1 in 4 on Web Are Movie Pirates

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VictorLazlo

Senior member
Jul 23, 2003
996
0
0
Originally posted by: Xiety
---------- Xiety says -----------

Thanks for the entertainment folks... you all forgot one thing: seeing movies is not a right, but rather a privilidge that comes with its own price. Some fella above says "I don't want to pay $8 to see 20 minutes of commercials.", Well, sorry buddy, but that's how to do business in entertainment industry. You are paying $8 to see a movie months (in rare cases it can be years) before it is released on VHS, DVD, etc. That's the price you pay for that privilidge. Also, I would like to note that majority of the movie theaters in U.S. are owned by the same exhibitor: Regal Entertainment Group (owns Regal Cinemas, United Artists Theaters, and Edwards Theaters) own more than 6,000 theaters in U.S. These guys are so powerful, they can increase admission prices by $1 and the rest of the theaters will do it the same day.

---------- Cheers :) ----------

Right. But if we don't all jump on this wonderful privilege, the MPAA concludes that pirating is rampant, freedom needs to be revoked, and the public needs to be sued.
 

JackBurton

Lifer
Jul 18, 2000
15,993
14
81
Originally posted by: MrChad
Originally posted by: Shockwave
Originally posted by: MrChad
I still enjoy going to theaters for the experience. I have a nice HT setup in my apartment, but the screen and sound still can't beat a nice theater (although some HTs trounce the theaters).

I don't download movies because I don't see the point. The video and sound quality are sh!t, and I can rent the DVD for $4. If I really like the movie, I'll buy it for $15 on release day. $15 to own a movie legitimately (with premium picture and sound) is not a lot of money, folks.

You obviously havent seen some of the high quality rips available online!

They have 7 GB uncompressed DVD rips online? I assumed most were re-encoded using divx, xvid or some other MPEG-4 derivative to conserve space.

Uhhh, yes. Try 8GB+ DVD rips with DVD menus and everything. And this is WAY before the DVD is even released. ;)
 

slag

Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
10,473
81
101
Originally posted by: MrChad
I still enjoy going to theaters for the experience. I have a nice HT setup in my apartment, but the screen and sound still can't beat a nice theater (although some HTs trounce the theaters).

I don't download movies because I don't see the point. The video and sound quality are sh!t, and I can rent the DVD for $4. If I really like the movie, I'll buy it for $15 on release day. $15 to own a movie legitimately (with premium picture and sound) is not a lot of money, folks.

It is if you are going to watch it 1 time. I can't stand to watch movies more than once in a 2-3 year period. (christmas vacation and office space are the exceptions)

So, I pay 15 bucks to watch a movie 1 time and let it sit on my shelf until next year when I sell it at a garage sale for 3 bucks?

I dont think so. I'd rather download it, stream it to my xbox and watch it on the 65 inch HDTV.
 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
57,393
19,720
146
Originally posted by: slag
Originally posted by: MrChad
I still enjoy going to theaters for the experience. I have a nice HT setup in my apartment, but the screen and sound still can't beat a nice theater (although some HTs trounce the theaters).

I don't download movies because I don't see the point. The video and sound quality are sh!t, and I can rent the DVD for $4. If I really like the movie, I'll buy it for $15 on release day. $15 to own a movie legitimately (with premium picture and sound) is not a lot of money, folks.

It is if you are going to watch it 1 time. I can't stand to watch movies more than once in a 2-3 year period. (christmas vacation and office space are the exceptions)

So, I pay 15 bucks to watch a movie 1 time and let it sit on my shelf until next year when I sell it at a garage sale for 3 bucks?

I dont think so. I'd rather download it, stream it to my xbox and watch it on the 65 inch HDTV.

15 bucks allows not only me, but my GF, our family and all our friends to come over and watch it. A HELL of a lot cheaper than theater tickets.

Stealing the work product of another is wrong, no matter how you try to justify it.
 

slag

Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
10,473
81
101
Originally posted by: Amused
Originally posted by: slag
Originally posted by: MrChad
I still enjoy going to theaters for the experience. I have a nice HT setup in my apartment, but the screen and sound still can't beat a nice theater (although some HTs trounce the theaters).

I don't download movies because I don't see the point. The video and sound quality are sh!t, and I can rent the DVD for $4. If I really like the movie, I'll buy it for $15 on release day. $15 to own a movie legitimately (with premium picture and sound) is not a lot of money, folks.

