Warner Bros. ends advance screenings in Canada, blames piracy

It looks like Canada's reputation as a hotbed of piracy is starting to result in some real repercussions, with Warner Bros. announcing today that it's putting an end to all advance movie screenings in the country. According to the studio, that rather drastic measure is being done in response to what it claims to be a lack of legislation in Canada to stop the camcordering of movies in theaters, which it says has resulted in the country becoming the "main source for most of the world's film piracy." While the ban doesn't extend to press screenings, they will apparently now be relegated to private screening rooms instead of theaters. For everyone else, the ban goes into effect immediately, affecting movies from both Warner Independent Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures, including the upcoming Ocean's Thirteen and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, which'll surely not be pirated now.

[blueeyesm @ May 9th 2007 1:46PM]

Tell your citizens to stop shopping for them here.

Or better yet, make them affordable enough so they don't have to travel across the border and exploit our national and subsidized healthcare plan.

[RandomThoughts @ May 9th 2007 2:16PM]

Blue, I agree, America shouldn't try to import your healthcare prices without importing your healthcare system. Politicians do stupid things though, and Canada has and will fewer shipments of drugs (and other products.) Your pharmacies are the ones exporting the drugs at a higher price to Americans, hopefully they won't be so greedy as to not have enough for your own people.

[kingofwale @ May 8th 2007 4:59PM]

yes, MPAA, THIS is what's going to stop piracy, I can see Bittorrent crying in the corner right now.

Let's think about this. if you don't let people who PAID for the movie to see it, where are those people going to turn to? hmmmm..

way to PUSH people toward piracy, MPAA

[andy @ May 8th 2007 5:05PM]

@ kingofwale


I think you missed the point there. These are advanced screenings. So when someone steals the movie from there, they're able to make the movie available on the street (for a price) before it's available to the public at large in the theatre or on DVD. There's great value to the initial release, and these theives are taking that value from WB.

WB didn't say they were pulling movies from general wide release in Canada, only the advance screenings.

This will hurt the career pirates, not people who backup their DVD's or download occasionally from bittorrent.

[andy @ May 8th 2007 4:59PM]

I don't blame them. It doesn't get any more illegitimate than filming someone's movie from a projector booth and then selling it for a profit. That's PROFITING from the outright theft (you didn't pay for it at all as a theatre employee) of someone else's property, not just giving it away like on Bittorrent.

If you've never bought a DVD off the street with an official looking case, try it some time. It'll be a camcorder version filmed from the projector booth. You'll hear the film in the projector, and someone will probably say "eh." sometime during the film.

[JC @ May 8th 2007 5:09PM]

Blame Canada! Blame Canada!

[Jebediah Obiadiah @ May 8th 2007 5:10PM]

They will find another way.

[Loonie @ May 8th 2007 5:12PM]

Wow! All piracy is suddenly going to end, and it certainly won't continue utterly unabaited with not even a noticeable dent. No-sir-ee. Not at all.

[Fuzz @ May 8th 2007 5:12PM]

That should just about seal up movie piracy. Well done guys. Nothing left to do now but sue some grandmothers.

[danishh @ May 8th 2007 5:18PM]

as a canadian, i find it dissapointing that this is happening, but i know that in the end, it really wont make a difference
all i can say is that this will only effect the timeline of rogue movie releases by a couple of days. It will remove the avaliability of crappy cam recordings and we will go straight to the dvd quality releases leaked from insiders. The result will actually be increasing the quality and reliability of pirated movies, possibly bringing more people to them.

[CharlieX @ May 8th 2007 5:23PM]

Protecting our nation from terrorists. nice!

[EBG @ May 8th 2007 5:24PM]

I would comment on this, but I need to go sue a baby, a grandmother, and a dead person.

Sincerely,
RIAA President

[Paul @ May 8th 2007 10:23PM]

you forgot the crippled people and the single mothers.

[Rowdehaj @ May 9th 2007 1:07AM]

I love the little sting at the end.

Why don't they stop the advanced screenings in the USA, aswell? I can't imagine the difference between the two nations to be that drastic.

