Labor Education Assistance Program - IATSE Local 8 Philadelphia

The Canadian Government enacted
section 432 of the Criminal Code
in June 2007, making it a criminal
offence to record a film in a movie
theatre. The law was supported by
the Canadian film and business community,
including actors, directors,
producers and theatre operators and
employees who urged the Government
to help thwart the devastating
impact of camcording on the domestic
and international film industry.
Before the law was enacted, law
enforcement would not respond even
when individuals were caught repeatedly
camcording in theatres. With the
new law in place, local police can
now take action to prevent films from
being stolen right off the screen.
Though it has been a relatively
short time since the new law took
effect, a look at the two cities where
the vast majority of camcords were
sourced in Canada demonstrates the
effectiveness of the new law both as
a deterrent and as an effective means
to stop movie thieves who continue
to steal films from the screens.
In 2006, Canadian camcords were
the source of approximately 20% of
all illegally-camcorded MPAA member
company films that appeared
either online or as a pirated DVD. In
2008, that percentage had been
reduced by more than half. Significantly,
camcorders associated with
well known piracy groups have
already been arrested and charged
after being caught in both Montreal
Effect Of Canadian
Camcording Law
and Calgary theatres following the
enactment of the law in 2007
Montreal, previously a leading
global source of camcorded masters
for DVD piracy, has been supplanted
by other, non-Canadian cities in the
vanguard of this illicit business. There
have been significant arrests in 2007
and 2008 of camcorders alleged by
law enforcement to be world leaders
in film piracy. Calgary also provides
an excellent case study for the effectiveness
of anti-camcording legislation:
In the 18 months preceding the arrest
of Richard Lissaman on December 21,
2007 in a Calgary theatre, there were
19 camcorded films released on the
internet that were identified, through
their watermarking, as copies of films
that had been released in theatres in
and around Calgary. Since Lissaman’s
arrest there have been no camcorded
films released on the internet that
have been sourced back to theatres in
the Calgary area.
As the law is a Criminal Code
offence it can be enforced by any
police force in Canada. This empowers
both local police forces and the
RCMP to respond to complaints of
unauthorized recording of a film in a
theatre. Typically, the illicit activity is
first detected by investigators who
are monitoring theatres or by theatre
employees who have been trained to
identify and properly intervene.
Investigators and theatre staff will
contact the appropriate local police
force who will attend and can arrest
http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/qc/nouv-news/com-rel/2008/081223-2-eng.htm;
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20071204/film_piracy_071204/20071204?hub=Canada;
http://www.nationalpost.com/related/topics/story.html?id=961784;
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29307265/
the suspect. Following investigation,
charges may be laid and the matter
will proceed through the court system
in due time as either a summary
or indictable offence.
ABOUT CAMCORDING:
Camcorder piracy represents one
of the most significant threats facing
motion picture industries worldwide.
A single camcord can lead to the production
and distribution of millions of
illegal copies and downloads around
the world. Camcord thieves are often
directly associated with highly organized
criminal networks that profit
handsomely from their activities.
Camcorder pirates are often
directly associated with so-called
“release groups” who distribute illegal
copies of movies, computer games
and software over the Internet. A camcorded
copy of a film can be used to
produce unlimited numbers of DVDs,
shipped around the world for distribution,
and loaded onto the Internet triggering
an avalanche of illegal
downloads. Replication and distribution
of illegal DVDs is highly lucrative
and in many cases criminal networks
use pirated DVD sales to support
other kinds of criminal activity.
30 Official Bulletin
The Force of Reform – IATSE PAC
The Obama administration has hit
the ground running. They’ve initiated
a massive spending program to lift us
from this historic recession, reforming
the Republican laissez-faire financial
regulations that caused the collapse
of the credit markets and renewing
new hope to working Americans.
With reform in healthcare, the credit
card industry and the Employee Free
Choice Act gaining momentum, it
appears that the pendulum is swinging
back to address the needs of
working families instead of the
wealthy and large corporations. Mission
Accomplished, right?
THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES
On March 23, 2009, an overwhelming majority of the
crew walked off the production of “Mega Storm” (a miniseries
for NBC) primarily due to the lower industry standards
on wages being paid, tough work conditions, safety
concerns, and a lack of benefits to much of the workforce.
“Mega Storm” was produced by Larry Levinson Productions
(LLP) who produces product for the Hallmark Channel.
The organizing effort, under the leadership of
President Loeb and the IATSE’s West Coast office, has been
extremely well supported by the IATSE west coast Locals
and the “Mega Storm” crew.
The IATSE pickets followed the production daily to various
shooting locations across two counties in the Los Angeles
region until the production ended in early May 2009.
Other actions took place at Larry Levinson Production’s corporate
headquarters in West Los Angeles, California and
several demonstrations have been held at the Hallmark
Wrong!!! While momentum is
clearly behind forces of reform, the
battle is far from over. The beneficiaries
of the excesses of the previous
administration are not going to roll
over. The forces that seek to derail
these vital reforms are well-funded,
well connected and are experienced
in using the legislative process to pass
laws and obtain rules that favor their
interests - usually at your expense.
The IATSE PAC is our political
action that channels money and
resources to support your interests
and those of other working families.
It is your primary voice in national
political policy. Unlike corporations
that are free to use shareholder
money to advance their political
agenda, by law the IATSE PAC can
only be funded by individuals- not
union treasuries.
Though times are tight, please
look at your other charitable contributions
and consider adding the IATSE
PAC to the list of entities you support.
However, PAC donations are not tax
deductable. The process of turning
our country around has begun, please
help to continue it by making a contribution
to the IATSE PAC to continue
to make your voice heard.
Channel building in Studio
City, California. While this
was not a strike or action
against the Hallmark
Channel, the IATSE has
informed the public of our
call for a boycott of all
product produced by Larry
Levinson Productions
shown on the Hallmark
Channel. Despite the long
days of cold and hot
weather, the solidarity of
the former employees was extraordinary. The duration of
the continuing action against LLP sets a new modern record
for the IATSE West Coast Office and the Studio Locals.
The struggle continues…
Fourth Quarter 2009 31