STRINGENT MONITORING

Video piracy will continue to threaten the livelihoods of filmmakers, unless cinema operators ‘put a stop’ to it. DENNIS CHUA has the story

CINEMA staff are the best people to detect and nab video pirates in the act, said the National Film Development Corporation (Finas).

There has to be stringent monitoring of audiences by cinema operators to nip the scourge of video piracy in the bud.

Its director-general, Datuk Fauzi Ayob, said viewers and particularly cinema staff were the public’s “eyes and ears” against video piracy since the crime usually occurred in their midst.

He said cinema operators should instruct their employees to monitor the “goings-on” inside cinema halls to make sure no viewer fiddled with smartphones, the usual device used for recording films.

“Screening a stern warning against video recording prior to every film was a major initiative last year. Our next step is to make cinemas ‘do their part’ in curbing piracy,” he told the New Straits Times yesterday.

Fauzi was commenting on a recent news report that Astro Shaw’s romantic comedy Busker, which opened in cinemas on Jan 11, was uploaded onto Facebook two days after its premiere.

Astro Shaw head Najwa Abu Bakar revealed that a 10-minute video showing scenes from the film was uploaded onto the platform, but was erased after a complaint was made to the film company.

“Things will only get worse if the public is not vigilant. We should not wait until scenes of a new film are uploaded onto Facebook but should, instead, stop the perpetrators inside the cinemas,” said Fauzi.

“If the public can report individuals who sell pirated VCDs in markets, cinema staff should also act against those recording in cinema halls.”

Fauzi said that on Finas’ part, the corporation had formed a special committee on Aug 25 last year to deal with digital piracy. It comprised representatives from the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, the Malaysian Film Producers’ Association (PFM) and cinema operators, he said.

“All of us are concerned about the threat of piracy. We’ve had two meetings, and in the next meeting at the end of next month, we will discuss a more effective strategy to fight it,” he said, adding that there was “no hard and fast rule” to curb piracy.

“Educating the public with announcements on the big and small screens is a must. This will run indefinitely.”

Educating the public with announcements on the big and small screens is a must. This will run indefinitely.

DATUK FAUZI AYOB National Film Development Corporation director-general

The announcement warned video pirates that they would face a fine of up to RM20,000 and jail up to five years under Section 41 of the Copyright Act 1987.

Some of the recent films that fell victim to piracy were Pinjamkan Hatiku, Jwanita, Kau Yang Satu and Abang Long Fadil 2.

Last year, director Osman Ali filed a police report following the “leak” of Pinjamkan Hatiku in cyberspace. His thriller Jwanita and romantic drama Kau Yang Satu were also pirated.

Two cinema-goers had recorded Kau Yang Satu and posted it onto Facebook, where it garnered 200,000 views.

Action blockbuster Tombiruo: Penunggu Rimba and action comedy Abang Long Fadil 2 were also streamed live.