It sucks, but it's not Spike Lee's issue. It's like blaming Obama for how a vendor screwed some engineer over while setting up the version control system during the build of the ACA site.
It's Spike Lee's production company. He directly derives profit from it. He controls it.
The buck stops at the top, as it always does.
ps: my cynicism isn't typical of midwesterners in the U.S. I've had many learning experiences over the years that are very similar to this. It all helped me become much better at running a business. If I hadn't had those experiences early on, I wouldn't know what to do preemptively now.
Just like many companies drop their sponsorships when their celebrities misbehave. For example Tiger Woods after his affair scandal.
Now that he's aware, and appears to be uncaring about the matter while distributing the infringing work further, he may be liable for even more per infringement.
The artist originally came to SL to ask him to handle this, presumably amicably and for "yeah, we'll pay you like we would have had we hired you" type levels. Now that SL is baiting the guy, he may just ignore the ad firm and go straight after SL as well.
I'd say it's more like the President worrying about a website.
"
Seems weird he mentioned Spike Lee (who did nothing wrong, as far as I can tell) so many times, but didn't name the agency. Seems to hurt the wrong party's reputation.
Additionally, he has no apparent way to contact him."
and "... What! I think his post does no such thing. Spike Lee did nothing wrong and the post shows nothing but respect for him." Source: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6811060
Spike Lee literally just said the same thing we said. but when we said, this doesn't seem to have anything to do with spike lee, it's like, cool. But when he says, "this has nothing to do with me" suddenly he's the bad guy.
Just goes to show, if someone accuses you of something, you should apologize for it!! I guess he should have written "I've never met this person in my life...but I'm really sorry about what happened!"
live and learn...
By the way. If anyone here has any problems with anyone...I'm really sorry!
1. Spike Lee did nothing wrong, AND
2. Spike Lee bears responsibility
I hesitate to pile on, but Spike Lee has consistentlty been an ass in public - something I first noticed in an interview many years ago when he was expressing revulsion at the idea that his sister might marry a white man, because black-white marriages were such a terrible idea, in his opinion. Very sad, because I think he's very talented as a filmmaker.
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/designer-claims-his-o...
look at the two pictures now.
“Why Should I Pay Someone Who I Never Met Nor Had Any Contact With Ever? He Never Made Any Deal With Me. Why Don’t You Pay Me For Your Stupid Text On Thanksgiving Day?”
[Hint: Capitalising Every Word In A Sentence Shows Everyone How Cool And Big You Are]
So if you use an agent, no responsibility?
Comes off a bit like an "I didn't steal your bike, I'm just riding this nice bike my friend found for me" excuse.
“Why Should I Pay Someone Who I Never Met Nor Had Any Contact With Ever? He Never Made Any Deal With Me. Why Don’t You Pay Me For Your Stupid Text On Thanksgiving Day?”
I don't care if some minion did the bad deed for him. When he employs someone (I'm talking of the agency) he has to man up and take responsibility for what they did in his name, especially if AFTER the wrongdoing happened and was pointed to them, he still profits from it.
I'd sue his ass to oblivion if I was the designer.
He posted Garcia's original comps (not the final poster) on his Facebook. The images had "©2013 Spike Lee" slapped on them. These images are not in this article, but were on JG's website yesterday.
Garcia kindly asked him for help, presenting both of themselves as victims of a shady middleman, leaving plenty of room for Lee not only to come out on top and save his face, but even to turn this into great publicity for the movie.
Apparently, Lee decided otherwise.