Warner ban movie previews in Canada due to piracy.

[Bobblehead]

In a pre-emptive strike against movie piracy originating from Canada, Warner Bros. Pictures said Monday it will cancel preview screenings of its movies north of the border. Frustrated with unauthorized camcording of its new releases in Canadian cinemas, the studio said it will immediately halt all "promotional and word-of-mouth screenings" of upcoming releases.
"We regret having to cancel our screenings in Canada, but our studio must take steps to protect not only our branded assets but our commitment to our filmmakers and to our distributors," Warner Bros. president of domestic distribution Dan Fellman said.

link

What a load of

Let's see what Michael Geist has to say about this...

Perhaps Jacob missed last week's report out of New York that claimed that 40 percent of camcording piracy originates in New York City or the President of the U.S. National Association of Theater Owners telling his members that last year camcording in the U.S. spread from New York and Los Angeles to 15 states.
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Warner Bros. astonishingly now claims that 70 percent of camcorded movies have been traced to Canada over the last 18 months. Given the claims of 20 percent, 23 percent, 30 percent, 40 percent, and 50 percent did not make the requisite impact (in fact, the USTR even rejected the movie industry's request to escalate Canada on the Special 301 Watch list), we now get a blockbuster number of 70 percent. Of course, just yesterday the head of the Canadian Motion Pictures Distributors Association told the Industry Committee that the number was between 20 - 25 percent.

Fine. If that is their belief then I will not go to see any Warner movies at all. Of course, they will blame any associated drop in ticket buyers on piracy, but at some point perhaps they will realize that I get tired of being called a thief and I can spend the money I would have spent at the theatres on something else. Something that does not assume that I will steal from them at first opportunity.

[Juventus3]

Nooo! Don't take away our PREVIEWS!

I hope this means the movie will start sooner than it otherwise would have. I hate movie trailers.

And honestly, who watches a movie that's been tapped from a camcorder? Go pay $10 and watch the thing like a normal person.

[psicodude]

Maybe they think we are using our "poppy coin spy cameras" to record and sell the movies.

[MarchHare]

Nooo! Don't take away our PREVIEWS!

I hope this means the movie will start sooner than it otherwise would have. I hate movie trailers.

This isn't about trailers, but rather preview screenings of the complete film a few days/weeks before it opens for wide release.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Juventus3

Nooo! Don't take away our PREVIEWS!

I hope this means the movie will start sooner than it otherwise would have. I hate movie trailers.

I'm pretty sure they are talking about when CJAY92 hands out passes to see the movie a week before it normally comes out; not trailers.

Originally Posted by Juventus3

And honestly, who watches a movie that's been tapped from a camcorder? Go pay $10 and watch the thing like a normal person.

My thought; the type of person who wouldn't have paid $10 to see it anyways.

[Staypuft]

Originally Posted by Juventus3

Nooo! Don't take away our PREVIEWS!

I hope this means the movie will start sooner than it otherwise would have. I hate movie trailers.

And honestly, who watches a movie that's been tapped from a camcorder? Go pay $10 and watch the thing like a normal person.

Preview screenings of the entire movie...not previews for coming movies.
It doesn't matter much to me I suppose, what's waiting a few extra days to see a movie you want to see?

The only times I've ever downloaded a movie is when they were just not playing in a theatre near me (AKA Pan's Labrynth and Sunshine)

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by Juventus3

Nooo! Don't take away our PREVIEWS!

I hope this means the movie will start sooner than it otherwise would have. I hate movie trailers.

And honestly, who watches a movie that's been tapped from a camcorder? Go pay $10 and watch the thing like a normal person.

They aren't talking the trailers shown before other movies. They are talking the "sneak" previews you can get from radio stations and so on.

[Burninator]

I thought Hollywood was complaining that no one is going to see movies in the theatres these days. But if the Canadian movie reviews can't see the movies, I would assume they would get less exposure in Canada and less people will go and watch.

This is the like the Napster debate all over again. Music that I download is typically music that I wouldn't have boughten anyways. Movies that I download are movies that I probably wouldn't have gone to see in the theatres anyways. It just seems like they are unnecessarily burning bridges here.

