Legal, illegal, who cares? - seduced by film piracy
Young people like to be seduced. Especially by things that are on the edge of legality. That's exactly what happened to me 18 years ago. The 'pirated copy' drug got me hooked from the first time I took it.
It's 1999 and the world is changing - or at least the new millennium is approaching and Hollywood is making us feel it. In 'End of Days', for example, Arnold Schwarzenegger fights the devil with a grenade launcher, 'Star Wars' brings out the Phantom Menace and 'The Matrix' makes manipulative people schizophrenic. But I don't know yet that I'll fall for The Matrix too - but the earthbound version.
The Temptation
On a sunny day in May 2000, a friend of mine moves into a flat share. I'm nice and give him a hand. To thank me, he and his friends offer spaghetti and beer. As I'm drinking, I strike up a conversation with a slightly older flatmate (he was approaching his thirties and, for me, only 16, he was already almost an old man). We make fun of the stoned guy at Berne station who, thanks to drugs, has stayed in the Matrix trip and now talks to everyone.
The schizophrenic warns us that we humans don't really live in this world. We don't breathe air, but we all live in a great common dream. This dream only endures because machines keep us as slaves in the real world and use us like batteries. All humans in the machine power plants are connected to a digital universe. This is where we find ourselves today. He also warns us of the agents who might be after us, now that we know the secret...
It's not nice of me and the housemates to scoff. But it's thanks to this anecdote that we realise we're all film buffs. A few hours later, I left the flat. Before I left, one of my friend's flatmates handed me three CDs, engraved with a wink. On them I can read "Codec", "Pour Tinu: Movie 1" and "Pour Tinu: Movie 2". He tells me that this is the future and that I should let myself be surprised. What's more, I can also throw my VHS recorder in the bin. All I need to do is install an .exe codec and click on the AVI file on one of the CDs. A bit greyed out, I still don't know what he's talking about and what exactly these three CDs are.
My virginity: my first time with a pirated copy
Tensioned, I boot up the PC at home and slip the first CD into the drive. Being a good student, I click on the codec.exe and confirm that Windows must be installing something. As the beer takes its toll, I can't really make out what's being installed.
Finally, enlightenment: on the second CD is the 1999 film "The Sixth Sense". I fetch some popcorn, crack open another beer and wonder how 110 minutes of film manages to fit on a 650MB disc. Especially as the quality of the film is almost as good as in the cinema. Or rather a DVD. And definitely better than the quality of good old VHS tapes. But it doesn't matter - I just relax and enjoy the horror film. Totally captivated, this is the first time I've watched a film on a PC.
Two hours later, I barely dare go to the toilet. I've got goosebumps. This film, and especially its brilliant ending, has totally kicked in. If I went to bed now, I wouldn't be able to sleep a wink. So I decided to insert the third CD.
Thankfully, the second film scares me less. Comedy, tragedy and satire merge in director Mendes' "American Beauty". After just a few minutes, I'm already completely captivated by this work. The story begins with Father Lester wanking in the shower in the morning and describing it as the highlight of his day.
I can't believe I get to watch current films "for free". As a future business trainee and poor devil, I absolutely must learn more. So I choose, after watching both films, to do my research all night.
The Earth Matrix: the parallel universe of the Internet
I pull out my Nokia 8210 and ask the housemates, for 20 cents, about these two CDs. I want to know why they take up less than 650MB in good quality. The answer comes to me: a mini SMS of just 4 signs that says "DivX".
In retrospect, this night has, for me, gone down in history. The internet had fascinated me even before those CDs, but it was from then on that I spent half my free time in the digital world. However, unlike in the Matrix film, I'm not being pursued by agents. But I'm sinking deeper and deeper into the meanders of the Internet - I now belong to the earthly Matrix.
In need of answers, I find this booklet. In need of answers, I find what I need in a forum after a few hours of searching. A user called TheBadAssRipper helped me to see things more clearly. We meet in an IRC (Internet Relay Chat). He explains to me the basic principle of video codecs, how they can reduce the source material to a fraction of the size of the original data without having to make any concessions on quality. I'm delighted, under his spell, and would love to get straight down to converting my first film. But I don't have a DVD player or a film to hand. So, for the time being, I'll have to make do with acquiring more knowledge.
I hammer TheBadAssRipper with questions. He suggests a programme I could use to copy DVDs. I also learn that groups are organising to put films on the web. The Internet exchanges films? Incredible!
Wow, I'm all euphoric. I calm down a bit when my new friend explains that there are rules too - no CC (civil code) but Internet law. And if, one day or another, I wanted to copy my films, I had to follow these rules from the outset. They define the way in which a film has the right to be shared on the Internet. They are essential for maintaining order.
