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News Item
AICO Newsletter - December 2008 Issue 12 |
Digital Playground’s Samantha Lewis and Titan Media’s Bruce Cam Appointed to the Board
Two US based leaders of the adult film industry Samantha Lewis, CEO of Digital Playground, and Bruce Cam, President and CEO of Titan Media, have joined AICO’s Board of Directors.
Samantha’s and Bruce’s expertise and standing within the global adult industry and their commitment to the fight against adult film piracy is of great benefit to AICO. They join AICO Directors Malcolm Day, Managing Director of Adultshop.com Ltd and Todd Blatt, President of Antigua Pictures.
Titan Media is a leading producer of gay adult films and is at the forefront of the fight against adult film piracy.
Digital Playground is renowned for big budget blockbusters such as Pirates and Pirates II: Stagnetti’s Revenge, and for their use of cutting edge technology and high-level production values.
Both Digital Playground and Titan Media are long standing members of AICO.
Director Fiona Patten Leaves to Focus on The Australian Sex Party www.australiansexparty.com.au
AICO wishes to thank departing and founding director Fiona Patten, Executive Officer of the Eros Association. Fiona has left to focus on lobbying for the adult industry and the establishment of a new political party, The Australian Sex Party. Fiona’s ideas, experience and enthusiasm have been invaluable to AICO over the past five years.
Illegal Parallel Importing of Films on the Rise
Parallel importing occurs when someone who is not the authorised exclusive importer of films brings those films into Australia for commercial purposes. The sale of parallel imported films in defiance of the exclusive rights of an Australian distributor infringes copyright.
AICO, its members and others in the Australian adult film industry have noticed an increase over the past several months in the illegal parallel importing of DVDs. Much of this is being done via adult DVD web sites or sold directly from adult stores. If you are a retailer or wholesaler of adult DVDs in Australia and you are uncertain if you are infringing the exclusive distribution rights of an AICO member you should contact that member or AICO for clarification.
AICO’s investigation of the sale of pirate blue back DVDs, pirate factory pressed silver back DVDs and parallel imported DVDs is ongoing.
DVD Pirates Settle Long Running Disputes
The long running court actions against Prestige Club Australasia Pty Ltd (PCA) and others and Venus Adult Shops Pty Ltd (Venus) and others were settled out of court in mid September. The settlements involved considerable cash payments of $500,000 and $600,000 respectively and included permanent injunctions preventing them from dealing without license in the applicants’ films. In addition, the Directors of PCA and Venus were required to make full and frank admissions and guarantees of their own personal liability as opposed to the liability of merely their $2 shelf companies.
Piracy Cases
AICO and its members have an ongoing piracy case in the Federal Magistrates Court Sydney against Digital Wholesalers Discounters Pty Ltd, Rightmark Technology, Spotpress Pty Ltd and others. The trial was part heard during September and resumes on 15 December 2008.
Visit the “News” menu on Home Page of AICO’s website www.aico.org.au for updates on piracy cases, AICO press releases and related matters.
You can request a copy of AICO’s brochure How to spot a pirate DVD via email, info@aico.org.au or by calling 02 9328 5527.
Visit the “AICO Studio List” menu at AICO’s website www.aico.org.au for a list of AICO members including those studios that are exclusive to our Distributor Members.
AICO Distributor Member Calvista Australia Pty Ltd lists its exclusive studios and titles under the “Exclusive” menu of its website www.calvista.com.au.
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| Date :2008-11-18 00:00:00 |
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