When a 24-year-old man from Liverpool used his smartphone to secretly record Hollywood films in local cinemas, he probably didn’t anticipate that his actions would cost the film industry over £2 million and land him in the centre of a major legal case.
Yet, that’s exactly what happened to Vasile Nicolavecci, whose actions have not only led to his own prosecution but have also ignited a firestorm of debate and concern across both the film and tech industries.
Last week, Nicolavecci was sentenced for recording Hollywood films in cinemas and distributing them to a friend in Ukraine, in a case that was brought to the court by the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit (NWROCU) and the Film Content Protection Agency (FCPA).
Nicolavecci received an 18-month community order, was ordered to pay £254 in court costs, and must complete 300 hours of unpaid work.
Filming inside a cinema with a mobile phone involves secretly recording a movie as it plays on the big screen, often with the intention of distributing the pirated copy for personal gain or sharing it with others.
This practice is far from new – it has been happening for years, even before the advent of smartphones (when people were sitting in cinemas with camcorders).
The motivation behind such actions varies – some do it for financial gain, as seen in the case of Vasile Nicolavecci, while others may do it to share the latest releases with friends who don’t have access to cinemas.
There are also those who engage in this illegal activity as part of a larger, organised crime network.
Regardless of the reasons, this form of piracy has long-lasting repercussions on the film industry, affecting everything from box office sales to job security within the sector.
The £200 Job That Cost the Film Industry £2 Million
In Vasile Nicolavecci’s case, the films in question – The Railway Children Return, Where the Crawdads Sing, and Hustle – were recorded at Odeon and Showcase cinemas in Liverpool during June and July 2022.
Detective Constable Matt Goddard from the NWROCU’s Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit emphasised the severity of the crime, stating that Nicolavecci had been recruited by an overseas organised crime group to record the films for financial gain.
“He pled guilty to fraud and making for sale an article infringing copyright, and narrowly managed to escape jail”, Goddard said. “We would urge anyone who is approached to do this to strongly consider the consequences of engaging in this type of crime.”
According to ITV, Nicolavecci was paid around £200 for his efforts, and the films were downloaded a combined total of 151,000 times.
Ed Handley, the prosecutor in the case, pointed out that credible surveys have shown that about 60% of individuals who engage in illegal downloading would have actually paid to watch the films in a cinema setting.
On the other side, Raj Chopra, who was defending Nicolavecci, argued that his client had merely intended to assist a friend named ‘Georgie’ in Ukraine and soon realised he had committed a grave error.
Chopra elaborated that Nicolavecci’s friend had requested a few films due to the challenging conditions in Ukraine, including the ongoing war and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Being a young man of 24, Nicolavecci was unaware that his actions were illegal, according to Chopra. He also noted that Nicolavecci had a clean criminal record, was gainfully employed, and was financially supporting his elderly grandparents in Ukraine.
Simon Brown, Director of the FCPA, highlighted the broader implications of the case. According to Brown, over 90% of pirated films originate from copies recorded during public performances in cinemas.
The FCPA estimated the minimum losses from the release of these films online to be in excess of £2 million, although they say the actual figure is likely much higher.
Both the NWROCU and FCPA urged the public to consider the far-reaching consequences, which not only impact the film industry financially but also jeopardise thousands of jobs.
Why Websites Offering Pirated Movies Are Illegal
Websites that offer “free” streaming of popular movies and TV shows may seem harmless to some – but that’s not the case.
It may seem like a straightforward question, but it’s worth clarifying why websites that offer illegal movies are, in fact, illegal.
These websites violate copyright laws by distributing content without the permission of the copyright holder. In doing so, they deprive creators, producers, and other stakeholders in the film industry of their rightful earnings.
Moreover, these websites often serve as hubs for other illegal activities, including the distribution of malware and the collection of personal data without consent.
They can also expose users to a range of security risks, including identity theft and financial fraud.
Unlike illegal IPTV services, where users are often asked to subscribe and pay, many websites that stream illegally recorded film do so without asking for direct payment – and instead rely on adverts, pop-ups and other schemes.
The legality of these websites is not a grey area; it is a direct infringement of intellectual property rights and is punishable by law.
Authorities in the UK and worldwide are cracking down on such websites, but the onus is also on the public to refrain from using them.
How To Identify Illegal Movie Websites
Identifying illegal movie websites can sometimes be challenging due to the methods employed to disguise their activities. However, there are some red flags to look out for:
No Licensing Information: Legitimate streaming services will typically provide licensing information, often at the bottom of their homepage. Illegal websites usually lack this.
Too Good To Be True: If a website is offering free access to newly-released blockbuster films, for free or for a very low cost, it’s likely illegal.
Invasive Ads and Pop-ups: Excessive ads and suspicious pop-up windows that prompt you to download additional software are often a sign of an illegal website.
Low-Quality Content: Poor video and audio quality can be an indicator that the content is pirated.
While it’s true that the prices of pay-TV subscriptions and streaming services keep going up – breaking the law with pirating shouldn’t be the answer.
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And yet the irony to all this, is that more and more cinemas are advertising streaming services. I guess advertising pays…even of cinemas are struggling for revenue.