Economics Questions

Re: Film without IP laws

Peter Sidor — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 19:53:46 GMT

Some movies are produced and profitable without IP. Some examples:

http://wiki.mises.org/wiki/Without_Intellectual_Property#Movies

Re: Film without IP laws

Conza88 — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 18:04:26 GMT

Yes.

Re: Film without IP laws

John James — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 17:17:15 GMT

The movie industry tries to make that claim all the time, (just like every other IP whore) but they never seem to be able to offer any proof.

Stephan Kinsella has written extensively on this. Check out his archives here and here.

Also, Against Intellectual Monopoly goes into practical applications of IP like this and its effects. (You can download it for free in the links section at the bottom of that page)

Re: Film without IP laws

LogisticEarth — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 17:10:35 GMT

A fairly simple solution would be for the film's producers to sign non-distrubtion contracts with the theaters and theater companies that they deliver the movie to. So that Regal Cinemas or AMC or whoever agree not to copy the movie and sell it to others on condition that they get the ability to show the film first. Considering that a movie usually grosses the highest in the first few weekends, you can see why this exclusivity would be desireable. Sure you'll get leaks and people will distribute it to smaller theaters or "bootleg" home copies, but these would probably tend to be of lower quality, and it happens today anyway.

You're right in that we probably would see the trend towards $100 million+ movies scale back a bit, but that's probably not a terrible thing.

Re: Film without IP laws

Vladimir Ulyanov — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:38:14 GMT

Sometimes movies rock, and they're profitable. Sometimes movies suck, and they aren't. IP laws change the details a little, but the concept stays the same.

Could you elaborate please. How would it be profitable if films could be pirated and sold at knocked down prices to cinemas, tv stations,etc.

Thanks.

Re: Film without IP laws

mikachusetts — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:34:18 GMT

Sometimes movies rock, and they're profitable. Sometimes movies suck, and they aren't. IP laws change the details a little, but the concept stays the same.

Film without IP laws

Vladimir Ulyanov — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:28:55 GMT

Would film making be profitable without IP laws?