Claim: Paris Hilton 'Directed' Sex Tape

By Todd Peterson

Tuesday February 24, 2004 11:47 AM EST

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She's already a socialite, hotel heiress, reality-show actress and gossip-page favorite. But soon Paris Hilton may have another job title on her resume: X-rated video director.

In a Los Angeles court Monday, Seattle-based company Marvad Corp. filed papers requesting that a judge dismiss the lawsuit filed against the company by Hilton's ex-boyfriend, Rick Salomon, who appears in the infamous videotaped encounter with the hotel heiress.

Marvad's motion? The company wants to add Hilton to the list of copyright registrants, because she helped "direct" the video.

Marvad claims that since Hilton can clearly be seen directing the video and positioning the camera at certain times, she should be listed as a copyright holder in addition to Salomon. And if Salomon is not the sole copyright holder, his case may not hold up.

"Unfortunately for Salomon, the video also depicts Ms. Hilton participating fully in the creation of the video," the motion reads. "Ms. Hilton offered directorial comments and physically controlled and directed the camera."

But an attorney for Salomon maintained his client owned the tape. "When an actor appears in a motion picture and may help direct scenes ... that doesn't change ownership," the lawyer said.

Salomon sued the company in November, claiming Marvad was violating his copyright to the tape by broadcasting snippets of their encounter on the company's Web site. Salomon also accused his former roommate Don Thrasher of stealing, copying and selling the tape, Reuters reports.

Thrasher has claimed that Salomon approved of the sale and took half of the proceeds.

Meanwhile, Salomon, 35, recently started selling downloads of the tape in its entirety via his own Internet site. He claims he's doing so to protect himself from false accusations by the Hilton family. Representatives for the 23-year-old hotel heiress had no comment.

A judge is expected to decide later whether to dismiss the lawsuit.