[TheCanadianGeek @ May 8th 2007 5:26PM]

Isn't it funny that this happens when there is a new bill for copyright reform being pushed forward. I can see the MP saying "look they won't even premiere a movie up here because it is so bad. This new law will show them they can trust us again."

[Goebbels @ May 9th 2007 9:53PM]

I love this type of propaganda, as if this is going to stop piracy.

It's like stopping the drug trade from entering into the US from Columbia. It ain't gonna happen. It's like stopping all the illegal aliens from Mexico entering the US, it ain't gonna happen.

[Wolfrider @ May 8th 2007 5:46PM]

Right, because people who want to go see a movie on the big screen are really swayed by a shaky, washed out recording of a theater with people walking in front of the screen and talking in the background.

The monkeys are wearing suits now it seems.

[Adrian Williams @ May 8th 2007 5:46PM]

I seen alot of bootlegs which were not taped by cam but are actually studio releases watermark and all

[Dhomas @ May 8th 2007 5:50PM]

Get a clue MPAA: no one wants to see crappy cam quality rips! (I was so tempted to type that in caps). Besides, when I go see a new movie at any theatre in Montreal (I can't comment for other Canadian cities), the ushers use some kind of equipment and infrared sensors to make sure that no one sneaked in a camera.

[mertz @ May 8th 2007 6:06PM]

"including the upcoming Ocean's Thirteen and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, which'll surely not be pirated now."

Nicely done.

[CiRuS @ May 8th 2007 6:23PM]

What really bothers me is that a foreign company is trying to coerce the Canadian government to change the criminal law ... they have no business trying to tell us what constitues a crime. To top it off they believe that their IP is so valuable that people should be imprisoned just for recording it; the current law that makes it a crime to record for the intent of distribution (piracy) is apperently not enough, I guess it's that pesky intent getting in the way. It's not like intent is one of the defining characteristics of a criminal act in Canada or anything. Sheesh

[Brian @ May 8th 2007 7:17PM]

CiRuS,

WB isn't coercing anyone. Dude, if I was trying to do business in a certain country and felt that I was getting ripped off, I'd leave too. Coercion involves some sort of force. If they were withholding Canada's food source or something, that would count as coercion. But movies are merely entertainment, not a necessity.

[Ben Hirsch @ May 8th 2007 9:49PM]

How many more, Mr. Speaker? How many more must go without advanced screenings?

[harvey @ May 8th 2007 6:53PM]

I'm Canadian, I've lived in several large cities, and I see tons of movies in theaters. Not even once have I ever seen anyone with a camcorder in a theatre.

I think these RIAA guys are totally nuts for thinking that pirating in movie theatres is going on to any extent in Canada.

[tiuk @ May 8th 2007 8:50PM]

Never seen anyone with a camcorder either.

I *have* seen the "no cameras" signs outside theatres, as well as the "you wouldn't steal a car, you wouldn't steal a purse, don't steal movies" commercials prior to the film coming on.

[Richard @ May 10th 2007 7:32AM]

Since the comments about piracy are coming from a country that thinks they are spied upon with coins i wouldn't take it to seriously

[SamuraiJoe @ May 8th 2007 6:59PM]

Yeah, and HD-DVD was cracked and the code was leaked all over Digg. What's Warner going to do to stop this HD-DVD piracy? Stop releasing media to consumers in North America?

Stupid move on Warner's part... Lame attempt to get the Canadian government to waste tax dollars on an unimportant issues.

The funny thing, I am part of the media and I've read a lot of press releases pertaining to people being arrested for selling and distributing pirated media... Now they're telling us the government isn't doing anything?

[ben @ May 8th 2007 7:01PM]

I live in los angeles and have a good friend who was a projectionist at a AMC theater by my house. The first thing that a theater does when they get new movies is screen them in an empty theater to make sure everything is good. there was someone there who was cam'ing movies there for a few years.

[Piddy @ May 8th 2007 7:02PM]

How about Warner get their sh1t together when it comes to distribution in Canada (Quebec)?
They've missed street dates several times at the retail level - oh wait! It must be because we pirate their stuff so much. Never mind.

