Piracy, what piracy? Avengers smashes box office records - 3 lessons
The Avengers had a $US200.3 million opening weekend, smashing the previous all-time record set by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 ($US169.2m), says Box Office Mojo
And that was just North America. Overseas, it pulled in another $US441m, says The New York Times.
Congratulations to Disney.
What can we learn?
1. While piracy is out there, it evidently is not killing the motion picture industry.
2. Let people pay to watch a movie. The Avengers didn't quite get simultaneous worldwide release, but it hit screens in many countries, including New Zealand, at the same time. Fewer frustrated viewers in the colonies means less opportunity for pirates.
Alas, on past form, this philosphy is unlikely to apply to the movie's release schedule on commercial download services - with predictable results.
Pity. Netflix, iTunes US and others have shown that, given the opportunity, a big majority will pay to download (Netflix alone now accounts for more traffic than pirate favourite BitTorrent).
Lawmakers' priority should be to protect copyright, not traditional broadcasters' and distributors' outdated business models.
3. Make a good movie. With Joss Whedon as director.
Separately, congrats to the guys at Syrp - who are now up to $US249,000 on Kickstarter.com.
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Comments and questions8
Although, do the reverse to a movie (Whedon's Cabin in the Woods only being released on DVD in Australia / NZ) and watch the piracy rates for that movie grow!
We don't pirate because we want it for nothing. We pirate because we can't get it any other way.
Cabin in the Woods is getting rave reviews but DVD only in NZ? Ridiculous.
We have a cinema chain mentality that only seems to want to show blockbusters/mainstream/top 20. Exactly the same with radio stations and music, so why on earth do they get so confused when people go out and download it without their permission?
Don't worry, Using Hollywood Accounting, it will make a huge loss!
Indeed.
Chris- Once again you have nailed it, well said!
Puts the whole dotcom allegations & saga into a very real perspective.
The Avengers highlights a big issue for the music industry is a lack of great new content (with mass appeal).
[Moby, are you listening? - CK]
Wait, I'm confused - Pirate Stan says 'We don't pirate because we want it for nothing. We pirate because we can't get it any other way', and gives Cabin In The Woods as an example.
So because it's ONLY available on DVD, as opposed to in a theatre, you'll pirate that and feel justified because...it's available on DVD? How is the pirated copy going to be MORE like seeing it in a cinema, exactly?
So, once again, it comes down to painting ticket admissions and the price of a DVD or iTunes as an elaborate tip instead of the price of a good or service.