[Tron_fdc]

So what does this mean? No previews with A-list Canadian celebrities in attendance? *gasp* Wherever will I get my Jerry Forbes autograph I've been seeking all these years????

[MelBridgeman]

bah that isnt going to solve the problem
it may mean that we as movie downloaders just have less resources to choose from.
________
Yamaha it200

[ricoFlame]

have we learned nothing from jerry and kramer's escapades in the seinfeld episode that broached this issue?...bootleggers will get what they want.

[Prototype]

HEADLINE: Spiderman 3 Breaks Box Office Records

HEADLINE: Warener To Halt Previews In Canada Due To Piracy

Give me a break. Remember when the all time box office list was completely made up of classic movies that deserve to be on there, not the latest blockbuster movie from the current summer. It's a joke. This wont stop anything.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Juventus3

And honestly, who watches a movie that's been tapped from a camcorder? Go pay $10 and watch the thing like a normal person.

I'm kind of wondering that myself. You must be able to see people walking in front of the screen, hear them coughing and chattering. That'd be really enjoyable.

Strange. If I wanted to see a movie bad enough to consider seeking out a bootleg copy, I think I'd have the willpower to hold off and spend my money on the real thing.

These industry people should be a lot more concerned about good quality copies of their movies getting leaked. YOu can download a DVD quality copy of movies that are still in the theaters. How does this even happen? Really, that's a real question. How come I can see a DVD quality version of 300 a week after it comes out? It wasn't some jackass with a camera under his hat, I know that.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by Prottotype

HEADLINE: Spiderman 3 Breaks Box Office Records

HEADLINE: Warener To Halt Previews In Canada Due To Piracy

Give me a break. Remember when the all time box office list was completely made up of classic movies that deserve to be on there, not the latest blockbuster movie from the current summer. It's a joke. This wont stop anything.

I totally agree with you. If a movie is worth seeing peopel will go to the theatre for it. Movie makers are not losing any money from piracy. Movies are breaking box office records left right and centre and on top of that you have DVD sales going through the roof...not to mention a lot of the stuff coming out these days is crap. I know lets make another remake of a movie/tv series from the 70s and have it star will ferell/ben stiller because we cant write a decent script. Then lets complain about our "lost profits" due to pirating

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

Fine. If that is their belief then I will not go to see any Warner movies at all. Of course, they will blame any associated drop in ticket buyers on piracy, but at some point perhaps they will realize that I get tired of being called a thief and I can spend the money I would have spent at the theatres on something else. Something that does not assume that I will steal from them at first opportunity.

I think I will just make it a point to download any Warner movie rather than pay the money to go see it in theatres. I might as well be what Warner thinks I am - a thief.

[Dynamic]

I have really never gotten as to how people can get a recording device in the theater.........the pull it out and start recording.........all without being caught.

[Azure]

I agree with Protto.

Make movies where we line up in front of the theatre in order to watch....and you won't have a piracy problem.

How many people went to watch the LOTR in theatre? I did, as did most everyone I know. And I doubt that many people pirated that movie when it first came out, because everyone went to watch it in the theatre anyways.

[Barnes]

These companies just don't get it do they? The majority of movies I've come across are telesyncs or full sceeners leaked by somone inside the studio or distro company. I really don't think anyone in the movie industry has any idea as to what piracy actually is.

I guess blaming Canada is easier than actually going after those not so upstanding citizens of Aisian countries whom are actual pirates.

Hey Warner!

09 f9 11 02 9d 74 e3 5b............

Thanks for coming out.

(For those that don't understand, Google those numbers and remember, you can't copyright numbers.)

[tanguay'sstillgood]

Originally Posted by Barnes

09 f9 11 02 9d 74 e3 5b............

Thanks for coming out.

(For those that don't understand, Google those numbers and remember, you can't copyright numbers.)

The disclaimer in brackets was clearly for people like me who read that and thought eklund had something to do with movie piracy!

[Vulcan]

I'm glad to see Canada is doing it's part to combat global warming by having lots of pirates. re Locke's post here

http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthr...hlight=pirates