[warrenpeace™ @ May 8th 2007 7:14PM]

I've been to screenings in Toronto and they search everyone and have security watching the audience. Hell, at the Filmfest last year they had security guys with surveillance equipment watching the audience. How is someone going to pirate with that going on? Maybe the theaters should have some management present, seeing that staff aren't recording these cam'ed dvd's. But then the theaters would have to pay an adult who wouldn't work for what their teenage staff does.

If Spiderman's opening box office shows us anything, it's that people will go to the theater when there's someone showing that's of interest to them. The reason that box office is down in past years is because most of what is shown in theaters is a sequel or insulting to the audience's intelligence.

I use torrents, but I do it to see things that aren't available here. I still buy DVD's and go to the theater, but there are documentaries and shows from the UK that don't air because broadcasters don't think they'll get a huge audience. They want all or nothing. They're greedy and it's so bloody obvious to the consumer -- that's why their business models are failing.

[Jeff Lewis @ May 9th 2007 4:24PM]

Excuse me. Check the definition of 'coercing'.

Coercing:
1 : to restrain or dominate by force
2 : to compel to an act or choice
3 : to achieve by force or threat

Coercion doesn't stop being coercion just because it's small scale or doesn't affect many people. I can blackmail one person and it's still coercion.

In this case, the WB is trying to get the Canadian Government to change its laws when the Canadian people have generally disagreed with that change. They're using this as a way to put pressure (ie: coercing) on the Canadian movie industry to put pressure on the government - not to mention the tacit threat that in the future, we may not get new movies at all.

As has been noted by many here - you can't stop piracy by cutting off the supply - you stop it by meeting the market demand in some way other than just telling people take what we give you or take a hike.

And also, as has been noted, copying a work for private use when there's no significant loss of value in the original work isn't illegal here - OR in the US (Title 17 Section 506 - go look it up), but SELLING or posting for mass distribution IS illegal here. The laws needed to tackle this problem already exists.

This is just a company having a temper tantrum because things aren't going completely the way they want it.

I'm less than impressed.

Then again, I'm also so sick of going to theatres and dealing with loud, obnoxious people kicking my chair and talking through movies that in truth, I couldn't care less if they get rid of the entire theatre concept and just sell us the DVD directly.

Oh wait - if they did THAT... then there would be far less reason or success in pirating movies!

What a concept.

[Jason Brown @ May 8th 2007 7:18PM]

bullshit! press screenings are done with dvd and hddvd copies. these are what is being downloaded the most now. the only people at fault for leaked screenings are the reviewers and production companies.

[mike @ May 8th 2007 7:40PM]

"It will remove the avaliability of crappy cam recordings"

You honestly think that? If a movie comes out on a Wednesday and I can download it on Thursday, how does this stop piracy of cam recordings?

[Adam @ May 8th 2007 7:44PM]

My buddies work at a local cineplex here in Canada. When Spiderman 3 came out, Sony had cineplex schedule people to sit at the front of the theatre to watch for people attempting to pirate the movie. THEY ACTUALLY PAID PEOPLE TO SIT AND DO NOTHING. This whole "canada is a hotbed for piracy" is such a load of bullcrap! I hope that when this stuff gets upped online AFTER them stopping advanced screenings that they decide they aren't going to send movies to canada period...maybe then all piracy will stop completely.

Get your act together MPAA - and quit picking on Canada. We didn't do anything. Get your butts over to malasia, china, south africa, russia, all those other places where people are SELLING bootlegs of your films and start bugging them.

Don't piss off us Canadians. We may not be able to fight back, but we'll keep all our funny comedians and then you will never laugh again - and we'll pull a monty python and make a killer joke.

I'm done now.

[Jeff B @ May 8th 2007 7:51PM]

It's sad to see that fellow Canadians can stoop low enough to bootleg a video from an advanced screening. At the same time there is partial solution to the problem. Start making movies available online in Canada. iTunes doesn't offer them yet, we don't have Netflix, and there isn't a video store around every freakin' corner.

We are a rural country and thus makes it harder to get media. At this point it is easier to use bitorrent to get media. I myself have to travel at least a half hour to rent or buy a movie.

