[digg=http://www.digg.com/business_finance/Piracy_Schmiracy_Uncovering_the_MPAA_s_obvious_lie]

I’m sure you’ve all seen those outrageously fantastic ads about your own personal morals and implying that you wouldn’t do certain actions so why would you visit a one click downloading website that super doesn’t exist and click the download now button. (Also why would such a site offer a cancel button?!)

We’ve been told for years that Piracy is costing Hollywood Billions, and sure, that may or may not be the case, but the real draw on our heartstrings is the fact that we’re told Piracy costs the jobs of countless people on movies and TV shows. If we download movies we’re taking food out of the mouth of some Gaffer’s children, that will die of starvation because you went to mininova and downloaded a copy of Schindler’s list.

Turns out that’s a complete load of bullshit. Of course we already know this, because I’m still downloading TV shows and Movies and there haven’t been any mass firings, so it’s obviously not costing the Movie industry that much because otherwise they’d fire a bunch of people. Ho, you scoff, they wouldn’t fire people willy-nilly! They definitely wouldn’t fire people at the drop of a hat in order to save a buck, so your analogy is idiotic!

Whoa, but wait a minute. What with all this WGA strikes and the like going on, it turns out not having a show in production is significantly more costly than Piracy. Who’da thunk it. Interestingly, check out the IMMEDIATE response from the studios to when they’re losing a serious amount of revenue:

From the LA Times Blogs:

“Our show was shut down and we were all laid off this week. I’ve been watching the news since the WGA strike was announced and I have yet to see any coverage dedicated to the effect that this strike will have on the below the line employees.

“I respect the WGA’s position. They probably do deserve a larger percentage of profit participation, but a lengthy strike will affect more than just the writers and studios. On my show we had 14 writers. There were also 2 cameramen, 2 camera assistants, 4 hair stylists, 4 makeup artists, 7 wardrobe people, 4 grips, 4 electricians, 2 craft service, 4 props people, 6 construction, 1 medic, 3 art department, 5 set dressers, 3 sound men, 3 stand-ins, 2 set PAs, 4 assistant directors, 1 DGA trainee, 1 unit manager, 6 production office personnel, 3 casting people, 4 writers assistants, 1 script supervisor, 2 editors, 2 editors assistants, 3 post production personnel, 1 facilities manager, 8 drivers, 2 location managers, 3 accountants, 4 caterers and a producer who’s not a writer. All 102 of us are now out of work.

That’s right. 102 people, because a Show is being hit by a strike. Admittedly the firings are more of an extended indefinite holiday without pay, and that’s all well and good, but it does show the difficult decisions are easily made by Hollywood executives.

The fact is, if Hollywood is serious about them losing billions of dollars to kids downloading films, why don’t we have stories along this line every single day. It seems to me, that what we’ve suspected all along happens to be the case. These people will react RAPIDLY to any modification of their bottom line by minimising costs in any way, shape or form.

They have no qualms firing people if it means more dollars in their wallets.

I’m sorry MPAA, but this incident (And I’m assuming the countless others to follow) is more than enough evidence to call bullshit on your whacko conspiracy theories made up by lying accountants.

If their catch cry is that every dollar is sacred and every wasted dollar costs a job, then why are they spending countless millions of dollars on non-remunerative lawsuits against children, and ridiculously transparent ad campaigns? Wouldn’t that money be better spent on films that don’t underestimate your audience rather than didactic ads that criticise your audience and talk down to them as if they’re toddlers?

Popularity: 5% [?]