Cinematic Piracy in China - Research Paper Example

Download file to see previous pages By mid 2000, global statistics estimated that China was the leading producer and promoter of counterfeit movies, music, and software in the world. Statistically, at least ninety one percent of China’s desktop computers have pirated origins (Pang, 2004). Sequentially, China registers the highest counterfeiting of entertainment products in a wide range. Moreover, the estimated value of these counterfeit goods lied between nineteen and twenty four billion in 2003. In China, the expertise at which piracy occurs presents a challenge in determining the counterfeit and the genuine intellectual property. In essence, intellectual property is the exclusive right and protection given to creations of the mind against duplication of the idea that is becomes ones asset. This paper will discuss why cinematic piracy has become so widely spread in China and present the alarming statistics at which this trend continues to surfice. Background information on cinematic piracy in China Cinematic piracy involves both the act of production and buying illegal copies (Larkin, 2004). The pirated video compact discs (VCDs) and DVDs enter the distribution channels in China retailing at exceptionally low prices that end up affecting the anticipated profit margins. The sale of these productions is at cheaper prices to which the original film maker may never get a return on their investment. Surprisingly, Hollywood movies appear in fake forms in China streets, before their official launch into theaters. In other cases, the circulation of pirated movies in China begins a few days after the premier entry into theaters. Some cinematic pirates often make use of hand-held video cameras in theaters during a movie premier to capture the entire movie. A camera copy is the name given to the movies produced in this manner. The picture quality is relatively of inferior aspects hence making the product undesirable. Many vendors of these pirated copies dupe the public in to buying them without actually communicating on the quality of the copies. However, the buyers of these products serve as equal accomplices in to this crime because they buy cheaply. These offenders then proceed to make copies in Asia, and in a few days, they gain entry into the market. Other copyright offenders rely on quality screeners in order to produce copies of Hollywood movies. Sometimes the copies come out in a quality that is easily confused with the original. The question that lingers on the minds of many innovators of products is whether China will seize from being an imitator or will it be an innovator by itself. In essence, China has embraced both of these traits in that it is an innovator and pirate of intellectual intelligence. Effects of cinematic piracy On the contrary, piracy may serve as deterrence to much needed innovativeness, but has not been the case for China. This is because China does not protect the right to accrue profits from copyrighted material hence diminishing the urge to create and be innovative (Beam, 2012). The secret lies in the ability to toy with the consumers mind for them into believing that a pirated product is the same as the original product. This is irrespective of the name change and minimal alteration to the original name. Ironically, the market tends to think that the product remains same in terms of quality, but they are not because of their counterfeit nature. Funny enough, market ...Download file to see next pagesRead More