On Wednesday, M. Night Shyamalan stated in court that he and the team behind “Servant” on Apple TV+ had not taken ideas from a 2013 indie movie about a mother with delusions and her doll-baby.
In my perspective as a film critic, I find myself reflecting on a copyright controversy between me and director Francesca Gregorini, concerning the film “The Truth About Emanuel.” To set the record straight, this apparent disagreement appears to be, in my view, undeniably and entirely, a case of misunderstanding.
Shyamalan stated that this allegation contradicts everything I stand for and everything I strive to portray,” or simply, “He claimed the charge goes against everything I embody and everything I aim to symbolize.
Asked repeatedly if he had copied anything from the film, he said, “Absolutely not.”
As a movie critic, I found myself taking legal action against Apple, M. Night Shyamalan, and other contributors to the series “Servant” mere days after its premiere in 2019. I claimed that they had blatantly plagiarized significant aspects of my film, which revolves around a nanny manipulating the mother into believing that a doll is a real child.
Last week, a federal trial started in Riverside, California. During her testimony on Thursday, Gregorini expressed her shock upon initially viewing the trailer for the series.
She exclaimed in disbelief, ‘It’s unimaginable! It appears as though they remade my movie!’
She claimed that the series closely resembled the core concept and structure of her movie, even echoing specific shots and scenes.
She mentioned that her representatives and peers in the industry advised against filing a lawsuit. However, she chose to assert herself due to the widespread occurrence of copying within her professional field.
She acknowledged that while working on the suit, she was not only advocating for herself and her own experiences, but also for others who might have been unfairly denied their chance at justice. Just as one should never claim another’s work as their own without giving proper credit or fair compensation to its original creator, so too does justice demand that everyone is given a fair hearing in court.
Shyamalan, responsible for “Servant” and the first-episode director, declared under oath on Wednesday that he hadn’t watched Gregorini’s movie until this month.
Upon his examination, he expressed his observation that “all elements within it appear to have been borrowed from other films.” His legal representative, Nicolas Jampol, guided M. Night Shyamalan through various scenes in “The Truth About Emanuel,” which show similarities to scenes in “The Sixth Sense,” a groundbreaking film of his from 1999.
Shyamalan clarified that he isn’t implying Gregorini stole from him; instead, they both speak the same ‘language’ in filmmaking.
Shyamalan made it clear that he doesn’t think Gregorini took anything from him; rather, they both use the same terminology and techniques in movie making.
He stated that the shots aren’t his property; anyone can create them. We’re all part of a continuous learning process, standing on the shoulders of giants like Hitchcock and Kubrick. They didn’t originate this technique; instead, it existed before them and will continue to evolve beyond their time.
The concept of “Servant” was first conceived by writer Tony Basgallop back in 2005, as he revealed during his testimony last week. He based the idea on personal experiences from his own life and interestingly, hadn’t encountered Gregorini’s film until the legal proceedings started.
Attorney Patrick Arenz, representing Gregorini, stated that Basgallop didn’t add the doll aspect until 2016. At this time, Arenz highlighted, Basgallop was grappling with professional difficulties and was in dire need of funds. Arenz suggested that the doll played a crucial role in selling the scripts and getting them made – it was allegedly originated from “Emanuel”.
On Wednesday, Shyamalan expressed amazement upon reading Basgallop’s scripts for the first time in 2017. Moreover, he shared his enthusiasm when he discovered that dolls are utilized in therapeutic sessions for mothers coping with loss.
He expressed his excitement, stating the significance of connecting fantastical tales with reality. “That rung of understanding – similar to the moment in ‘The Sixth Sense’ where one gets chills, that’s a sign of the supernatural – serves as a stepping stone towards uncovering the mythology.
Arenz aimed to make Shyamalan acknowledge a set of supposed resemblances between his movie and the series. At several instances, Shyamalan provided extra details that differentiated the projects, which Arenz found to be divergent, leading him to remark that Shyamalan was going “off on tangents.” Instead, he asked Shyamalan to respond directly to his queries.
In “Servant,” Arenz observes that the mother figure doesn’t realize what has transpired with her child until close to the conclusion of the series, much like the plot progression in the movie.
Shyamalan expressed that he felt it was crucial to unravel the enigma surrounding Jericho’s fate, referring to it as a significant driving force.
In a more amiable line of questioning from his own attorney, Shyamalan shared with the jury about his background at film school, his initial professional journey, and how he discovered his unique storytelling approach through “The Sixth Sense.” He expressed an eagerness to tackle the task of incorporating his distinctive cinematic style, which he characterized as ‘constrained’ and ‘family-focused’ supernatural thrillers, into television content.
As a film enthusiast, I appreciate the art of suggestion… posing questions that are left unanswered, sparking curiosity instead. It’s like we’re master sushi chefs; we strive to create dishes using only the finest, least ingredients but with an unmatched quality that speaks for itself.
He expressed that the accusations of infringement left him puzzled. He mentioned earlier that he didn’t view “Emanuel” as he was certain he hadn’t taken anything from it, likening the situation to being falsely accused of a burglary involving jewels.
“I don’t need to see the jewels,” he said. “I didn’t steal them.”
On Wednesday afternoon, the plaintiffs brought forward a witness who specializes in calculating damages, to discuss Apple’s earnings from the show “Servant.” The defense lawyers requested that the courtroom be closed, as the testimony would involve sensitive information like viewership data and compensation details. Judge Sunshine Sykes then asked everyone present to step out of the courtroom during this testimony.
The case is expected to go to the jury later this week.
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2025-01-23 03:17