I can't believe we're falling for this crap

I have to get something off of my chest. Imagine if I had been at Disneyland and made a movie clip with my cell phone or my digital camera of one of their rides - which I subsequently post online to highlight my visit to the park. Now imagine that Disney found out and sued me for violating their copyright in some way. Or imagine that I am driving along and the car next to mine is blaring some Bob Marley and I get a clip of that - which I post online to highlight my enjoyable ride home from work. Now imagine that the record company who represents Bob Marley send YouTube a take-down notice to remove the video clip because it violates copyright.

Sounds a bit ridiculous, doesn't it? But in a similar vein, the MPAA are moving heaven and earth to try and stop kids from videotaping while they sit in a crowded theatre and watch a movie.

OK, before we all get on our high horse here and feign shock and horror - I have a few questions. Who is watching these amateur-hour movies of movies - and why? Are we supposed to seriously believe that a shaky, blurred videocam recording of Quantum of Solace complete with cell phones buzzing, audience coughing, laughing and shadows of folks moving to and from their seats is a satisfactory substitute for the real thing, whether live in the theatre or on DVD (once it's released)? Of course it isn't. It's a cheap facsimile, a poser of a copy of laughable standards. The only reason people are interested in seeing the recording at all is because they're so excited about getting a glimpse of the movie, they can't wait to sit in the theatre seat - they want a fast look at the material on their computer. It's the equivalent of a VIP sneak peek but without the quality. These same people are going to watch the movie in the theatre at least once and then they're likely going to buy the DVD on its release. I'm pretty sure these home-made films are not being copied to DVD and added to peoples' collections - based on my purely personal investigation.

But this is yet more evidence of how disconnected the entertainment industry is from their own customers and how naive our governments are to their cries of sabotage. A kid in Calgary was arrested almost a year ago for recording Sweeney Todd in a movie theatre. He was fined $1495 this past week and banned from going to movie cinemas for a year. The Canadian Motion Picture Distributors Association wanted to see a jail sentence handed out! A representative of Paramount Pictures flew in to read a victim impact statement at the sentencing!

WHAT!!??!! You've got to be kidding me. This guy didn't kill someone. He didn't even steal anything tangible. He made a crappy recording of a movie to show his friends or whomever else would watch. Friends who will probably go see the movie once they see how great it is. Shit, the industry should have PAID HIM $1495! I'm ashamed we're all stupid enough to fall for this propaganda. I'm really pissed off. I need to go cool off now......