COPYRIGHT & FILM PIRACY

Report Film Copyright Theft by calling 1800 251 996

Overview: The single biggest threat facing the Australian film industry is that of piracy. Over 50,000 Australians rely on the film and TV industries for their livelihood, including those working in cinemas and video stores. According to independent research by LEK Consulting, in 2005 Piracy cost the Australian film industry (excluding TV) over $230 million per year. 47 million DVDs were in circulation in Australia in 2005 compared to 52 million legitimate DVDs sold in that same year. To demonstrate the effect of people paying or viewing these pirated films, 86% of pirates researched had seen a film before its cinema release in Australia, and 59% of those people then did not then see the film at the cinema. Film piracy is real and it affects our industry and local jobs.

Internet Piracy: This issue needs to be addressed cooperatively with government and its enforcement agencies, especially given that numerous digital distribution methods are now being created for consumers. The single biggest proportion of lost revenue due to film piracy came from internet based piracy which then effects all elements of the film cycle (theatrical, home entertainment, pay TV, free to air). This digital content increasingly will be delivered by the internet so proper controls and support needs to be in place to protect these legitimate business models. Without this support, and in the face of widespread piracy, these services and content is in threat of being withheld from Australians.

Customs: Another concern for our industry is the rate at which Australians are importing thousands of pirated and unclassified discs each year. This must be stopped as these imports by passengers, whether for commercial or personal use, is a huge issue for local rental and retail stores who are telling AVSDA they are reducing staff hours and even laying people off. Buying pirated discs in large numbers and bringing back to watch with family and friends, or worse still for sale and profit, is damaging and illegal and we aim to educate and enforce this area of piracy.

Film piracy affects all sectors of the Australian film and television industry: from distributors, producers, actors, manufacturers, cinema owners, rental and retail businesses. Not to mention the dozens of ancillary support business. 50,000 Australians work in our industry - it's not just Hollywood and rich actors being affected by piracy but ordinary Australians.

AVSDA organized in July 2005 an industry wide Anti-Piracy Forum to discuss film and TV piracy. The Forum brought together every sector of the industry to look at funding an education and communication campaign alerting Australians to the serious affects of piracy and its illegal nature. From this Forum the IP Awareness Trust was created which has funded research, lobbied the government and created consumer anti-piracy messaging. Its work is on-going.