PreVail Cammer Arrested

[Blah]

PreVail Cammer Arrested

February 17, 2009

It's no secret that watermark technology has become part of the theatrical film experience. Although largely invisible to most individuals, those with an eye for the technology will spot the watermarks, which typically appear as a set of arranged dots. These dots, when arranged in a specific manner, indicate the film's exact theatrical location.

Watermark technology gives investigators a powerful tool. When a movie shows up online, investigators will know where the film was recorded. This is known as camming, which refers to the art of sitting in a theater with a video/audio capturing device, and from there distributing it in the physical or digital market. Online release groups such as PreVail depend on cammers in order to keep their supply of movie releases flowing.

Unfortunately for one alleged cammer, who provided his work to PreVail, the watermark technology finally caught up to him. An Australian man was arrested on February 13 and his residence was raided by New South Wales Police. According to the MPA's press release, police seized:

"…sophisticated video camcording equipment, and computer equipment. The video camcording equipment is alleged to have been used for making illegal video recordings of a number of latest release titles including “He’s Just Not That Into You”, “Marley and Me”, “Yes Man”, “Bedtime Stories”, and “Beverley (sic) Hills Chihuahua”."

PreVail is a well-known release group, and the loss of one cammer won't pose a significant threat to its ability to provide releases. It's a surprising arrest in any event - typically release groups and cammers go out of their way to eliminate any watermarking evidence. But this one slipped through the cracks. The alleged cammer in this circumstance has posted bail, and is awaiting arraignment

http://www.slyck.com/story1833_PreVail_Cammer_Arrested

http://www.mpa-i.org/newspress/newspress_australia090216.html

[Rudeboy2025]

Wow that totally blows. PreVail is a good group and it's sad to see a fellow pirate getting caught.

[Atasas]

Wow that totally blows. PreVail is a good group and it's sad to see a fellow pirate getting caught.

$hit happenz... <_<

[shought]

This might be better of in the Filesharing News, no?

[Donaldo]

Wow that totally blows. PreVail is a good group and it's sad to see a fellow pirate getting caught.

Yup - it sure is painful. <_<

[AshTheGamer]

Eh bad news :D.

[Blah]

http://www.zeropaid.com/news/85948/mpaa-shocker-prevail-cammer-gets-small-fine-no-jail-time/

MPAA SHOCKER: “PreVail” Cammer Gets Small Fine, No Jail Time

Gets off easy, had faced up to 90 years imprisonment and over $1 million USD in fines for copyright infringement.

The MPAA and the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT) have suffered an unusually embarrassing blow with news that 26yo Craig Farrugia of Australia was freed after pleading guilty to 18 counts of copyright infringement, and even after having been found to be be “part of an organized criminal conspiracy” in the process.

Farrugia had been accused of supplying the PreVail “Scene” group with illegal camcordings of a number recently-released movies including: “He’s Just Not That Into You”, “Marley and Me”, “Yes Man”, “Bedtime Stories”, and “Beverley Hills Chihuahua.”

Each count could have meant up to 5 years and prison (90yrs total) and a $43,311 USD fine. Instead he was immediately released on an 18mo non-custodial “good behavior bond” and fined a mere $3,866 USD.

The charges arose from a 13 February raid by New South Wales Police, supported by investigators from the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT), in which sophisticated video camcording and computer equipment was seized. Tests of the equipment apparently confirmed that it had been used for making the illegal CAMs cited before.

AFACT investigators and the MPAA have to be dejected by the sentencing because of all the work involvd and the fact that the conviction really won’t serve as the “powerful message to others” that it had hoped for.

Magistrate Keady, whom presided over the trial, had even declared that Farrugia’s actions were “..part of an organised criminal conspiracy” and even compared it to home burglary.

“[The movie industry is] ..entitled to the same protection of their property as are householders whose house is broken into and property removed,” he said. “It is a property offence similar to that of larceny.”

The MPAA tried to play up the successful prosecution, but did lament the fact that Farrugia got off easy.

“While we are pleased with the very prompt closure of this matter, we are disappointed in the sentence meted out by the Court as it has failed to recognize the damage this particular crime can have on the industry,” said Mike Ellis, pres and manager of the MPAA’s Asia-Pacific region. “This illegal act of camcording can single-handedly destroy the ability of a movie to recoup the investment made in its production and adversely impact the business of cinemas, DVD retail outlets and on-line services around the world that rely on the downstream revenue of the movie. We hope for more stringent sentences to be passed in Australia to deter anyone thinking about camcording.”

This is the second Australian conviction for making illegal CAMs. In November 2007, Jose Duarte was convicted of camcording and distributing “The Simpsons Movie” on his mobile phone and uploading it to the Internet. The unauthorized recording was tracked to streaming sites and P2P systems within 72 hours of Duarte making and uploading it.