Canadian Copyright Disaster?

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Devils'Advocate

Why go after Canadians making horrible copies of their movies when perfect high-res copies are being leaked right out their back door?

I don't know, but going after them they are.

[moon]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

This is an article in today's Globe and Mail about movie pirating in Canada, more specifically about the practice of going into a theatre and recording the movie with a camera. Has anyone ever seen one of these things? I can't imagine the quality would be very good if it's filmed by some guy sitting in the front row with a camera poking out of his shirt.

When I worked overseas I watched a lot of movies illegally filmed at theatres and for the most part they are crap but you do get some that are well done and so steady that you think they must have had some sort of tripod to hold the camera steady.

50% seems like a made up number as I question how they would know where the movie was filmed and I can't see why Canada would be an easier place than others to record. The American theatre workers are just as lazy as those North of the border.

I know there were a ton of movies available from Europe, although they were usually a little late as movies are released later there.

Most of the in-theatre movies you could get were from studios though. They were DVD quality and would have warnings about selling them etc.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by moon

50% seems like a made up number as I question how they would know where the movie was filmed and I can't see why Canada would be an easier place than others to record. The American theatre workers are just as lazy as those North of the border.

It says there is some sort of "watermark" on the film (on the screen) that tells you when and where it was playing. I don't know how it works, but that is the claim.

Canada is an easier place to record because it's not illegal to do and the worst thing that can happen to you is you get kicked out of the theatre if caught. They can't even take your copy of the movie. In the States it's a crime and you can be charged if caught.

[Bobblehead]

Actually from here:

Studies have shown that the majority of pirated DVDs are not sourced from movie theatre camcording but are inside jobs. Indeed, a 2003 study from AT&T Labs found that 77 percent of popular movies being swapped online originated from inside sources who leak copies of films

And contrary to what housejunk appears to have said ("The primary aim of the legislation is towards distrubtors aiming to profit off of someone else's copyright. "), the same article says:

The problem is that Bill C-60 (and the bill we will likely get from the Conservatives) had nothing to say about this issue. Rather than targeting these infringers, the legislation targets students, researchers, and individual Canadians for activities that most believe is (or should be) lawful.

[Bobblehead]

In that Canadian Press article, Graham Henderson, head of the CRIA said

Graham Henderson of the Canadian Recording Industry Association, one of Canada's top lobbyists for stiffer copyright controls, notes that a variety of digital services have taken off in the United States and started to make up a large percentage of music revenues.
"In Canada that's not happening, and it's not happening because we have a culture here where people just assume it's free," said Henderson.

Well Neilson Music just released their 2006 Canadian music industry report. Interesting results for those digital music sales...

DIGITAL TRACK SALES   (01/02/2006 – 12/31/2006 - SALES IN  MILLIONS)
UNITS SOLD         2006                    2005                  % CHG.                                                
                   14.9                    6.7                    122%

(sorry - code tag was the easiest way to get it into a table format)

So Canadian digital music sales jumped 122% last year. That's far greater growth than the USA or Europe.

The CRIA's facts, the basis for their campaign for a strict US style DMCA, have no merit.

(Interesting that the Top Selling Artist in Canada in 2006 was Johnny Cash)

[The_Dude]

A lot of times somebody who was supposed to screen the movie leaks it out as well.

[flamingreen]

It's happening again ..

Ottawa copyright circles are buzzing with hints that the government is preparing its new revised copyright bill, and will be tabling it soon, perhaps as early as next week.

And the buzz is that the new law will basically be a copy of the controversial U.S. Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...tory/WBcyberia

also ..

CBC is gathering a bunch of questions for Jim Prentice in response to this pending legislation, most of which are well thought out and eloquent.

http://www.cbc.ca/searchengine/blog/...e_industr.html

[Kipper is King]

I still buy CDs so that I can avoid DRM! I sure hope this vaporizes!

[Bobblehead]

I don't know why they would follow this route when their own studies show downloading is negligible to the bottom lines of the record companies. All this will do is make money for lawyers and put chilling effects on the development of products that may infringe somehow.

This type of thing make me angry.

2 of the last 3 CDs I bought I did so because I saw people raving about the bands on here, downloaded them, liked them so I bought the CD. I would not have purchased them if I could not have listened to them first.

[flamingchina]

Some info on how to fight the incoming legislation
http://www.boingboing.net/2007/12/02...t-canadas.html

[BlackArcher101]

Jim Prentice refuses to be interviewed before the bill is introduced. A nice way of showing the middle finger to the general public. Not happy about this one bit.

http://www.cbc.ca/searchengine/blog/...s_no.html#more
http://www.boingboing.net/2007/12/03...dustry-mi.html

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by fredr123

You'll need to buy a tube of Colgate for home use, a separate tube for when you're at work and need to freshen up before a meeting and a third entirely different tube for in your travel kit while you're on the road.

I do that anyways

[fredr123]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I do that anyways

We've sat beside each other for several important debates and discussions in the past. I find it hard to believe you brush your teeth that often.

[simmer2]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

Jim Prentice refuses to be interviewed before the bill is introduced. A nice way of showing the middle finger to the general public. Not happy about this one bit.

http://www.cbc.ca/searchengine/blog/...s_no.html#more
http://www.boingboing.net/2007/12/03...dustry-mi.html

He's the MP in my area too....that's just not cool. If you are going to represent the public in govt, be available to the public to speak. You're representing the people so their voices should be heard.

[MarchHare]

Originally Posted by simmer2

He's the MP in my area too....that's just not cool. If you are going to represent the public in govt, be available to the public to speak. You're representing the people so their voices should be heard.

Imagine what the electorate's reaction would have been to this if the Conservatives had campaigned on a promise of openness and accountability. Looks like they dodged a bullet here...

[fredr123]

http://www.wellingtongrey.net/miscel...right-act.html

If anti-circumvention legislation applied to the real world...

[fredr123]

Cory Doctorow of Boing Boing fame, among others, is encouraging anyone who is able to attend an open house being hosted by Jim Prentice this Saturday.

Prentice's open house runs from 1PM-3PM tomorrow, Saturday, December 8 at 1318 Centre Street NE, Suite 105, Calgary, AB

Here's your chance to really let the Honourable Minister know how you feel about the proposed copyright reforms. Dress nicely, be respectful, ask thoughtful questions.

[photon]

Just an update, Jim Prentice was in town on Saturday, and there was people organized to go and talk about the DMCAish bill that was introduced.

More info on that here:

http://www.boingboing.net/2007/12/10...mca-rally.html

Well it seems it had the desired impact, the bill won't be introduced!

http://politics.slashdot.org/article.../12/10/2357247

So good news.

[BlackArcher101]

Originally Posted by photon

Well it seems it had the desired impact, the bill won't be introduced, as scheduled

Fixed. I don't think they've abandoned it or are going to change it... just going to create a PR campaign for the next try. I give them 6 months. But this is good news for sure!

[MarchHare]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

Fixed. I don't think they've abandoned it or are going to change it... just going to create a PR campaign for the next try. I give them 6 months. But this is good news for sure!

Well, Dion has said he plans to topple the government before the next budget in March, so hopefully this will die yet again before it's introduced to parliament.

I think the Conservatives really didn't anticipate the blowback from Canadians on this issue.