JohnDoe
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BrentonMovie Piracy: A John Doe Rant - Footage Included
January 18th 2007 02:24
Movie Piracy: A John Doe Rant
Warning: Offensive language contained because “Im mad as hell and Im not going to take it anymore”
Takin' it up a notch
Click below to see the Australian Anti-Piracy announcement that Im referring too.
They make it sound like it’s a question of morality if you watch pirated film’s, in fact it is a simple matter of economics, the old supply and demand.
Before we begin, and I hope most people agree, it is only fair that the creators of Music, Cinema and TV etc receive financial compensation for their efforts. John Doe does support the rights of artists and as a struggling writer appreciates the critical importance of copyrights and royalties.
Back to the dilemma, the crux of it is if distributors gave us what we wanted, when we wanted there would be far less ripping off of movies, TV and music…
All you have to do is look at the main contributor, China to see what I mean…so many films are banned in that country the only way to see them is bootleg copies.
Obviously this is not the reason for the problem in Australia, though black balling Ken Park and Baise Moi forces us to take illegal action to see them.
This self confessed cinephile froths at the mouth anytime the government tries to dictate what I can and can’t see, a child at heart when you tell me “no” I need to know why?
Before we begin, and I hope most people agree, it is only fair that the creators of Music, Cinema and TV etc receive financial compensation for their efforts. John Doe does support the rights of artists and as a struggling writer appreciates the critical importance of copyrights and royalties.
Back to the dilemma, the crux of it is if distributors gave us what we wanted, when we wanted there would be far less ripping off of movies, TV and music…
All you have to do is look at the main contributor, China to see what I mean…so many films are banned in that country the only way to see them is bootleg copies.
Obviously this is not the reason for the problem in Australia, though black balling Ken Park and Baise Moi forces us to take illegal action to see them.
This self confessed cinephile froths at the mouth anytime the government tries to dictate what I can and can’t see, a child at heart when you tell me “no” I need to know why?
Assholes, heres the part that really makes me pissed, quality films like Donnie Darko, and The Descent take years, literally to arrive down under and by the time they are released you can already buy the DVD from most other countries in the world, god damn pricks.
That wouldn’t be so bad except that the fuck stain film companies make sure the latest mundane, recycled reject from the creativity well like Charlies Angels 6 or a Tom Cruise blockbuster arrives within 2 weeks of its U.S release.
That wouldn’t be so bad except that the fuck stain film companies make sure the latest mundane, recycled reject from the creativity well like Charlies Angels 6 or a Tom Cruise blockbuster arrives within 2 weeks of its U.S release.
It seems that the Australian distributors motto is “The better the film, the less chance of it arriving on time” I wait for years for great films while the shit just flows in…..just have a look at the nominees for any US or UK awards show to see how much we miss out on.
Now don’t get me wrong, Awards shows are in no way a sure fire gauge of quality but when Running With Scissors and The Last King of Scotland haven’t even arrived I get grumpy. When they bump anticipated delights for no reason like Pan’s Labyrinth, A Scanner Darkly, Brick and Hard Candy, JD run out of patience with the cunts.
Sure they are in it to make money, but by only catering to the ignoramus mentality and ignoring true lovers of cinematic originality and flair. People like John Doe who want to see conventions challenged and the boundaries of entertainment and enlightenment pushed, seems about as logical as making a film about Japan with Chinese actors.
TV isn’t any better. The same rules seem to apply. If it’s a dull and pointless sitcom (Everybody loves Raymond), spastic reality TV (Idol) or soapy (Home and Away) the networks decide to screen it in prime time. Shows that offers something fresh or unique (Arrested Development, Curb Your Enthusiasm), are relegated to a midnight time slot.
Then there is the inevitable delay in release and ad breaks destroying any tone or flow. JD is blessed with a contact in the US who owns TVO so every fortnight he gets the latest episodes of his favourite shows in the post when they screen (eg: Battlestar Galactica, Heroes, Entourage, Deadwood etc)
What about the rest who don’t have a friend or colleague to supply them, of course they are going to download them rather than wait and hope that the out of touch commercial channels deem it worthy of screening. (Eg:Dead Like Me)
DVD same thing, regurgitated fluff comes close to date but some of the most influential films (eg: Seconds) and TV (eg: Twilight Zone) in history are released years later, often vanilla (No Extras) anyway. Why bother when the U.S. has a three disc criterion collection.
