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OpenAI Retreats From Unpopular Sora Opt-Out Policy
OpenAI says it will give creators more control over how their characters appear in Sora and plans revenue sharing after backlash to its IP opt-out model.
Law
140 Teachers Unpaid After Online Art School CGMA Abruptly Shuts Down Operations
CGMA has paused classes and payments after a legal dispute surfaced. Instructors say months of work remain unpaid as the school’s future stays unclear.
Every Artist Should Know: OpenAI Has Adopted An Opt-Out Policy For Sora
OpenAI has revealed it will freely incorporate copyrighted material into its Sora model unless rights holders formally opt out.
Florida Law Firm Drags Disney To Court Over ‘Steamboat Willie’ Use
Morgan & Morgan has sued Disney, seeking court approval to use ‘Steamboat Willie’ in its ads. The case tests public domain freedom vs. trademark power.
GenAI’s Rough Summer: Hollywood Studios And Authors Push Back Against Predatory Training And Output Models
Last week, Warner Bros. sued Midjourney – like Disney and Universal did before – and Anthropic agreed to pay $1.5B for scraping protected literature.
Disney Agrees To $10 Million FTC Settlement For Collecting Children’s Data Through YouTube Posts
Disney will pay $10M to settle FTC claims it misclassified YouTube videos for kids, suggesting stricter rules for online content providers.
Disney, Universal ‘Cannot Have It Both Ways’: Midjourney Slams Studios For Suing While Using GenAI
Midjourney responds to Disney and Universal’s lawsuit, arguing fair use and accusing studios of using GenAI while trying to restrict it for others.
‘Potentially Transformative’: Indie Studios Are Cautiously Optimistic About California’s New 35% Tax Incentive
Leaders at Tonko House, KuKu Studios, Titmouse, and Reel FX chime in on the potential impact of California’s expanded incentives.
California’s Expanded Tax Credit Now Covers Animation
Senate Bill 630 extends a 35% tax credit to animated features, series, or shorts that are produced in California, with a minimum production budget of $1 million.
Disney, Universal Sue AI Generator Midjourney, Calling It “A Bottomless Pit Of Plagiarism’
Midjourney founder David Holz has previously admitted that his product is “a big scrape of the internet” and that he has stolen hundreds of millions of images without permission from rightsholders.
A New California Bill Is Proposing A 35% Subsidy For Animated Features, Series, And Shorts
The passage of the bill could encourage more animation production in the state.
Popeye, Bosko, Tintin, And Horace Horsecollar Are Now In The Public Domain
A bounty of classic cartoon and comic characters have entered the public domain this year.
Artist Seeks $10 Billion From Disney In ‘Moana’ Copyright Lawsuit
Buck Woodall claims that ‘Moana’ is based on his idea ‘Bucky.’
Numerous Women Accuse ‘Coraline’ Author Neil Gaiman Of Sexual Assault
The bestselling author currently has multiple animation projects in development.
Pixar And Disney Animator Bolhem Bouchiba Sentenced To 25 Years In Prison
Bouchiba continued getting jobs at major studios like Pixar and Dreamworks even after being added to France’s national sex offender registry in 2014.
‘Bob’s Burgers’ Voice Actor Who Participated In Failed U.S. Coup Attempt Is Sentenced To Prison
Jay Johnston will serve 366 days in prison, followed by two years of supervised release.
A Top Pixar And Disney Animator Awaits Trial In France On Child Sex Abuse Charges
Investigators say that up to a thousand children were abused at his request.
Cartoon Network Show Creator Kyle Carrozza Arrested On Child Pornography Possession Charges
Carrozza created Cartoon Network’s first original online series ‘Mighty Magiswords.’
Italy’s Mondo TV Fined $538K By U.S. Treasury For Producing Animated Shows In North Korea
The company has on occasion hosted North Korean animators in Italy for animation training.
‘Suzume,’ ‘Your Name’ Producer Koichiro Ito Arrested For Soliciting Child Pornography
Ito is accused of asking a 15-year-old girl he met online to send him naked selfies.