Pirated DVDs

I’m going to discuss the problem with pirated DVDs and the MPAA (the Motion Picture Association of America). The piracy phenomena is, of course, closely linked to the maturity and common everyday use of the Internet, but I will not look closely at the ’Net’, but solely focus on the issue of pirate DVDs.
DVD is an acronym for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc depending on who you ask. Pirated DVDs are basically illegal copies of original DVDs, but a pirated DVD can also be a copy of the latest Hollywood blockbuster. Even though all discs are physically the same, sources and content differ. The most common variants of pirated DVDs are ‘DVD-Rip’, ‘Screener’, and ‘Telesync’.
A ‘DVD-Rip’ is usually a low to medium quality copy of a DVD movie that lacks extra features such as subtitles and menus. However, it can also be a full copy where all (or most) of the DVDs features are copied. ‘Screeners’ are normally sent to critics, retailers, cinemas, and others in the movie industry before a movie has its premiere, for screening purposes. These copies are purposely often impaired as a precaution against piracy. ‘Telesync’ (or TS) means that the contents of the disc, usually the latest Hollywood movies, are re-recorded from a cinema’s screen.
Even though DVD piracy is a big problem nowadays, this kind of piracy is nothing new. For example, illegal copies of Hollywood blockbusters have been around since as long as I can remember – back to the days of the VHS tapes (Video Home System) days. Prior to the now common DVD standard, illegal copies of the latest movies were often found on these tapes and also on VCD (Video Compact Disc).
In some parts of the world, there are even more illegal copies than originals. Asia and especially Malaysia are, for example, infamous for DVD piracy. Sometimes it seems that there is a DVD shop at every corner.
For this reason, the MPAA has started a major offensive. But there are two sides in this “battle”. In MPAA’s eyes, ordinary people are the ‘bad guys’ with actors and actresses, directors, producers, distributors, retailers, etc, all being the ‘good guys’ who suffer economically because of DVD piracy.
So what’s the big deal about pirated copies? Well, pirated DVDs are often preferred over originals for a number of reasons. First, pirated copies are much cheaper to buy and the price is typically half the price of the original, but can be up to as much as 80%-90% cheaper!
Second, pirated copies are generally easier to find (depending on where in the world you are) and this is especially apparent is some regions. For example, here in Malaysia, pirated DVD copies are sold pretty much everywhere. In contrast, pirated DVDs don’t practically exist in Europe.
A third reason is that pirated DVDs are also often regional free which means the discs can be played in practically all DVD players – independent on country or region.
But pirated copies have also negative sides. The average pirated DVD is typically of low quality – especially the ones with the latest Hollywood movies. Apart from a few good ‘Screeners’ most pirated copies (and this is evident with especially ‘Telesyncs’), have usually blury image and poor sound. Those factors can make any movie unwatchable. And to be honest, movies made for the cinemas is to be watched in the cinemas as well.
People who buy pirated DVDs often defend their actions on the basis that originals are too expensive and it’s no surprise that illegal copies of DVDs are often found in poor countries. This being said, it’s understandable that some people purchase pirated copies. Because these consumers aren’t the targeted group so their purchases shouldn’t affect sales and revenue of originals DVDs. However, the MPAA claims to loose money on these purchases. The MPAA simply state that people buy pirated DVDs instead of buying originals.
This is the real problem: pirated DVDs are simply too cheap. If original DVDs would be cheaper then less income would be hailed in. However, people buy that what is cheap. It’s simply rooted deep down in human bones that free and cheap stuff is desired. It’s a dilemma for Hollywood and MPAA, for they want to earn money.
But the issue here isn’t that the average Joe buys a pirated copy every now and then and hence cheats the MPAA on money. It’s really simple: you can’t loose any money that you haven’t earned. E.g. if a consumer wants to buy an original, and can afford it, but purchases a pirated copy instead, then yes the MPAA probably loose money. But if the consumer never had intention of buying an original but purchases a pirated copy, then how can any money be lost?
