As we all know several large parts of the web went "Black" the other day in protest of the SOPA law that's floating around in Congress.

If this law does pass does anyone know what it could mean for screenplay writers? Right now I'm writing a spec based on a story that has copyright (I think). What about Adaptations?  Re-imaginings, ect. Any ideas?

HGW

How closely based on the original styory is your script?  What story is it?  We'd have to know this stuff before determining if you're screwed or not.


Phil

Its pretty close but I'm giving my own spin on it of course.

I'm going left field on this one and doing a script based on the unproduced script/treatment written by L Ron Hubbard titled "Revolt in The Stars".

Quoted from Hugh Hoyland I'm going left field on this one and doing a script based on the unproduced script/treatment written by L Ron Hubbard titled "Revolt in The Stars".

Watch out for the Thetan Thumpers, they can f*ck you from a distance!

My advice, keep blending with original bits until no one can see the difference.
It's like taking months to make a batch of homemade mac n' cheese.
My biceps are killing me after all that sitrring.
And it tastes so good, no one cares what you went through to make it.

Regards,
E.D.

Speaking of SOPA, does anyone here really believe that SOPA would do anything to curb piracy, or, moreover, that piracy really has any dramatic effect on box office revenue?  I know the studio assumption is that every illegally downloaded movie equates to a ticket sold, but do you think that's really true?  How many people would have gone to see that stinker Wolverine?  It still did well, despite the eaked copy.

Further, is the studio system blind to the struggles of the record industry ten years ago?  Isn't that the new media model?  

Quoted from Electric Dreamer Watch out for the Thetan Thumpers, they can f*ck you from a distance! My advice, keep blending with original bits until no one can see the difference. It's like taking months to make a batch of homemade mac n' cheese. My biceps are killing me after all that sitrring. And it tastes so good, no one cares what you went through to make it. Regards, E.D.

LOL  

Interesting analogy. So in other words new names, new places, new situations mixed in with the original story?

Quoted from BoinTN Speaking of SOPA, does anyone here really believe that SOPA would do anything to curb piracy, or, moreover, that piracy really has any dramatic effect on box office revenue?

It's hard to say specifically how piracy numbers impact box office revenue, but total ticket sales have dropped 10% over the past two years, revenue has dropped 4%, and ticket prices have increased about 7%, according to Box Office Mojo.  The numbers showed the greatest increase when Avatar was released and the subsequent slight decline since, so we can thank the 3D for all of that.  Looking at the ticket sales over time, there's really no dramatic figures that jump out.  Some years sell more than others.  Of course it also says that the average ticket price is $7.96, but I'd love to see where you can see a movie for under 8 bucks these days.  I think out here it's about $9 for a matinee at all theaters.  

Quoted from greg total ticket sales have dropped 10% over the past two years, revenue has dropped 4%, and ticket prices have increased about 7%, according to Box Office Mojo.

In that same time, VOD and streaming video services, whether that's Netflix or Vudu, or whatever, have seen dramatic rises.  Isn;t this a sea change in the manner in which we consume entertainment, not a matter of piracy?  

I always believe if you give people what they expect - easy and cheap - they'll do the right thing.  That means, though, that the studios are going to have to think in very different ways about revenue streams from movies.  Very good piece on Deadline today regarding Redford addressing the same thing.

Quoted from BoinTN In that same time, VOD and streaming video services, whether that's Netflix or Vudu, or whatever, have seen dramatic rises.  Isn;t this a sea change in the manner in which we consume entertainment, not a matter of piracy?

I'd certainly think new media is a contributor.  These days a movie can appear for legal download somewhere only a few weeks after it hits theaters for a fraction of the price.  I'm waiting for the day when you can legally obtain a movie the same day it hits theaters, cause that's not too far off.  I'd be interested to see the specific numbers of all the legal services of obtaining movies in digital format, but I'm about to head out so...some other time.

I think that's where it's headed.  There is no way to stop piracy,  It's whack-a-mole.  I shut down this website, you start another.  Or go to IRC or whatever.  So, if you can't beat them, why not join them.  I think you're idea of watching something streaming or downloaded from the distributor on the same day as theater has to happen at some point.

Quoted from BoinTN Isn;t this a sea change in the manner in which we consume entertainment, not a matter of piracy?

I agree with this completely. I believe that people - in general - will pay for both music and movies as long as it's available easily and pronto.

Look at the music industry. Apple pretty much single handedly saved them from ruin with the iTunes store. Now it seems that everyone offers some form of music store, whether it's direct download or streaming. Why? Because we can. Technology has improved so much over the last few years that why should we be bothered to go down to a music store and buy something as relic as a CD? Or even worse, order it by mail and then having to wait a week for it to show up. Fuck that.

