Even When It's Not Piracy's Fault, It's Piracy's Fault
from the head-in-the-sand dept
The MPAA says that international box-office revenues fell nine percent last year, and as usual, piracy gets portrayed as the biggest villain, with camcorders singled out this time. MPAA boss Dan Glickman (who apparently really likes to sing) urged the attendees of a movie theater trade show to petition their local governments to strengthen anti-piracy measures -- perhaps hoping to get them to emulate California and make it a crime to bring a camcorder into a theater -- rather than really encouraging them to do things that might actually help, like changing the way they do business. Of course, the theaters themselves aren't blameless, either, and in some ways have as bad a case of denial as the studios about why people don't want to go to the movies any more. It's still easier to just blame people downloading movies for the industry's decline, rather than try to figure out why people are downloading movies instead of paying outrageous costs to watch bad films.Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
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Re: This space intentionally left blank
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my girlfriend says..
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Gone!
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Idiots
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Exactly they are in denial,piracy is only partially to blame.
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ways around
my justification of course is that the movie theater doesnt sell tea and i dont like soda. reality is that i dont like paying $3 or $4 for something that costs about them about 25 cents.
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Re: ways around
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Re: ways around
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Re: ways around
That said, I just bring in a bottle of water and eat dinner before/after, so I do the same thing.
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Cinematic "Art"
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Re:
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Re: communist prices?
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Re: Re: communist prices?
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poor attendance
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Re:
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Immigants!
-- Moe Szyslak, "Much Apu About Nothing" 3F20
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crap movies aint worth stealin anyways.
I dont go because they are overpriced and not worth seeing and they will be out on DVD shortly. so why bother with a theatre? Hollwood is so far behind the tech curve its almost hilarious.
Sam
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Re: crap movies aint worth stealin anyways.
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Could it be the ads?
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I love going to theaters
I wonder, does anyone in hollywood know how to make decent movies anymore? Or are the money people just not letting them? Probably a little of both.
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Re: I love going to theaters
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Re: Re: I love going to theaters
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Oscar Night
Yes, people's lives are far more complicated now than they have ever been and there are also far more entertainment choices today than ever before. This is just the results of these trends in our society.
What really gets my goat about it is that Hollywood is rolling in DVD revenues which MORE than supplements any losses they have experienced in the decline of theater box office, and yet they whine because they want to still have their cake as they eat it too.
Screw 'em.
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3 Words, "Home Teatre System"
I googled and didnt find anything quickly but I am sure the average TV size has doubled in the last 10 years. Lets say it was 27" in 1996 and now its 50". IMO that competes with a theatre. What the MPAA needs to focus on is a legal alternative to downloading of movies that have been released on DVD.
Like others have also mentioned, there are few films out there that would drive me to see it in a theatre and most of the time I go "I feel robbed".
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Re: 3 Words, "Home Teatre System"
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Re: 3 Words,
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Re: 3 Words, "Home Teatre System"
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Re: 3 Words, "Home Teatre System"
I don't download movies...if a movie is WORTH having...I will buy the dvd...
I have no reason to watch crap that isn't worth seeing.
Plus I hate people, so staying away from a busy, crowded, overpriced meat lockers is far more desireable!
Dumbasses should have learned long ago "You have to use the internet before it uses you". That quote I read about 15 years ago, and was in direct reference to the movie/hollywood industry....they didn't learn!
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Night at the Movies
1 wife,3 kids,and you 34.50 on check card
1 popcorn 1 lrg coke and 3 small kids packs 27.50 on check card
going back for 2 hot dogs and another drink to replace the one your kid spilled 20.00 bucks on check card
waiting a month to see the movie at home on dvd for 3.50 PRICELESS
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Re: Night at the Movies
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Re: Night at the Movies
just a joke guys. ya i began hating movies and completely stopped watching them at all for almost a year and then i saw Narnia and it renewed my faith in movies because i must say i really enjoyed it. brought back lots of childhood memories when i read the book series. i definitely feel like im getting robbed most of the time though
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How to watch a movie and get your moneys worth.