[Torontoguy @ May 8th 2007 7:53PM]

I remember seeing a guy in a Toronto theatre, sitting in the back row with his HandyCam. I reported him to the management and they actually stopped the show and put him out of the theatre. Did he just go to another movie house and steal another movie? Probably...but if we all did our part in reporting these little creeps when we see them...we could put a dent in this organized crime.

[PiNPOiNT @ May 8th 2007 8:04PM]

I watched a movie once and then re told portions that i enjoyed to my friends in fine detail. I guess that will count as bootlegging soon as well, maybe i should stop.

[Nogami @ May 8th 2007 8:57PM]

Lol, what a joke. Who cares, I wouldn't be going to advance screenings anyway.

Infact, the number of movies I've seen in theatres has dropped dramatically with my home theatre getting really, really good. And with an online rental service (www.zip.ca), I don't buy many DVDs either...

[Mark @ May 10th 2007 1:57AM]

Surely this will stop people from hoping over to the torrents to download the movies...

[Chuckles McGee @ May 8th 2007 9:06PM]

Really, has anyone produced compelling evidence that cam rips actually decrease movie turnout? Sure I could see actual studio releases or advance DVD releases reducing sales, but otherwise, the experience of watching some miniDV recording on a computer monitor is just nowhere near the experience of a theater. Do people really say "oh wow, a cam recording of Spider Man 3! No point in going to the theater now!" Don't think so. At best, it's bragging rights.

[Penguin Warlord @ May 8th 2007 9:12PM]

First of all somepeople are saying that, "this will hurt pirates who do this for a living". That is a bullshit reason. There are already laws in Canada that arrest people for doing that. Don't be confused by the MPAA the only thing that is legal in Canada is to bring in your cam and video tape it for personal use. So yeah cutting out advance screenings will reduce pro pirates but so will doing it anywhere.

Second, this is completely different than drugs. In Canada we pay fair prices for our drugs so that everyone who needs them, gets them. Second how many Canadian pirates are selling their goods to people in the States?

[Jay V @ May 8th 2007 9:54PM]

I just saw the Fracture screening a few weeks ago, and I can assure you, there was more than enough anti-piracy action in effect.
-You signed in at the door with photo ID
-checked your cellphones
-(camera's were clearly banned)
-were wanded down for other recording devices
-took your seat, and were stared at during the entire movie by 2 night vision toting attendants

This my friends, is some serious moose poop.

[gmbowen @ May 8th 2007 10:23PM]

This claim by the MPAA is clearly bogus. Read further at http://www.thestar.com/article/178181 ... further contrary arguments are from Michael Geist, Canada Research Chair in Technology, at www.michaelgeist.ca

[Derek @ May 8th 2007 11:56PM]

I can understand the American position on this one. There's no law in Canada against taping a movie with a camcorder. The manager can ask you, politely, to leave the theatre. That's all. There's not even a fine.

[fm @ May 9th 2007 12:51AM]

LOL when I hear all the anti-piracy stuff Canadians have, compared to the theatre where I go(which is the UA Kaufman theatre where Spiderman 3 premiered in NY) where there's no controls, sweeps or searches for cameras. Hell the only video we get is the soda, hotdog, and candybox that tell us to be quiet and turn off our cellphones(and somehow even that isn't inforced!). It seems like it's hard to watch a movie let alone pirate one in Canada. i wonder if they feel like laws in the US are stric enough they don't need to worry about it.

On a somewhat side note, pirating is sometimes necessary when you're in Quebec and want to see some French movie that's either not been released or costs $US30+ for the DVD.

[Riley @ May 9th 2007 1:03AM]

If they stop releasing movies here then piracy would increase. I like this plan.

[robert babiak @ May 9th 2007 6:36PM]

This is just another scare tactic to force the government to adopt US style DMCA laws that don't work. They can now say look piracy is so bad that we where forced to hurt our own business to slow it down. when there is no correlation between the two...

[jack walsh @ May 12th 2007 3:20PM]

piracy is in it's last throes!

[segovia101 @ May 10th 2007 4:01AM]

Damn Canadians, ruining it for everyone. :p I blame Celine Dion.
Anyone who downloads movies recorded in a cinema is a moron in any case. Wait for the good shizzle, fo snizzle.

[Mike @ May 11th 2007 12:55AM]

ZING!