Tuesday
22Sep2009
New Technology Aimed at Stopping Movie Piracy
Tuesday, September 22, 2009 at 3:00PM
It is estimated that over $3 billion a year in ticket sales are lost due to movie piracy. Before you play the tiny violin for Hollywood, it is worth noting that the industry showed consecutive jumps in annual revenue of over half a billion dollars in 2000 and 2001, and the number hasn't even gone up an additional half-billion in the seven full years since. How much of that can be pinned directly on piracy is hard to quantify, but it's a big number. And if you're one of those people who likes to complain that the studios don't take chances, where's the advantage in doing that if billions in profits are stolen in the first place?
Reader Comments (8)
Yeah there would have to be some kind of incentive to the theater to implement you'd think. Yes they lose customers too, but I wouldn't see a movie theater spending money on a technology that might only add a few more warm seats. Who knows, maybe it's just ridiculously cheap to put in.
On the flip, psychotic side, wouldn't you feel weird knowing you're being shot in the face with infrared light? Just sayin'!
Aren't most good cam copies attributed to theatre staff that would just be able to turn off the IR strobes?
Depends on the security of the organization, I guess.
The pirate market always finds a way. Some cams I have seen posted are shot in other country's, so they would have to implement it world wide. Sometimes all you need is one good copy and it will just be reposted everywhere. I could watch all the cams I want for free, but I never do. Which go's to show you can't make some people watch GI Joe or Transformers 2 at any price.
BTW miss you on Holmberg's in the morning Colin now we have to rely on Eric's movie reviews lol!
From what I've read about this topic elsewhere, there are IR lens filters that can be used to block IR while allowing visible light through. Those determined enough to pirate films will utilize such filters or some other means.
It still doesn't solve the leaked screener problem, but hey, maybe it's a start.
The Dark Knight was leaked online with a fairly decent camcorder copy the day after it opened on the big screen and it still went on to become the second highest grossing movie of all time. I'm just sayin.......
Most piracy happens in a film's post-production when screener DVDs are made for execs and studio staff. Until they clamp down on pirates within the industry these kinds of moves are redundant.