MUMBAI: On 28 June, the International Federation against Copyright Theft – Greater China (IFACT-GC) and the Hong Kong Theatres Association (HKTA) jointly conducted an anti-camcording training seminar for 60 frontline cinema staff at the UA Langham Cinema in Mong Kok.
The training seminar featured the Motion Picture Association-produced anti-camcording training video ‘Make a Difference 2’, providing practical guidelines to cinema staff on how to prevent illegal camcording and a briefing on the IFACT-GC’s Anti-Camcording Reward Scheme.
This training has helped to raise awareness and knowledge amongst cinema staff. The Anti-Camcording Reward Scheme funds rewards to frontline cinema staff that identify and report illegal camcording. Recently, eight payments totaling HK$16,000 (around US$2,051) have been paid to staff acknowledging their role in preventing attempts at illegal camcording.
Intellectual Property Investigation Bureau of the Hong Kong Customs & Excise Department (HKC&ED) Senior Inspector K. H. Chiu gave a presentation at the seminar explaining how cinema staff is empowered under the Prevention of Copyright Piracy Ordinance and the proper procedures for reporting illegal camcording. He also shared his experience on cases where attempts were made to illegally camcord movies.
Vicky Wong, Chairman of the HKTA, said: “Preventing movies being stolen from our cinema screens requires constant vigilance. The HKTA and our members are fully committed to keeping movie thieves out of our cinemas and protecting our movie production and distribution industries.”
IFACT-GC Executive Director and General Manager Sam Ho said “A successful prevention strategy needs the kind of support we have in Hong Kong: effective legislation and close cooperation between theatre owners, rights owners and Hong Kong Customs. We are determined to stamp out illegal camcording in Hong Kong.”
Under Hong Kong law, a person commits an offence if they have in their possession (without lawful authority or reasonable excuse) any video recording equipment in a place of public entertainment. Anyone breaking this law may be fined up to HK$50,000 and imprisoned for up to three months. Any person convicted of illegally camcording a movie may be imprisoned for up to four years.
