UK CINEMA STAFF REWARDED FOR KEEPING FILMS SAFE

London, 1 March 2013 --- Cash rewards of thousands of pounds have been presented to 13 staff members from cinemas across the UK who intervened successfully to prevent illegal recordings of films including SKYFALL, TED, THE DARK KNIGHT RISES and THE HOBBIT.

The 13 vigilant staff members were active in 12 separate incidents in UK cinemas during the autumn/winter season, six of which involved attempts to record SKYFALL from the screen. All 12 incidents were reported to local police, resulting in two arrests.

The rewards scheme is part of a wide-ranging theatrical protection programme, funded by UK film distributors via Film Distributors’ Association (FDA) since 2006. It also provides vital extra resources for the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) to support cinema exhibitors’ staff training; an on-going supply of night vision devices to help cinema staff deter recording attempts in situ; and an education campaign including school resources on copyright.

The impact of this programme may be measured by the fact that no pirated recordings were sourced to a UK cinema release in 2012. Yet worldwide, illegal recordings from cinemas remain the single biggest source of both counterfeit DVDs and unauthorised copies online. All it takes is one digital copy which can be duplicated swiftly at minimal cost.

Callum McDougall, Executive Producer of SKYFALL, said, “The success of a film such as Skyfall is due to all those who worked on it and whose jobs depend on there being continued investment in new films. On behalf of all the cast and crew we are delighted with the outstanding efforts made by cinema staff in tackling the criminal activity of recording films illegally.”

Kieron Sharp, FACT Director General, added, “Cinema staff are the frontline in protecting films from being pirated and I am always pleased to be able to recognise their work. FACT’s strategy funded by the film distributors seeks to prevent pirate copies being made, distributed and accessed and that is why we continue to work together with UK cinema operators to ensure recordings do not get made and to support the success of the cinema experience.”

Mark Batey, Chief Executive of the FDA, said, “Cinema is fantastically buoyant and maintains its position as the powerhouse of the film industry in the UK. The big screen experience continues to offer the public a really attractive night out with a wide diversity of films on offer as more than 600 titles were released last year. The success of FACT’s content protection programme working with distributors supports the success of great films from ARGO and LIFE OF PI to SKYFALL and THE HOBBIT to achieve their full potential to engage with cinema audiences across the UK.”

The film industry contributes to ‘UK plc’ in many ways including supporting 117,000 jobs, while films depicting the UK generate approximately 10% of the revenues from overseas tourism. Overall, the film industry contributes over £4.6 billion to UK GDP and more than £1.3 billion to the Exchequer according to independent research by Oxford Economics in 2012.

One of the world’s most important markets for film, the UK accounted for 7% of global cinema box-office receipts in 2012. This enduring success is underpinned by FDA/FACT’s content protection programme, which aims to make the UK as safe and secure an environment in which to release films as possible. Distributors brought 646 feature films to UK cinemas last year, more than ever before. Ultimately the sector can only be safeguarded through the co-operation and diligence of cinema staff on the front line and today the UK is one of the best protected countries.

Awards summary

• 13 cinema employees received awards for their actions.
• 6 of the 12 incidents involved attempts to record SKYFALL
• All incidents were reported to the Police
• 2 incidents led to arrests
• 2 incidents led to cautions in police custody
• 3 led to exclusion orders and 1 prohibited access order

Since 2006 the Federation Against Copyright Theft (‘FACT’) and the Film Distributors’ Association (‘FDA’) have operated a training, prevention and reward scheme across all UK cinemas. FACT works closely with cinema operators to ensure that staff are trained to detect and prevent recordings, as well as assisting in raising awareness with police on this issue so they are able to assist when called to an incident.

The FACT/FDA programme has engaged the support of exhibitors UK-wide. It has achieved great success in reducing the number of recordings taken from UK cinemas, making the UK one of the best protected countries.

Each individual receiving a reward - in many cases matched by a similar amount from their employing company - did so as a result of the FDA-funded scheme available to any member of cinema staff involved in the successful apprehension of film thieves.

Further details on the scheme - and more information on the fight against film theft - can be found at www.fightfilmtheft.org.uk

The Federation Against Copyright Theft is the UK’s leading trade organisation established to protect and represent the interests of audio-visual and sports rights owners against copyright and trademark infringements.

Established in 1983, FACT works closely with statutory law enforcement agencies to combat the growth of online/internet based piracy of film and other forms of broadcast material as well as the continuing threat from pirate DVDs.
More information: www.fact-uk.org.uk

Film Distributors’ Association is the trade body promoting the generic interests of UK theatrical film distributors. FDA’s membership of 22 companies accounts for 97% of UK cinemagoing.
More information: www.launchingfilms.com

UK FILM DISTRIBUTORS UNVEIL A WONDERFUL SUMMER OF COMEDY AND ADVENTURE

Earlier today the Film Distributors’ Association launched its Summer of film trailer. So just sit back and watch the below mother of all trailers.

