Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Pirata

It is very rare that i reject comments in my blog. And recently, i just did because these comments were promoting video piracy.

I have been in the industry for more than 10 years and i have witnessed hundreds of filipinos losing jobs due to piracy. In the mid 2000, i even produced a series of concerts educating people on the ill effects of piracy on music and films.

Just remember that when you pay for an original video, you just don't pay me. You also feed the families of the film crew - the light men, set men, drivers and everyone else tasked to carry heavy equipment during a shoot.

scene from the film "Laruang Lalake"
We live on a third world country. So as a writer and a film producer, here's my personal view on piracy. If you can barely make ends meet, i wouldn't mind at all if you buy pirated copies of my film. It is still my pleasure if the material can connect to you and make you at least forget the harsh realities of your daily life.

BUT, if you have a decent source of income, please be decent enough to pay for the materials that you would like to enjoy. Just like you, many people work hard to make a single video. And it is not fair to cheat them. Many families depend on their income.

And to put my words in a more "balahura" fashion:
Ang mga gustong makakita ng titi, matutong magbayad. Dahil ang mga aktor na pinagjajakulan natin. Tao rin yan. Kumakain at bumubuhay ng kani-kanilang mga pamilya. Pabayaan rin naman natin silang kumita.

24 comments:

Snakey's Confessions said...

hear hear...we all have our own personal wants, and honestly i count watching indie films as one of my own...its always easy for us viewers to just watch one without thought of how it was made but then again, after seeing how "Laruang Lalake" was made first hand, I realized that blood, sweat and tears (and probably other viscous bodily liquids ... ;P) were literally spent to complete these works of art... anything that we enjoy would be enjoyed better if we realize that these are not free... lets all be considerate and not just think from between our legs... no to piracy :)

Anonymous said...

kung balahura din lang ang pagkakagawa ng pelikula it deserves balahura treatment..bakit..do you treat the actors in a decent way too? ask yourself first..honestly?

Anonymous said...

Self-righteous much? You're more than willing to stand up against piracy yet you blatantly promote prostitution in your blog.

Kahit saang anggulo mo tignan, prostitution is so much worse than piracy. Sa piracy, pera lang ang nawawala. Sa prostitution, buong pagkatao at dangal ng tao binababoy.

Think about that the next time you promote another sleezy massage parlor or bathhouse.

Anonymous said...

I believe it's a choice where or how to buy what you want. It is the responsibility of the seller to protect his business. It's the new age now. I do not think that we should put the guilt on the consumer. They run their finances and choose what is better for them. Just like the producer of the film. Better go with the roots than the branches.

Anonymous said...

Comments 2 and 3. You got it right!! Touche!!

Nagmamagaling kasi tong bading na lex.

LoF said...

the second Anonymous is conflating the judgment on two activities with the underlying activities, which are not the same.

Piracy of independent movies is a victim-based crime, as it deprives all those who work on the film and the creative forces, the value of their work.

Prostitution is quite the opposite. Someone is receiving value for their work. Some may argue that prostitution is exploitative, but it is only so because it is criminalized and not better regulated. The moralizing of it creates victims. It is not in-itself a victimless crime.

Anonymous said...

no to piracy, pero yes sa babuyan , babuyan ng pagkatao at pag-take advatage sa mga taong gustong makamit ang akala nila dreams na mag-aangat sa kanila....kung malinis ang pagkakagawa nyio ng pelikula meron kayo karapatan magsabi ng no to piracy.....ganun lang kasimple yon....

Anonymous said...

may mga bakla talagang makaputak lang puputak at puputak at magtatago din sa anonymous na pangalan.

pagnanakaw naman talaga ang piracy. ninanakawan mo hindi lang ang direktor, hindi lang ang writer, kungdi ang buong pamilya na gumawa ng ninakaw mong pelikula. bakla ka na magnanakaw ka pa.

ang prostitusyon, nasa tumitingin yan. kasi serbisyo naman ang ibinigay nuong tao. kung puta siya, hindi pa puta ka din sa pagsisilibi mo sa boss mo sa kumpanyang pinapasukan mo? anu ang kaibahan ng sex at katawan at isipan mong nagpapagod magpaalila sa mga kumpanya? hindi nga lang titi mo ang hinihimod ng pinapasukan mo, mas masahol pa dahil panahon mo, enerhiya ng katawan mo, talino mo, skills mo at pinagkakakitaan ka nila. samantalang si 'prostitute' deretso sa end consumer. silang dalawa lang.

