Advanced Television

US cinemas screen MPAA creativity awareness videos

June 29, 2015

By Colin Mann

The Motion Picture Association of America has confirmed that AMC Theatres will begin airing the MPAA’s ‘I Make Movies’ video series nationwide to raise audience awareness about the hard work and creativity behind-the-scenes of the motion picture and television industry, along with the importance of viewing content legitimately.

AMC Theatres consists of more than 300 locations nationwide that welcome approximately 200 million guests annually. The news comes after MPAA Chairman and CEO Senator Chris Dodd encouraged theatre owners to promote the short series of videos after he unveiled them during his ‘State of the Industry’ remarks at this year’s CinemaCon.

The I Make Movies series of short videos profiles men and women behind-the-scenes of major motion picture productions, telling personal stories that exhibit their creativity and the value of their craft. The series also points towards WhereToWatch.com, the MPAA’s one-stop search tool that makes it easier for consumers to find content in theatres or online, while also rewarding the creators responsible for bringing the stories from script to screen.

“We’re very grateful to have the support of AMC Theatres, along with independent theaters around the country, to promote our ‘I Make Movies’ series,” stated Dodd. “Each year, and this year in particular, audiences flock to theatres to see incredible stories told on the big screen. This latest effort will help inform those movie-goers that watching films in theaters and through legitimate online services is important for supporting the kind of creativity exhibited by the nearly 2 million American men and women that work in our industry.”

Elizabeth F. Frank, Executive Vice President and Chief Content & Programming Officer, AMC Theatres, said the company “strongly supports” the MPAA’s efforts to encourage movie-going.

In addition to AMC Theatres, the MPAA is also promoting the initiative with a number of independent theatres around the country, ranging from the historic Ritz Theatre (1929) in Hinton, West Virginia to Act V Theatres in Cornelius, Oregon.

The initiative mirrors that of the UK’s Industry Trust for IP Awareness, which launched ‘Moments Worth Paying For’ in February 2011, with the aim of capitalising on audiences’ passion for film and TV content to inspire greater respect for copyright and the value of creative works. It celebrates the intense emotional payback of great viewing experiences – and proposes this is ‘worth paying for’.

The Trust’s campaign also highlights the wealth of official ways to watch film and TV by directing viewers to findanyfilm.com – a gateway to official film and TV services across a range of formats, both on and offline.

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