Nautilus Productions LLC

05/02/2026

Although the state of North Carolina initially agreed in 2013 to stop the copyright violations and pay Allen $15,000 for unauthorized use, the underwater photographer says further infringements continued. Then, in 2015, North Carolina passed “Blackbeard’s Law,” which allowed state agencies to freely use materials related to shipwrecks in their possession. Allen contends the state used this law to continue publishing his images, including in a film shown at a state maritime museum.

https://petapixel.com/2026/01/29/photographers-12-year-long-fight-over-blackbeards-law-might-be-over/

The case challenged a law shielding U.S. states from copyright claims.

12/01/2026

Help us protect Red Fish Grill, Olympus Dive Center & the Morehead City Waterfront. Non Residents of Morehead City can show their support by signing this petition. Thank you for being a huge part of our waterfront community! Link in Comments!

22/11/2025

Avast! Fayetteville Man Continues Lawsuit Against State Over Footage of Blackbeard’s Ship
Videographer Rick Allen says North Carolina illegally copied his work without permission or payment. More than a decade later, he’s still trying to get paid.

https://www.cityviewnc.com/stories/avast-fayetteville-man-continues-lawsuit-against-state-over-footage-of-blackbeards-ship/

After 12 years, Rick Allen of Fayetteville is still fighting NC officials in court over photos and videos he made of Blackbeard's pirate ship

10/10/2025

10/06/2025

Blackbeard Grounds His Flagship!
June 10, 1718: On or about this day, Blackbeard runs his flagship, the Queen Anne's Revenge aground at Old Topsail Inlet, now Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina. He attempts to kedge the 'Queen Anne's Revenge' off the bar using his sloop Adventure but runs her hard aground as well.

https://blackbeardsqueenannesrevenge.blogspot.com/2018/06/blackbeard-grounds-his-flagship-june-10.html

Nautilus Productions, Blackbeard, Queen Anne's Revenge, video, stock footage, stock video, video production, shipwreck, piracy, photography, TV, copyright, lawsuit, intellectual property, QAR

09/06/2025

The effect of the North Carolina’s conduct is “piracy on a grand scale: a targeted attempt to take Allen’s body of work by intentionally infringing his copyrights and by adopting policies that allow others to do the same, all without any due process or compensation.”

https://www.carolinacoastonline.com/news_times/article_0ba9aab4-bf20-4052-a0b3-5273a81dd84c.html

BEAUFORT — The State of North Carolina has appealed a ruling made in August by US District Court Judge Terrence Boyle that a Fayetteville videographer who has alleged repeated copyright

28/05/2025

Blackbeard Filmmaker Fires Retort in Shipwreck Copyright Dispute!
Rarely is state piracy as blatant as in the case of Blackbeard’s Law—a North Carolina statute that targeted videographer Rick Allen’s unique footage of Blackbeard’s flagship, the Queen Anne’s Revenge. The statute—admittedly aimed at Allen’s work—claimed that the state could freely use, copy, and distribute Allen’s artistic work without compensating him.

https://nautilusproductions.blogspot.com/2025/05/blackbeard-filmmaker-fires-retort-in.html

Queen Anne's Revenge, stock footage, video production, shipwreck, piracy, IP, QAR, Lawsuit, NCDNCR, copyright, Supreme Court

28/03/2025

"The district court held that Allen plausibly alleged that the Department violated the Copyright Act by directly infringing his copyrighted works."

https://www.carolinajournal.com/state-battles-blackbeard-suit-at-federal-appeals-court/

Lawyers representing the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources are asking federal appellate judges to toss out a long-running copyright lawsuit over images linked to the pirate Blackbeard’s flagship.

09/01/2025

Moving to Blueskybsky.social

01/01/2025

Blackbeard's Queen Anne's Revenge Stock Footage Collection!

https://nautilusproductions.blogspot.com/2020/12/blackbeards-queen-annes-revenge-stock.html

Nautilus Productions, Blackbeard, Queen Anne's Revenge, video, stock footage, stock video, video production, shipwreck, piracy, photography, TV, copyr