If someone were to get caught illegally recording a movie in New York City today, he would get charged with a violation (like a speeding ticket) and hit with, at most, a $250 fine. Not much of a deterrent, I daresay, for folks who make a criminal enterprise out of making and selling bootlegs. Furthermore, only the folks actually in the theater with the camcorder would get in trouble -- everyone else, like the people doing the selling, get off scot-free, assuming they're not breaking any other laws. New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo was joined Monday by Tina Fey and a couple of other movie types for the unveiling of the "Piracy Protection Act," which would make piracy either a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on whether you're a first-time or repeat offender, and punish it with actual, y'know, jail time (up to a year for first-timers). They're hoping to have the law in place within the month. So, uh, if you're in New York City and you're planning to bootleg something, I'd recommend doing it now.
This law is obviously a result of movie industry lobbying, as evidenced by MPAA president Dan Glickman standing by Cuomo's side at the press conference. Does the new punishment fit the crime? Will harsher punishments make a difference? (I'm not so sure -- especially not if New York law enforcement doesn't dedicate more effort to actually ferreting out the bootleggers.) And are you surprised to hear that up until now people could record movies with virtual impunity, even if they got caught?
ed note: Corrected Attorney General's name
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-06-2008 @ 9:10AM
Peter Hall said...
What a silly law. I have no problem with prosecuting bootleggers, but if the MPAA really thinks that cams are coming from people with camcorders in New York, then I've underestimated their idiocy.
I guess they have to get their foot in the door somewhere.
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5-06-2008 @ 9:11AM
Dante said...
Uhm, the governor is David Paterson. The NY Attorney General is Andrew Cuomo.
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5-06-2008 @ 9:45AM
Rich Drees said...
Does anybody really believe the amount of money the MPAA claims that Hollywoiod is losing every year to piracy?
I didn't think so...
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5-06-2008 @ 9:48AM
Prhime said...
does the crime & punishment vary with the quality of the bootleg as well.
1 person walking in front of your camera all the way up to baby crying or shaky hands
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5-06-2008 @ 9:58AM
nz said...
I wonder if now we can actually get to work with laws dedicated to helping the American people?
I personally am kind of tired of fighting these mega-corps when they always win out in the end. Lets just give them everything they want so we can get back to doing things that matter.
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5-06-2008 @ 11:20AM
harosa said...
This shows how out of touch people in Hollywood really are, just because the streets are littered with people selling the bootlegs doesn't mean they're made here.When movies screen early in NY, or on the first week of release, NY theatres have annoyingly airtight security, people with night vision goggles and everything. It's a documented fact that alot of these are made overseas and in Canada, especially Russia.
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5-06-2008 @ 12:16PM
MILE said...
Who wants to watch those crappy copies anyway...?! I never understood the appeal of watching a "bootleg" that somebody filmed of a theater screen...the quality is a joke...! It's more fun watching YouTube on your iPod than such stuff...
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