had been used. Atkins also said that the footage was not shot in a “work-for-hire” agreement while he worked on the album. (The suit seeks compensatory damages, restitution, the return of Atkins’ original film and audio materials, and further relief as determined by the court.
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