The MPAA could however claim that cinemas loose revenue because people buy pirated DVDs instead. But there are those people that never watch films in cinemas. If these people purchases pirated DVDs no money can be considered lost. On the other hand, DVD copies can boost a cinema’s revenue. I mean that, for instance, if someone buys a pirated copy and after watching also see the movie in a cinema, then the pirated copy would obviously have worked as PR for the film. But then again, if there weren’t any pirated copies to begin with, people would have no choice but to go directly to cinemas. So, you never know.
The MPAA is surely loosing money but it’s not because of piracy. In my opinion, they loose (or rather don’t earn better suitable) any money because of three reasons: price, technology, and poor products vs. high wages.
There have generally always been ridiculously high prices on cinema tickets, video cassettes, and discs. But unlike the quality of films, which is and has always been nothing more than average, prices have gone up in a yearly fashion. It’s actually stupid, and almost insulting to consumers, that for example charge RM200 for an original DVD (as prices were in Sweden for a very long time, until people started to download, rip, and burn DVDs at home), when production cost can as low as $2 US.
In terms of technology, unlike consumers, the MPAA has clearly misjudged the potentials and opportunities that the Internet can bring.
I recently read in a Swedish online newspaper (didn’t find any English links) that the movie industry is going to start selling ‘e-movies’ through the Internet in 2006. The principle is that this kind of legal online distribution of movies is going to replace illegal file sharing.
But the MPAA should naturally have taken control of the Internet a long time ago but instead watched with blind eyes as people started downloading movies. This was probably what started the pirated DVD problem to begin with. The movie industry was simply overrun and couldn’t keep up with the advancement in digital technology. Today, thanks to the Internet ‘pirates’ can easily download, distribute, and sell copies of the latest movies. And it’s no coincidence that the movie in the article, Spiderman 2, hit the streets around the world so fast after its release.
A popular method used by the MPAA is to sue all kind of ‘pirates’ – from street vendors to poor souls caught for downloading. And this is pretty funny, the MPAA are suing a lot of people even though it’s virtually impossible to prove that somebody actually downloaded a film (or any other file. Although this isn’t directly associated with pirated DVDs, it’s relevant because it clearly demonstrates the ignorant and bossy attitudes within the movie industry.
Generally, movies produced in Hollywood are usually neither good nor bad. Most films are kind of in a gray zone where quality isn’t really important. It’s those films that you see once and never again. For instance, all these damn comedies and action films that Hollywood spurts out. But there are of course a few really good ones as well.
In contrast to the quality of films, actors and actresses wages are often filthy high. It’s simply not sane that for instance Brad Pitt earns XXX amount of millions US dollars on a single film. Of course if the movie was high-quality and Pitt’s performance was really good, then high wages might be in order. The MPAA’s deficit, if there really is any, is certainly related to high wages.
But that’s another issue all together.
In conclusion, the obvious dilemma here is that many people, and even the one’s that can afford original DVDs, often prefer pirated copies. It’s rooted deep down in human bones (and this is something that various companies and organizations have trouble understanding) that free and or cheap stuff is ‘good’ while expensive things are less ‘good’.
The MPAA has been digging its own grave for a long time. Now, consumers are hammering the coffin and are getting ready for burial.
For many people, terms like ‘DVD-Rip’, ‘Screener’, and ‘Telesync’ may be fairly unfamiliar at the moment, but the terms will probably be well-known in the future. ‘Pirates’ will find more sophisticated methods of copying, distributing, and selling illegal DVD copies. In order to fight this, the MPAA must change a number of things.
For instance, if they really want to kill off the problem cheap Asian copies, prices on original DVDs must drop – preferably by half. This is the only way to get around the problem. I’m sure that a lot of people – even ‘cheap Asians’ would buy original DVDs if prices were reasonable.
An equal important thing is to develop new services, preferably Internet based services, to attract and reach out to new consumers. The online selling of online movies that is to start next year (in 2006) is a smart move, but in truth, this should been done a long time ago. The common expression goes: ‘better late than sorry’. It’s suitable to the current situation.
In addition, we would all appreciate some quality movies every now and then.