We are a small distributor of many many short art films, and it would
hardly be worthwhile for anyone to pirate our stuff. Where would they advertise
it?
And yet I have a dog in this fight. Because every so often we get an
inquiry about a title and I respond with an order form, and the line goes dead.
Why? Because we don't charge $10, we charge $50. And I think they figure
well let's see who has that, borrow it, and run off a copy.
This whole discussion is really about having something that either you
can't have or that costs more than you want to spend. Parsing and splitting
the copyright laws is just a proxy argument.
If the XYZ Production Company ever does make a DVD of that title you want,
you can buy it. And if not, not.
May I quote what is sometimes referred to as the New England credo?
Use it up, wear it out, make it do, do without.
Stephan Chodorov
Creative Arts Television
www.catarchive.com
VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues
relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control,
preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and
related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective
working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication
between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and
distributors.
