What goes into making a video?

[filmguy]

As per the debate over in the M/F lifts myspace video links thread, there doesn't seem to be a lot of clarity for some users as to why they SHOULDN'T distribute videos. I think the big problem that leads to copyright infringement is people just flat out don't understand the process that goes into making videos.

This is an issue that hits close to home for me, as I work in the entertainment industry and make the majority of my income from residuals. Hollywood has identified that the majority of people who pirate movies do it because they think everyone involved is a millionaire so "who cares if we take their money?", and has combated that by including people in the non-glamorous positions (grips, cameramen, stunt people) on commercials saying how the lack of residuals hurts them. A similar strategy was done by the WGA when the writers went on strike, basically saying "look, we're not millionaires" to the public which at first thought they were being greedy.

I think this is the problem we're seeing here, people see how much these videos cost, assume that the producers are rolling in cash, and therefore it doesn't make a difference if they steal videos or not, or even see it as a service that they're allowing people to see the content that "greedy producers" charge for. Maybe the producers we have here going basically giving step by step details as to the process that goes into it, how much they have to pay out of pocket, etc can kind of paint them in a more sympathetic light... show that it's not someone filming their friends for free and then rolling in piles of money afterwords.

I think the "Why is it so expensive?!! Why do I need a credit card?!! Why can't you ship to Nigeria?!!" complaints that are used to justify stealing videos could be decreased with the a lot more information.

So, and mods please let me know if I am being out of line here (feel free to move/delete the thread if I am), I'd like this thread to sort of be a way for producers to give their side of things and hopefully help others gain some insight that may in help solve some of the copyright problems.