I estimate that the Aussie industry loses about 10-15000 dollars a year off me alone because I will only buy the OS edition, and I know I’m not the only one.
Waiting patiently while the Aussie distributors release yet another version of Coyote Ugly (Did you know there are 3 different versions of this film in Oz?) while they still haven’t released a single copy of Cronos or Leon: The Professional. Visit John Doe's DVD Wish List for more unavailable gems
Obviously I take my entertainment a little too seriously but that’s the point I’m making. One would think that the industry would nurture and support the discerning viewer, the one looking for quality over quantity. People like John Doe who are happy to spend every spare penny they have on DVD and celluloid that they love or has piqued their interest, when instead they aim at the lowest common denominator.
Movie Piracy is a self created problem by the industry that is so hypocritical it tries to tell us it is an issue of right and wrong. The solution is so simple give the customer what they want, simultaneous world releases for all DVD, Cinema and TV would solve most of the problem. Lifting government restrictions on what countries can and can’t see would make the whole thing virtually disappear.
Sure there will always be a few pricks that want to take a camera into the cinema with them and turn out some unwatchable bootleg version with background noise and audience members in frame, but how many people can really tolerate watching those?
Do you have an opinion, please share!
Now don’t get me wrong, Awards shows are in no way a sure fire gauge of quality but when Running With Scissors and The Last King of Scotland haven’t even arrived I get grumpy. When they bump anticipated delights for no reason like Pan’s Labyrinth, A Scanner Darkly, Brick and Hard Candy, JD run out of patience with the cunts.
Sure they are in it to make money, but by only catering to the ignoramus mentality and ignoring true lovers of cinematic originality and flair. People like John Doe who want to see conventions challenged and the boundaries of entertainment and enlightenment pushed, seems about as logical as making a film about Japan with Chinese actors.
TV isn’t any better. The same rules seem to apply. If it’s a dull and pointless sitcom (Everybody loves Raymond), spastic reality TV (Idol) or soapy (Home and Away) the networks decide to screen it in prime time. Shows that offers something fresh or unique (Arrested Development, Curb Your Enthusiasm), are relegated to a midnight time slot.
Then there is the inevitable delay in release and ad breaks destroying any tone or flow. JD is blessed with a contact in the US who owns TVO so every fortnight he gets the latest episodes of his favourite shows in the post when they screen (eg: Battlestar Galactica, Heroes, Entourage, Deadwood etc)
What about the rest who don’t have a friend or colleague to supply them, of course they are going to download them rather than wait and hope that the out of touch commercial channels deem it worthy of screening. (Eg:Dead Like Me)
DVD same thing, regurgitated fluff comes close to date but some of the most influential films (eg: Seconds) and TV (eg: Twilight Zone) in history are released years later, often vanilla (No Extras) anyway. Why bother when the U.S. has a three disc criterion collection.
I estimate that the Aussie industry loses about 10-15000 dollars a year off me alone because I will only buy the OS edition, and I know I’m not the only one.
Waiting patiently while the Aussie distributors release yet another version of Coyote Ugly (Did you know there are 3 different versions of this film in Oz?) while they still haven’t released a single copy of Cronos or Leon: The Professional. Visit John Doe's DVD Wish List for more unavailable gems
Obviously I take my entertainment a little too seriously but that’s the point I’m making. One would think that the industry would nurture and support the discerning viewer, the one looking for quality over quantity. People like John Doe who are happy to spend every spare penny they have on DVD and celluloid that they love or has piqued their interest, when instead they aim at the lowest common denominator.
Movie Piracy is a self created problem by the industry that is so hypocritical it tries to tell us it is an issue of right and wrong. The solution is so simple give the customer what they want, simultaneous world releases for all DVD, Cinema and TV would solve most of the problem. Lifting government restrictions on what countries can and can’t see would make the whole thing virtually disappear.
