Well, it's official, piracy is rampant now. Bikey gangs and underworlders are dealing in downloaded DVDs. I found an article here: http://www.news.com.au/technology/story/0,25642,24236266-5014108,00.html

opinions?

You spelt heroin wrong (not that big a deal but I had no idea what the thread was supposed to be about when I saw it.)
Piracy is rampant because you can do it electronically, as opposed to... let's say heroin, where you would need to stock up continously on ingredients (of whatever heroin is made from, I don't know and don't care to) whereas with piracy you can just make copies.

More lucrative than heroin?!

Damn, this shit's trippin!

HBrutusH:
More lucrative than heroin?!

Damn, this shit's trippin!

Drugs are bad, Mmmkay?

The article states that the profits from piracy are over 1000 percent. Shouldn't it infinitely higher since you don't need to pay for anything, unless you buy the movie then copy it?

Also, the statement "more lucrative than heroin" is just in terms of profit-versus-cost, it appears. Which would make this a no-brainer since you don't need to pay to pirate movies, unless you buy/rent them or pay someone to get the original copies.

Lastly, "bikie gangs." Tee-hee. Sounds a lot funnier than "biker gangs," which is the only thing I have ever heard them called, unless these are two different groups.

At least it's a less socialy destructive form of income for the gangs, the victims of piracy are less immediate and it's effect is more spread out than heroin.

The main thing here is that druggies will buy bootlegs, and so will non-druggies. So you qaudruple your market. The only thing you really gotta buy is blank DVDs. Win win.

And if you're really smart, bootleg bootlegged movies, that way you can cut down on any other costs.

The way I see it, if they're spending more time pirating media, they're spending less time running guns and selling drugs. Therefore piracy is saving society. Yay.

Who the hell buys pirated movies? I thought the whole point of piracy was to not pay for things.

It's the planet of the apes! Ape is man, up is down, left is right, people pay for pirated films when they should be out getting stoned.

Piracy and Pirates is not really a good way to describe these people, But neither is "Thievespawn" or "Film Counterfeiter"...

Okay then, what's the bad news?

Well, this sort of crap will make copy protection even more anally retentive than it already is, but at least pirated DVDs don't destroy communities.

I'm reminded of that "don't steal movies" ad from The IT Crowd....

Yeah, the spelling error in the title made me go 'WTF' but then when I found out what is was actually about I was like 'I don't care.'

disappointed.

arrr.

Whoever buys pirated DVDs has most likely just not enough dosh for the proper releases or isn't really interested in the movie and it's makers anyway.

I doubt there really are the huge losses the industry always complains about. DVDs are about the same price as an evening at the cinema for you & your friend.

When you can get the original Simpsons movie 3 months after it was in the cinemas for under $10, who would want to spend the money on a shaky low-quality mobile video of it?

If it's not some super-rare underground stuff or the newest in new, DVDs already are at a relatively low price. So why buy that from some shady git in a dark alley?

Eggo:
Pirate movies != Pirated movies

I came into this thread expecting some consulting firm analyzing how successful films based on pirate themes have been compared to illegal narcotics.

I leave this thread disappointed.

Heh... and I cam into this thread expecting a discussion as to why pirate movies, that is to say male dominated movies starring people such as Johnny Depp and Burt Lancaster (*), are more profitable than heroine movies, i.e. movies starting people like Sigourney Weaver and Angelina Jolie.

Anyway... concidering the true intentions of the thread, what about pirated heroin movies; what happens if we bootleg Trainspotting en masse? It is after all a bloody good movie. Ewan McGregor at his very best before George Lucas made him into a cardboard insult directed at Sir Alec Guinness. We could make a good profit on that, right?

"And the reason? There are no reasons. Who needs reasons when you have heroin?"

Best anti-dope movie ever. :)

/S

(*) Good god, I simply *must* get me a copy of The Crimson Pirate... haven't seen it in like 20 years

Anyhoo, this isn't too bad. I've never heard of a person's life being destroyed by piracy. Maybe if it's an indipendent film producer pirates could be a problem, because indie studios need the money a little more than big studios do.

Heroin will be fine. The business model ensures many repeat customers.

Haha, doesn't it just conjure images of a shady guy on a corner slipping a DVD to some junkie? "Come on baby, just give me a little Brad Pitt. Just a little taste, please? I'll suck ya dick."