It is if you are going to watch it 1 time. I can't stand to watch movies more than once in a 2-3 year period. (christmas vacation and office space are the exceptions)

So, I pay 15 bucks to watch a movie 1 time and let it sit on my shelf until next year when I sell it at a garage sale for 3 bucks?

I dont think so. I'd rather download it, stream it to my xbox and watch it on the 65 inch HDTV.

15 bucks allows not only me, but my GF, our family and all our friends to come over and watch it. A HELL of a lot cheaper than theater tickets.

Stealing the work product of another is wrong, no matter how you try to justify it.

Who is justifying it??

My parents, sisters, relatives, friends, ets all have televisions with dvd players so I don't have to invite them over which is good since my relatives all live hours from me. I wouldnt show the kind of movies I like to watch with violence to my 1 and 3 yr olds anyway, so thats a moot point.

I do think its kind of weird that you invite the entire neighborhood over to your house to watch your tv but thats just me. I have a nice setup also, 65 inch mitsu hdtv, progressive scan dvd, 6:1 surround dolby, dts, etc and usually end up watching it in the basement when my wife and kids go to bed. Its on usually once or twice a week in the summertime tops.

As I stated before, 15 bucks for a dvd I am going to watch 1 time is robbery. The last movie I downloaded was that apocalyptic movie about the world freezing (dont remember the name), and I wouldnt have spent $1.00 to watch that crap in the theatre. Before that it was kill bill 2 and I wish I could have seen that in the theatre, but it was in and out before I had free time to go see it with my wife. (I later bought it on ppv) I am going to go see Spiderman 2 tomorrow however with my wife for my bday and am dreading having to deal with the inconsiderate people already. Who knows, maybe we'll get lucky??
 

VictorLazlo

Senior member
Jul 23, 2003
996
0
0
Originally posted by: Amused
Originally posted by: slag
Originally posted by: MrChad
I still enjoy going to theaters for the experience. I have a nice HT setup in my apartment, but the screen and sound still can't beat a nice theater (although some HTs trounce the theaters).

I don't download movies because I don't see the point. The video and sound quality are sh!t, and I can rent the DVD for $4. If I really like the movie, I'll buy it for $15 on release day. $15 to own a movie legitimately (with premium picture and sound) is not a lot of money, folks.

It is if you are going to watch it 1 time. I can't stand to watch movies more than once in a 2-3 year period. (christmas vacation and office space are the exceptions)

So, I pay 15 bucks to watch a movie 1 time and let it sit on my shelf until next year when I sell it at a garage sale for 3 bucks?

I dont think so. I'd rather download it, stream it to my xbox and watch it on the 65 inch HDTV.

15 bucks allows not only me, but my GF, our family and all our friends to come over and watch it. A HELL of a lot cheaper than theater tickets.

Stealing the work product of another is wrong, no matter how you try to justify it.

Pretty soon, the scenario you just described will be illegal, if Orin Hatch has his way and kills off the concept of "Fair Use".

Soon it will be illegal for your GF, family, and friends to watch the movie because they won't be liscensed to. (Good article by Dvorak on PCMag)
 

cw42

Diamond Member
Jan 15, 2004
4,227
0
76
organizations like this and the RIAA will always exaggerate the statistics, don't believe everything you see. if this were maybe 1/4 college students, i might believe them. but for EVERY SINGLE type of internet user out there (little kids, grandmas, pc illterate parents) it is highly unlikely.
 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
57,393
19,720
146
Originally posted by: VictorLazlo
Originally posted by: Amused
Originally posted by: slag
Originally posted by: MrChad
I still enjoy going to theaters for the experience. I have a nice HT setup in my apartment, but the screen and sound still can't beat a nice theater (although some HTs trounce the theaters).

I don't download movies because I don't see the point. The video and sound quality are sh!t, and I can rent the DVD for $4. If I really like the movie, I'll buy it for $15 on release day. $15 to own a movie legitimately (with premium picture and sound) is not a lot of money, folks.

It is if you are going to watch it 1 time. I can't stand to watch movies more than once in a 2-3 year period. (christmas vacation and office space are the exceptions)

So, I pay 15 bucks to watch a movie 1 time and let it sit on my shelf until next year when I sell it at a garage sale for 3 bucks?

I dont think so. I'd rather download it, stream it to my xbox and watch it on the 65 inch HDTV.

