Michael Jackson animators fire back with $10m lawsuit

The animators behind last month’s Michael Jackson Billboard Music Awards performance have fired back at billionaire Alki David with a $10 million lawsuit.

Pulse Entertainment has alleged that the billionaire damaged its brand after he conducted an interview with CNN claiming he was responsible for the animation designs.

Pulse is seeking damages for harm to its brand and reputation.

Billionaire David initially filed a case against the animators last month claiming they infringed his patent through the use of video projectors in the performance.

He claims the animators had asked for permission to use the designs for a video projector in April and May, acknowledging him as the patent holder, but he refused to authorise the use.

The performance of an animated Michael Jackson at the Billboard Music Awards, singing an unreleased track ‘Slave to the Rhythm’, attracted an audience of ten million viewers.

In court documents filed at the US District Court for the Central District of California, on June 19, Pulse claimed that “Alki David is a charlatan who had no involvement whatsoever in the creation and development of the Michael Jackson Animation”.

“Nevertheless, David falsely claimed credit for creating and developing the visual effects spectacle in a nationally televised interview on CNN, in press releases and on his various websites operated by his company, FilmOn.”

Pulse further claimed that David incorrectly referred to the animation as a hologram. “The distinction is lost on David, because he is nothing more than a fraud claiming credit for Pulse Entertainment’s animation.”

“He is best known for childishly seeking publicity through fraudulent claims and eccentric antics, and as a notorious infringer of IP rights,” the complaint concluded.

In 2012, David’s media company FilmOn was successfully sued by television broadcasters CBS and Fox for copyright infringement.