Warner Music Sued Over Unauthorized Use of Tom Petty 'Wildflowers' Documentary Footage
Warner Music Group faces a copyright infringement lawsuit over unauthorized use of archival footage in their 2021 Tom Petty documentary about the album 'Wildflowers.'
Tom Petty performing on stage
Filmmaker Martyn Atkins, who served as Wildflowers' art director, claims he owns approximately half of the 16mm footage used in the 90-minute documentary "Somewhere You Feel Free," directed by Mary Wharton.
Key points of the lawsuit:
- Atkins shot the footage during the album's creation and subsequent tour
- The footage was not under any work-for-hire agreement
- Petty offered to store the film reels at Warner Records' facility in Los Angeles around 1995
- Atkins maintained access to his materials and showed some footage to Petty in 2014
- In early 2020, Atkins met with Petty's daughter and the estate manager
- He was allegedly promised involvement in directing the documentary
- The footage was used without his permission or compensation
The filmmaker is seeking damages, disgorgement, restitution, and the return of his original film and audio materials.
Band performing on Jimmy Kimmel.
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