Outgoing Spanish Film Academy Boss Warns Industry It Needs To Respect Customers

from the good-for-him dept

Tue, Feb 15th 2011 2:34am — Mike Masnick

Last month, we covered the controversy in Spain, where the head of the Spanish Film Academy, Alex de la Iglesia, had announced that he was stepping down from that position immediately following the Goya awards (the equivalent of the Oscars) in protest over the decision by politicians to reinstate the controversial new copyright law, that was written to appease the US.

While there was some talk of forcing him to step down before the awards (Spanish Academy members claimed it was improper of him to actually talk to people on Twitter), it appears they let him go through with it, and he gave a speech where he reminded the attendees of the need to respect consumers and not treat them as criminals. Among the attendees was Culture Minister Angeles Gonzalez-Sinde, who isn't just a supporter of the new copyright law, but for whom it's named after. The translated condensed version of his speech is well worth reading.

"The Internet isn't the future; it's the present and the way for hundreds of thousands of people to enjoy movies and culture. The Internet is the salvation of our cinema."

As for treating people like criminals?

"Web surfers don't like to be called that; they're actually people, the public. The public that we have lost because they don't go to the movies anymore because they spend their time sitting in front of a computer screen. Change is needed to come up with a new model for the film business. We have a moral responsibility to the public. We make movies because citizens allow us to make them and we owe them respect and our thank you."

And further on the subject of respecting the fans:

"We must be up to this privilege that society offers us. If we want them to respect us, we must respect them first."

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Filed Under: alex de la iglesia, film academy, goya awards, respect, spain

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sam sung, 15 Feb 2011 @ 2:49am

he will be even less popular now. bet he gets some crap thrown at him. Minister of Culture �ngeles Gonz�lez-Sind is just another entertainment industry lackey who is more concerned with making a name for herself than doing what she should, catering for both sides of the argument. the continuous upgrading of and introduction of new rules, simply to try to protect an outdated business model and against the inevitable is ridiculous. if what customers want was available, without them being continuously ripped off, there would be no need.
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The eejit (profile), 15 Feb 2011 @ 3:02am

Re:
Indeed. What we need isn't necessarily more tech-savvy people, but more publically-minded people. Regrettably, most politicians don't seem to have the courage of their convictions anymore.

But hey, what are convictions when you can get millions form 'lobbying'?
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Feb 2011 @ 3:37am

After his speech, Alex de la Iglesia received overwhelming support in twitter, where people even claimed that he should be culture minister. Maybe it's only a move to gain fan support, but even in that case, that would only show that he really grasps how the market is changing and how to compete in it.

On another topic, there were a lot of people with Guy Fawkes masks at carpet that wooed at culture minister Sinde, but national television (TVE) didn't show that. There were lots of tweets of people complaining about TVE censuring and sharing videos of the "anonymous" manifestation. I think it's really a shame that we have a public television who still thinks it can simply censure something, without realizing that's not possible any more.
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Feb 2011 @ 3:37am

After his speech, Alex de la Iglesia received overwhelming support in twitter, where people even claimed that he should be culture minister. Maybe it's only a move to gain fan support, but even in that case, that would only show that he really grasps how the market is changing and how to compete in it.

On another topic, there were a lot of people with Guy Fawkes masks at carpet that wooed at culture minister Sinde, but national television (TVE) didn't show that. There were lots of tweets of people complaining about TVE censuring and sharing videos of the "anonymous" manifestation. I think it's really a shame that we have a public television who still thinks it can simply censure something, without realizing that's not possible any more.
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Richard (profile), 15 Feb 2011 @ 4:04am

Re: Re:
But hey, what are convictions when you can get millions form 'lobbying'?

Hopefully they are the consequence or your behaviour.

Ask Jeffrey Archer, Jonathan Aitken and Eric Illsley.
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Richard (profile), 15 Feb 2011 @ 4:06am

Re:
I agree with you - but I think you mean "censor" not "censure".
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English Learning Center, 15 Feb 2011 @ 4:14am

Spanish Film Academy
It is Controversy based Article ,who reveal the controversy happen in Spain Awards.
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Feb 2011 @ 4:45am

Re: Re:
You are right, sorry for my english :)
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Feb 2011 @ 4:45am

Re: Re:
You are right, sorry for my english :)
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Feb 2011 @ 5:59am

Here, Here, Spanish Film Academy Boss!
I was thinking the same thing. Critics are rarely your customers. If they are your customer and remain critical, then you must really stink.
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Feb 2011 @ 6:19am

Re: Here, Here, Spanish Film Academy Boss!
If they are your customers and remain critical, then they are sheep because they shouldn't be your customers.

Spain is really turning into an anti-copyright cesspool.
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Shon Gale (profile), 15 Feb 2011 @ 7:05am

You mean you have to earn respect?
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The eejit (profile), 15 Feb 2011 @ 9:14am

Re: Re: Here, Here, Spanish Film Academy Boss!
But it's not a cesspool. It's an ex-totalitarian society that has learned from its past. The only pressure being exerted is from the US and the EC - both of which are in the corrupter's pockets.
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