Canadian Filmmaker Sues For Copyright Infringement Over Inside Out Movie

• Published date: 04 August 2021
• Subject Matter: Intellectual Property, Media, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment, Copyright, Broadcasting: Film, TV & Radio
• Law Firm: Oyen Wiggs Green & Mutala LLP
• Author: Oyen Wiggs Green & Mutala LLP

The Disney and Pixar movie Inside Out (released in 2015) details the life of a girl named Riley along with five characters that represent five different emotions that influence her behavior (fear, anger, joy, disgust, and sadness). Canadian filmmaker Damon Pourshian has sued Disney, Pixar and other related companies claiming that the idea is actually his. Mr. Pourshian asserts that, while he was a student at Sheridan College in Oakville Ontario in 2000 he wrote a screenplay based on an idea he had in high school, concerning the life of a boy whose behavior is controlled by five personified organs that control his character: a brain, stomach, colon, bladder, and heart. Mr. Pourshian then produced a short film from this screenplay as a 14-minute low-budget production, which was subsequently shown at Sheridan College. His film was also titled Inside Out.

Mr. Pourshian seeks: a declaration that he owns the copyright to the screenplay, production and short film Inside Out, a declaration that the defendants infringed his copyright thorough the production, reproduction, and distribution of their film Inside Out, a permanent injunction, as well...