I’ve been thinking a lot about how interactions with others can shape our modes of thought and conduct. From the distinct mold that our parents often cast to a stranger’s remark on the street, we are always evolving. Often times, those closest to us have the greatest impact. I’m forever grateful for the ex-girlfriend who turned me on to The New Yorker, NPR (KCRW), and This American Life, while I’m constantly disabled by the one who alerted me to the dangers and effects of cosmic radiation while flying. Sharing thoughts, funny clips, and embarrassing pictures (I had to fight the urge to find examples of all three) is effortless and a great benefit of social networks like Twitter and Facebook. I’ve discovered so many podcasts, blogs, and other media this way.

But what about interactions that you have with strangers or people that you assume you’ll never meet again? I can’t think of a profound encounter with any of my previous airplane seat neighbors.

I was at a bar last weekend when I ran into some old acquaintances who I hadn’t seen in 2 years. Right away, one of the guys exclaimed, “I stopped stealing movies because of you!”

At first, I didn’t know how to react. I had only met him once before, so I assumed that he had me confused with somebody else (I have a doppelgänger in LA for whom I’m often mistaken). However, he quickly confirmed my identity. Perhaps all of those emails from my union reminding us how much piracy is hurting our business effected my thought process. Perhaps I just lack the social aptitude that would prevent most people from lecturing strangers on the bitter truth about stealing movies while trying to enjoy a 4th of July BBQ! Either way, my words hadn’t fallen on deaf ears.

I argued that it is despicable to work in the entertainment business and also steal movies. Why would you contribute to the leading issue plaguing our industry? When people stop paying for content, then people will stop getting paid to create that content. It is that simple. I don’t recall going off on a big lecture, but I kept it short and sweet.

Whenever I hear the words “torrent” or “download” my ears stand at attention. Next time you overhear people bragging about stealing movies, don’t be afraid to speak your mind.

Is there a place for downloading? Sure, when you can’t get the product through traditional means. Some rare TV show or cult movie that isn’t in print for whatever reason is fair game. When it comes to music, the lines are blurred for many. As somebody who used to buy a ton of CDs, I was ecstatic to discover there were new ways to find live recordings and rare songs from my favorite bands. This revelation came around 1998 when I visited my sister in college and found Scour.net. It was a music lover’s dream. In fact, I still have a mix tape that I compiled soon after with hard-to-find (primarily live versions of) songs by Tool, Rage Against the Machine, and Korn. It was my official workout anthem for ages (life pre-iPod is hard to recall). I recently discovered this gem of a website, which is dedicated to the sharing of live bootlegs. Just promise the artist that you will buy their concert tickets and already own their studio albums…

If you want to see some persuasive images on the piracy issue, then check out the series of clips put together in New York by talented guild members. The video above is from their campaign.

Author

Dustin Pearlman Dustin Pearlman is a plant-based Cinematographer. Aside from film, he's passionate about the environment, music, and cycling. He's a member of IATSE Local 600 and lives in Los Angeles with his mini-schnauzer Iris.