Frank Ocean Fan Threatened With Legal Action For Coachella Film
A Frank Ocean fan is being threatened with legal action from AEG, the parent company of Coachella, after creating a short movie about the R&B artist’s set. Variety exclusively reported Brandon Kinnes combined 150 videos uploaded by concertgoers to YouTube, TikTok, and Twitter to create an unofficial film with a runtime of about one hour and 20 minutes.
Kinnes’ project was shared online in April and AEG issued a cease and desist order on the same day, requesting he “remove and destroy all audio and video content […] of musical performances from the Festival.”
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“Anything short of full compliance with this demand will lead to the initiation of immediate formal legal action.” AEG also owns Coachella promoter Goldenvoice,” reads the letter.
Coachella Sues Afrochella Festival For Trademark Infringement
The professional editor says he was inspired after learning the Channel Orange performer’s set would not be live-streamed. He also managed to reroute hopeful viewers to external links after his original film was taken down.
“I’m not concerned with any legal repercussions because I do not plan on making a single penny from it,” Kinnes explained to Variety before receiving the cease and desist. “I will continue to upload it in places that [Ocean’s] legal team will not be able to find. I don’t know if I should tell that to a reporter… but it deserves to exist online.”
After receiving the legal threat, Kinnes did, however, delete certain tweets from his profile and remove the video from his channels. The 26-year-old still believes it is too late to expect the creative film to be permanently erased. “The video is going to be online forever,” he said. “Hundreds of people were able to download it before everything got shut down, and those people are re-uploading it.”
During Coachella’s first weekend, loyal listeners of the 35-year-old musician flocked to the desert to see him make a rare on-stage appearance. Ultimately, the set received mixed reviews, and the “White Ferarri” singer pulled out of weekend two, citing an injury.
“I do think that if Frank saw the video, he would have a certain level of appreciation for the way I captured the performance,” Kinnes shared with Variety. “I don’t think he would have any issues with it.”
