The days of downloading shitty cam versions of The Hot New Blockbuster shot on some fidgety Russian bro’s iPhone might soon be over with news that one of the nation’s largest film distribution companies Village Roadshow will now release most major film titles before, simultaneously or just after they are screened in America.
Village Roadshow CEO and co-chairman Graham Burke detailed the latest bid to combat Australia’s “insidious” online piracy levels earlier today, starting with Christopher Nolan’s anticipated sci-fi feature Interstellar on November 6th and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 on November 20th, one day before their respective US releases.
“It makes total sense that when a movie opens and the web is ablaze with chatter that we capitalise on the timeliness and worldwide excitement,” he said.
Burke said the expedited release dates will help address “the insidious piracy that is endangering film production, theatres, TV and sports,” citing the considerable financial shortfall caused by the belated release date of The Lego Movie (54 days after its American release) as a key learning and contributing factor to accelerating feature film release patterns.
“We estimate that (piracy of) The Lego Movie cost somewhere between $3.5 million and $5m in sales and of course this is straight to the bottomline and the Australian Tax Office,” Mr Burke told The Australian. “It was doubly painful because Lego was produced in Australia. Piracy not only impacts profits, but if unchecked will impede new business models and growth.”
Remember, you wouldn’t steal a handbag.
Via The Australian
