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MPAA responds to screener lawsuit

Motion Picture Association of America delivered its response in a lawsuit brought against it by fourteen independent film companies over the MPAA's decision to ban so-called screener tapes and DVDs from other movie award organizations other than the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (which hands out the Oscars).

Indie movie studios had to take the action against the MPAA since without the screeners, people who vote for various awards couldn't see all of the nominated movies as movie theatres normally focus on showing the big-money blockbusters rather than "art" movies. However, most of the indie studios are either subsdiaries of bigger movie studios or distribute movies using bigger studios' distribution networks.



MPAA's lawyers argued that the association "has no control over the studios". The claim was greeted with scepticism by the judge, who replied: "Well, if that's the case, your client has no objection to withdrawing this ban."

MPAA has time until next week to come up with a defense in the case and after that the judge will decide whether to force MPAA to drop the ban or not.

Source: Guardian

Written by: Petteri Pyyny @ 27 Nov 2003 13:37

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• Dela

  Quote:MPAA's lawyers argued that the association "has no control over the studios". The claim was greeted with scepticism by the judge, who replied: "Well, if that's the case, your client has no objection to withdrawing this ban."hehe, funny!!! I dont think the MPAA can say much really to support their case.
  
  Now why the hell are they banning DVD Screeners when quite obviously, Telesyncs and CAM copies of movies are the major sources of piracy these days. You dont even have to be on the net, people sell PDVD's everywhere. DVD Screeners arent rare I know that but for major films, DVD Screeners dont usually appear on the Internet. I mean if you want to ban the BIGGEST source of internet piracyt, good luck in banning retail dvd's ;-)
  

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  28.11.2003 04:14 #1

• seamonkey

  amen!
  
  a point well made..!
  
  
  

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  28.11.2003 12:13 #2

• Toiletman

  The BIGGEST source of piracy is DVD-Burners. BAn them as well MPAA. WAit, what about Blockbuster? Oh well, that's gone. But how about the computers? Check. What's left? People...... *machinegun fire*
  ^_^ In case you didn't notice, I was making sarcastic comments.

  29.11.2003 11:29 #3

• mystic

  how about the industry just puts out some mooolaaaa to pay for real security not the lame dont copy this its against the law, if they are unwilling to fix their problem thenevery tow or three months they have to pay alittle more and then its updated...... kind of like what we all pay microsoft to do to us......

  1.12.2003 10:15 #4

• GrayArea

  mystic, why should the movie industry use their own money for better security when they can get the fed to do the dirty work for them using taxpayer's money?
  
  So if the MPAA has "no control over the studios", does that mean indie film companies can send out screeners if they want to? I suppose there are threats of expulsion from the Academy or the MPAA or some other stupid thing.
  

  We mustn't lower ourselves to the level of those we loathe, lest we become loathsome ourselves.
  

  1.12.2003 10:54 #5