Copyright Infringement Fund

We need help with a legal matter.
In the Fall of 2020 I was notified by a law firm that our Great Lakes Christian Film Festival  website had a photograph, on our "Dining " page, of Buffalo-style chicken wings that was retrieved from the Buffalo Niagara visitors  website.  There was no copyright infringement intended by posting the photo on our page as it was a reference to our regional cuisine with a link directed back to the origin where the photo was retrieved, the Buffalo Niagara visitors webpage . 

The copyright owner somehow discovered it and requested their attorney notify me of the infringement. Once we noticed the email from the law firm we immediately took down the photograph and removed it completely from our media assets. Their client has requested $2525 in exchange for a release agreement. UPDATE: They have reduced the fee to $750. 

We want to honor that request but we will be over budget for the year, mostly due to budget cuts as a result of COVID-19 greatly reducing this year's participation and submissions. Please help us so we can continue operating this film festival in 2021.

Here is the advise recommended to take care of this issue on Legal Zoom . 


We thank you in advance with your donation,


Shawn Patrick Greene
Great Lakes Christian Film Festival


Referenced links:
Great Lakes Christian Film Festival [ www.glcff.com ] 
Buffalo Niagara visitors [ https://www.visitbuffaloniagara.com ]
Chicken Wings [ https://www.visitbuffaloniagara.com/eat-drink-old/local-flavors/ ]
Legal Zoom: [ https://www.legalzoom.com/articles/what-to-do-if-you-get-a-copyright-infringement-notice ]