The Canadian government has heard the movie studios' cry, and is prepared to wreak vengeance upon people who pirate movies (including, I presume, people who pirate movies that glamorize pirates... but I digress). Reports the Canadian Press:
Stephen Harper found a fitting moment to announce his plan to crack down on film piracy: while sitting in his office with a bad-guy-busting ex-action hero who's now governor of the world's movie capital.Now if only they would make it a federal crime to use cell phones in movie theatres, too.
The Prime Minister made the pledge to Arnold Schwarzenegger on Wednesday after the California governor arrived on Parliament Hill under the kind of security usually reserved for the head of a G8 country.
Sources on both sides of the border said Mr. Harper raised the issue and one U.S. official said Mr. Schwarzenegger was pleased to hear Canada address a problem plaguing his state's film industry.
“We think it's a good first step,” said one American official.
The government said it will introduce legislation that helps police charge people who use camcorders in theatres to tape movies, which are later distributed on the Internet or sold as DVDs.
Sources said the Criminal Code already has stiff penalties for distributing unauthorized material, but does not currently contain specific measures against taping movies.
The Criminal Code will be amended to make it illegal to tape in theatres, they said. . . .
MAY 31 UPDATE: Variety also has a story on this.
For a couple years and up until recently, I worked as one of those security guards who checks for recording devices at the openings of new films; I worked exclusively on Disney films. We always thought it was quite strange that the company gave us instructions to watch for any cameras -- be they video or still -- and withhold them from entering the theatre, but there was never any instruction provided regarding cell phones. We used to joke that cell phones are okay, food from outside vendors is okay, even weapons are okay, but that disposal camera you picked up at 7-11 on the way over -- ah! gotta hand'em over). *sigh* lame security guy joke. Guess you had to be there...
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