Personally, I think it's wrong to even bring a camera into a movie theatre. As a manager, I've got to keep my eye out for people who bring cameras in because of all the features that they have nowadays. A typical digital camera can record long clips of video with pretty good audio, and before you know it, the clip ends up on Youtube, or some other site that offers free viewing of movies still in theatres. I found this article on the Consumerist, which tell about a girl who got caught recording part of the movie "Transformers" for her brother to watch at home. As a result of what the theatre did, there was this article, also on the Consumerist. I can understand that people think that pursing a case against this girl is rather harsh. However, I have also had to deal with a similar experience. I had a guest who was recording during Star Wars: Episode 3. A concerned guest who was also in the theatre came out and informed management. (Yes, he was snitching). When we approached the guest to talk to him about it, he ignored us, but stopped recording. We needed to see what he managed to record, though. As a result of his non-compliance, we ended up calling the cops. They came just as the movie was ending, and the guy ended up being arrested. What did he have to say for himself?"I was just testing out the new camera I got."
Unfortunately, it is a felony to do this, as it is mentioned in the article. I don't know if the company pressed charges against him, but it is serious. Cameras are getting smaller and smaller and people are finding ways to bring them in. Please just leave them at home. They cause a disturbance to other people in there. I hate it when teen-age and college kids think its cool to take a picture while they're sitting in their seats. The lighting in a theatre is terrible, wouldn't you rather take one outside?
Anyway, there are some things which may be mistaken for a camera, so please bear with the staff if they come in to check things out. Bluetooth headsets, for example, can flash and can be seen from upstairs, so often a projectionist will call to have us check out something like that. We're just trying to do our job, and its already hard enough to get people into theatres without bootlegging movie sites.
For those of you concerned about the price of movies these days, I found this.
A quick round-up on that. If you're going to AMC there are several bulk ticket buying packages, which may be offered through your corporate office. The types of tickets and coupons available are:
$7.50 Gold Passes - Good for any movie, decent savings (usually about $1 each, can be up to $2.50 savings)
$6.00 Silver Passes - Good once a movie is no longer special engagement (after first 2 weekends generally)
$2.25 Popcorns and Drinks - I would actually suggest these and joining the frequent movie goer program, Moviewatcher. That way you'll get some free popcorn, drinks, and tickets in addition to these savings.
Other companies also offer discount tickets and rewards programs. If you want, leave me a comment and I'll let you know about those also (Gotta support my company first, right?)!
So put some money back into your pockets and go to the movies!
14 Comments Posted!:
With cameras getting so small I bet it is really easy to sneak one in the theater. I think people who try to bootleg should be prosecuted...it is stealing.
Yeah, it was so frustrating to me to read all the comments about how nothing should have been done at all. She was 19! I understand if its a little kid, but at 19 you know better. Thanks for the comment!
A friend lent me a DVD. While watching the movie, I noticed the picture was dark. I could hear a baby cry, someone coughed, then someone actually got up, walked across the movie, and disappeared. Horrible.... Friend asked if I'd like to buy some DVDs. Um, I'm kinda broke right now....If you gonna bootleg, at least do it right HA HA!
I think it's wrong, but I'm not surprised that so many people do it with the movie prices these days. Plus, people want to see it earlier and not have to deal with the other guests that can really annoy you in a movie theater.
But even with that said, bootlegging is wrong and I think people who do it should be dealt with as the law states. In the end, it's just not worth it. It's a movie.
I don't understand bootlegging. What's the point of filming crappy footage of a movie? If I'm going to spend my hard-earned money on a DVD, I want a quality version of the film -- not some shoddy wobbly shots with extraneous noise in the background.
Part of paying to go to the movies is the experience. I want to sit in the theater and watch the big screen and get the full benefit of the surround sound. It's more enjoyable that way.
And if you're buying a DVD, don't you want all of the bonus material, like the director's commentary? I think the bonus material is interesting.
Bootlegging is just pathetic. Unfortunately, I guess not everyone sees it that way. This was a great post, joen05!
I will never forget taking my kid to a birthday party and the parents putting in a bootleg DVD of The Cat in the Hat (the weekend after it opened in theaters). Real nice example you're setting for the kiddies there, folks. Bootleggers are ruining the experience for everyone else.
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I'm glad a lot of you agree with me on this! It does ruin the experience! Great reactions to this post everyone, keep reading for more!
i can't see the point of watching a bootleg as i want to see the film in all it's glory and seeing some dodgy copy would just spoil it for me
What is so urgent about seeing a movie? I don't get it. And it'll ruin it for us in Canada because piracy is so big here that the major studios want to delay releases in Canada to curb the leaks. I understand bootlegging concerts because they might not release them otherwise, but movies? Really?
But then how many people who are against movie piracy download free music? It's not the same thing?
I'm anal about that and I've never gotten any music free. If you like what they're giving, why not support it? Sure, they're kajillionaires already, but they also have employees and support staff that make it all happen... JMO...
Great thoughts, Prin. I hadn't thought about the music aspect of it also, but now that I have, I think that's wrong too. If you don't want to pay for music, then wait for it to be on the radio. That's always been free! Like you said, if you like these things, support them, don't try to steal it so that you won't get anymore of it!
Bootlegging is wrong. Joe, Id like to thank you for actually talking about this. I also work at a movie theatre as a manager. Ive had to get some punk 20 year old kid arrested for bootlegging a movie. He deserved it.
One, its not just a crime. Its a Federal Crime. The movie industry went through the trouble to federally copyright everything and all that hard work they went into.
Two, sure, the actors, and directors and studios are all rich. But the cameramen, boomstickers, key grips, sound editors, etc, etc aren't. And all those guys make money off the movie sales in theatres.
Sure, tickets are high, but as many people stated, its not just for the movie, but for the experience. To be able to get that awesome digital sounds, and amazingly huge, crisp picture quality. Most people dont have top-end home entertainment systems, so the 20 dollar DVD isnt even coming near that quality. Even if you bought a Blu-Ray or HD DVD, those go for about 30-40 dollars. A single DVD will cost you more than a movie ticket. If your going to shovel out 20 odd dollars for a DVD with shoddy picture work, and sound, with no special features, then why didnt you just save 10 dollars and go see it at the theatre?
I like what Prin said about music. I'll admit, I have downloaded free music, but only in turn to actually buying the C.D. I d/l stuff for a preview, like those 30 seconds clips that iTunes gives you, or those nifty little things before movies called "TRAILERS".
It is stealing, plain and simple.
Robert, thanks for the great comment! I'm glad there are others out there who feel as strongly as I do, and even better you know what its like since you work in a theatre! If its possible, I'd like to read more of what you have written!
it's not hard to get bootleg copies these days. i think it's pretty clear, though, that people do and always will choose the movie-going experience over the second-rate bootleg experience...legit dvds are a much bigger threat to the livelihood of theaters, and the moral argument about defending intellectual property can't be made there since the major loss there is in business of theaters, not the business of filmmaking. movie theaters will never go completely dead, even if it faulters a bit, and that's all i need.
in any case, bootlegging illegal, and it should be, and people who get caught and prosecuted are only getting what they deserve. but is it something i get upset over in theory? not at all. and i'm saying that as someone who intends to make a life in the film industry. i've bought bootleg copies off the street here in korea (the simpsons movie, for instance)--they're everywhere--and i have a perfectly clear conscious about it. i see movies at the theater all the time, and bootleg copies will never replace that.
and as a side note...no one buys bootlegs for full dvd price. you either rip it off the internet, or get it for like 5 bucks. way cheaper than going to the theater if you don't care much about the movie, can't get to it, or aren't a stickler for quality control.
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