JMBM files copyright infringement lawsuit on behalf of award-winning television journalist, regarding material used in the movie “Charlie Wilson's War”

Los Angeles – April 24, 2008 – JMBM’s Rod Berman and Brian Kasell filed a Copyright Infringement complaint against Universal Studios Inc., Playtone Company, Participant Productions, LLC, Relativity Media, LLC, the British Broadcasting Company, Blockbuster, Inc., Hastings Entertainment, Inc., Movie Gallery, Inc. and Netflix, Inc. (“Defendants”) on behalf of his client, Arthur Kent (“Plaintiff”).

The complaint alleges that the Defendants, including the producers of the motion picture “Charlie Wilson’s War” have infringed the rights of Plaintiff, an award-winning television journalist by using Plaintiff’s voice-over and portions of edited video footage that Plaintiff had filmed in Afghanistan during the Soviet-Afghan conflict, without obtaining clearances and providing attribution credit in the making of the motion picture. In addition, it is alleged that the producers separated the voice-over narration from the film footage in connection with the narration, and in so doing, have deformed and mutilated Plaintiff’s original creation, thus impairing the integrity of the work and further injuring Plaintiff.

Recognized by one of America’s foremost legal publications, the Daily Journal, as one of the top 30 intellectual property attorneys in the State of California, and as chairperson of the Firm’s Intellectual Property Law Group, Rod Berman’s practice emphasizes patent, trademark, copyright and unfair competition responsibilities.

For additional information about JMBM’s IP practice, contact Rod Berman at (310) 201-3517.