15 bucks allows not only me, but my GF, our family and all our friends to come over and watch it. A HELL of a lot cheaper than theater tickets.

Stealing the work product of another is wrong, no matter how you try to justify it.

Pretty soon, the scenario you just described will be illegal, if Orin Hatch has his way and kills off the concept of "Fair Use".

Soon it will be illegal for your GF, family, and friends to watch the movie because they won't be liscensed to. (Good article by Dvorak on PCMag)

Tons of FUD. It will never happen.
 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
57,393
19,720
146
Originally posted by: slag
Originally posted by: Amused
Originally posted by: slag
Originally posted by: MrChad
I still enjoy going to theaters for the experience. I have a nice HT setup in my apartment, but the screen and sound still can't beat a nice theater (although some HTs trounce the theaters).

I don't download movies because I don't see the point. The video and sound quality are sh!t, and I can rent the DVD for $4. If I really like the movie, I'll buy it for $15 on release day. $15 to own a movie legitimately (with premium picture and sound) is not a lot of money, folks.

It is if you are going to watch it 1 time. I can't stand to watch movies more than once in a 2-3 year period. (christmas vacation and office space are the exceptions)

So, I pay 15 bucks to watch a movie 1 time and let it sit on my shelf until next year when I sell it at a garage sale for 3 bucks?

I dont think so. I'd rather download it, stream it to my xbox and watch it on the 65 inch HDTV.

15 bucks allows not only me, but my GF, our family and all our friends to come over and watch it. A HELL of a lot cheaper than theater tickets.

Stealing the work product of another is wrong, no matter how you try to justify it.

Who is justifying it??

My parents, sisters, relatives, friends, ets all have televisions with dvd players so I don't have to invite them over which is good since my relatives all live hours from me. I wouldnt show the kind of movies I like to watch with violence to my 1 and 3 yr olds anyway, so thats a moot point.

I do think its kind of weird that you invite the entire neighborhood over to your house to watch your tv but thats just me. I have a nice setup also, 65 inch mitsu hdtv, progressive scan dvd, 6:1 surround dolby, dts, etc and usually end up watching it in the basement when my wife and kids go to bed. Its on usually once or twice a week in the summertime tops.

As I stated before, 15 bucks for a dvd I am going to watch 1 time is robbery. The last movie I downloaded was that apocalyptic movie about the world freezing (dont remember the name), and I wouldnt have spent $1.00 to watch that crap in the theatre. Before that it was kill bill 2 and I wish I could have seen that in the theatre, but it was in and out before I had free time to go see it with my wife. (I later bought it on ppv) I am going to go see Spiderman 2 tomorrow however with my wife for my bday and am dreading having to deal with the inconsiderate people already. Who knows, maybe we'll get lucky??

If you believe paying to see the movie is robbery, your only recourse is to NOT SEE THE MOVIE or wait for it to come out on TV. You are not entitled to see it for free simply because you think they charge too much.

At any rate, yes, I have regular movie nights in my house with friends and/or family. It's a great way to get people together, have dinner, and enjoy a show.
 

Vic

Elite Member
Jun 12, 2001
50,422
14,337
136
Isn't there some study out there that says that some 50% of all Americans have tried marijuana in their lifetime? I imagine this study is similar.

Anyway, less than 10% of the internet users in the US are on broadband. All the rest are on dial-up. Assuming a good dial-up connection of 5KB/s, downloading a 700MB CD-sized DivX would take approximately 39 hours. That's under ideal conditions. In real life, it would take much longer, probably about a week.
Methinks the MPAA lies. Again.


edit: Oh yeah, and pay for the fscking movie, you thieves. People labored hard to make it for you. Do YOU work for free? Are YOU willing to have people steal the product of YOUR efforts because they think they have some kind of right too? You have no right whatsoever to steal other people's work or to dictate to them what you think their work should cost. If you're not willing to pay, then you shouldn't see the movie.
<^>thieves<^>
 

DeeKnow

Platinum Member
Jan 28, 2002
2,470
0
71
Originally posted by: Amused
Originally posted by: Shockwave
Originally posted by: DeeKnow
count me in the happy-downloaders camp

Agreed. I'm tired of high ticket prices, outrageous drink prices and pain in the ass people in the theaters. If they'd make an attempt to lower the ticket prices, normalize the snack prices and keep 10 year old annoying giggling girls out, I'd definately go more. I enjoy watching movies in the theater, but its just too much of a PITA to do it unless its a movie I REALLY want to see. Hell, even then I wait probably 2 months or so to catch it towards the end of its showings instead of at the beginning.

