US copyright gestapo jails woman for filming birthday party at movie theater

[The Minsky Moment]

This woman's problems are just beginning.  In addition to the film recording, she also directed a public performance of "Happy Birthday" and then additionally made an unlawful rccording of that performance, all without the payment of royalties or a license from the copyright holder.

[Richard Hakluyt]

Then she deserves whatever comes to her then 

[Valmy]

This woman's problems are just beginning.  In addition to the film recording, she also directed a public performance of "Happy Birthday" and then additionally made an unlawful rccording of that performance, all without the payment of royalties or a license from the copyright holder.

That happy birthday copyright is the most ridiculous thing ever.  If any song should be public domain that one should.

[KRonn]

This woman's problems are just beginning.  In addition to the film recording, she also directed a public performance of "Happy Birthday" and then additionally made an unlawful rccording of that performance, all without the payment of royalties or a license from the copyright holder.

That happy birthday copyright is the most ridiculous thing ever.  If any song should be public domain that one should.

I and my family still sing Happy Birthday....    But now we do so in secrecy. Don't want to be busted by the Birthday police!     

I feel like such a scofflaw, a real threat to society, and a threat to Birthday celebrations all over the country!!   

[dps]

Not sure "most" do.  I haven't seen one do so.

I agree with those who think the theater just fucked up big time.  In these days when theaters are already hard-pressed to stay afloat because they don't offer unique or economical services anymore, the last thing they need is to give people another reason to stay home.

"Honey, do you want to go to the theater and risk being jailed for the weekend, or just wait until this comes out on DVD?"

FYPFY.  Have you seen the price of snacks, candy, and drinks at a movie theater lately?  The Regal-14 down the street from me has been getting slaughtered since the Delsea Drive-In reopened a couple years ago with cheaper food that gets made at the theater itself.  Then again, they've shown the markup to be so bad that it's pretty embarrassing.

At the drive-in, it's $8 a person for two, sometimes three movies.  Nachos, pretzels, popcorn, and drinks are all under $2, and since they're outfitted to make their own food, you can also go a little early and get dinner.  At the "typical" theater up the street, it's $9.75 a head for one person.  Snacks and drinks start around the $2 mark, and they wonder why they've been losing business.

Yeah, but that's an example of one theater getting pwned by a competing theater;  it doesn't do anything to suggest (much less prove) that the whole industry is in trouble.

[bogh]

Yeah, but that's an example of one theater getting pwned by a competing theater;  it doesn't do anything to suggest (much less prove) that the whole industry is in trouble.

Which it really, really isn't.

[grumbler]

Yeah, but that's an example of one theater getting pwned by a competing theater;  it doesn't do anything to suggest (much less prove) that the whole industry is in trouble.

Which it really, really isn't.

It may not be in trouble where you are (despite the decline in attendance worldwide) but it certainly is in the US.  Recent numbers have been slightly up, but the long-term trend is definitely down.  AMC Theatres, the second-largest US chain, was acquired cheaply by Private holders in 2004 to avoid bankruptcy, and five years of attempts to re-launch it as a public corporation have failed.  Admissions in the US are now at about 75% of their peak, and the average number of visits per year is down to around 4.5.  The attempts to boost attendance by increasing screens has failed, just adding to the overhead.

BTW, the snack prices are so high these days in US theaters because the distribution companies now have to demand 100% of ticket prices to afford to distribute, so snacks are the theater's only source of income.

[Jaron]

and the private xxx shows in back.

[CountDeMoney]

I'd go to more theaters if they didn't admit anyone under 21, and Jim Crow was back.

If I want to listen to darkies talking in their cellphones with teenboppers shits running around kicking my seat, I'd ride the fucking bus.  Or go to Red Lobster.

[Jaron]

If Jim Crow came back, your wigger ass would be locked out anyways.

[Darth Wagtaros]

I'd pay extra to eliminate teenyboppers from the theater. 

These days I just go to Chunky's so I pay 6 bucks for a ticket and can drink to eliminate the misery of the sucktastic films nowadays.

Don't think I've seen a movie in the theater since August.

[Fate]

I go to the theater at least 20 times year. The industry must love me.

I never buy any snacks or drinks though. 

[Syt]

I go about four or five times a year. Usually on mondays or fridays (cause it's cheaper).

[DisturbedPervert]

I'd go to the movies every week if there were actually more movies that didn't suck.

[bogh]

It may not be in trouble where you are (despite the decline in attendance worldwide) but it certainly is in the US.  Recent numbers have been slightly up, but the long-term trend is definitely down.  AMC Theatres, the second-largest US chain, was acquired cheaply by Private holders in 2004 to avoid bankruptcy, and five years of attempts to re-launch it as a public corporation have failed.  Admissions in the US are now at about 75% of their peak, and the average number of visits per year is down to around 4.5.  The attempts to boost attendance by increasing screens has failed, just adding to the overhead.

Here is the yearly US gross box office;

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/yearly/?view2=domestic&view=releasedate&p=.htm

Saying that the long term trend is down is a bit of simplification IMO - as revenues have been increasing every year except 4 for the last 20 years, with 2008 and 1990 seeing a small decline and 2005 and 1991 a big decline. 2009 looks like a strong year (see the YTD chart)

Number of visits is a bit more volatile and is certainly down from it's peak, but will probably increase this year - in a market hammered by financial crisis. This years thanksgiving weekend was the all time best.

Whether AMC was bought up cheap is hardly something I can speculate on (and I suspect, neither can you). I suspect JP got a good price. They certainly weren't buying it to rescue it from bankruptcy, but to make money, presumably by pushing through effiency gains and boosting growth. That hasn't been a great sucess (though an IPO in recent years has been a bad idea for most companies), but it seems to have picked up now - at least they've announced that they are securing financing to mass upgrade to 3D equipment across the board. But at any rate, one company being badly run isn't does not signify an entire business in crisis.

The movie theatres face plenty of challenges, but so does everyone involved in media distribution these days. It isn't all rosy by any stretch, but your rumours of their imminent death are way overdone.

Let me just give you the headlines from Screen Digest (I won't pirate their reports) so just the headlines for Q3 2009;

- Global box office hits new record 
- Record US box office owed to 3D