London, 4 May 2011 --- The line-up of films for release in UK cinemas in summer 2011 was launched today at a Film Distributors’ Association (FDA) event hosted by Alex Zane. The peak season, running for four months through to August, is overflowing with comedy and adventure – and there is a strong showing by British actors.

The cluster of summer comedies includes: The Hangover 2, with Bradley Cooper and Zach Galifianakis among the returning wolf pack; while Matt Lucas and Chris O’Dowd appear in the hotly tipped Judd Apatow production, Bridesmaids, starring Kristen Wiig and Rose Byrne. In Seth Gordon’s star-studded new comedy, Colin Farrell joins Jennifer Aniston and Kevin Spacey to form the trio of Horrible Bosses.

Favourite comedy stars take on fresh roles – Jim Carrey in Mr Popper’s Penguins, Cameron Diaz in Bad Teacher and Kevin James in Zookeeper. Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts reunite for Larry Crowne, while award-winning British sitcom, The Inbetweeners, expands its horizons for the big screen as the cast, including Simon Bird and James Buckley, head for a holiday in Crete.

In the adventure stakes: Johnny Depp (as Captain Jack Sparrow), Penélope Cruz and Geoffrey Rush star in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, partly filmed in London. There are epic superhero debuts from Green Lantern and Captain America, which features Dominic Cooper and Hayley Atwell and was shot partly on UK locations, while popular hits Spy Kids and Transformers blast back reinvigorated with cutting-edge action.

Daniel Craig stars in the spectacular Cowboys & Aliens alongside Harrison Ford; James McAvoy portrays young Professor Xavier in X-Men: First Class (also shot in the UK); and the record-breaking Harry Potter series reaches its magical finale with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.

Saoirse Ronan is the perfect assassin in Joe Wright’s new thriller, Hanna, with Cate Blanchett, Tom Hollander and Olivia Williams. JJ Abrams’s explosive mystery, Super 8, introduces audiences to a cast of fresh young talent, while this year’s Sundance award-winning Senna brings shattering real-life action to the screen.

Combining comedy and adventure in state-of-the-art digital animation, Jack Black and Seth Rogen reprise the voices of Po and Mantis in Kung Fu Panda 2. Owen Wilson is Lightning McQueen racing on the fast track in Cars 2, which also features the voices of Sir Michael Caine as Finn McMissile, Jason Isaacs and Emily Mortimer. Neil Patrick Harris stars on screen in The Smurfs, whose voice cast has Alan Cumming and Katy Perry.

Kung Fu Panda 2, Cars 2 and The Smurfs are among the summer’s releases in digital 3D. Summer 2011 has 16 films in 3D, also including Priest, Green Lantern, Captain America, Spy Kids 4, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. FDA expects 42 3D releases in the full year 2011, a 50% increase from the 28 in 2010, as audiences continue to choose and savour the extra-immersive dimension. Last year 3D accounted for more than £1 in every £5 spent on cinema tickets in the UK.

FDA President, Lord Puttnam CBE, said: “This is the season when we all look forward to escaping, to sharing good laughs and experiencing new thrills, in air-conditioned comfort with iced drinks at our side. That’s exactly what is on offer in cinemas throughout the UK this summer. I’d urge everyone who loves extraordinary stories with heroic characters to make an extra cinema visit or two – the selection of new releases is really terrific!”

The 40 wide-ranging mainstream and specialised films included in the summer taster compilation trailer are: Attack the Block, Bad Teacher, The Beaver, Bridesmaids, Captain America, Cars 2, Cowboys and Aliens, Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Rodrick Rules, Green Lantern, The Hangover 2, Hanna, Honey 2, The Inbetweeners, Insidious, Julia’s Eyes, Kung Fu Panda 2, Larry Crowne, Mr Popper’s Penguins, Mother’s Day, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Potiche (‘Trophy wife’), Priest, Prom, Red Hill, Sarah’s Key, Senna, The Skin I Live In, The Smurfs, Something Borrowed, Stake Hill, Super 8, Taxi Driver (digital reissue), Thor, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, The Veteran, Viva Riva!, Water for Elephants, X-Men: First Class, Your Highness and Zookeeper. A subtitled version of the trailer will be shown on the dedicated UK website for sensory impaired cinemagoers, www.yourlocalcinema.com.