Oscar screeners via iTunes obviates pirate threat

For decades, the video tapes and DVDs provided by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to voters have invariably ended in the hands of pirates. Now, they’re finally getting wise, though you’ve gotta know that such a feeble counter measure won’t slow down pirates.

When I lived in China, whether or not you were aware the Oscars were approaching, the pirates would you remind you. That is, whether you rented at a shop or purchased hand-letter disks on the street, there’s a pretty good chance you’d get an Academy Awards screener copy — that always made me smirk.

Now, 20-plus years after the Academy began shipping video cassettes to voters, LA Times reports that the Oscar pirate enablers have gotten wise. Fox Searchlight, Paramount and Focus Features have all started distributing screeners via iTunes.

Although a knowledgeable person could convert and distribute these digital copies, downloads are set to expire 24 hours after being viewed and are not available to the public. Just this simple measure will probably go a long, long way toward reducing Oscar screener piracy.

Well, it’s gotta be more secure than mailing DVDs to thousands people. At least for a little while…

What’s your take?

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