Juan Luis Garcia, a designer, claims that his designs were stolen and used in posters for Spike Lee’s “Oldboy” remake, which hits theaters this weekend.
Garcia wrote an open letter to Lee, posting it on his website.
“I know you’ll understand my story of an artist trying to make a dignified living,” Garcia wrote. “It’s difficult and sometimes seems impossible because everyone wants you to work for free or for ‘exposure.’ ”
Garcia said that he created design concepts for the movie’s promotional material when requested by an ad agency to do so. However, the agency then made an “insultingly low offer.”
“I tried to negotiate but they refused. I make the same amount of money in a single day as a photo assistant as what they offered, and I had worked on these almost exclusively for two months,” he added.
“We never signed any contracts or work-for-hire agreements and I certainly never agreed to donating or selling any copyright of my work without a licensing fee,” Garcia wrote.
He aded: “I never even got paid the peanuts they owed me [for the original design pitches].”
The agency then went on to use the advertisements. He then said that Lee posted the images on Lee’s Twitter and Facebook.
“I perceive you as an advocate of the arts and artists and have a sinking feeling that you are as much of a victim in this as I am,” he said.
Lee responded to Garcia on Twitter, dismissing the copyright claim.
“I Never Heard Of This Guy Juan Luis Garcia,If He Has A Beef It’s Not With Me.I Did Not Hire Him,Do Not Know Him.Cheap Trick Writing To Me.YO,” he wrote.
A number of Twitter users lambasted Lee.
“Whether you wanted it or not, now you know and if you don’t act you are as guilty as that scumbag of agency,” one wrote. “As a big fan of your work - and an underpaid freelancer - just wanted to register my huge disappointment at your response here,” added another.
