Duncan Pelham
Almost every student, except for a few shining beacons of virtue or inept technophobes, have watched a film either streamed directly online or downloaded onto their hard drive. And justifications tend to insist something along the lines of ‘look, if it’s any good, I’ll go see it at the cinema’. I don’t think you will go see it at the cinema. I think you’ll reach down, pick up that bag of crisps, balance them on your stomach, along with your laptop, ash tray and god-knows-what-else; press play, and simply watch it again.
The Movie Picture Association of America calculates that the film industry is losing an annual $6.1 billion dollars to piracy worldwide – some daunting figures. And who do they point the finger at exactly? Students. Of course it’s an estimate of potential – not real – profits lost. The statistics incorrectly assume that, if you weren’t to have found the pirate copy, you would otherwise have paid to see it at the cinema. Despite exaggerated figures and scare-mongering, there’s no denying piracy is damaging ticket sales. The film industry’s prime strategy has been half-arsed attempts at deterrence, with DVDs abound with dramatic slogans demanding: ‘surely you wouldn’t steal a car; or a handbag?’ No I certainly wouldn’t. But snagging an old lady’s handbag is a little different from skimming a couple of pennies off studio execs’ six figure salaries. Of course, the ramifications of piracy run much deeper than this – reaching into the pockets of even low level projectionists – but no matter how much guilt-lobbying the industry attempts, cash-strapped students aren’t going to change their ways on ethical grounds.
The music industry cleared up its piracy problem by abolishing Napster and provided easy electronic access via iTunes, eMusic and so on. But the film industry – backward and obstinate as ever – refuses to properly address this. And to exacerbate matters, film releases are brought out at different times in different countries. Eager UK film buffs anticipate releases that have already hit cinema screens stateside a good three months earlier – it’s no wonder they get impatient and resort to internet copies. And before they know it, they’ve seen the latest Oscar-winning epic ruined on a 12” screen, by a flickering camcorder, obscured by silhouetted figures rustling popcorn. And, worst of all, you’re subjected to the irritating tendency of American audiences applauding every remotely exciting setpiece or amusing wisecrack.
Recently an industry insider, presumably a minor copy house worker, leaked an unfinished version of Wolverine. The now notorious copy saw the invincible Mr Jackman leaping from buildings, but with wires still attached to his waist. This insight into Hollywood special effects was undoubtedly more intriguing than the dismal feature itself, but that’s hardly the point.
As audiences battle recession, the film industry must move with the times: a good start would be to provide feasible electronic sources, uniform film releases and a reduction in extortionate cinema prices.
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