Turning to the ‘download community’ to access the latest and greatest television shows or films, is a behavior, although it appears victimless, that can have drastic effects on studios and developing filmmakers. The debate whether piracy is influenced by the fact that content creators and providers generate huge amounts of revenue is considered an important point when discussing piracy. Although large studios can take the hit, some small independent filmmakers are struggling with the overall effects of piracy.

Filmmakers who have experienced piracy first hand have started to venture onto the web to open dialogues with the people who are accessing their films. This is a rather courageous move considering that many pirates passionately defend their ability to download films. One such courageous filmmaker was Matt Compton, who upon discovering that his latest film had been pirated, went to the source of the people doing the downloading:

“I decided to reach out directly to those that were downloading the film. I posted a comment on Pirate Bay, which one of the most popular torrent sites. I asked people to please consider buying the DVD when it came out, or donate to us via PayPal. I chose not to be negative in any way, and not say anything accusatory towards the folks doing the downloading. While a couple of the comments I received back were not friendly, most people were very supportive, and even chastised those who wrote negative comments. A few people have donated to us via PayPal, and some others have emailed me saying they were going to purchase the DVD. I find it a strange dichotomy that those who would willingly download my film for free (illegally) would defend me when I ask them to pay for it. Not only did they defend me, but they applauded me for coming onto the site and talking to them directly.”

The interview with Matt Compton goes into further detail regarding the effects and influence of piracy. Despite the continued negative effects of people pirating his films, one of the positive outcomes has been engaging in a discussion with the online community. By creating a dialogue, it bridges the gap between those who are downloading content and those who are creating it. Regardless of your view towards piracy, the fact of the matter is that it is going to be nearly impossible to eliminate it. The solution could be that instead of fighting a losing battle, studios and other filmmakers could follow Matt Compton’s lead and start to reduce piracy by engaging in discussions about the causes and possible solutions.

Within the MENA region various filmmakers and advocacy groups are trying to do what they can to combat piracy and help spread awareness in the Middle East. However, piracy is not only affecting the film industry online but also through television networks that are screening pirated content. Mohammed Ramsy, a producer in Egypt, has stated that some television channels are stealing films and air them without the production house’s permission. In a recent interview, Ramsy commented on his efforts to combat piracy:

‘We are launching a huge campaign and hiring lawyers to take appropriate actions against these channels. A group of producers will join us in this campaign with the Chamber of Film Industry. [We asked the authorities to take action against this] disaster because the losses are growing day by day, with the government losing almost 20 million that they could have claimed in taxes.’

Egypt is home to one of the largest and most established film industries in the MENA region, thus it is fitting that local advocates are pushing for greater reforms to combat the rise of piracy. An Egyptian campaign against internet piracy is being led by actor and producer So’ad Yonis. Yonis is using her Facebook page in partnership with the Chamber of Film Industry in order to raise awareness and warn people that piracy will ‘have a huge effect on Egyptian Cinema in the future’. Her advocacy work has managed to shut down 17 piracy services so far, as Egyptian productions companies have suffered huge losses during the last few years. Yonis also expressed the need to secure the intellectual property rights of filmmakers, which is only possible if intellectuals, publishers, producers and government come together.

The efforts of anti-piracy organizations, governments and filmmakers can help reduce the impact of piracy, however, what is truly needed to influence change within the online community is collaborating with pirates and those creating the content. The advancement of technology and ingenuity of those developing it will continue to advance at an accelerated rate, and will most likely leave studios and content providers one step behind. By creating dialogues among influential members of the online community, concessions can be made to help reduce piracy and help design products and distribution channels that better reflect the needs of viewers who are turning to the online community for their films.