3 Count: VFX Settlement

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1: Legal Saga Over Stolen VFX Tech Used for Hit Films Ends With Paramount Settlement

First, today, Winston Cho at The Hollywood Reporter Esquire reports that the video effects company Rearden has settled its final lawsuit, reaching an agreement with Paramount to conclude Readen’s litigation campaign.

The campaign began in 2017 when Rearden filed lawsuits against several film studios. According to them, the companies had partnered with a competing firm, DD3, for various films. However, they claim that DD3’s technology infringed on their MOVA system, which uses motion capture to create digital effects.

However, in December 2023, the campaign took a blow when a jury awarded Rearden just $600,000 in damages in their case against Disney. They had been seeking millions. The jury, however, did not feel that Readen’s tech played a significant role in the film’s success, prompting the lower damage award. That likely helped motivate the settlement in the case against Paramount, which had been heading toward a trial.

2: Mayoral Candidate’s “Slam Dunk” Flyer May Have Violated Copyright Law

Next up today, the Kyodo News reports that, in Utsunomiya, Japan, a mayoral candidate faces criticism over a poster that may have violated the nation’s copyright law.

The campaign for Mikio Kobayashi published and distributed a poster based on the Slam Dunk manga series. The poster was nearly identical to an ad promoting the series, but the faces of the characters were changed.

However, now others are questioning if the flyer might violate the nation’s right to adaptation under copyright law. An official for the campaign said the flyer was created by young staff members unaware of the copyright implications. However, the poster didn’t help much, as Kobayashi was defeated in the election.

3: Porn Producer Is Waging War In Honolulu Against Alleged Copyright Pirates

Finally today, Stewart Yerton at Civil Beat Honolulu reports that Strike 3 Holdings has filed 132 lawsuits in the state of Hawaii, with all but two dozen already being closed.

Strike 3 Holdings is a company that produces pornographic content. However, the company has become famous recently for its numerous anti-piracy lawsuits, causing many to refer to it as a “copyright troll.”

While the lawsuits have been filed nationwide, Strike 3 seems to have filed an especially large number in Hawaii, given the district’s size. That said, most of the cases are filed against John Doe defendants, with the company seeking settlements after the identities are gleaned. The majority of cases are settled without a trial, though approximately two dozen remain open.

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