Copyright Infringement Case Victory: ABKCO and Universal Music Group Secure Judgment Against UK Documentary Production Company
ABKCO and Universal Music Group have secured a partial summary judgment in a copyright infringement case against a UK-based documentary production company. The ruling by US District Judge Katherine Polk Failla found that Coda Publishing and its directors willfully infringed copyrights owned by the labels. The court approved a permanent injunction preventing Coda from using the labels' content in connection with the promotion and future sales of the infringing films, which include documentaries about musicians like The Rolling Stones, Elton John, U2, ABBA, Nirvana, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
The lawsuit, filed in 2020, accused Coda, Vision Films, and directors Carruthers and Davies of producing and distributing the films without obtaining licenses for the sound recordings and concert footages used in the documentaries. Coda had been creating these films since the mid-2000s and distributing them through platforms like Amazon and Vimeo. The plaintiffs sought damages for the unauthorized use of the content and demanded that Coda cease distribution of the films.
ABKCO controls rights to early Rolling Stones recordings, while Universal Music companies own or administer rights to compositions by various rock-era songwriters. The court's ruling excluded one work from the judgment and did not grant summary judgment against defendant Clare Anne Gambold, who was associated with Coda. The judge also addressed expert testimony and denied the defendants' request for attorneys' fees and costs.
The court is yet to determine the damages in this case. This lawsuit is another example of disputes over music used in documentary films about artists. In a similar case, Sony Music Entertainment settled a copyright lawsuit against the makers of the 2022 biopic Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody in late 2024. The complaint alleged that the filmmakers failed to pay licensing fees for 24 Whitney Houston tracks used in the movie.
In conclusion, the ruling in favor of ABKCO and Universal Music Group highlights the importance of obtaining proper licenses for copyrighted content in documentary productions. The legal battle serves as a reminder of the consequences of unauthorized use of music in films and the need to respect intellectual property rights in the entertainment industry.