Sure there will always be a few pricks that want to take a camera into the cinema with them and turn out some unwatchable bootleg version with background noise and audience members in frame, but how many people can really tolerate watching those?
Do you have an opinion, please share!
It seems I’m not the only one, here is a fun parody of the Aussie Anti-Piracy ad.
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Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
I support everything you are raging about dude!
The pisstake ad was hilarious ...
I'm not gonna say much more, cos you've already said it ...
RAGE HARD AGAINST THE MACHINE!
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Vitriolic, great word....love the thought of my words being acidic.......I will be using it whenever possible
Glad it didn't come out as a garbled mess, I was quite fiesty when writing it....
Eternally grateful to amuse and entertain........can I dream that it may also open some eyes...
Comment by Anonymous
And your rant was top of line - and still intelligible. That's an achievement on any blog!
Comment by Cibbuano
20/20 Filmsight
Science News
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
1) TV shows - I didn't even know that Arrested Dev. was on Aussie TV? Can't they show that instead of Neighbors? Or Deal or No Deal? Or Border Patrol?
2) Legal DVDs - I'm at the point where DVDs from China are so much easier to watch... Aussie DVDs seem to be packed with trailers I don't want to see, ads that I'm forced to watch. I rage and I rage.
3) The Theatres - we've already paid to see the goddamn movie. Is it really necessary to treat us all like criminals? Furthermore, if someone WAS going to bootleg it, do you think they'd change their mind because of a simple-minded PSA? Get real.
Furthermore again, stop making me watch ads in the theatre! Trailers, I can handle, they get me worked up. But car ads? Mobile phone ads?
Comment by Cibbuano
20/20 Filmsight
Science News
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
Also, I've read that the release dates for DVDs are ultimately up to the studios... so when they release X-Men 5 or a remake of a remake of a remake, or MI7, they know that they've got to push the DVDs while the soft-shell minds of the public still have the enthusiasm.
That's why I can't wait to see Idiocracy. MY god, that looks good.
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Fair enough, everyone's moral compass is set to their own standards....I was watching a DVD last night and the antipiracy ad at the start triggered this whole thing....Cinema Advertising illicits the same response from me....I paid to not see ads, not the other way round...
Thank you for the kind words...
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I fuckin hate, hate, hate advertising before movies.....ask my girlfriend, she hates, hates hates sitting next to me in a theatre when ads come on because I cant help but rant and rave...
As for the other side of the coin, I am aware of the jedi mind trick like logic behind the method but the top line consumers (Eg: people who want a Lamborgini instead of a Ford) are totally ignored...
I couldn't even guess how much money they have lost through this method, and the whole piracy thing is the end result so now they lose billions...
Comment by Nina
Take for example the show Veronica Mars. Not only does it get put on hiatus and shoved in terrible timeslots, it doesn't appear to ever be getting a Region 4 DVD release.
Comment by Francis
Passionate Apathy
Seriously, I didn't realize it took years for the more intelligent product to get Down Under. It does look like the most effective anti-piracy tactic would be to release new movies and TV shows everywhere- any idea what the industry thinks they're accomplishing by the delay?
Sometimes I'm embarrassed by some of the absolute shit we export (e.g. Dupes of Hazzard); now I find out that that shit gets world-wide distribution almost immediately. Hopefully the industry will get a clue and realize that you want to buy the DVD, so you'll buy it from whoever is selling it.
Comment by Lilla
Enviro Warrior
An Extra Ordinary Life
Dream Herald
Esoteric Bookshop
I agree with you.
What gets me is that when you finally get a movie you've been hanging out for, you get it cut, to bits, usually. If you can get it! So many times I have left dissapointed from these glitzy mall 'boutiquey' shops, that offer nothing obscure or not in the 'main flow' - it annoys me no end and I'm left to surf e-bay with my tears of frustration!
Yes, I agree that Australia is kept in the dark on this score, very much so.
Who should we write to?
Lilla,
ps loved the second piracy movie *lol*
Comment by KylieW
Celebrity Obsession
I love that pisstake ad, and wholeheartedly agree with it. The only thing those piracy ads achieve is to piss everyone who purchased the dvd legally off!
