What to do about pirate copies

[southy]

So where can we see an example of this?

[Ned]

You'll never beat it while the only retail outlet open to R18 is licensed sex shops, who can charge the earth to mug punters for genuine product.

If producers want to have a go at piracy, you would be better off taking the government to court and getting the restriction lifted under restraint of trade legislation.

There will always be piracy, so the only thing you can do is to maximise your legitimate market.

[southy]

100% nail on the head.

[BillBXD]

Yes pirating is a problem and can be wipped out overnight but there is nothing we can do about untill the R18 law changes in around 150 years time! PRICE is the bigee and only way to stop it but as long as hard stuff is only commonly on sale at R18 shops pirating will floorish. We have tried many ways to sell our stuff direct but BBFC registration is darn expensive and the girls aint cheap so as production companies we are by the BALLS?

Bxd

[R18 DVD Shop]

There are 2 very different arguments going on here - one is against censorship and the other against the costs of certification etc

While both are related and linked taking away one (i.e. removing R18 "censorship") will not necessarily remove the other problem - every movie in the UK be it Bambi or the new Ben Dover release has to be certified as something and there is a cost associated with doing that.

I dont think it will matter a shit if R18 is done away with tomorrow in the fight against piracy - there are people in society who just dont want to pay for anything and will always take the cheap and illegal option.

The only way to stop piracy is to stop buying pirate produce but that is NEVER going to happen so it will never go away. What I will say though is that piracy is doing this business MASSIVE amounts of harm - there is little enough money to be made for producers and every pirate copy sold is taking money away from them which would allow them to make more movies and better movies.

The best way to beat pirates is to buy legitimate movies and remove their market (be that R18 or even "uncertified" DVDs) - if you shop around you can get some great deals on DVDs from people such as me as well as from other distributors.

Finally not all sex shops are out to rip their customers off (although some obviously are but thats true in any business) - things have gotten much better over the last few years but the age old reputation and in burnt image of being ripped off still lingers.

Remember the age old adage: help keep Britain in business by keeping your business in Britain!

Jay

[southy]

Sex shops?......are those them places you see with boarded up windows,grotty exteriors and scruffy sales staff, that make you feel as though you are doing something wrong.

Nah,wouldn't be seen dead in one.