I.P. TRACKED
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Re: How to watch a movie and get your moneys worth
what does that mean??? plz help me!!!!
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Re: How to watch a movie and get your moneys worth
not really :)
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Cams are the problem?
Fine. Make bringing a camcorder into the theatre a crime. Whoopideedoo. I'd guess that cams make up less than 10% of the new releases that end up online so you won't get much of an impact there.
They should really focus on making more sappy love stories. They don't get pirated nearly as much because, lets face it, most pirates really don't want to watch them. Do you know how long it takes to download "Love Actually"? I sure don't , but I'll bet it's a long time.
Arrrgggghhhhhhhh!!!!!
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crap movies...
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Outrageous
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Crappy Theater Experience
No...I don't think so...
Peter
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people dont want to pay
Lets look at how many people now days have a nice home theater and how cheap you can put one together and sit in the comfort of your own home instead of some filthy theater. You can also have dinner while watching your movie and still spend less money on take out. (release on dvd and make some money)
Also the quality of movies now days is really crappy. I find myself going to blockbuster or hollywood and walking around wondering when something good will come out worth paying to see.
its all about excuses for these people, its never hollywoods fault.
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Bad movies?
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Excellent!
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Re: Excellent!
Best Comment Evar!!ELEVEN!!!1
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You Just Wait...
Wow, and I started this thinking I was going to add a smiley, but instead a frown :(
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Oh wait wrong kind my bad.
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Out-Dated Business Model
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Re: 3 Words
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Look Inward Theater Owners...
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actors pay
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pirate this
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I just dont agree with Holywood...
If they are seeing this, I stop going to the movie theatre because there is no movies that I want to go see on the big screen. sorry.
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The path not chosen
Or they could have buried their collective head in the sand and purchased laws to make felons out of their former customers while saddling current customers with a product (DRM damaged CD's and downloads) actually worth less than the pirated versions which can be played on ANY device, not just the one licensed by the DRM scheme. They could make the FBI their personal bitches, taking agents away from real crimes. They could lobby for perpetual copyrights to protect a revenue stream from a cartoon mouse who would lapse into public domain in a couple of years. They could argue that "Fair Use" is a myth and they allow it's existence out of the goodness of their hearts.
Hollywood - we all live with our choices. You will live with yours.
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Piracy as a cause of low sales...
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Re: Piracy as a cause of low sales...
only reason why sales was down, why shoul i pay $40 for a night out when i can rent the original version on dvd.
nothin out on the market is worth watching anymore, for every 10 movies out there, only 1 is an original idea, and isnt crap......
MPAA, look in the mirror baby.... isnt the "pirates" thats killing the industry.. poor quality is.
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Buggy Whips
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But they are Right!
Of course, it's not that they are satisfied enough with their watching experience. Its that, unanimously and continuously, they keep saying "oh, don't go to that movie, I've seen it and it's total crap".
I'm pretty sure the MPAA would love to have people watching hyped crap after crap. No more.
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Re:
f'in a we own and they cry cause we own
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piracy
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Make Better Movies
WAKE UP!!!!
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Piracy Eh
My one in the last year was "End of the spear" Definate must see.
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The reason Film sales are off
Motion Pictures are repleat with rehashed ideas.
Some comic books should NEVER be perverted into film.
Embrace the technology and adapt with the times, or go the way of the Dinosaur.
And for God sakes... go no further with the idea of doing a Live Action Simpsons Film.
Need we say more?
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Also no-one say "you should read the reviews" I say "f*** off" to them, I watch the trailer of it on Apple's websites if I like it I wait and go to the cinema.
There is also a dilema,
Do I buy it from pirates and fund the mafia etc etc or
Go to the cinema and fund ruthless Multi-Billion companies who fund god knows what to get there money.... ? lol
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Time for a change
If the industry want to grow they have diversify their selling platforms. I have about 10 multiplexes with 30 minutes but they all offer the same expierence.
