MUMBAI: The Motion Picture Association (MPA), the US Embassy, Thailand’s Department of Intellectual Property (DIP) and Twentieth Century Fox launched a new anti-piracy movie trailer at a special screening of The Simpsons Movie.

The trailer will be screened prior to feature film presentations in more than 600 cinemas nationwide, broadcasted on free and cable TV and run on VCDs and DVDs from September onwards.

Presiding at the launch of the MPA produced trailer were US Ambassador Ralph Boyce and Director General of DIP Puangrat Asavapisit. The trailer, featuring well known local actress and singer, Marsha Watanapanich, who provided the voice over, aims to raise awareness of illegal camcording in cinemas. Pirate camcording is particularly damaging because it typically occurs at the very start of the movie distribution cycle, affecting the economic opportunities for the film throughout its existence. Films typically are camcorded in the first few days of their release, then distributed in digital form worldwide on peer-to-peer file-sharing networks and via other online outlets. Optical disc replication labs use the stolen films to create pirated optical discs, which are then distributed to bootleg dealers around the world.

Since the beginning of this year, 44 instances of camcording have been reported in cinemas in the Asia-Pacific region.

In his speech, Ambassador Boyce said, “The film industry is an important one for the United States, and also an increasingly important one for Thailand. Thai films are taking a growing share of screen time and box office revenue in Thailand, and finding critical acclaim and enthusiastic distributors worldwide. In addition, there are thousands of other good, secure jobs in this industry for creative people, from the camera operators to set designers to sound effects engineers to artwork designers and advertisers. The future of the Thai film industry is depending on us to protect their works and give them an opportunity to make a career out of their creative skills.”

“There is a need for more public education to inculcate a sense of awareness that piracy and buying pirated goods is wrong. Government and industry must come together to reach out to movie goers. This trailer launch is an excellent example of such a partnership,” said director General Asavapisit.

“The law enforcement authorities in Thailand have done a sterling job fighting piracy. It is important for the public to understand that movie piracy hurts every film studio, cinema and home entertainment company, including the growing Thai film industry. Local jobs are lost and industries suffer when piracy is allowed to flourish. By not buying pirated DVDs they play their part in protecting the movie industry,” said Motion Picture Association senior vice president and regional director, Asia-Pacific Mike Ellis.