And what's with 3 versions of Coyote Ugly??? Don't get me wrong, I happily watched that film when I was in a huge Adam Garcia fan (sometimes I wonder if I'm 32 or 13), but fuck me there's hardly any call for 3 versions of the movie.....it's reasonably shitty (and that's being nice about it).
Also, can I say how much I like the term 'fuck stain' that you used. I'll be using that term.
And when the hell is someone going to release Cool as Ice on dvd?
Kylie
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
we had already touched on this issue and i knew you would understand where i was coming from.You should have put a link to your online content post, it was a good one and does tie in nicely with this one...
so I did it.- readers do yourself a favour and vist Nina's post.
I had a quick look for an Oz release date for Veronica Mars, but couldnt find one either.......It is out in the US ofcourse so you should just send your money out of Australia.
Great to see you Francis,
You would be shocked at just how long things take to arrive plus where you guys get oodles of extra features (Commentary, Making ofs) on your DVds we get jack shit (eg: Memento)....also with cinema releases half of them end up straight to video in Oz or only run on the bigscreen for a week or two, but I think that comes down to the "Big opening weekend" modus operandi....delaying release i think in their mind serves as a hype machine so people are holding out for it...all it does though is make us order it from the US or find a copy through any means necessary.
Besides they dont advertise many of the great films anyway, (Eg: there was no trailer on TV for Donnie Darko before its original cinema release)
Please come back soon...
Lilla,
Thanks for the support, I dont think there is anyone other than the distribution companies we can write to and i dont know if that would help much...But talking in dollars and cents may open there eyes a little to a cheaper and more achievable solution to the problem.....
I actually found that parody ad after I had written my rant, it fits in so nicely doesnt it.
Make me laugh KylieW, (am I 32 or 13)
Yeah its frightening the multi rereleases they do, there have been several DVD releases of other crap like Con air, American Pie, Pearl Harbour, the list just gets more scary....glad to pass on the "Fuck stain" phrase, use it wisely....and I do believe Cool as Ice could be on its way downunder soon..you scare me sometimes...
Thank you all for the surprising support and agreement, I stupidly thought I might be the only one...
Please dont hesistate to share...
Comment by Cibbuano
20/20 Filmsight
Science News
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by Adrian
Philosophy Blog
Hey JD, I'm going to dissent. I reckon most of what people are pirate are the blockbusters, the popular films... So, earlier releases of quality films would solve some piracy problems, but not the bulk of them.
Personally, I don't like copyright very much; I think films should be freely shareable. But I don't know how to do this and give filmmakers enough money to make good films.
Perhaps the solution is a global switch to communism or something...
Comment by postmoderncritic
Postmodern Critic
Daily Inspirations
Relativity Watch
Padsoc
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Good point though I find blockbuster pirate discs are usually crappy cam versions that most people I know refuse to watch. (Including myself)...I believe these are the versions sold in Asia primarily....personally I have never purchased a pirate disc, if I do come across them its because someone has downloaded it off the net and gives me a copy.
The DVD screener quality versions of indie films are usually available before a bigscreen aussie release...
Totally agree though that there are people below the poverty line who will always be looking for cheap alternatives, again I think the majority of those are bought and sold in Asia.....in my experience here most trade discs rather than charge cash...eg: one person buys a copy in Chinatown then makes duplicates for buddies.
I have heard that Australia has the highest rate of TV piracy because we have to wait so long for shows, this is where the problem is epidemic downunder.
As always a thoughtful response Adrian , Thanks for your input.
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Its good that you do pick up the official versions of the
films you like....Im not against the "C" word (Communism) in theory, but it would not work for my precious celluloid enjoyment....
Comment by postmoderncritic
Postmodern Critic
Daily Inspirations
Relativity Watch
Padsoc
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Comment by postmoderncritic
Postmodern Critic
Daily Inspirations
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Comment by Anonymous
-Rach
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
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Book Club
Old Movies
Cane Toad Warrior
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Comment by yoda76
The Tube Blog
Although you almost lost me when you said "The Descent" was a great film...
That was close...
;o)