Why do some people have such a problem with bootlegs?

I've been reading a few posts where people complained about the bootleg Anime that was for sale at C2. While not into anime i was very please to see some bootlegs that were for sale there. I have wanted the Disney classic Song of the South for years and was able to find a DVD of that. They also had the Beatles let it Be there which is mega rare and out of print. My personal feeling is this: if it's availible commercially don't buy a bootleg,but if it's out of print or something never meant to be released (like concerts) then it's fair game. You people who are against buying and selling bootlegs must never plan on getting the Star Wars Holiday Special to complete your collections i guess and that's fine but please don't try to spoil it for those who do want something rare for our collections by trying to have the dealers thrown out.

 

Why do people have a problem with bootlegs? Well first of all this doesn't belong here but I'll give you an answer anyway then I'm sure this will be locked.

Remember what happened with napster? It got shut down because they were pretty much giving away people's hard wored on music. Well this is George Lucas's hard wored on movie, and also it's like stealing, it's illegal. So anyway, I really wouldn't care about bootlegs but it doesn't seem to be a popular thing here.

Don't forget too this doesn't belong here...

 

There is a general understanding between sellers, fans, and big corporations on anime here in the states.

If it's not being sold, let the fan subbers have their fun. It's increasing buisness for the companies. BUT, once something is sold, most fan subbers will quit carrying it, and most fans will quit buying it. Additionally, a lot of people will go and buy the legit version when it comes out in addition to their fansubs.

~Caleigh

 

I don't necessarily agree with that "agreement". Whether it is released in the US or not, the bootlegs are still illegal. If people paid $15 for a bootleg version, they would be less willing to pay for the movie when it is released legally, thinking "well, I already paid $15".

My big problems with bootlegs:
1. They are illegal. Sure, it might be the only way to get the Holiday Special, but trust me, you don't really want to see that anyways.
2. The quality is usually poor. After all, most of them are copies of a copy of a copy of a....
3. They are expensive. Why should you pay $15 for a blank tape that they spent no time on to copy another tape onto it. If they really are fans who want others to see it, they shouldn't be making a big profit off of it.

 

My problem with bootlegs is the people who actually worked to earn the money are not the people who get it. The people who get the money are the people who stole from the people who earned it.

I was at a SciFi Con just after Ep I came out and there was some clown walking the lines and selling bootleg copies of Ep I. Many people reacted as I did, disgusted and angry. The clown was turned in and busted, much to the cheers of the fans in the line.

Earn your money, don't steal it.

 

I would agree that this kind of doesn't belong here, but it is discussing something that was present at C:II. I am for the most part in agreeance that it is in poor taste to take money for something that you didn't even contribute to. However, I don't really have any problems with bootlegs of things that were never released at all or in one's country of residence. I saw these fansubs at C:II...I stopped to see a copy of the Escaflowne movie "A Girl in Gaia"...the graphics on the cover looked like they could've been printed off with my bubble jet printer...and it was $20..pretty pathetic when in two months you will be able to buy a high-quality version with all the bells and whistles (well, most of them--except the soundtrack). I think more than anything I have pity for those who spend their money on this junk.

 

I would like to see some things on DVD, like the Tick animated series, but I want the people from New England Press to get the money, not some guy who should be selling these on a street corner somewhere. Plus, I think what really made me mad was, it's illegal, and it's taking up valuable dealer space at C2. I didn't go there looking for G-Force on DVD, and I didn't want a big replica battle axe either (though at least that's legal). Then again, I'd rather have bootleggers than scalpers...

 

Pirating other people's work is illegal and wrong. Whether or not they have chosen to make it for sale is irrelevant.

Lets say you have created something- music, art, poetry, cartoons, whatever- and for whatever reason you have chosen not to sell it. Does that give someone else the right to take what you've created and sell it to other people without your permission and with them keeping the money?

Sure it sucks that they won't sell it to you, but it's theirs and that's their prerogative. You can try to justify it any way you want, but it's stealing, plain and simple.

 

Bootlegs are for the People. I support that.

 

Bootlegging movies should be illegal, but I think that illegal copies of music through the use of MP3s and file sharing has totally, 100% been created out of the greed by the music industry.

My reasoning you ask for, hmm? Well, a DVD might cost $20 becasue movies have expensive budgets and the production studios need to make back what the spend, which could be 20, 50, and even $100 million or more. ON THE OTHER HAND, I have no problem copying music becasue it's disgusting that CDs can cost $20 or more. The music industry has been ripping people of for years, so they deserve what they now get with the lost revenue of illegal file sharing. The drove everyone to it, in my opinion. What goes around comes around and they are getting theirs.

Now, I think that movies are fairly priced and people won't be as turned off and forced to download them or buy bootlegs. Plus, it takes longer and the quality isn't as good as the original product.

Did anyone see that one vendor palying Lord of the Rings at his booth?

 

Bootlegs aren't for the people. If you're paying $20 for a DVD, wouldn't you rather get the official one with added features and better quality than the one recorded off a TV by a guy living in his parents' basement. And bootlegs can actually negatively affect things. If half the fans of a cartoon go out and buy the bootleg version, then the company might not see a great market for a legit version, or to compensate for lower sales, they might mark up the prices. Plus, the people have no right to illegal copies of things. Do you think that gaming companies would work like they do if everyone just copied games and distributed them? You would start to see lower quality products because companies weren't making the money they should and they wouldn't invest the time or effort. As for $20 CDs, I've never seen anything like that, except for two disc sets and things, I think you're going to a bad store (like Sam Goody). Like it or not, Napster should be illegal too. If people make a product, they have a right to get the money from its distribution.

 

Actually, given the way some laws work, I don't think that all the anime fansubs are illegal...

I'm talking about stuff that has NOT been released in the united states. And oftentimes companies will look at what's selling in the bootlegs at anime cons to see what might do well here in the states.

~Caleigh

 

I'm pretty sure the anime stuff is illegal. Do the bootleggers have the right to the titles? No. Do they give any money to the creators of the programs? No. Is it legal? No.

Just because something isn't released here doesn't mean that you can legally bootleg it here.

 

wrong forum, take it to the senate or the JCC.