Hollywood files more Web lawsuits

[BJ_M]

New suits were against end users, or people who actually downloaded the films.

Studios sue traders of illegally copied films traded online, seek up to $150,000 per download.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Hollywood's major movie studios filed a new round of lawsuits nationwide Thursday against people who trade illegally copied films and TV shows on the Internet.

The civil suits against unnamed "John Doe" defendants seek up to $150,000 per downloaded digital file and come as the film industry prepares for its annual Oscar telecast in Hollywood where awards for top films and stars are given out.

The studios, represented by the Motion Picture Association of America, took the opportunity of the Oscars to again press the case that the illegal copying of films and their black-market distribution on the Internet is costing them millions of dollars a year in lost revenue.


The studios claim they lose $3.5 billion worldwide in annual revenues from sales of illegally copied movies on video and DVD formats in street bazaars and black markets.

The studios argue that the lost revenue means fewer artists will work to create movies or TV shows. Traditionally the films that are rewarded by Oscar voters at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences are those that take thematic and commercial risks.

"When rampant online theft occurs, these films become that much harder to finance...we cannot and will not let that happen," MPAA Chief Executive Dan Glickman said in a telephone conference call with reporters.

MPAA officials said "several" of the Oscar nominated films had illegal copies on the Internet that could be downloaded, but they named only comedy "Sideways," which is nominated for best picture.

"Sideways" is a low-budget movie but was considered a financially risky one for its backers at Fox Searchlight because of its offbeat subject matter. Fox Searchlight is a division of News Corp Ltd's Twentieth Century Fox movie studio.

MPAA officials declined to say how many suits it had filed or whether the illegal copies were made by video camera taping in theaters or by copying videos or DVDs that are given away by the studios this time of year to win Oscar votes.

Earlier this month, the MPAA filed lawsuits against computer networks utilizing a software technology known as BitTorrent, but these new suits were against end users, or people who actually downloaded the films

side note -- it has been reported elsewhere that up to 1000 endusers - some who have only downloaded 1 movie were sue'd .. with 100's more to come ..

[guns1inger]

Yet they can sell them for 2 bucks in China. We have just these pocket DVDs released out here. Take a 4 episode DVD and split it into 4 8cm DVDs - episode a piece - and flog them for 5 bucks each. Place then with the candy at the registers and watch the kids go nuts. If they provided value for money, instead of acting like a legal monopoly, they wouldn't have the problems they have.

P.S. I have no problem with fewer movies being made if this means no more Resident Evil or House of the Dead type video game spinoffs.

[Nilfennasion]

P.S. I have no problem with fewer movies being made if this means no more Resident Evil or House of the Dead type video game spinoffs.

The original Resident Evil spin-off was actually quite enjoyable, but I am in agreement otherwise. Resident Evil: Apocalypse... well, I have puked better films. And you should see the hate being poured out at Uwe Boll over House Of The Dead and Alone In The Dark. However, those films are actually financed by indies in Germany (most traditional Hollywood channels won't touch Boll with a barge pole).

[BJ_M]

came across this film piracy case from 1974, involving quite few well known Hollywood actors no less .....

In 1974, the FBI raided the Hollywood home of Roddy McDowall and seized the actor's large collection of pirated films. The search, conducted as part of a copyright infringement probe, turned up films agents valued at more than $5 million. McDowall, who was not charged, cooperated with the FBI, giving agents the names of those with whom he bought and sold pirated films, according to these FBI records obtained by The Smoking Gun. In a lengthy written statement, the "Planet of the Apes" star even fingered other entertainers who collected such films--actor Rock Hudson, singer Mel Torme, and comedian Dick Martin (of Rowan & Martin). Highlights of McDowall's FBI file include:

Page 1: The $5 million stash.

Pages 2-6: McDowall explains how it all started.

Pages 7-9: Naming his suppliers.

Page 10: Fingering some friends.

Page 11: Roddy's "terrible animal noise." Brilliant!

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/roddy1.html