We are all familiar with the dodgy DVDs sold down the local pub by those Knock-off Nigel’s and the illegal downloads on the Internet but, few of us stop to contemplate the effect of film piracy and the impact it can have upon the industry we love and the professionals who work within it.
According to FACT (the Federation Against Copyright Theft) film piracy generates approximately £200 million a year at street prices for criminals and the total loss to the whole audio visual industry through copyright theft is as much as £486 million. These figures are immense and can deliver some devastating blows to the film industry.
So why do people opt for film piracy? Well, aside from the fact that many people don’t fully comprehend the consequences, the main reasons are that it offers a cheap way for people to enjoy films, meaning they don’t have to break the bank or sacrifice their want for entertainment, many people also partake in film piracy as a means of income and others do it to put themselves ahead, so they can consume new films before they’re even widely released.
Whilst it is understandable that people buy pirated DVDs because they can’t afford to buy official DVDs or see the film in the cinema, the issue needs to be considered on a wider scale. It may be the case that we have the public benefiting from cheap entertainment but, this has a negative impact on the film industry and affects the revenue it generates. If we consider that the entertainment industry is one of the fastest growing, even in a time of recession, then having its revenue affected by piracy can be damaging to the economy as a whole. This will eventually come full circle and have a further negative impact on consumers.
With this in mind, it is important to put a stop to film piracy and to protect the revenue the film industry generates.
In December 2008, film and television industry professionals took a stand against piracy as they called to the government for action against illegal online file-sharing. The UK producers, directors and writers involved in the action included Sir Alan Parker, Kenneth Branagh, Ken Loach, Lynda La Plante, David Heyman, Richard Curtis, Jim Sheridan and John Madden amongst many others. In their letter, available to view at Timesonline, they revealed that: “In 2007, an estimated 98 million illegal downloads and streams of films took place in the UK, while it is believed that more than six million people illegally file-share regularly,” and requested that the government take the issue seriously and show their support “by ensuring that internet service providers play their part in tackling this huge problem.”
Recently, further attempts have been made to tackle film piracy and these have reaped positive results. In March, the UK’s largest illegal DVD factory was closed down following a major investigation and raid on a commercial printing operation in Wembley, London. During the raid, a significant number of printing plates used to produce DVD covers were seized and four people were arrested in connection with the operation. This action is among many others that have taken place all over the UK since January, including: 5,000 counterfeit DVDs being seized from a garden shed in Surrey, a Londonderry shopkeeper being fined £200 for selling counterfeit DVDs, seven men and two women being arrested in a Glasgow counterfeit DVD factory raid where police recovered an estimated £350,000 worth of DVDs and over 100 DVD burners and then 30,000 counterfeit DVDs with a street value of over £90,000 and 150 DVD burners were seized in two separate raids in Lewisham, London.
This month we have seen the fight against piracy hit a wider scale as four people in Stockholm have been convicted, ordered to pay £3million in damages and sentenced to one year imprisonment each for breaking copyright law during their involvement with The Pirate Bay, the world’s most high-profile file-sharing website.
Also in this month’s news, we have seen the uproar caused by the leaked film download of X-Men Origins: Wolverine being reviewed before its cinema release. Fox News columnist, Roger Friedman, parted ways with Fox after posting his own review of the downloaded film and according to BBC News online, Wolverine actor Hugh Jackman is ‘heartbroken’ because of the pirated leak.
To draw on another example, we can see the potential affects piracy can have on retail if we consider Woolworths and Zavvi and how they have fallen victim to the recession, perhaps if piracy weren’t so rife, companies such as these would stand more chance of survival.
These examples emphasise the extent to which film piracy is at large and, in the case of Hugh Jackman, Zavvi and Woolworths, it shows how professionals and even retailers are affected.
The authorities are of course constantly on the lookout for piracy but, attempts are also made to reach out and discourage people before they become too involved.
For a long time, the film industry have targeted consumers with harsh advertisements telling them that piracy is a crime and comparing it to stealing a car and such like. Now, they have changed tactics and are adopting a softer and more appreciative approach to film fans. The new adverts hold a positive message and thank the cinema goers for supporting film and television in the UK. This is a very interesting technique and time will tell if it is any more effective than previous advertising messages.
All things considered, I feel piracy is still a huge issue and the potential it has to damage the economy is immense. More needs to be done to make people aware of the effects of film piracy and perhaps consumers need to be educated about it from a younger age to discourage them from becoming involved. The strong stand against film piracy must continue to grow if the UK film industry is to prosper.
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