wag mong sisihin na dahil mali ang ginagawa ng iba ay karapatdapat din na mali ang ginagawa mo.

malapit na malapit na ang panahong dahil sa piracy ay masasanay tayong nakawin ang mga katha ng iba, nakawin ang mga pag-aari ng iba.

isang araw basta ka na lang papasukin sa bahay mo at kukunin nila ang mga gamit mo. kasi talamak na ang pagnanakaw at makakasanayan na natin siya bilang normal lang...

LoF said...

errata: "It is not in-itself a victim-based crime."

as for the last anonymous comment, animal husbandry and prostitution are similar, they are humans in close contact with nature, something that Christian piety, with its anti-flesh, anti-nature self-loathing attitude, can't wait to condemn. however, that is different than stealing. (unless we're talking about the chain of equivalence: sin = sin = sin).

Anonymous said...

Iba ang piracy. Iba ang prostitusyon. Iba rin ang sexual exploitation. Huwag mong pagsama samahin ang issue.

Bago ka magtaray. Siguraduhin mong hindi ka tatanga tanga!

Anonymous said...

To 2nd anonymous:

Kung sa tingin mo guilty si lex ng sexual exploitation. E di sampahan nyo sya ng kaso gaya ni jojo veloso.

Pero that does not give you the right to steal intellectual property rights of other people.

But on the other hand, mukha ka namang walang intellectual capacity what's the point of this discussion?

Anonymous said...

Hi, Lex! I must admit na maaaring ako ang pinatatamaan mo. To be honest, I also bought some original DVD's before but I noticed that as days passes by nawawala na ang substance ng mga indie movies lalo na yong may temang "Kabaklaan". Kaya ko siguro nasabi na I would rather but it first on a pirated copy than the original one. Kung maganda just like your first two movies, Ang lalaki sa Parola and ang lihim ni Antonio why not spent sone hundred pesos for a dvd copy, if it is worth our money. Remember, pinaghihirapan din namin ang ipinambibili namin. I'm just being practical. Sa hirap ng buhay ngayon dahil pinag-iisipang mabuti ang pagkakagastusan mo.

Anonymous said...

comment numbr 8: We are not defending piracy. All we are saying is that Lex doesn't have the right to complain about his movies being sold illegaly if he himself is more than willing to break the law by promoting something illegal like prostitution. MAG-BASA KA MUNA BAGO KA MAG-REACT

Anonymous said...

piracy o prostitution pare-pareho lang yan... kaya baklang nagsimula ng putak-putak na word dyan magbasa ka ng mabuti.. ang pinanganaglandakan ni lex eh piracy..oo piracy pagnanakaw... at ikaw baklang putak ng putak din...prostitution man o piracy pareho pareho lang yan mali kaya huwag mo na silang ipaghiwalay kung mali e mali... hindi pwede okay lang manggamit ng tao o gawing prosti ang isang tao basta huwag lang mag-pirate...bobo ka talaga baklang ng comment ng no. 7.... piracy o prostitution dapat parehong iiwasan.... tseh...bakit ikaw din nagtatago sa anonymous....kasi apektado ka... guilty...bwahahahaa

Anonymous said...

utang na loob.. tama na ipinag-babawal ang pagbili ng mga pirated vcd at dvd.. pero ipinag-babawal din nman ang pagpuputa!

ano ba ang kaibahan ng mga pokpok sa plaza at mga artistang naghuhubad.. na bago naging "artista" kuno eh pinagsasawaan muna ng director, writer, producer at kung sinu-sino pang pwedeng manggamit ng kanyang katawan, kapalit ang pera at pagbibida (paghuhubad) sa pelikula..

kahit na sabihing adult na at di sila pinilit, pero ang mga puta, adult din naman at di rin pinilit.

Anonymous said...

