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A Primer On Knowing Your Rights As An Animation Industry Worker
An overview of your rights as a studio employee in the United States.
Brian Gabriel
The Public Domain Is Working Again — No Thanks To Disney
The Walt Disney Company has exploited the public domain while preventing the same opportunities to other artists.
Miami Dade College’s Animation Program Raises Ethical Questions About Ownership Of Student Ideas
An animation program in Florida is retaining permanent rights to students’ ideas, setting up the school to earn potentially huge paydays.
Disney And Pixar Sued Two More Times Over ‘Inside Out’ Copyright Infringement
Disney has now been sued three different times by people claiming that “Inside Out” is based on their idea. The latest people to sue are a children’s book author and a live-action filmmaker.
‘The Simpsons’ Are Victorious In $250 Million Lawsuit By ‘Goodfellas’ Actor Frank Sivero
The actor had made a meritless claim that “The Simpsons” infringed his right of publicity by basing the character of Louie on him.
‘Inside Out’ Infringement Case Dismissed In U.S. Court
A U.S. judge did not accept a woman’s claim that “Inside Out” was based on her project, “The Moodsters.” Our legal expert explains the ruling.
Here’s What Animator Jonathan Ng Did When His Film Was Lifted By EDM Artist Will Sparks
Award-winning animation filmmaker Jonathan Ng is fighting back after seeing his short film re-used as the music video for a popular Australian musician.
Understanding The Business Of The Entertainment Industry Empowers Creators And Filmmakers
This book helps creators and filmmakers to know which questions to ask, and to recognize when the answers they get sound a little less than trustworthy. In the entertainment business, that can come in handy.
A Beginner’s Guide To Copyright Law For Artists
Learn the basics of copyright law to protect yourself as an artist.
It’s 2017, And L.A.’s Stop-Motion Artists Still Don’t Have A Union
Stop-motion animation is booming in Los Angeles, so why are artists left to fend for themselves when it comes to negotiating their employment agreements with the various studios. Cartoon Brew investigates.
Federal Court Sides With Disney, Dismisses ‘Zootopia’ Theft Lawsuit
A Hollywood screenwriter was unable to convince a judge that Disney stole “Zootopia” from him.
Disney and Pixar Accused Of Stealing ‘Inside Out’ In New Lawsuit By Parenting Expert
A child development specialist has sued Disney claiming that “Inside Out” is based on her concept, “The Moodsters.”
Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin Says He Was Wrong For Promoting ‘Lego Batman Movie’
This Trump crony admits he broke ethics rule when he promoted “The Lego Batman Movie.”
Disney Slammed With ‘Zootopia’ Theft Lawsuit by ‘Total Recall’ Screenwriter
Gary Goldman, a screenwriter of “Total Recall,” alleges Disney’s 2016 hit “Zootopia” was based on his own project, also titled “Zootopia.”
‘Mucha Lucha’ Co-Creator Lili Chin Files Copyright Infringement Suit Against Kohl’s
What does an indie artist do when America’s second-largest department store won’t stop stealing your work?
Exclusive: Artists At Stoopid Buddy, Studio Behind ‘Robot Chicken,’ Are Uniting To Unionize
An effort to organize the artists at Burbank, California-based Stoopid Buddy Stoodios has gained momentum in recent weeks.
Dreamworks Offers $50 Million Settlement in Animation Wage-Theft Lawsuit
Disney and its subsidiaries like Pixar and Lucasfilm are the only companies who are still fighting artists.
DJ Bassnectar Sued By Animator Max Hattler Over Alleged Copyright Infringement
After receiving a Facebook apology and little else for having his work stolen, Max Hattler has filed a lawsuit against DJ and record producer Bassnectar.
Disney and Dreamworks Have Come Up With A New, Kooky Reason Why Wage-Theft Lawsuit Is Invalid
The legal teams of Disney and Dreamworks are almost as creative as the artists who make their films.
L.A. Studio Cosmic Toast Shut Down Without Paying Its Artists: A Cartoon Brew Investigation
A Los Angeles animation studio creating work that appeared on Disney and Nick-owned platforms didn’t pay it artists for months and suddenly shut down.
Youtube Announces Improvements to Copyright Claim System, But Does It Really Fix The Problem?
At least it’s a start to fixing Youtube’s broken copyright claim system.
Sony Takes The High Road And Settles Animation Wage-Theft Lawsuit
While Disney, Pixar, Lucasfilm, and Dreamworks are still fighting against their employees, Sony has reached a settlement with the animation workers.
Animator Max Hattler Accuses Bassnectar Of Profiting From His Films
Popular DJ and record producer Bassnectar has used Max Hattler’s films for years without permission or compensation,
Blue Sky Agrees To Settle Wage-Fixing Lawsuit With Animation Workers
This is a significant victory for the hard-working members of the feature animation community.
Why Is Disney CEO Bob Iger Asking His Employees For Money?
The Walt Disney Company has a sneaky way of funneling money from its employees into the pockets of U.S. Congresspeople.
Internet Creators Are Pressuring Youtube To Respect Fair Use Laws
Creators are calling for an end to Youtube’s current policies, which allow corporations to abuse American copyright law and restrict the free speech rights of independent artists.
What Is The Animation Wage-Fixing Lawsuit? An Explainer for the Community
Take a few minutes to understand the lawsuit that industry artists have filed against the big American studios and why it matters.
Cartoonist Faces Up To 25 Years in Prison For Failed ‘Kung Fu Panda’ Lawsuit
The FBI alleges that a Massachusetts cartoonist falsely claimed that DreamWorks stole his characters and story for “Kung Fu Panda.”
‘The Last Unicorn’ Scribe Peter S. Beagle Sues His Manager for Elder Abuse And Fraud
In many ways, Beagle’s story — an artist, taken in by a con artist — is as classic as his writing.
Lawsuit Alleges Disney’s Board of Directors Knew About Artist Wage-Fixing Conspiracy
How deep does the conspiracy against animation artists go?
‘Free Birds’ and ‘The Book of Life’ Studio Reel FX Sues Co-Founder Dale Carman
In a case of corporate intrigue, Reel FX claims its co-founder Dale Carman stole confidential information from the studio to boost his new company.
Lady and the Lawsuit: Peggy Lee’s War With Disney
The story of how pop star Peggy Lee took on one of the world’s most powerful entertainment companies — and won.
Judge Rules Disney, Pixar, DreamWorks, Sony, and Other Studios Can’t Evade Wage-Fixing Lawsuit
A judge rule that animation artists can continue a case against studios which allegedly suppressed wages for decades through fraud.
Sony Tried to Screw Indie Filmmakers Over Their Crappy Film ‘Pixels’
Sony succeeded in removing multiple films from Vimeo with the word “pixels” in its title.
Iron Man’s Latest Foe is Copyright Law
Does the Avenger owe his movie makeover to an independently created comic?
An Indie Animator’s Lawsuit Against Disney’s ‘Frozen’ May Go To Trial
The ‘Frozen’ teaser trailer is in legal hot water.
Federal Judge Dismisses Animation Studio Wage-Fixing Suit
But the fight isn’t over yet. Animation artists have 30 days to produce new evidence.