The team behind the film Alison Brie and Dave Franco “Together” pushes a trial for copyright, saying that the film is “not similar at a distance” at the workplace of the complainants, “better half”.
“Together” was a success in Sundance in January, selling in Neon for a million dollars. He should go out in theaters on July 30.
The producers of “Better Half” continued in May, saying that “Ensemble” is a “flagrant scam” of their film, which, according to them, had been offered in Brie and Franco in 2020 and which their agent had refused. The two projects involve a couple who are physically getting stuck through a mysterious force.
In a letter of May 21 to the lawyers of the applicants, obtained by VarietyLawyer Nicolas Jampol argued that “Ensemble” was created independently and that all the similarities are generic and not subject to the protection of copyright.
“Your customer does not have this concept,” wrote Jampol. “Neither do our customers. It is a non -protectable idea, which is prior to all our customers and has been explored in many films, television shows and other fictional works. ”
Jampol continues by saying that the two films explore the idea in a very different way. “Better Half” is light and comical, he said, while “Together” is a supernatural thriller “Body Horror”.
“” Together “is the opposite of” better half “in almost all ways,” he wrote.
He also noted that the scriptwriter “Ensemble” Michael Shanks had finished a project and recorded him with the WGA in 2019 – a year before “the best half” was offered to the Brie and Franco agent at WME.
“Before your customer submits a script to WME, Mr. Shanks had already written most of the elements that your client now accuses him of flying,” Jampol wrote. “The simple truth is that none of our customers has copied something” better half “.”
“Better Half”, by screenwriter-director Patrick Henry Phelan, was released in 2023. The producers, Jess Jacklin and Charles Beale, attended Sundance and looked at “Together” “in an amazed silence, their worst nightmare”, alleys their trial.
“Scene after scene confirmed that the defendants did not simply take” Stock Ideas “or” Faire Scenes “, but stole practically all the unique aspects of Better Half’s” expression Copyricte “,” said the costume.
Among other similarities, the trial notes that the two films refer to the Spice Girls and the Plato Symposium.
Jampol replied that such references are not surprising – the first album of the Spice Girls included the song “2 this 1” – and that the coincidence is not very protectable.
Daniel Miller, the plaintiff’s lawyer, said that “the borders on ridiculous” in a June 9 response to Jampol’s letter.
Miller also argued that the two films have strangely similar sequences in which the protagonists are attached to the genitals and must hide from a romantic interest outside the bathroom.
“We are convinced that a jury will see this sequence for what it is: a replication of the original” Better Half “
Expression, “wrote Miller.
Miller asked for evidence to support the claim of independent creation defendants, including the scenario project recorded with WGA and subsequent drafts.
“The accused in this case do their best to explain the inconstancy, but the evidence is talking about itself,” Miller said in a press release Variety. “It is indicative that they refused to share the previous script which, according to them, was recorded in 2019. We are impatient to share with the court why there is no plausible explanation for the amazing similarities between these two works.”
In his letter, Jampol urged the complainants to abandon the trial, warning that if they continue it more, the defendants will require compensation for the fees of their lawyers.
“Accusing people of copyright violation – in particular those who have devoted their lives to the creation of original works and performances – should not be done lightly,” wrote Jampol. “This is particularly true when the works are as manifest as these.”
Jampol refused to comment, just like the spokespersons of Neon and WME. Franco, Brie and Shanks spokesperson did not respond to a request for comments.