Going high-class is working for some boutique theatres. We complain about movie ticket prices but going to a concert or the theatre(plays and such) is far more expensive. If we were offered a gourmet meal with full bar and were shown a first run movie in an 18 and over atmosphere. I would pay more. Or if I was offered a truely superior expierience (above IMAX) I could also be drawn in.
The other option is low cost dollar style theatres where the kids and punks can come in and people don't expect much.
The final key is add ons. What if a movie was released same day on DVD but could only be bought in the theatre after you saw that movie? What about t-shirts and what not that enlarge concert reenues. Why are they not present at the movies?
I think for all Hollywood bitching that their diamond tip shoes are too-tight it will be the movie chains that drive a change.
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Boost
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Poorly managed theaters and rude patrons
I don't have a problem with prices, either.
The other BIG problem is the behavior of guests. Loud talking during movies, people talking on cellphones, people run up and down the aisles, people bringing babies to movies at 9 at night.
Thank God for home theaters!!
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Camcorders should not be blamed - blame Bush
Note that the *international box-office revenues* fell.
There was no claim on the DVD sales nor the *national* box-office revenues.
Maybe the MPAA should blame the US goverment instead. They've ruined Americas's image outside the US. No wonder that an international audience begins to lose interest in US movies.
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Decrease was already explained
The drop is only a drop compared to the previous year.
Last year had a number of large movie releases and the decrease was due to a return to standard releases, not a drop.
The previous year was simply an anomaly.
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10 good reasons to hate the cinema
2) Trailers for things you have no interest in.
3) Patronising features talking down to you like you're a 10 year old.
4) Plot lines recycled from old stories.
5) Piss poor acting by terrible Hollywood "stars"
6) Pointless violence just to demo special effects
7) Soppy, self congratulating insipid pap.
8) Political propaganda (America is so cool, all arabs are terrorists)
9) Unruly teenagers throwing popcorn, talking, shining lasers etc.
10) Uncomfortable seats, unhygenic toilets, gum on the floor etc.
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Re: 10 good reasons to hate the cinema
(11) ticket prices go up constintly
(12) you can fly to korea or thailand and pick up 11 leaked movies that dont suck and a hard drive full of music for less than a movie ticket plus some flier miles added on
(13) good movies are sold out and when you can get into them you have to go at a bad time and plan your day around that
(14) you might kick some one in the back of their chair or you might get kicked in your chair cause the seats are not made for wider built people.
(15) expensive candys and drinks even though thats how the cinema makes its profit
(16) us teens will be in the back being silent for the movie and you hear the screaming babies
i'm not a fat person my self i'm a skinny teen fat people start hating
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In Mother Russia
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Rip
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Look Stoopid.
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THIS IS WHY
http://homepage.mac.com/bradoconnor/PROJECTOR_PROJECT/index.html
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Hmmm .. just maybe
In the end, piracy is an excuse for an industry who doesnt want to change to fit into the information age. George Lucas has been quoted saying two things about piracy. (1) If movies were available to download for $2-$3 to watch at home, they would make more money, and most piracy would disappear. People pirate when it becomes to expensive to buy. (2) Movie studios don't make money by putting movies in theaters, they make it on DVD and merchandise sales, that movie theater releases are just advertising. This is coming from the richest man in Hollywood, so he must know something he's talking about.
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This is my story
Napoleon Dinamite - looked crappy, so i downloaded it, loved it, then went to watch the movie at the local theather.
Aeon Flux - Looked really nice, downloaded it (because it wasn't at the theaters yet), and the movie sucked. glad i didnt spent that money.
Ultraviolet - Learned my lesson, didnt go to the theater, neither downloaded it.
Conclusion, its not piracys fault, its just that
1) Movies are getting crappier every year
2) Americans are getting fatter, and can't or dont want to go to the theater
3)Fat americans are fat that there are no fat actors nowadays. And that all the slim ppl dont have any idea how to act.
