The veteran film-maker has been prevented from making or appearing in ski films. Earlier this month a court ruled against him in a bitter legal dispute over the use of his name and whether he can be involved with films again.

Warren Miller, left, stands with director Josh Berman of Denver-based Level 1 Production, which was sued by Boulder-based Warren Miller Entertainment over Miller's work with Level 1's film "Refresh." Miller sold his film company in 1988 to WME and signed noncompete agreements as part of the deal. (Courtesy of Greg Hydle )

Warren Miller, who is now 86, started making extreme ski films back in 1949. He was a pioneer. He directed and did the voice-over on many.

The films caught the imagination of the skiing pubic with their action sequences and inspirational filming.  Every year a new film came out as the ski season approached.

In the late 1980's he sold out to a company that created Warren Miller Entertainment and it has been using his name as the brand name on its films ever since.

The man himself has had nothing to do with the films that bore his name for the last couple of decades.

However last year he did some of the voice-over in another ski film called "Refresh" and that is when the problem arose.

Warren Miller Entertainment claimed he had breached the terms of the sale by becoming involved with a competing film product.

In came the lawyers and they have been arguing ever since.

Earlier this month an arbitration panel in Colorado, USA,  ruled that Warren Miller (the man) could make films and use his name, but he could not have anything to do with ski films.

It also ruled that his appearance in the Refresh film did not harm Warren Miller Entertainment (WME) and so denied its breach of contract claim.

For most of us though all we want to see are the ski films themselves.

We will bring you a trailer from this year's film from Warren Miller Entertainment later in the month.

In the meantime here is the one from Level 1 Productions that caused all the fuss in the first place.

And here is last year's film, Dynasty, from Warren Miller Entertainment (WME).

Warren Miller now plans to go on tour in the USA giving lectures about his life and work.

Warren Miller, the man, has just issued this statement to the media.

"As most of you can imagine, I greatly prefer spending time on a snowy mountain to being stuck defending myself in arbitration, but it was worth standing up for what is right and I am glad the panel found that I did not breach any contract.  For WME to say or imply that they have exclusive rights to my name, personal endorsement, voice, and likeness for all endeavors is both legally false and totally absurd. I have not been involved with my old company's films in any capacity for many years now and I will not work with WME again."

PlanetSKI.eu
Friday October 15, 2010

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