Pirated finals videos

[garfield]

I'm listening to Asphalt Cocktail so I'm in the perfect mood to bring up something that has stuck in my craw since Finals night.

But first, does anyone remember how the seats in the Can are numbered? Sitting in a section do the seat numbers increase from right to left or left to right?

Now, Finals night. I've got my 10 year old with me and we're settling in for the show. I'm getting situated. I happen to turn around and see a guy standing two rows back, right behind me, yakking with his friends. Just then I happened to notice that he's got a nice, small, obviously digital Sony Handycam in his hand. I actually stared at it for a moment, almost in disbelief, to make sure it was a video camera. There was no doubt in my mind.

I looked up at him and he wasn't paying any attention to me or my evil, glaring stare. In that two-tenths of a second I knew I should confront him sternly about it, then second-guessed myself ("What if he says, 'Yes, I'm going to record the whole show."), then I turned and sat down. I fumed about it for a few minutes and almost got up and in his face but, ultimately, I decided to shut up, enjoy the show, and not make a scene about it. I even considered getting a stadium staff member but there were none in sight.

I've never forgotten my 50-year-old wussiness (I don't typically back down easily) and have since regretted not saying something.

So, should I have?

What would you have done?

What WILL you do?

Edited February 8, 2010 by garfield

[Michael Boo]

What you witnessed was illegal and an insult to all the fans who pay for the recordings. And it takes money out of the pockets of the corps.

As someone who works for DCI, I would have no problem confronting him. But I certainly understand the challenge one who doesn't work for DCI would have in confronting him.

So, if I were in the stands at the World Championships and witnessed this happening, I would get up between corps, find an usher/security person and let them know what and where the transgression is taking place.

For anyone who might take an opposing viewpoint, I can only offer the following. It's illegal. Period.

Thank you for bringing this up for for having the conscience you do.

[John Murray]

"Do what thou wilt."

[perc2100]

I'm listening to Asphalt Cocktail so I'm in the perfect mood to bring up something that has stuck in my craw since Finals night.

But first, does anyone remember how the seats in the Can are numbered? Sitting in a section do the seat numbers increase from right to left or left to right?

Now, Finals night. I've got my 10 year old with me and we're settling in for the show. I'm getting situated. I happen to turn around and see a guy standing two rows back, right behind me, yakking with his friends. Just then I happened to notice that he's got a nice, small, obviously digital Sony Handycam in his hand. I actually stared at it for a moment, almost in disbelief, to make sure it was a video camera. There was no doubt in my mind.

I looked up at him and he wasn't paying any attention to me or my evil, glaring stare. In that two-tenths of a second I knew I should confront him sternly about it, then second-guessed myself ("What if he says, 'Yes, I'm going to record the whole show."), then I turned and sat down. I fumed about it for a few minutes and almost got up and in his face but, ultimately, I decided to shut up, enjoy the show, and not make a scene about it. I even considered getting a stadium staff member but there were none in sight.

I've never forgotten my 50-year-old wussiness (I don't typically back down easily) and have since regretted not saying something.

So, should I have?

What would you have done?

What WILL you do?

I wouldn't have made any contact with the dude illegally recording finals.

But I would've quickly found a DCI employee to turn him in, and let them deal with it. It's not my place to confront some doing something illegal, but it is my place to tell the proper authorities.

Side comments:

Literally the day after I got home from WGI percussion finals in 2009, I got an e-mail from a friend on staff with me with some awesome videos of some of the top World groups. They were bootlegged by someone in the stands who shot the overhead screens that were pretty much projecting the real-time editing of the videos for the DVD's (with different angles and such). I know several people who put the videos on their hard drive and burned them to DVD, so they wouldn't have to pay for the legit DVD's. I know for a fact that it cost several sales for WGI just with people that I know who probably would've spent the money on the DVD's but figured "why bother when I got get 'em for free." In the future (i.e. this season), if DVD sales were lower last year, they might have to raise prices a bit to make-up for the sales drop, thus annoying me (the consumer) even more annoyed.

[Geoff]

I wouldn't of confronted the guy, but possibly would of mentioned it to an usher. Or does LOS have one of those text lines where you can text issues you are having with other patrons? That would of worked.

Confronting him yourself would of made things uncomfortable the rest of the day, in my opinion. Leave it to the experts.

[glory]

I know a guy who brought a small, high-quality audio-recording device to finals. I knew him, so voicing my objection was easy enough. He noted my objection and recorded anyway. I feel a little better in the knowledge that he didn't share his recording. But not much.

It's tough. We're in the stands as fans, not police. Yet that's what the culprits count on. They count on us looking the other way, which is why we're there anyway - to watch a show not to summon ushers. That's the other crime. They're stealing the recordings and along our attention and our conscience. They're guilty yet we feel guilty. It's not right.

HH

Edited February 8, 2010 by glory

[SynthLine09]

I'll be honest here. I have a high quality handheld digital recorder, and I record shows as often as I can. I'm still marching and I always try to give it to a staff member to record the nights show, and we always listened to it on the bus. It was nice to have an audio journal of the summer too. Was this technically illegal? I guess so, but I still bought the finals DVD's and CD's, so I don't think any harm was done. I suppose you could argue it was for educational purposes.

I do record other corps as often as I can too, its just nice to have more memories than just the finals DVDs. I like to listen to a show and remember "oh yeah, this was that one day where it was 117 degress in texas and we had no air conditioning or cold water." Sue me for being sentimental I guess

also, its nice not to have to wait till the DVDs and CDs to come out to listen to our finals performances

Edited February 8, 2010 by SynthLine09

[glory]

I'll be honest here. I have a high quality handheld digital recorder, and I record shows as often as I can...

I appreciate your candor. Now here's my question:

If you're okay with what you've been doing, is it fair therefore to stop anyone from making a video recording of anything he wants to record on the field?

HH

Edited February 8, 2010 by glory

[tommyfromhowardst]

A. I would have advised shooting him with a knock out dart and after he was out cold, confiscate his camera. Then, auction off the camera to the highest bidder in the surrounding stands and donate the proceeds to the unsuspecting corps who's images have just been illegally wrenched from their very young, innocent souls. Finally, bound the now groggy would-be portrait assassin hand and foot, drag him out into the back alleys of Lucas and let the wild pack dogs of Indy fight over his shredded carcass until the sun reddens the dawn.

B. Stand in front of him blocking his camera shot.

C. Don't buy bad bootlegged footage.

[ContraRich77]

I'd probably let it slide if I saw someone record A SINGLE PERFORMANCE.

Truthfully, I think the copyright laws are way too rigid to disallow a parent or relative to record their kid's own performance. I know it is illegal, my opinion here is spirit of the law not letter of the law. If I saw continuous recording I would probably make mention to the management.