Sienna Miller acts over paparazzi "harassment"

British actress Sienna Miller's life has been made intolerable because of a "campaign of harassment" by photographers, her lawyer told London's High Court on Thursday.

Miller, 26, star of movies such as "Alfie" and "Layer Cake," is taking legal action against photographic agency Big Pictures (UK) Limited and its founder, Darryn Lyons, claiming they are guilty of harassment and invasion of privacy.

At a preliminary hearing, her lawyer David Sherborne said the actress had been caused "substantial alarm, fear and enormous distress" by their conduct, the Press Association reported. The agency and Lyons are contesting the claims.

Miller's private life and particularly her romantic liaisons have been a staple fodder for the tabloid press, with barely a day going by without her picture appearing in newspaper show business gossip columns.

Sherborne said the actress had endured "a campaign of harassment" since the end of June which had continued "despite requests to desist." He told the court the "relentless pursuit" had reached such a level that it violated her human rights.

The court heard Miller, who did not attend the hearing, was chased while driving and there were "other forms of physical and verbal intimidation or abuse in their attempts to obtain photographs of her for commercial exploitation."

Other incidents included being confronted outside her house in the Maida Vale area of London in June, being chased to Heathrow airport on a number of occasions and pursued as she attempted to walk her dogs in the park with her mother.

She also claims harassment continued when she was abroad.

Judge Justice Eady said a trial should be heard on the first available date after January 12.

It is not the first time that Miller has publicly voiced her anger at media intrusion.

In February, she told a court how paparazzi photographers had chased her car across London after a night out as she tried to stop them finding out her new address.

She said the photographers had driven like "lunatics" during the "frenzied" chase.

The actress was giving evidence in defense of her ex-boyfriend's brother Otis Ferry, who was cleared of criminal damage by forcibly removing the keys from two photographers' cars.

Announcement from Digital Railroad

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October 28, 2008

To Our Valued Members, Customers and Partners,

We're sorry to inform you that Digital Railroad (DRR) has shut down.

On October 15th we reported that the company had reduced its staff and was aggressively pursuing additional financing and/or a strategic partner. Unfortunately, those efforts were unsuccessful. Therefore Digital Railroad has been forced to suspend all operations.

Digital Railroad has attracted a loyal set of members. Thank you for allowing us to serve the photographic community these past few years.

All questions pertaining to claims should be addressed to: Digital Railroad, Inc. c/o Diablo Management Group 1452 N. Vasco Road, #301 Livermore, CA 94551

Zac Efron's Paparazzi Hate

Zac Efron hates being followed by the paparazzi - because he has to plan his every move just to avoid them.

The High School Musical star is currently dating co-star Vanessa Hudgens.

And he is so fed up with the attention he receives from photographers, he often just stays at home.

Efron says, "My day used to be a lot more spontaneous.

"Now it requires a lot more planning. Now I am like 'Oh, do I really have to go outside?"

Civil trial of Keanu Reeves begins over paparazzi incident

LOS ANGELES (AFP) — A civil trial on allegations actor Keanu Reeves tried to run over a celebrity news photographer with his Porsche 911 has got under way, with opening arguments heard by the jury.

The plaintiff's lawyer Joseph Farzam said on Monday his paparazzi client Alison Silva fell to the ground and hurt his hand when Reeves drove his car into him on March 19, 2007. He claimed 40,000 dollars in medical expenses for the injury.

Reeve's lawyer Alfred Gerisch, in turn, said Silva was three meters (yards) from the actor's car during the alleged incident in a posh neighborhood in southwest Los Angeles. He accused the photographer of aggressive behavior.

The star of "Matrix" and "Speed" is expected to take the stand on Tuesday.

In September, a Los Angeles judge dismissed assault claims filed against Reeves by Silva, saying there was no evidence to support the allegations, ruling out a criminal trial.

The judge said Silva had fallen when he tripped over his own feet and that Reeves himself appeared to have been the victim of an assault by Silva when the photographer put his hands on the actor's car.

ASHLEY OLSEN - OLSEN SLAMS 'SCARY' PAPARAZZI

ASHLEY OLSEN has lashed out at the paparazzi - blaming aggressive photographers for turning her into a nervous "wreck".

The 22-year-old actress is fed up with flashbulbs because her small stature makes it difficult to escape snappers desperate to take her picture.