An email later, I'm battling fatigue and DivX's publishing guidelines:
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This group was formed because we thought the new DivX scene was a bit unmoderated, sloppy and pretty much a free-for-all. Leaders of the top 5 DivX releasing groups, topsite siteops as well as rippers and encoders have put their competitive edge against each other to work together for the betterment of the DivX scene. ██████.COM and ████████.COM are proud to bring you the results of Team ████ (""")'s meetings and debates.We realize that not EVERY group was included in these decisions, please do NOT take offense to this decision - We felt we selected enough people from different groups to represent all aspects of the discussion. All opinions were accepted and negotiated and then voted on for final approval. The rules went through 5 beta stages and have now been finally completed. We recognize that we are not perfect and these rules may be changed and/or modified at any time and the group will stay in contact for new developing technologies or conflicts with the current rule system. We would like to request that ALL groups and top sites accept these rules as standards and enforce them strictly. Our goal is to have an organized, acceptable and competitive scene so everyones co-operation is greatly appreciated.If ANYONE has any suggestions/comments/complaints please feel free to email us: """@████████.com (futher contact info at the bottom). We want to work with all of you, not against you. Thanks in advance for the positive input and support.<// ██████ - Coordinator[[small:]]
Movie MUST fit the following rules (applies to XXX as well):EITHER:- Released to DVD in the past 31 days (NO CLASSICS, NO EXCEPTIONS unless it is a siteop request and then it should not travel further than specified site)
- Original Screener Tape -> DivX: Referred to as 'PRVHS' (see Notes section), MUST be ORIGINAL screener tape -> divx (NOT the vcd screener - see reasons posted under 'vcd -> divx NOT allowed' in Notes section), MUST be 512xXXX or BETTER, MUST be named Movie.Title.PRVHS.Divx-GROUP
- VCD (includes vcd screeners, telesyncs, cams, workprints) -> DivX will NOT be allowed (see Notes section)
- VHS -> DivX will NOT be allowed (NO EXCEPTIONS)
- MULTI-LANGUAGE - (see Notes section)
- ONLY allowed if they make it to DVD and fit the date rules (released within 31 days)
- Movies under 105minutes must be under 700 MBs.
- Movies over 105minutes CAN be 2 CDs. Each under 650MBs.
- Must use the Low-Motion Codec.
- Video shall be a minimum of 720Kbs.
- Audio shall be a minimum of: WMA 96kbs, 44kKz / MP3 128Kbs, 44kKz
- Audio should NOT be 48Khz, quality degrades on standard sound cards.
- All release must be .AVI, not BIN/CUE. (see Notes Section)
- Must be packed with RAR. NO compression is needed (proven worthless) and broken into 15MB or 20MB volumes
- Must have SFV.
- Must have NFO.
- NFO MUST INCLUDE: group name, title, actual divx release date, US theater release date, DVD release date, audio bitrate (and stating wma or mp3), video bitrate, movie runtime/length, IMDB/adultdvdempire link, number of rars per cd (eg. 44x15MB), widescreen indication in the nfo only - NOT in the directory name
- NOT required in the .avi itself
- NOT required in the .nfo - it is 'recommended' to list the main few characters as IMDB lists them
- REQUIRED
- 1 (one) full minute in length (approx 10MB) and in separate folde marked 'SAMPLE'
- MUST be taken from the movie - NOT encoded separately
- Directory names shall NOT exceed 64 characters
- DO NOT indicate WS (widescreen), DATE, GENRE or anything else in the directory name. (ONLY within the nfo)
- Acceptable characters in naming a directory include: (NO spaces or double dots - single dots or underscores ONLY), ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ, abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz, 0123456789 . -_
- Movie.Title.DVDrip.Divx-GROUP
- Movie.Title.PRVHS.Divx-GROUP
- Movie.Title.XXX.Divx-GROUP (assuming ALL xxx releases are dvdrips, we do not need to say so in the directory name)
- Releases that are more than 1 (one) CD will follow these specs: MUST be named CD1, CD2, CD3 and so on. ('disc1', etc will NOT be allowed), There MUST be an sfv included for each CD, rars MUST be broken into 2 or more CD volumes. (78 rars of a 2 disc title will NOT be tolerated)
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A few notes:- Movies should be ripped in their most widescreen format available.
- Watermarks WILL NOT BE ALLOWED IN ANY CASE
- vcd -> divx is NOT ALLOWED: lose ability to be played in dvd player, waaaay too many releases, no quality upgrade, just smaller packaging, flood of crap groups (no skill involved, just a race to leech, convert and re-release)
- PRVHS = Pre Release VHS which is also equivalent to Original Screener, tape but this naming system will avoid confusion for nukers when it comes to nuking vcd -> divx because 'screener' is typically associated with vcd
- NO TV Movies or Straight To Video: UNLESS it makes it to dvd - then the 31day rule is applied, quality, commercials, too many tv movies, only the good ones make it to dvd
- AVI and not BIN/CUE: Some ppl burn to archive and play on a computer at a later time, BUT since there is no outside purpose other than playing on the computer, there is NO need to be packaged as bin/cue
- NO Multi-Language (keep in mind the goal of preserving the highest quality in the smallest package): Not enough demand, DEGRADES the quality, Adds unnecessary space
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"" is comprised of members of the following top DivX groups:- """ - █████ - ██████ - """ - """ - ██████ - ███████ - ████ - █████ - █████████ - ███████ - ████ - ████████ - █████ - ███████ - """ - █████████ - █████████ -
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EMAIL: """@████████.comWWW: www.████████.comIRC: #████████ / #███████ (efnet)Before drifting off to sleep, I decide to buy myself a DVD player with my first apprentice salary and enter this magical new world.
TO BE CONTINUED...
I find my muse in everything. When I don’t, I draw inspiration from daydreaming. After all, if you dream, you don’t sleep through life.