An independent filmmaker is suing Beyoncé, claiming that the director for her Lemonade trailer stole visual ideas from a short film that he made in 2014.
Film director Matthew Fulks has filed a lawsuit accusing director Bryan Younce as well as Sony Music, Columbia Recordings and Beyoncé’s Parkwood Entertainment of lifting several of his ideas and putting them in the trailer that sent the internet into a frenzy back in April.
Fulks, who works full-time at Louisville, Ky. news station WDRB as creative director, says that he was contacted about an opportunity to direct a video for Columbia-signed musical group MS MR. In the process he sent over his short film Palinoia for reference. Fulks’ lawsuit claims that Younce emailed the plaintiff acknowledging that he received his information regarding the submission and that filming for Lemonade started shortly after.
The Hollywood Reporter writes:
Specifically, the complaint cites nine visual similarities comprising 39 seconds of a 60-second trailer. The images allegedly taken come without any linear narrative raison d’etre. The visual similarities cited are “graffiti and persons with heads down,” “red persons with eyes obscured,” “parking garage,” “stairwell,” “black and white eyes,” “title card screens,” “the grass scene,” “feet on the street,” “side-lit ominous figures,” all adding up to a supposed total concept and feel substantially similar to the short film.
Here is the trailer to Lemonade:
Photo: WENN.com
Here is the trailer to Palinoia:
Here are some of the visual comparisons the lawsuit highlights:
Fulks is demanding all profits attributed to exploitation of his work including from sales of the Lemonade album. All profits.
Do you think Fulks has a leg to stand on?
Keep reading to see the entire lawsuit and decide for yourself.
