Guy behind Joe Exotic’s music videos, including Here Kitty Kitty, is suing Netflix

The man behind some of Joe Exotic’s wildest music videos is suing Netflix.

Videographer Timmy Sepi, who produced videos such as the iconic Here Kitty Kitty, alleges that Netflix used his footage in Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness without his consent and without providing compensation or credit.

Sepi and Joe Exotic, real name Joseph Maldanado-Passage, began working together in March 2015 and in May of the same year Sepi created the company Whyte Monkee Productions – this had the sole purpose of creating Joe Exotic’s music videos.

Here Kitty Kitty, via YouTube

Many of Sepi’s videos were uploaded to YouTube for JoeExoticTVLIVE, with notices that White Monkee Productions owned the copyright to the videos. In the legal complaint, it is alleged that footage is seen in five episodes of Tiger King on Netflix and was shown without permission.

Timmy Sepi said: “I was in the middle of using the footage that I shot with Joe to make my own feature about him. I didn’t want to give any of that footage to Netflix.

“They basically stepped over me and used it anyway. It’s my understanding that they acquired copies of my footage after Joe was incarcerated. This was while I was in the middle of editing it to create my own film about my own experience with Joe and his team at the park.

“I feel like I was totally cut off from the proceedings on this Netflix feature, which I believe is based off sensationalism. They used my footage without proper consent or agreement. I didn’t even receive a credit for the footage used in this series.”

The legal complaint also claims that Sepi wrote to Netflix about the copyright infringement and requested a negotiated licensing arrangement but “Netflix has never responded to the letter.”

If Netflix is found guilty of copyright infringement, they could be responsible for providing Sepi with substantial profits gained by any unlawful use of his footage, plus his legal fees. Given that Tiger King is one of the most viewed Netflix shows ever, having reached 64 million households in the first four weeks of its release, this is looking like a pretty hefty amount.

Netflix has been contacted for comment.

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Story via SWNS.