(im fat myself, so you fat ppl dont hate me)
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beer theaters
oh, and thinking that camcorders are responsible for any measurable amount of lost revenue is a complete joke.
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maybe lack of sales is caused by ... lack of sales
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Don't ask the government for anything
Just 100x more expensive and 100x less efficient.
Also I like smoking joints when I watch movies, which is the main reason I don't go to the theater anymore... when you lose your buzz 1/10th of the movie it's just not as fun anymore.
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Maybe
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Instead I went out and spent $1000 on a home movie projector and buy my DVD's at a discount from Target or Wallmart and watch them while drinking fine wine and eating my favorite foods.
I will NEVER go back the the theater.
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WTF Is The MPAA On About Now?
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But what you all don't understand is...
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It's also a factor of your time!
And then there are other recreational things that are competing with your precious time these days than, say, back in the 80/90's. Back then the only things you can do were just watching TV. Now there's a whole slew of activities you can do besides watching Cinema: Video games, computer games, having a night out with friends,online chat, shopping, religious activities, clubs, playing sports, etc. Watching movies become just one out of a long list of choices that you can do otherwise.
And then there's the direct competition from TV: there's now cable, on-demand, Tivo and and other DVRs. Those tools creates a kind of flexibility that allow users to make better use (and better quality) for your TV time MUCH more than the 80s/90s.
And *THEN*, there are obligatory activities that prevents you from doing *ANY* recreational activities! House chores (pet grooming, laundry, house cleaning, etc), family obligations (wedding, funerals, bdays, family dinners) , Home DIY projects. These are things you "must" do because you'll feel guilty if you don't do them!
And *FINALLY*... Today americans are spending more time at work, extending work hours from the typical 8 hours day to 10-12 hour days. If you have a 7 hour sleep schedule, spend 2 hours on meals, and 2 hours commuting to/from work, now you are left with just 1-3 hours per day on recreational activities on a weekday. On the weekend, however, that's a totally different matter, but now you have to factor in huge TRAFFIC delays cuz everyone in the whole freaking world are going to the same place as *you* are at the same time!
Stacking all these factors together. You really don't have a lot of time for movies! And when you finally *do* have the time to watch a movie, you better watch a super-ass-kicking-mind-blowing-awesome movie or else it would be a total waste of your time!
;-)
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movies
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theatres suck
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Camcorders in the movies
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The Jews own Hollywood, and decide US foreign poli
In short, modern films are utter shite, the 'actors' in them are all incapable of actually acting (name me a film in which Robert de Niro didn't play an angry ex-Vietnam vet, or a film in which Al Pacino didn't play an asshole gangster (Scent of a woman, anybody?), the public are getting fed up of blowing money on rubbish, and would rather stay at home and watch an OLD film on DVD. No noise. No cellphones. No dickheads sitting behind you. No rustling popcorn. No DEAFENING volume. No stupid, cliched plots. No shit 'actors'. (Matt Damon!)
HDTV is another huge con job. Are the films going to be any better just because they've wasted all that BluRay or HD-DVD storage space? NO. HDTV only exists because we can't possibly have people storing 20 hours of video on one piece of media, can we? And we can't have them storing 6,000 songs on it in MP3, can we!!! Keep buying those one hour, ten tracks CDs for $10 a pop, right?
Screw the media. Don't buy their rubbish. Make them go broke. If only the idiots that form the majority of this country would just STAY HOME for a few months. Are your lives so fucking hollow that you can't find something better to do than watch some shit Jew-hollywood propaganda piece, like Broke Crack Mounting?
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Adverts too!
How about you start hiring some decent ACTORS who haven't got their part by being fucked up the ass by some dirty old Jewish casting director? How about not paying them millions of dollars, when they're obviously not worth it? Morgan Freeman, anyone? His next part is as Token's father in the new South Park movie...
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stop piracy dont rip us off to go to the movies
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Why I havn't gone to a movie in 2 years.
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