Ibang klase talaga ang bakla. Illegal naman talaga ang piracy, bakit parang marami ang tinamaan? Kasi ang mga pinoy, kung alin ang bawal, yun ang gusto. Tapos, magtuturo ng iba para may masisi. Maraming palusot, ika nga. Ngayon, ang blogger ang babalikan ninyo, para lang may masisi kayo. Kung sa tingin ninyo, prostitution ang ibinebenta sa blog na ito, at kuno-kunong malinis kayo, eh di huwag kayong magpunta sa blog na ito. Pero kung sakaling gusto pa rin ninyo dito, huwag ninyong gawing dahilan ito para suportahan ninyo ang piracy. - Ferdie

david m. said...

hey anonymous,

it is lex's blog; he has "the right" to say what the fuck he wants. why bring up prostitution? stay on topic.

piracy is stealing, period. of course, it is so readily accessible, that everyone does it or at least is tempted to do so.

in the end, only a few corporate conglomerates will be able to survive piracy and eventually they will figure out a way to stop it or curb the practice considerably.

so that means that guys like lex won't be around. they simply will not be able to afford it. truly independent film making will go the way of the film projector.

creativity will be largely stymied by corporate greed.

small independent films often suffer from bad sound, cheap sets, poor lighting, rushed scenes,etc. why would you want to add to that by buying some half ass pirated dvd?

then saith he unto them, render therefore unto caesar the things which are caesar's; and unto lex the things that are lex's.

amen.

L E E said...

i love you for that lex very straight,honest,and frank...kaw na yan..been a reader of ur blog for many months now..keep it ..up

Anonymous said...

ANG PAGBILI NG VIDEO EITHER PIRATE O ORIG CHOICE NA NG TAO IYAN,,,OK,,GANUN TLAGA,,MAHIRAP ANG LIFE,,KAYA MINSAN KUNG WALA DIN LANG KWENTA ANG MOVIE O SHOWS,,PIRATA BIBILI ANG ISANG TAO,,OR DEPENDE SA TAO IYAN TLAGA,,DI MO MADIDIKTAHAN AT MALALAHATAN,,DEPENDES!!


ITO NAMANG GINAGAWA NG MGA ACTOR SNA ITO NA GAY MOVIES,,E CHOICE NIA IYAN,,,I THINK HALOS SA KANILA MGA SEX WORKERS AT SANAY NA SA GANYANG GAWAIN ,,OK,,BE REAL,,SO WALANG PROBLEMA SA KANILA ANG GANYANG WORK,KESA NAMAN MAGNAKAW AT PUMATAY NG TAO,,DIBA,,GANITO NALANG,,,NAKAKAPAGPALIGAYA PA SILA NG MGA GAYS,,WAHAHAHAHAH

LAHAT DEPENDE SA SITWASYON AT SA TAO,,OK,,ITS THEIR CHOICE AT IRESPETO NATIN IYON NGUNIT WAG NATING IPAGMALAKI ANG MALI AT DI DAPAT,,OK,,,

Anonymous said...

The only reason why I continue to visit this website is because I'm doing my MA thesis on contemporary gay culture in the philippines.

Once I submit my final draft next month, I'm never visiting this site again.

Anonymous said...

Then, do not visit. This site is welcome for all to see not to be judged by you. You do not want it..go ahead make your day. Not interested with your selfish and rude comment.

Georyl said...

"The only reason why I continue to visit this website is because I'm doing my MA thesis on contemporary gay culture in the philippines.

Once I submit my final draft next month, I'm never visiting this site again."

So WHY COMMENT? If you hate this site, then keep that on yourself...nakinabang ka na sa site tapos nandiri ka!

Ano ba yan! The whoel internet is soooooooooooooo wide enough for a lot of people and I am sure you are not forced to be here. Goodbye!

Georyl said...

"The only reason why I continue to visit this website is because I'm doing my MA thesis on contemporary gay culture in the philippines.

Once I submit my final draft next month, I'm never visiting this site again."

GO! WE DON'T NEED YOU HERE! BAKA MAGING BAKLA KA PA...yan kung di ka bakla!

Casssandra Mae said...

kung chaka ang pelikula haller i won't waste my hard earned money para makasilip lang ng nota.

having said that, i have original dvd copies of your films parola ang antonio. they are worth keeping in my collection. as for the rest, haller hanggang torrent download lang sila i'm sorry to say. most are not even worth saving in my laptop.