You know, theaters are a cut throat business with VERY thin profit margins. The only way they could cut prices is to cut services and infrastructure.

As for nasty people, I agree. That's why I bought a HT system and wait for the DVD.


theatres are such an unpleasant cut-throat business simply because the distribution companies blatantly abuse their market power...

i simply downlaod everything i want to watch... or buy it in Bangkok on DVD for $2
 

CPA

Elite Member
Nov 19, 2001
30,322
4
0
Originally posted by: VictorLazlo
17% of 25% is 4% of the total. My god, it's an epidemic!!!

exactly.

Just another case of an article written in a way to mislead the public.
 

preslove

Lifer
Sep 10, 2003
16,754
64
91
Originally posted by: Skiguy411
I went to the movies last night and had to watch 5 tv-like commercials! On top of that all those previews they show. I dont want to pay $8 to watch 20 min of previews and commercials.

:beer: Yeah, that's why i go to the low key movie theater that is cheap and doesn't have commercials. I really dislike having to go see a movie at a multiplex. That is total bullsh!te
 

edit: Oh yeah, and pay for the fscking movie, you thieves. People labored hard to make it for you. Do YOU work for free? Are YOU willing to have people steal the product of YOUR efforts because they think they have some kind of right too? You have no right whatsoever to steal other people's work or to dictate to them what you think their work should cost. If you're not willing to pay, then you shouldn't see the movie.
<^>thieves<^>
Since you can't steal my work, I really don't care.
 

Vic

Elite Member
Jun 12, 2001
50,422
14,337
136
Originally posted by: SampSon
edit: Oh yeah, and pay for the fscking movie, you thieves. People labored hard to make it for you. Do YOU work for free? Are YOU willing to have people steal the product of YOUR efforts because they think they have some kind of right too? You have no right whatsoever to steal other people's work or to dictate to them what you think their work should cost. If you're not willing to pay, then you shouldn't see the movie.
<^>thieves<^>
Since you can't steal my work, I really don't care.
Please. RE appraisers get ripped from all the time. Are you gonna tell me that you never had a non-paying client? Deal won't go through at the value you came in at, they never pay you, and you never hear from them again?

Anyway, hey don't care. What comes around goes around. Doing evil contributes to the evil of the world, so if you aren't affected directly, then you are affected in another way. You can't avoid it.
 

Originally posted by: Vic
Originally posted by: SampSon
edit: Oh yeah, and pay for the fscking movie, you thieves. People labored hard to make it for you. Do YOU work for free? Are YOU willing to have people steal the product of YOUR efforts because they think they have some kind of right too? You have no right whatsoever to steal other people's work or to dictate to them what you think their work should cost. If you're not willing to pay, then you shouldn't see the movie.
<^>thieves<^>
Since you can't steal my work, I really don't care.
Please. RE appraisers get ripped from all the time. Are you gonna tell me that you never had a non-paying client? Deal won't go through at the value you came in at, they never pay you, and you never hear from them again?

Anyway, hey don't care. What comes around goes around. Doing evil contributes to the evil of the world, so if you aren't affected directly, then you are affected in another way. You can't avoid it.
Our clients always pay. We have very established relationships dating back 30 years. If they give us more hassle, we just tell our laywers. Never had a problem with non-payment. If they give us too much sh!t, we just report them to fannie mae or the AI, then their lending license comes into question. The clients have MUCH more to lose than we do with a $400 fee.

If anything is evil, it's the monopoly regal entertainment has over the industry. So if "what goes around comes around" the crap regal pulls and the bs movies they put out comes back to them by people stealing. Karma works both ways.
 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
57,393
19,720
146
Originally posted by: SampSon
Our clients always pay. We have very established relationships dating back 30 years. If they give us more hassle, we just tell our laywers. Never had a problem with non-payment. If they give us too much sh!t, we just report them to fannie mae or the AI, then their lending license comes into question. The clients have MUCH more to lose than we do with a $400 fee. [/quote]

That's fine, and the RIAA and MPAA do the same. So you have no right to whine if you get caught and sued and/or fined.
 

MustISO

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
11,927
12
81
What's the difference in borrowing the movie from my neighbor or downloading it to watch it once.
 

