Movie heads meet to assess Auckland pirate damage

Among the biggest pirated films - with 277,000 downloads - was What We Do in the Shadows.

The New Zealand Film Commission will meet representatives of Hollywood studios tomorrow to assess the impact of huge global movie pirating operation, called YTS, that has been running out of a house in Auckland's suburban Mt Wellington.

According to Movie Pictures Association of America a New Zealand man, allegedly running the operation, uploaded 4500 copyright-infringing titles to the internet including high profile New Zealand movies.

Commission chief executive Dave Gibson said he had had limited knowledge of the Motion Pictures Association of America legal action with the High Court that put the Mt Wellington operation out of business, or the identity of the alleged pirate.

"We knew that What we do in the Shadows was being hit by pirating, and one or two others, he said.

Once films go digital the danger of pirating increases, he said. Pirating of three taxpayer funded movies has been highlighted.

The most pirated film with New Zealand funding is thought to be Slow West, a New Zealand UK co-production part filmed in New Zealand and starring Michael Fassbender.

According to the Hollywood studios Slow West was illegally downloaded through YTS around 663,000 times, potentially taking a big cut off box office returns.
What We Do in the Shadows was downloaded by 277,000 users.

It is understood that the MPAA has secured a settlement with the Mt Wellington pirate that keeps his name secret and it is confident he will not pirate again.

What's not clear is how the studio settlement that ended its multi-million dollar lawsuit would affect potential action by New Zealand filmmakers against the Mt Wellington pirate.