She tells the New York Times: "Honestly, I'm a wreck, Every time I see a camera, I'm a wreck. I don't tend to react as though 'I have to do this, it's my job.' I am reacting as a woman who is five-foot-one whose space is being invaded by a bunch of men whose aggression I can literally feel."

And Olsen insists her fears extend beyond her own safety - defending celebrity mums and innocent civilians who can get caught up in dangerous car chases.

She adds: "In L.A. it is even worse because they are running red lights behind you, and I worry all the time about something terrible happening, someone getting hurt because of me, how I could ever possibly live with that. I can't imagine what it would be like to have kids in the back seat and have to go through this and pretend for their sake that you are not scared."

MeetTheFamous.com Launches New Celebrity Website

Over 10,000 Celebrity Enthusiasts Rush to Become the Paparazzi During MeetTheFamous.com's First Week, Sharing Their Never-Before-Seen Celebrity News Stories with the World

NEW YORK, Oct 21, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- MeetTheFamous.com has announced the launch of its new website: the first and only to pay users who break celebrity news. The site is already creating a buzz amid celebrity gossip enthusiasts with its tagline: "Where You are the Paparazzi!"

MeetTheFamous.com takes a fundamentally different approach to celebrity gossip because 100% of the content is created by users instead of relying on mainstream news sources. The result is countless first person experiences, good and bad, that feature the biggest celebrities in the world.

"I started MeetTheFamous.com because so many people witness celebrity news breaking on a daily basis. Aside from tipping off the gossip sites or news outlets, they don't have anything to do with their photos or stories and then they go relatively unnoticed," said Jordan Osher, CEO and Founder of MeetTheFamous.com. "I saw a need in the celebrity news industry and filled that void with a fully interactive celebrity website that actually pays its users for breaking celebrity news."

In its first week, MeetTheFamous.com has already seen 10,000 visitors submit over 1,000 user generated celebrity news stories like "Donald Trump is Orange...Literally," "Scarlett (Johansson) is one Transtastic Starlet" and "I Witnessed Jessica Simpson Take a Stand for Autism." Other famous faces already featured on the site include Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, and George Clooney. In total, over 600 celebrities have been showcased on MeetTheFamous.com thus far.

Selma Blair Wow's The Paparazzi!

Lawyer seeks to exclude use of `Paparazzo,' `Paparazzi' from trial

A lawyer for a photographer suing actor Keanu Reeves for negligence wants a judge to forbid the actor's attorneys from using the words "paparazzo" and "paparazzi" at trial, saying the terms are prejudicial, court papers showed today.

Alison Silva says his earning ability and job prospects have been diminished because of injuries suffered March 19, 2007, according to the lawsuit filed Nov. 5 of that year.

Video shows Reeves stopped in black 1996 Porsche 911 Cabrio and trying to pull away from a photographer on Avenida Tranquila in Rancho Palos Verdes Estates.

Silva maintains Reeves drove negligently and hit him, but the actor claims that assertion is untrue and that the photographer tripped on his own feet, then fell.

"In recent years, and especially since the death of Princess Diana, the term "paparazzo" has received a negative connotation," Silva's lawyer, Joseph S. Farzam, states in court papers filed Tuesday. "More recently, there have been several altercations between celebrities and celebrity photographers that have triggered a great deal of negative press regarding (paparazzi) and their conduct."

Paparazzi is the plural version of paparazzo. Both refer to photographers who take pictures of celebrities. Farzam maintains the two words should be replaced instead by terms such as "celebrity photographer," "reporter" or "photo journalist."

In support of his motion, Farzam has attached to his court papers a history

of the word "paparazzi" according to Wikipedia and an article in The Insider in which singer Seal describes the paparazzi as "scum" and accuses journalists of "ruining his life."

Farzam said Reeves had just visited his sister, who was being treated for an eating disorder, and that Silva was waiting outside to take photographs of the 44-year-old star.

Farzam also wants to stop Reeves' attorneys from making any mention of Silva's default for non-payment of an auto-purchase agreement with Ford Motor Credit Co.

If defense attorneys are allowed to use the words "paparazzo" or "paparazzi" and make mention of the default judgment the result would be "absolutely fatal to (Silva's) case," Farzam's court papers state.

The trial is scheduled Oct. 27.

Reeves starred in "Street Kings," released in April, and also is featured with Jennifer Connelly in "The Day the Earth Stood Still," set to be in theaters in December.