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| http://my.spill.com/photo/movie-piracy |
We've had people tell us to offer our
movie for free and then ask for people to give (financially) as they see fit...
really, that's a business model? It might be, but not one where you could stay
in business for long or make more films. It might work once as a stunt, but
it’s no way to do business. Part of the thinking was that people will pirate
your film anyway, so give them the content so you can have some form of control
over it. But is that really control? It’s seems like letting the pirates take
over your ship. You’re still captain, but you’re locked in the brig.
I believe piracy is a huge deal and
greatly impacts the film industry, especially the indies. I know the numbers
are hard to find for an exact amount (financially) of the impact. Piracy isn’t
good for anyone, but larger film companies can rebound from piracy and have
more recourse and resources to fight piracy than small indie companies fighting
to survive.
There are entire countries that do
nothing to control entertainment piracy. You can walk the streets and order
pirated movies, knowing they are pirated, and no one cares--it’s a way of
life--and that’s a problem. Just talk to any deployed vet, or anyone that has
visited China, Russia, Korea, Indonesia or heck even New York City. Just ask
your friends. I would guess 3
out of 5 of my friends have pirated a movie, or supported pirating in some way,
most innocently. They've downloaded a film at some point for "free."
Or they've made copies for their friends after they themselves have paid for
the film. All of this is “illegal,” really, and not good.
If people say indies must compete with
the studios, but then take away our chance for profit, how can we compete? With
such a high risk investment already and a business model that offers your film
for free and hopes for donations, as suggested, investors will flee in mass.
Investors are hard enough to find in the first place, and almost every one I've
spoken with has brought up piracy. So, I'm not concerned about piracy because
of being stingy; it’s a concern of being able do business in the right way. My
investors trust me and I need to do all I can to see they are protected. No
doubt the landscape is changing, and we have to adjust. But, chalking piracy up
to "not that big of a deal" and giving up the ship to the pirates is
not the way we should choose.
Now, what can be done? I'm not too
sure. I know the studios are the driving force in this effort to combat piracy.
I also know that local police departments and federal agencies are not going to
do much unless it's so obvious and easy for them to handle. But the bottom line
is still that it’s illegal.
It may be a more socially acceptable crime, but it is more than civil. I don't
think we lock someone up and throw away the key; that would be cruel. But
giving them a fine and putting them on probation would be appropriate; and,
more importantly, brining down the larger illegal entities that are the real
pirates behind piracy. Shutting down the piracy sites. Put pressure on countries
politically. It's a global issue with no easy resolution.
Piracy is a big problem, especially the
more time goes by without anything being done about it, the more it's going to
be acceptable and the more it will hurt us all. I'm in the filmmaking business,
not some fashionable hobby. I also believe piracy is criminal and needs to be
dealt with. This is not a victimless crime--filmmakers, film investors, and
ultimately, film viewers are affected. See an indie film you like; it could be
the last film by that indie company because of piracy.
More education on piracy is needed to
help those who are innocently participating in it. But, to the ones who are
sustaining it, shut them down.
If you enjoy a film, the worse thing
you can do is not support it--or ask the filmmakers to put it out for free. I
could be the end of the indie filmmaker.
This is just my two cents. What do you
think?
Looking for some anti-piracy assistance? http://www.muso.com/home/
Copyright: http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ40.pdf
Report piracy: http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx and http://www.iprcenter.gov/
