AfterDawn: News

Canadian theaters follow American lead and offer rewards for caught "pirates"

A few months ago, we heard a report from Twentieth Century Fox that said that Canada was a "haven for pirates" and that over 50 percent of all camcorder recorded movies came from the country. Although there is no way those facts are completely true, it started a widespread panic for Canadian officials.

In an effort to cut down on that large number, Canadian theaters are now employing many of the same tactics that have been seen in American theaters, including a $500 CAD reward to an employee that catches a "pirate" in the act.



Serge Corriveau, Director of the Canadian Motion Picture Distributors Association, talked about a few of the new tactics, “Having people searching knapsacks and people going up and down the aisles once the movie’s started to see if they can spot somebody camcording. You can see also people with night-vision goggles searching through the crowd trying to see if they can find something.” Corriveau even said there would be metal detectors used for pre-screenings and large first day screenings.

Source:
TF

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 11 Aug 2007 8:55

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• 12 comments

• armorthis

  That is ridiculous, going to the movies is going to be like going to prison. It's like high schools in the U.S. now, having to go through metal detectors to see if you have guns and such, ridiculous.

  11.8.2007 12:34 #1

• jimmer

  lol, i forgot they offered money to theater employees for catching cappers. no wonder they turned in that girl with the camera-phone ^^

  11.8.2007 13:38 #2

• duckNrun

  I believe that the metal detectors will find and stop more smuggling in of outside drinks and food than it will find camcorders.... just another benefit that the theaters can reap...more effectively stopping 'concession pirates' from hurting their profits on overpriced snacks lol

  12.8.2007 05:52 #3

• georgeluv

  ...i wonder if people cosider the reward to society if they DONT report the pirate

  12.8.2007 09:10 #4

• limelight

  Heres an idea: Get rid of the theatres. Release everything on hddvd, bluray dvd whatever.
  At least this will cut down on the $8 popcorn and $5 12 oz. coke. Now THAT should be illegal!

  12.8.2007 16:02 #5

• maryjayne

  Searches and metal detectors: yet another reason not to pay money to see a movie in the theaters.
  If I were to set foot in a theater and puchase a ticket, then they better have a warrant for searching me prior to going into the theater.

  13.8.2007 04:46 #6

• pcanisius

  this is a good idea, because the people who are going to turn these people in are most likely poor students (making minium wage) working at overpriced theaters. Back in the day when i used to work at one, even though i myself have dl'd plenty of cam videos, if i saw someone piriting and had the chance to make 500$ i would've taken it.

  13.8.2007 08:04 #7

• Tralblazr

  All I knew was, a rat was the lowest thing anyone could be in my neighborhood. And I didn't rat.

  13.8.2007 11:13 #8

• larefert

  Why is it that Canada always follows what the U.S. is doing...Isn't it time our own government stood up for Canadians and looked after ourselves...? Of course the chances actually doing something for the Canadian people is never going to happen...Gotta be something in it for the politicians first or the people get nothing...

  13.8.2007 13:21 #9

• Unfocused

  At this rate, it will be easier to get on an airplane than to go see the latest flick.

  13.8.2007 21:23 #10

• Tralblazr

  @ georgeluv , your 110% correct.

  13.8.2007 21:29 #11

• borhan9

  Well for that much ofcourse they are going to report them because they are getting lowsy wages their anyway.

  17.8.2007 18:39 #12