Amused

Elite Member
Apr 14, 2001
57,393
19,720
146
Originally posted by: MustISO
What's the difference in borrowing the movie from my neighbor or downloading it to watch it once.

In one, you have temporarily transfered rights to one copy of the movie. In the other, you have illegally copied the movie.
 

Vic

Elite Member
Jun 12, 2001
50,422
14,337
136
Originally posted by: SampSon
Our clients always pay. We have very established relationships dating back 30 years. If they give us more hassle, we just tell our laywers. Never had a problem with non-payment. If they give us too much sh!t, we just report them to fannie mae or the AI, then their lending license comes into question. The clients have MUCH more to lose than we do with a $400 fee.

If anything is evil, it's the monopoly regal entertainment has over the industry. So if "what goes around comes around" the crap regal pulls and the bs movies they put out comes back to them by people stealing. Karma works both ways.
Well, good for you but Fannie and the AI doesn't issue lending licenses, your state does. And Fannie doesn't investigate trivials like an appraiser not getting paid, unless the loan was funded and they're buying it. As most non-payments occur because the appraiser purposefully low-balled and no loan could be funded (in other words, the appraiser stole, as they have no liability on a dead deal), I seriously doubt that is ever the case.

Back to the "what comes around goes around", the Regal monopoly occurred because of people like you. The theater chains competed to the point that they became unprofitable and imploded. Regal came out as the winner to pick up all the pieces.
The fact remains that you have no right to entertainment or the product of another's labor. Stealing is stealing, regardless of your personal opinion of who you are stealing from. I find it amusing how you would attack and try to shut down a non-paying client over a relatively small $400 fee, but think that it is alright for you to steal for yourself. May your hypocracy bite you in the ass.
 

pulse8

Lifer
May 3, 2000
20,860
1
81
Originally posted by: Vic
edit: Oh yeah, and pay for the fscking movie, you thieves. People labored hard to make it for you. Do YOU work for free? Are YOU willing to have people steal the product of YOUR efforts because they think they have some kind of right too? You have no right whatsoever to steal other people's work or to dictate to them what you think their work should cost. If you're not willing to pay, then you shouldn't see the movie.
<^>thieves<^>

Just so you know, most of the people who "labored hard to make it for you" get paid before the movie is even finished. The only people who *may* work for anything near free during production are the producers and they probably have back end deals where if the movie is successful they make a sh!tload of cash.

Even still, they are paid very well while on these productions and I'm sure piracy has only served as an excuse for the studios to clench their money even harder in order to stiff the crew. You'd be surprised how much some of these union guys get paid on studio films.
 

MustISO

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
11,927
12
81
Originally posted by: Amused
Originally posted by: MustISO
What's the difference in borrowing the movie from my neighbor or downloading it to watch it once.

In one, you have temporarily transfered rights to one copy of the movie. In the other, you have illegally copied the movie.

But in either case I'm not spending any money to see the movie. Why does it matter which way I choose to not spend my money on the film.

I'm not saying this to be difficult or because it's what I do, it's just for the sake of argument.
 

slag

Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
10,473
81
101
Originally posted by: SampSon
edit: Oh yeah, and pay for the fscking movie, you thieves. People labored hard to make it for you. Do YOU work for free? Are YOU willing to have people steal the product of YOUR efforts because they think they have some kind of right too? You have no right whatsoever to steal other people's work or to dictate to them what you think their work should cost. If you're not willing to pay, then you shouldn't see the movie.
<^>thieves<^>
Since you can't steal my work, I really don't care.

BINGO. I am in a field where my work is a service. I dont create anything other than environments and buildouts which I would freely give to anyone who asks.

I want to watch the movie, I dont want to watch the commercials or sit through the bullshit of high ticket prices and loud people. My recourse is to download and watch it at home until the time when it becomes available to watch it in higher quality on DTV (which i do purchase ppv's on).


I just bought a truck. I really wanted a 2004 nice brand new truck, but couldnt afford it, so I made the sacrifice and bought an older truck that needs minor work. Its all about sacrifices.
 

slag

Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
10,473
81
101
BTW, amused , if you have never broken the law, EVER, then you have a right to speak. If you have broken the law, speeding on a street, littered, etc, then you are just as much a hypocrite as the rest of us are. The only difference is, I recognize what I do and am not making excuses while you choose to stand on a soapbox and preach while you stand there guilty of breaking the law just as the rest of us are.

It matters not what venue we are talking about, breaking the law is breaking the law.