My Pet Peeve with Piracy

     My biggest pet peeve that comes attached to the movie industry is the madness that is called piracy.  Piracy comes in many different forms leeching from the entertainment industry.  Bootleg DVD’s, websites that offer “free” movies, streaming movies from illegal websites, I mean come on its crazy.  What I mean by that is that the hard working people within the entertainment industry don’t get to see a dime when films are pirated.  I know this has been ongoing for years, but it’s gotten pretty ridiculous in regards to it. 

     After going over the MPAA website (Smith, 2011), I caught a glimpse of an article regarding their efforts to curb piracy.  There are many countries that are suspect, even here in the U.S.  In my experience and travels, I’ve come across many of people trying to sell me bootlegged current films, mainly from the parking lot of a grocery store or gas station.  It bothers me because, if that were my film (that I worked hard in writing and directing it) and someone were to come up to me saying “do you want to buy this new recent movie” and its mine…well let’s just say that I might be going to jail that day for bodily harm.          

     It disgusts me when I see things like that take place because I work in the entertainment industry and I’ve seen the hard work that people have put into a lot of films.  Whether it would be mainstream or direct to video, it doesn’t matter.  There are a lot of hard working people who work on these films who don’t command a million dollar paycheck, but they do make a decent living from making the films and for someone to come along and use a “camcorder” in a theater or pilfering streamed footage…it’s not right and it’s not fair.   Also that would affect the marketing of a film, say if the film was put out "pirated style" before it was released, would take away from the box office.  I would say a good example would be Ang Lee's 2003 film, HULK and the backlash that it received because it was unfinished, and then it affected it box office receipts.  I mean just plain stupidity on the person who put it out there. 

     I don’t know, maybe I’m just ranting about this subject matter, but I know that the MPAA is stepping up its efforts to curb this disease that affects the entertainment industry and applaud them for it.  For those out there who buy these pirated videos, don’t.  You would be taking away from the people who make a living off from making films.  I want to stress hard-working people who build the sets, work in the editing room, do the computer designs for a film, who do catering on the sets to feed the hard working people.  I’m not taking away or even bad-mouthing the above the line talent, but my biggest issue is taking away from the below the line workers who don’t get the recognition but make major contributions to see that everyone is entertained on the big screen, TV screen, phone screen, I can go on and on.   People please don’t patronize pirates.  It’s not fair and it’s not right. 

Link to post: http://www.mpaa.org/resources/53df70a5-8c97-44dc-baa7-211bd9b448c4.pdf

"The Mystery Box" lecture and my thoughts on the matter

 “The Mystery Box” by JJ Abrams (lecture from TED.com 1/14/2008)

     I just watched a profound lecture given by JJ Abrams (from TED.com) regarding the “Mystery Box” (Abrams 2008) in which he spoke of in fond remembrance of his grandfather.  His passion came out when he spoke of his grandfather and the "Mystery Box" that he bequeathed him.  You can like him or hate him, but JJ Abrams has a hell of a track record of films and TV shows under his belt (Lost, Alias, Star Trek [2010 version], Cloverfield, just to name a few…) and that what got me excited about hearing this lecture is the idea of the "Mystery Box."  He pointed out to a blank sheet of paper and stated “that the blank sheet of paper is a mystery box” just for the fact alone is that the sheet of paper is the writer’s canvas upon which to work on.  Myself being a writer and director, I never looked at the sheet of paper as a “mystery box” it was more of a canvas to me than anything.  But now, after seeing JJ’s lecture, I see that you have to look past certain key tools to understand and go in depth for the meaning and also create it. 

     To the average person, a blank sheet of paper is just simply…a blank sheet.  However to the artist (depending on your passion), that sheet of paper is more than that.  For the musician, it is a means to put lyrics and music notes on page, potentially creating a masterpiece.  For the screenwriter, the blank sheet is a means to put together a story that the director can then bring to life on screen.  I mean the possibilities are endless.  All just because the fact that a sheet of paper is considered a “mystery box”.    The “mystery box” can also be interpreted as what is not seen, but shown in a different context. 

     After viewing many films in my lifetime (and I’ve seen quite a few) and also shooting my own projects, I'm starting to look at things a little differently upon watching JJ’s lecture.   Abrams also stated that the mystery box can also be handled in such a way where when shooting a film, you don’t give everything away on the screen.  He mentioned about the first Alien film in which Ridley Scott craftily avoided revealing the whole monster until the very end of the film, heightening the suspense and mood of the film.  After reviewing it again, and thinking about the many times that I’ve seen it,  I realized that he was right.  Basically, the motto that adds to JJ’s "mystery box" is the art of “showing it, without showing it.” 

     The mystery box can be opened by the average viewer if they look past the surface of the story  on film.  Not everything has to be given away on the screen.  If the story is written, directed, or produced properly, then the “mystery box” can be a great asset.  Mastering the “mystery box” to get the story across is the key, and therein lies the journey of not only for the creator, but the viewer who witnesses the story that plays out on the screen and goes along the journey with the creator.