The same thing goes with movies. As BoinTN and Greg rightfully point out, Netflix and similar services have skyrocketed while box office numbers have gone down (I'm sure the downright atrocious quality of movies released in the last few years have played a part as well - but that's another can of worms). The Studios - as usual - are playing catch up. Technology is laughing at their dinosoar asses. They think they own their shit. Wrong. We own their shit. And we will watch it whenever the fuck we feel like it. Until they decide to get with the program, to step off the prehistoric train and release movies world wide via stream or download, piracy will prosper. Period. If they can't keep up - fuck 'em. I have no sympathy for them.

And while we're on the subject, do we really need theaters anymore? How many of you actually watched more than 5 movies in the theaters this year. Of the 20-30 movies I watched in 2011, I think I saw 2 in a cinema. Why? Because I have a big fucking TV at home, my sound system is as good - or better - than your average theater. Plus, I can pause the movie whenever I have to take a piss and I don't have to sit next to some schmuck who can't keep his trap shut..oh wait, my wife and I usually watch movies together at home...okay, strike the one about the schmuck. You get the picture.

I average about two movies a week at the theatre, usually Friday night and a cheap one on Tuesday (we have $2 and $8 shows on Tuesdays around Vancouver, amazingly enough).  Seeing a new release every week pretty much breaks the bank for me, but I love it and I'll do it to the bitter end.  Seeing a good movie with a full audience in a theatre is, to me, the absolute core of the art form and one of the great experiences in life.  For now, there are still people making films (Carnage, The Tree of Life, A Dangerous Method, Melancholia) that I think are completely different (and vastly elevated) experiences in a theatre.

I agree that theatres for mass consumption are on their way out, but I think that's incredibly sad.

Quoted from Heretic I agree that theatres for mass consumption are on their way out, but I think that's incredibly sad.

I agree.  However, seems to be the way of things.  I think the studios have a couple of avenues to explore, one being using the theaters for event movies, like those godawful Michael Bay movies, or they could simply scale back production costs to above the line talent and produce more films for less money.

Quoted from Heretic I agree that theatres for mass consumption are on their way out, but I think that's incredibly sad.

Different folks, different strokes. Whether sad or not is obviously an individual thing. Personally I see nothing sad about it. It's just part of the evolution. That being said, I doubt we will ever see world with no movie theaters.

Yes, the 59" 3D plasma does alleviate some of the sting.

Quoted from Hugh Hoyland So in other words new names, new places, new situations mixed in with the original story?

Find something within it that excites you that no one else sees.
Live with it for a while, see if it wants to write.

Two years ago, I thought it would be cool to write a movie where zombies bring a dysfunctional family together.

Today, I still feel that way, and have a screenplay I'm very proud of.

Cheers,
E.D.

Quoted from Electric Dreamer Find something within it that excites you that no one else sees. Live with it for a while, see if it wants to write. Two years ago, I thought it would be cool to write a movie where zombies bring a dysfunctional family together. Today, I still feel that way, and have a screenplay I'm very proud of. Cheers, E.D.

As you should be, very solid effort that has gained attention (and honestly I could see getting produced)

Thanks for the advice, I take it seriously as its coming from a writer who knows what the deal is IMO.

HGW

This is such an interesting discussion.

Don't really have the time (nor do I suspect others have the inclination to read a lengthy post on it ) to post at depth but whilst I agree that on demand is certainly proliferating (esp. among indies that cannot pick up distribution beyond the narrowest release) and that's the general trend, there's too big a threat to the current model's profitability for studio pics to beam direct into your home. First reason being the obvious economic disadvantage: 4 people pay for tickets at the cinema, whilst one ticket will cover them on demand. That's a lot of revenue lost. You could argue that would be mitigated by the studios cutting out the distributor (and you only have to look at Vue to see that happening in distribution) but I thought vertical integration was not possible after the battles of actors' unions years ago? Can't be arsed to Google the answer.

RE: Megaupload and SOPA; it's a tough balance to reconcile fully. Whilst you have to protect the copyright - and we can't always expect a free lunch - laws that will inhibit the internet are to detriment of us all. It would also be incredibly hypocritical in light of much criticism of Chinese censorship of the internet.

Whoever said that habits are changing and if you price it correctly (hence the growth of Netflix, LoveFilm, Spotify, etc) people will pay is on the money. To me, it makes sense to consume all of your content with either one static monthly subscription payment or a pay-as-you-view 'cloud usage' of content. That said, how do you consolidate the different services such as Spotify for music and Netflix to incorporate content into one comprehensive service? Well, I'm sure that Facebook and Google (via YouTube) will be looking to answer the question. Content and how it's provided is extremely dynamic and interesting right now and is like a contemporary playing out of the VHS v Betamax wars of the '80s with the added ingredient of consumer choice via pirate sites.

And I'm done.

Good post, Andrew.

And while no one's mentioning it, I am curious if anyone is concerned about Google and privacy. I'm sure by now everyone knows their logarithms read your email and turn that into directed ads. If someone sends me a script about a car chase, and we discuss it in the email, I'll find ads for auto related products. But it's much, much deeper than that.

