If you ever stay current with the latest movie news, you most likely noticed articles about how piracy is affecting box office revenue and leads to a fall in the amount of moviegoers that go to theaters to enjoy movies. Piracy is growing and it's no surprise, since it's not hard to see the newest films right at home, in many cases for free. When illegal copies of movies are ubiquitous, especially before they reach the silver screen, there's an adverse impact on the film industry and the people who like to enjoy movies at the theater.
People seeking to avoid buying movie tickets usually obtain DVD rip-offs or illegal downloads from a file sharing site. They often pay a fraction of the price or nothing at all to enjoy these movies in the comfort of their own homes. As studios face declining ticket sales they increase admission rates in an attempt to maintain profit levels.
Movie makers also add anti-piracy measures during the production and distribution of movies. These techniques add to the cost of delivering movies to the public. Both studios and theaters attempt to recover these costs by passing it on elevated ticket prices to paying customers.
There is also an indirect way that pirated movies do damage to the movie industry. Theater companies must remain competitive with home theater technology that allows consumers to enjoy films at home with the same special features touted by today's theaters. Studios and theaters collaborate to utilize technology that gives them an edge in producing a movie going experience that is challenging to replicate at home. They shell out a ton of cash to bring 3D and the IMAX options to the moviegoing public, but a lot of people still avoid the higher ticket prices. Some would rather pay for an ordinary movie, while others opt for a cheap bootleg of lesser quality, presumably hoping their HD TVs can miraculously enhance the quality of the bootleg. Therefore, studios and theaters often lose money on these riskier and pricier movie options.
So it's obvious to see that piracy is truly a pervasive and widespread situation that is eating away at the movie industry. But more importantly, it's theater goers who end up footing the bill in the long run. Nevertheless, things won't change if theaters continue to be unable to keep up with the technology that permits it. The industry has doubled their efforts at lobbying lawmakers to increase the fines and penalties for pirating copyrighted material, but an economic solution may be better. If they find innovative ways to make movies cheaper and bring down ticket prices, maybe those illegal copies won't look all that attractive.
People seeking to avoid buying movie tickets usually obtain DVD rip-offs or illegal downloads from a file sharing site. They often pay a fraction of the price or nothing at all to enjoy these movies in the comfort of their own homes. As studios face declining ticket sales they increase admission rates in an attempt to maintain profit levels.
Movie makers also add anti-piracy measures during the production and distribution of movies. These techniques add to the cost of delivering movies to the public. Both studios and theaters attempt to recover these costs by passing it on elevated ticket prices to paying customers.
There is also an indirect way that pirated movies do damage to the movie industry. Theater companies must remain competitive with home theater technology that allows consumers to enjoy films at home with the same special features touted by today's theaters. Studios and theaters collaborate to utilize technology that gives them an edge in producing a movie going experience that is challenging to replicate at home. They shell out a ton of cash to bring 3D and the IMAX options to the moviegoing public, but a lot of people still avoid the higher ticket prices. Some would rather pay for an ordinary movie, while others opt for a cheap bootleg of lesser quality, presumably hoping their HD TVs can miraculously enhance the quality of the bootleg. Therefore, studios and theaters often lose money on these riskier and pricier movie options.
So it's obvious to see that piracy is truly a pervasive and widespread situation that is eating away at the movie industry. But more importantly, it's theater goers who end up footing the bill in the long run. Nevertheless, things won't change if theaters continue to be unable to keep up with the technology that permits it. The industry has doubled their efforts at lobbying lawmakers to increase the fines and penalties for pirating copyrighted material, but an economic solution may be better. If they find innovative ways to make movies cheaper and bring down ticket prices, maybe those illegal copies won't look all that attractive.
About the Author:
MovieLuver writes about all things concerning films. Go to WhoGotTheRole.com to get up-to-date film news about the latest projects coming out of Hollywood.
