Boxoffice - May 2019

Can you highlight some of the MPAA’s current
projects? What are the organization’s biggest
concerns moving forward? >> Reducing online
piracy remains our constant mission. One of our
strongest efforts is the Alliance for Creativity and
Entertainment, or ACE. This coalition of 30 global
creative companies, with the support and expertise
of the MPAA content-protection team, is constantly
taking action, from our victories in the TickBox
and Dragon Box litigations to our many investigations
and collaborations with law enforcement.
As one of our country’s most successful
export industries, we are focused on opening
markets through trade agreements that protect
intellectual property, foster competition, and
lower barriers. While there are certain provisions
that are not ideal for the U.S. creative industries
in the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement
(USMCA), we support its overall agenda to
facilitate trade and commerce and grow the U.S.
film and television industry.
We are also working to build on the success of
the 2012 memorandum of understanding with
China that opened that market to U.S. films. The
Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR)
and the Chinese government are diligently
negotiating, and our hope is that we continue
to achieve fairer and greater access for American
creative content.
Last but not least, we are looking forward to
reopening our beloved home and headquarters
in downtown Washington, across Lafayette Park
from the White House, after an extensive renovation.
We’ll have a brand-new facility, including an
expanded, state-of-the-art theater, where stories can
be enjoyed.
It’s an exciting time at the MPAA.
AT THE MOVIES WITH
CHARLES RIVKIN
MOVIE MEMORY
In high school in Chicago, I was a repeat visitor to midnight showings
of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. It was the immersive experience only
possible in a theater. That’s something I will never forget.
Do you have a go-to snack at the concession stand? >> Popcorn is
always my go-to. And I drink Diet Coke with that. And like so many great
movie quests, I am always on the lookout for a box of Jujubes. If I cannot
find those, Starburst will do.
How do you anticipate the effects of consolidation
in the industry will influence the MPAA in
the near future? >> Change is a constant, particularly
in our industry, and that is a good thing. We
have many new players in the business of content
creation and distribution, which shows that this industry
remains an attractive investment. There will
always be creative and enterprising people seeking
to grow and adapt businesses, and we have to be
prepared. At the MPAA, we see this as an opportunity.
Our role at a policy level and operationally
through our content protection efforts is more
important than ever.
MAY 2019
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