The latest anti-piracy initiative from the Film Content Protection Agency (FCPA) has now concluded, with a significant increase in participation from cinema staff across the UK and Ireland, making it by all measures an unprecedented success. The campaign culminated in a celebratory award presentation at the UK Cinema Association’s annual Christmas Party on 5th December.
Traditionally, the FCPA conducts a 12-week campaign each quarter, engaging approximately 3,000 cinema staff through its educational quizzes designed to enhance understanding of and vigilance against film piracy. This autumn’s campaign, however, condensed into a 10-week period, saw participation more than double to almost 7,000 entries, with a surge in engagement, particularly from independent cinemas, with nearly 1,000 entries.
Major cinema chains such as Cineworld and Showcase have integrated the FCPA quiz into their staff training programmes, underscoring the industry’s shared commitment to combating piracy. And the heightened participation in this campaign reflects increasing awareness as well as the ongoing proactive stance within the cinema community on this issue.
A contributory factor to the surge in engagement this time around was the enhancement of the quiz prize. Omnex, a cinema technology service company, collaborated with the FCPA to double the usual reward, offering a GBP £2,000 cash prize.
The UK Cinema Association Christmas party – attended by almost 400 industry professionals including representatives from a broad range of UK cinema operators, US film studios and other film distributors, technology manufacturers, and screen advertisers – served as the backdrop for the award presentation. The winner, Lucy Johnston from the family-operated Pavillion Cinema, Galashiels, Scotland, was honoured on stage, receiving the £2,000 cheque. Lucy was delighted with winning the prize and commented, “It really shows that anyone can win, no matter which cinema you work in”.
The timing of this campaign was particularly pertinent, coinciding with the successful releases of major films such as “Gladiator II”, “Paddington in Peru”, “Wicked” and “Moana 2”, all of which have significantly boosted box office revenue in recent weeks. The continuing absence of piracy incidents originating from UK cinemas during this period highlights the effectiveness of the FCPA’s initiatives and the industry’s collective vigilance.
Simon Brown, from the FCPA, commented “The success of this campaign underscores the critical role of cinema staff in protecting intellectual property and ensuring that audiences experience films as intended. The industry’s collective efforts, bolstered by supportive partners like Omnex, exemplify a steadfast commitment to preserving the magic of cinema for future generations.”