my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Community   » Film-Yak   » 'Hateful Eight' pirated screener traced back to top exec (Page 1)

This topic comprises 2 pages: 1  2

Author Topic: 'Hateful Eight' pirated screener traced back to top exec Michael Riley Film Handler Posts: 52 From: New Jersey Registered: Apr 2010 posted 12-23-2015 07:54 AM                  http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/hateful-eight-pirated-screener-traced-850899 I love it, the studios continue to wait until the last moment to send out hard drives, send keys that don't activate until there is literally no time to do a technical screening, force all sorts of crazy security in the event of an advance showing, but still engage in the archaic practice of sending out tens of thousands of DVDs of films, many of which have not even been released theatrically yet, and are shocked when they get posted on the Internet. From the list I read there are at least a dozen or so titles, most of which have either not been released yet, or were only released within the last month, that have been leaked. Obviously this means the end of the box office this holiday season /sarcasm  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 12-23-2015 10:57 AM                     A friend of mine was telling me he already watched The Revenant, which isn't supposed to be available to theaters until Christmas Day. He said it was HD quality and had 5.1 surround sound (probably Dolby Digital). The Expendables III was uploaded to torrent sites a month before it made its theatrical debut. It's a pretty sad joke how movie studios continue to think piracy is mainly happening at movie theaters. They push all kinds of cost and inconvenience onto theater operators in what looks like a completely pointless attempt at fighting piracy. Meanwhile they're handing out screeners on various types of media to VIPs, actors, critics, etc. in the same manner someone would hand out hors-d'oeuvres at a party. Solution? Well, they'll just increase the security measures at the movie theaters of course!  |  IP: Logged Lyle Romer Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1400 From: Davie, FL, USA Registered: May 2002 posted 12-29-2015 11:35 AM                     What I don't understand is why they haven't worked with Netflix, Amazon or some other streaming technology company to develop secure streaming "screeners" instead of handing out Blu-ray or DVD disks. It couldn't be that difficult to modify a Netflix box to include SIM card based encryption/decryption (like DirecTV uses) that authorizes specific boxes to watch a "screener stream." They could also embed viewer specific watermarks so that if somebody sets up a way to extract the video after decryption then they will know exactly who was responsible for the leak. If piracy is costing them the gazillions of dollars they say it is, the cost of doing this would be well worth it.  |  IP: Logged Leo Enticknap Film God Posts: 7474 From: Loma Linda, CA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 12-29-2015 02:25 PM                        Agreed, and furthermore, such an infrastructure already exists. I can't for the life of me remember what it's called or where I heard about it now, but there is a system marketed specifically for the homes of senior movie industry and other very rich people, which is basically a set-top box with military-grade encryption, that enables you to see movies at home from their theatrical release date. I seem to remember that the box costs five figures and each viewing of a streamed film is around $500. I can't think of any reason why this system couldn't be used for streamers, except that not all voting Academy members are wealthy enough to have it (I know a couple, and they're not). But the principle of having time-sensitive content streamed to your home with extra security exists and has been done, and now that no-one sensible can deny that hard copy screeners are the source of a lot of piracy, I'm scratching my head as to why they haven't been discontinued.  |  IP: Logged Rick Cohen Expert Film Handler Posts: 102 From: Amherst, New York Registered: Feb 2011 posted 12-29-2015 02:57 PM                        Leo, Logistics. Who is going to pay for the system? Who is going to mobilize the technicians to set it up? One studio is not going to do it on their own, and getting all of the majors plus the indies to agree to anything would take a modern day miracle. Another concern is that the people viewing the screeners won't bother to learn how to use the new box, or will simply throw it out. Some of these people can barely use a cell phone or email. The award hounds want their trophies and votes, and by sending out tons of non-encrypted screeners, their movies get seen by more voters, and they get more votes. Even if the boxes get installed, it won't prevent one of the independent studios from sending out "regular" non-encrypted screeners, which could put the valid encrypted screeners at an awards disadvantage. It's a classic catch-22 situation.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-29-2015 03:01 PM                        It's a matter of "ease of use." Not every VIP, celebrity, Oscar voter, or whatever is going to want to bother with Netflix or some other service. If you're trying to get a person to watch your movie with the least amount of hassle, it's much easier to hand the person a Blu-Ray they can just pop in and watch. I think the problem is, the award-campaign/marketing arms of the studios don't talk to the security departments, but the distribution arm DOES.  |  IP: Logged Sean Weitzel Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 619 From: Vacaville, CA (1790 miles west of Rockwall) Registered: Dec 1999 posted 12-29-2015 03:35 PM                     The $35,000 box with $500 per stream is called PrimaCinema.com  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 12-29-2015 04:32 PM                     I still don't see what's wrong with saying "if you want to be a part of the Academy vote, then you HAVE to go to the theater where special private shows will be ran of each movie at a few different times and days". Or in Quentin's case "you HAVE to watch it on film".  |  IP: Logged Mitchell Dvoskin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1869 From: West Milford, NJ, USA Registered: Jan 2001 posted 12-29-2015 06:13 PM                     quote: Brad Miller if you want to be a part of the Academy vote, then you HAVE to go to the theater where special private shows will be ran of each movie at a few different times and days No! That would perpetuate what is wrong with the production side of the motion picture business. The people in the industry who have artistic input primarily see movies at home or in private screening rooms, with other industry insiders and their friends. If those who make movies were required to watch movies with the general public, I feel that the quality of motion pictures would certainly improve. Instead of relying on sneak previews and surveys to fix a movie after it is almost finished, they would see how the public relates for themselves and develop a better understanding of what works and what does not, and how to pace the story. How many of us on the exhibition side of the business have left a movie thinking I could make a better movie then that. In many cases we could, because we deal with the public on a daily basis and understand what they want.  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 01-01-2016 03:52 PM                        Piracy is GOOD for studios. I would not be surprised if they don't deduct the piracy losses against their profits. Selling the notion that they are losing money is big business. Tax man doesn't get very much that way.  |  IP: Logged Justin Hamaker Film God Posts: 2253 From: Lakeport, CA USA Registered: Jan 2004 posted 01-01-2016 04:01 PM                        quote: Mitchell Dvoskin How many of us on the exhibition side of the business have left a movie thinking I could make a better movie then that. I won't pretend to have the artistic or technical skills, not to mention resources, to make a "better" movie. However, I feel like I could offer valuable input on editing to improve the pacing of a movie.  |  IP: Logged Lyle Romer Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1400 From: Davie, FL, USA Registered: May 2002 posted 01-03-2016 02:10 PM                     I had this thought today. What is the point of online movie piracy for the people that provide the source material? Back in the day, there was a financial incentive to bootleg movies. They would make bootlegs of first run films and then sell them. With all the online streaming piracy, people are watching for free. Why go through the trouble of recording off a screen (and risking arrest, albeit low risk) or ripping a screener DVD without any incentive to make money off of it?  |  IP: Logged Dave Macaulay Film God Posts: 2321 From: Toronto, Canada Registered: Apr 2001 posted 01-03-2016 02:46 PM                     generally for uploading something good you get a lot of upload credit to let you download other pirated stuff.  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 01-03-2016 10:35 PM                     quote: Brad Miller I still don't see what's wrong with saying "if you want to be a part of the Academy vote, then you HAVE to go to the theater where special private shows will be ran of each movie at a few different times and days". 20 years ago the "VIP" crowd had to do that. They had to watch the movie on film, either in a regular movie theater with us common folk or at least in some kind of private screening. When I lived in New York I saw celebrities from time to time at movie theaters. Technological advancements in home theater have allowed the VIP crowd to pretty much forsake watching movies in commercial theaters. I think a lot of these people are out of touch with the movie going experience today. I think if more of these people visited commercial theaters more often they would see just how good or bad their product is being presented. The situation in movie theaters might be better. Or we just wouldn't see nearly so many movies framed in 'scope format anymore (that's a dig at all those common width screens).  |  IP: Logged Victor Liorentas Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 800 From: london ontario canada Registered: May 2009 posted 01-03-2016 11:20 PM                     Are these screeners Blu-Rays or dvd's I wonder?  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 2 pages: 1  2

Printer-friendly view of this topic

Hop To: Select a Forum: Category: Operations -------------------- Digital Cinema Forum Film Handlers' Forum Large Format Forum Ground Level Feature Info, Trailer Attachments & REAL Credit Offsets Category: Community -------------------- Film-Yak Film Handlers' Movie Reviews The Afterlife Bob Maar's Joke-A-Thon Category: Classified -------------------- Equipment and Supplies Wanted/For Sale Help Wanted/Seeking Employment Category: System -------------------- Software Beta Testing Forum

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.