Rhune
ForumsNet Administrator
    
 
Gender: 
Posts: 292
|
 |
Hollywood Heads Address Screener Ban
« on: Oct 2nd, 2003, 2:56pm » |
 Quote  Modify
|
Hollywood Heads Address Screener Ban; Indies Fire Back
Thu, Oct 02, 2003, 12:10 PM PT
By Holly Aguirre
LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - On the heels of the MPAA's decision to ban screener tapes during awards season, film community heads called a meeting at the Four Seasons Hotel in New York in an effort to devise a strategic response.
Prior to awards season, it is typical for studios to send screener tapes and DVDs out to all of the voting Academy members.
The unprecedented meeting was held Wednesday (Oct. 1) with Bingham Ray, president of United Artists, MGM's specialty film division, acting as consigliere. Those attending or participating by phone are reported to have included Miramax Films' Harvey Weinstein, Focus Features' David Linde and James Schamus, Sony Pictures Classics' Tom Bernard and Fine Line's Marian Koltai-Levine, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
No statement has been issued by the studio heads, but one is expected by Friday.
Meanwhile, the Independent Film Community (IFC) came together Thursday to condemn the MPAA's ban on "for your consideration" VHS and DVD copies of feature films.
Michelle Byrd, executive director of the IFP/New York released a statement saying, "This last-minute policy change will seriously diminish the diversity and quality of independent films immediately, and the mainstream film industry in the long run. Oscar consideration is a primary motivating factor behind the funding of riskier films, those of more serious content, films with ambitious narrative aspirations. Lacking Oscar potential, these films will not be made."
The statement further notes that "the least likely people to pirate -- Academy members and other insiders -- will suffer the most, particularly since most piracy comes from outside the U.S. and is the result of in-theater taping." The IFP proposes instead of the ban "all screeners (both DVD and VHS) ... be watermarked and individually numbered so they can be traced and the perpetrators prosecuted."
Among those lending their names to the movement, which is still growing, are directors Robert Altman, Bill Condon, Peter Hedges and John Waters; actors Selma Blair, Hilary Swank, Chloe Sevigny and Tracey Ullman; producers Anthony Bregman, Lee Daniels, Ted Hope, Ross Katz, John Penotti and Christine Vauchon; and execs Johnathan Sehring and Ed Pressman.
It is unclear how the ban will be enforced.
Rich Taylor of the MPAA tells Zap2it.com, "The newly announced screener policy is a voluntary agreement. There are no fines or sanctions should an entity break from this agreement. However, the MPAA believes that those who have signed onto this agreement recognize the critical importance of the fight against piracy and how this policy will help the long-term health of all within our industry and thus we fully anticipate compliance."
|
Sponsored by: The Fans!
Home
Help
Search
Members
Chat
Member Map
Login
Register
Reply
Add Poll
Notify of replies
Send Topic
Print