Bag checks in film piracy crackdown

Movie patrons are facing increased security measures such as bag checks and temporary confiscation of their mobile phones as distributors fight back against illegal recording of new hit films.

Cinemas across the country have become more vigilant in the wake of the discovery of a bootlegged DVD of Sione's Wedding - currently New Zealand's No 1 film.

The film's producer, John Barnett, said the illegal recording, based on an early version of the film, had probably cost distributors $500,000. Future authorised DVD sales would also suffer. "It's been quite devastating really," he said.

Two weeks ago, audiences at an Auckland preview of the animated comedy Ice Age 2 were required to hand in their cellphones at the door, even though some patrons protested that their older models were not capable of recording the movie.

And in December, during the first week blockbuster King Kong debuted at SkyCity Cinemas in Queen St, a patron was confronted about her suspicious behaviour and had a digital camera removed.

Auckland Village SkyCity cinema chief executive Joe Moodabe said some people did not see anything wrong with such illegal activity.

"The idea of intellectual piracy is not an easy one for them to grasp," he said.

Mr Moodabe said movie customers did not appear to be offended by such security measures. In the past, measures had been even more extreme, albeit rare, especially when it came to world premieres in New Zealand - cinema staff would wear night vision goggles to spot illegal recording, he said.

Overseas, it was not uncommon for some cinema chains to install machinery that blocked mobile phone signals.

"It's something we've got to combat to the best of our ability without obviously employing strong-arm or rough-house tactics," said Mr Moodabe. "We still want people to come and have a good time."

Motion Picture Distributors Association secretary Bill Hood said spot bag-checks were just one of the extra precautions his organisation was promoting at theatres to protect the copyright of its movies.

"We have had problems with a couple of movies and of course one learns by each situation," he said.

"We're looking into various ways of upping the security."

Piracy is a major problem overseas, with the major US studios estimating they lose more than US$3.5 billion (NZ$5.5 billion) - or almost 18 per cent of their combined yearly revenue - to piracy every year.

Mr Barnett believes similar illegal activity in New Zealand could easily cripple production of small local films.

Kevin Holland, executive director of the New Zealand Federation Against Copyright Theft, which tracks down and prosecutes offenders on behalf of distributors, said if the situation was left unchecked the film industry could be decimated. "At the end of the day this is about the survival of the theatres and your local video store."

The federation was proposing to run seminars for those connected to the theatre industry to remind them to be extra vigilant.

"We also feel that there's a need for New Zealand producers and directors to be more conscious of security, whereas they'd been rather immune from it in this country before."

Industry sources told the Herald on Sunday they considered high-profile films such as The Da Vinci Code and Mission: Impossible 3, due for release next month, were "real targets" for New Zealand pirates.

One source said when those films were released "spotters" would be employed in theatres to catch possible offenders.

If convicted, penalties can be steep. Under the Copyright Act, people who watch illegal recordings of films can be fined up to $150,000 and face up to five years' imprisonment.