Once upon a time, back when I was running the bar, I signed up for youtube thinking to post videos from the bar. That was about 2.5 years ago. Less than a year ago I signed up for my first gmail, under a different name. Youtube knows its me, though, and started logging me in automatically, even though I have no idea what the password is and am never prompted for it. All I use is the gmail account. But it gets scarier.

Some time ago I noticed that youtube had assigned me a profile picture. You know where they got it? Facebook! My facebook account was originally created for the bar, so for the profile picture I made an Irish flag with the name of the bar on it. That picture now appears on my youtube profile. Unbelievable.

I have long believed that artificial intelligence, when it arrives, might evolve from search logarithms. I even flirted with writing a story on that a couple of years ago. We know Google uses information gathered from any of its services. It has a profile on you based on what you search for, and based on emails to and from you. But the fact that it can take a profile picture from Facebook and assign it to you tells us they are searching much more than just their stuff. You never really know when Google is watching.

Thanks, Kev.

Back on topic of the cinema versus home viewing - I'm finally getting to see Shame tomorrow and cannot deny that some of my excitement is owing to the fact it's at the cinema. There's just something in rocking back with your lady friend, whilst a bunch of strangers shuffle their obscenely overpriced popcorn and slurp their sugary cokes.

Good posts from Andrew and Kev.  I agree about Google, Kev.  I get the sense that the internet is going to be changing a whole lot in the next few years as issues like advertising and piracy push it to the forefront of corporate and political agendas, as well  as that of public discourse.  

I 'spose we best all just make sure not to write anything too incriminating anywhere on any computer ever...here's a good one about that sort of thing:  http://www.vancouverobserver.com/politics/investigations/2007/10/05/acid-free-america

The problem, Chris, is also that the search logarithms make mistakes. They assign attributes that are wrong, sometimes even mixing up an individuals sex. Google doesn't care, though, because the purpose is to sell stuff. It's all about percentages to them, not accuracy. I am not at all one of those conspiracy types that rants about "corporate" this and that, like those people that think the oil industry has hitmen who prevent new technologies from becoming public. But Google is one of those companies I don't trust at all.

Andrew, yes, there is something about going to the movies. I don't go often, maybe once or twice a year, but each time I do I find myself thinking it's much better than watching it at home, no matter how big your screen is. I think cinemas need to a much better job of marketing the whole experience. There should be bars and coffee shops that encourage people to make it a more social experience before or after the film.  

Quoted from leitskev I think cinemas need to a much better job of marketing the whole experience. There should be bars and coffee shops that encourage people to make it a more social experience before or after the film.

Very much agree with this.  After all, what's so beautiful about film is being able to discuss it and come to a deeper understanding of what you and others thought of it, much like what we do here with scripts.

There's a theatre in Vancouver that has a Sunday morning screening once a month at which they screen a film, then serve brunch in a large room where everyone can socialize, discuss the film, and so on.  It's a great experience and I wish more theatres were able to allow more of this type of thing.

When I was a kid, there were always huge lines at the popcorn counter. I mean huge. And it was expensive, but it wasn't ridiculous. When I go to a movie now, there's literally no one in line, even though the cinema is crowded. These are big companies, so you tend to assume they know what they're doing when it comes to maximizing profit. But it seems to me that they've made stuff so expensive that they are losing money because no one buys any of it.

It is a different world. I remember lines at the cinema, all the time. Whenever I big movie came out you had to be willing to wait in line. Does that happen any more? Other than Harry Potter, of course?

There's a definite need for a more segmentation at the box office. Increasingly there appears to be more moves towards this with 'dining' cinema experiences, 'director's rooms' and the consolidation of smaller, art house/independent cinemas under larger umbrellas - there's such a chain here in Europe, which gives a great chance to see indies/foreign films that are not available at the multiplex. I see that Australia was leading the charge with a more 'adult' experience.

There's definitely a huge market to slice and dice with the right commercial savvy. I'm quite surprised that 24/7 passes are not more frequent. A chain here called Cineworld offers a 'see as many as you like' for around £17.99 a month. That's fantastic value especially with a few of their smaller sites offering good indies.

Btw, Chris, that cinema sounds like good fun in Vancouver there.

When I first came to Australia I was surprised to see a LA PREMIERE screening. I personally hadn’t seen anything like it before in the U.K.

This is how it is described by the cinema chain Hoyts:

La Premiere offers an unsurpassed cinema experience, with the ultimate in comfort, quality, service and style.  Enjoy unobstructed views from your luxurious, custom made sofa style seats with super screens for maximum impact.  Experience our gourmet menu and reserve wine list with our personalised in-cinema waiter service or simply enjoy a complimentary popcorn and soft drink.

I mean ordering a glass of wine from a waiter while watching a movie. Who would have thought

I have never actually experienced it, I’m too cheap!

The Aussies are leading the way. They don't mind charging you for it, either! Event regularly caned me for $17 a ticket whilst I was there.

Small price to pay for the innumerable benefits of living in Australia! I hear that Perth has been predictably baking these past few weeks. You lucky bugger!