The pirated films online, have commonly been filmed on a handy cam. This piracy has prompted studios to clamp down on their films from being shown at film festivals prior to their cinema release. Many International film festivals are screened outdoors. Studios believe it, impossible to check if people are bringing in cameras or filming the movies.
“The MPAA estimates that piracy costs the U.S. entertainment industry $3.5 billion a year. The leading film festivals offer potential pirates tempting fruit. Those festivals (Sundance, Cannes, Toronto, Telluride, Berlin, Venice) tend to show acclaimed films months before their theatrical premieres” (Los Angeles Times, July 3rd, 2006)
It could be argued that these screenings help to promote the films being screened and develop the film and film making culture. Studios should be looking at the broader picture and remove the dollar signs from their eyes for a minute.
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http://www.calendarlive.com/printedition/calendar/cl-et-piracy3jul03,0,2184863.story?coll=cl-calendar
