Radiohead star Jonny Greenwood and director Paul Thomas Anderson are seeking to have a portion of the score from their film "Phantom Thread" removed from a new documentary about Melania Trump, citing a breach of their composer agreement.
The issue arises from the fact that Universal Pictures failed to inform Greenwood of the use of his Oscar-nominated score in Ratner's documentary until after it was released. Despite not owning the copyright, Greenwood and Anderson have asked for the music to be taken out of the film due to this oversight.
Greenwood's score is featured prominently in the documentary, along with other songs by prominent artists such as Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, and Elvis Presley. However, the dispute is centered around Universal's failure to consult with Greenwood before using his work in a third-party project like Ratner's documentary.
The situation has raised questions about the extent of Universal's responsibilities when it comes to licensing music for other projects. With the film "Melania" reportedly costing $75 million to make and market, the incident highlights the potential risks and liabilities associated with music licensing agreements.
Ratner has faced criticism over his involvement in the documentary, which was released at the end of January and cost Amazon MGM a reported $75 million to produce. The project has sparked debate about the motivations behind its production, particularly given Amazon's close ties to the Trump administration.
In this case, the use of music from other artists without proper clearance or consultation may be seen as an additional layer of controversy surrounding "Melania".
The issue arises from the fact that Universal Pictures failed to inform Greenwood of the use of his Oscar-nominated score in Ratner's documentary until after it was released. Despite not owning the copyright, Greenwood and Anderson have asked for the music to be taken out of the film due to this oversight.
Greenwood's score is featured prominently in the documentary, along with other songs by prominent artists such as Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, and Elvis Presley. However, the dispute is centered around Universal's failure to consult with Greenwood before using his work in a third-party project like Ratner's documentary.
The situation has raised questions about the extent of Universal's responsibilities when it comes to licensing music for other projects. With the film "Melania" reportedly costing $75 million to make and market, the incident highlights the potential risks and liabilities associated with music licensing agreements.
Ratner has faced criticism over his involvement in the documentary, which was released at the end of January and cost Amazon MGM a reported $75 million to produce. The project has sparked debate about the motivations behind its production, particularly given Amazon's close ties to the Trump administration.
In this case, the use of music from other artists without proper clearance or consultation may be seen as an additional layer of controversy surrounding "Melania".
... like isn't Universal just gonna play it anyway? 
they should really check their contracts more often 
, especially when it comes to big deals like $75 million 
... and what's up with the documentary about Melania Trump, anyway? 
is it supposed to be some kind of exposé or something? 
I mean, I know she's had a public life and all, but $75 million for a doc about her? that just seems like so much 
universal is gonna pay for this one... like they think jonny's just gonna chill while his music gets used in some dodgy doc about melania trump? no way 
paul toms and jonny are totally right to go after them. i mean, if universal can't even be bothered to check in with the composer before using his score, what's next? just going to use anyone's music without asking? it's not like jonny's just some random artist, he's a multiple grammy winner and oscars nominee for crying out loud! 
.
No use of someone's work without permission, not even for a big budget film like Melania 
Can't let Ratner think he can just slip in his music and get away with it...
... he's not even getting paid for that documentary and he's threatening to pull his score 
. the real question is, why did universal wait until after the doc was out to tell them they were gonna use their music? 
that sounds like a major breach of contract to me... maybe greenwood and anderson are just trying to make a point about how important it is to get proper clearance for your work 
.
. i mean, who needs composer agreement when you can just use someone's award-winning score without asking? it's not like Greenwood spent years crafting the music for "Phantom Thread" or anything 
. and let's be real, $75 million is a pretty penny for a documentary that's basically just a vehicle for a ratings boost 
. I mean, come on, you're gonna use someone's Oscar-nominated score in a doc about Melania Trump without even checking with the composer first? That's just lazy and greedy. And now Jonny Greenwood and Paul Thomas Anderson are trying to pull it out, which is fair, really. I'd be upset too if my work was being used in some shady project without permission 
. 
that's a good outcome for Greenwood and his team.
Universal Pictures is a total disaster 
The fact that the documentary was released without even consulting Greenwood first is just lazy. And now we gotta question whether or not Universal has any responsibilities when it comes to licensing music for other projects... yeah, I think so! 
. I get why they want to, but like what's the point of making millions if you can't control who uses your work? 