Movie copyright dispute settled

Irish comic Jimeoin has paid thousands of pounds to film-makers who claimed he had stolen their idea.

The stand-up, now based in Australia, paid around £3,000 to settle the copyright dispute over his new movie, The Extra.

However, he denied plagiarism, and said the payment was simply to cover legal fees.

Sydney film-makers Darren Ashton and Adam Wells complained  that Jimeoin’s film, which opens in Australia on Sunday, was similar to their 1999 short, also called The Extra.

The dispute was settled in 2003, but Wells told Australia’s Sunday Herald Sun this week that Jimeoin had offered to pay their legal expenses and was in talks about a further sum.

Jimeoin co-wrote the £2 million film about a movie extra with Hollywood screenwriter  Dan Rosen

But  Rosen has said he had a bitter fall-out with the comedian  while working on the movie, which he called an extremely disappointing experience. He accused the 39-year-old comic, who also stars in the film, of caring "more about creative credits than the creative process".

 

Published: 17 Apr 2005