Microsoft Stole Footage For Forza 4 Game Trailer

The trailer for Microsoft-owned Turn 10 Studios' Forza Motorsport 4 features clips stolen from someone else's automotive web-series — including a clip of actor Paul Walker.

The teaser-trailer for the new installment in the popular Forza Motorsport series for Microsoft's Xbox debuted at this year's Video Game Awards features almost no game photography, instead relying mostly on live footage. (Full Disclosure: Jalopnik partnered with Turn 10 Studios on two downloadable content packs for Forza Motorsport 3) Some of it's from Top Gear USA, whom they've partnered with, but other parts are from the trailer for the racing web drama Turn9.

If you watch the two back-to-back you'll see at least four instances where the shot is taken directly from the trailer. This includes the up-close shot of the driver, two shots of the E46 racing BMW M3, and a fourth shot of another unidentified racing driver we're fairly sure is actually actor Paul Walker, who cameos in the series.

This unauthorized usage was first noted on Facebook by filmmaker J.F. Musial, who has worked with the producer of Turn 9.

We contacted the producer of the film, Tim Whitcome (who also runs Autotopias) and he admitted the footage was his and did not give permission to use it. According to Whitcome both he and the director Greg Thanos are investigating and have no idea how their film ended up in the trailer.

Forza is produced by Turn 10, which is an internal game development studio created and run by Microsoft. We've contacted them for an explanation but have yet to hear back. You can see the two trailers below.

http://jalopnik.com/5713901/microsoft-stole-footage-for-forza-4-game-trailer

I wonder why they did this without asking permission. Makes me think the whole announcement and trailer was a rush job so that they had something to show at the VGAs.

What do you think?

0_0 surely there must be a misunderstanding here

After looking at the forza 4 trailer, I have to say that they make really bad trailers. What's the point of snakes and bulls in a car racing game? Unless I am missing something...

Reminds me of the killzone 3 trailer where the guy just puts on the helghast helmet...

They resemble the dodge viper and lamborghini i guess

I cannot see logically why they would get permission from some other source to use it so.... briefly...  Wouldn't there be a mention of some sort, even?  I mean, even if it was a tie-in with the game, look at GT5 (not to start anything), but, they didn't just briefly throw NASCAR at us and not mention it until months later... 

So, why is this any different?... Oh, yeah, Top Gear... Mentioned, represented, credited.  Yeah, I think the footage is stolen, and really unprofessional.

Its not really stolen , they're just one turn apart from each other, they're neighboors.

Weird. I thought for sure that was all in-game.

yeah, you can really notice that the trailer was rushed when you see the old Forza 3 logo at the end =/