Senator Chris Dodd, Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) has called on the technology and creative communities to build on their partnership to keep the movie industry strong and combat the threat of piracy.

Delivering the keynote address at the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers’ (SMPTE) Annual Technical Conference and Exposition, Senator Dodd emphasised the importance of growing and strengthening the partnership between the technological and creative communities. “Time and again, artists and technicians have worked with innovators and entrepreneurs to embrace new technology, reinvent our business model, and reinvigorate our industry,” said Senator Dodd. “The partnership between content producers and technologists has unleashed the imagination of storytellers, opened the door to a new wave of exciting experiences for consumers – and helped to keep our industry strong,” he asserted.

“We have so much in common. There is so much we can accomplish together – for our customers and for the millions of Americans we employ. And yet there are those who would pit these two communities against each other in a manufactured conflict more reminiscent to the Beltway chatter I learned to ignore in my last job,” he said.

Beyond the call for a partnership in the name of innovation, Senator Dodd urged the SMPTE to join the coalition working to protect against digital theft harming the national economy and millions of American workers dependent on a thriving film and television industry. “In economic times marked by bad news and deep uncertainty, we remain one of the great engines of growth on the planet. Movies and TV matter to our nation’s culture – and to the economic security of middle class families. After all, we aren’t just a red-carpet industry; we’re a blue collar industry,” he declared.

“Behind the enduring Hollywood image there are 2.2 million Americans in all 50 states whose jobs depend on the film and television industry. And our successes are shared not only by the well-known actors, producers, and directors, but also by the men and women who built the sets, engineered the sound, drove the trucks, and more,” he noted.

“The fundamental attraction of our industry – a good story, well-told – remains timeless. But our continued success depends on our continued commitment to innovation in our business model, to improving our product and finding new ways to reach our audience,” he concluded.

Categories: Articles, Content, Piracy, Production