Has Hollywood finally solved the DVD screeners problem during Oscar season?

More Tea

Apart from Sully nothing major seems to have leaked this year. Has the film industry finally solved their security problems with some new encryption?

S.M.B.

Sully wasn't even a leak. It was released in the states long before it was released over here.

Sad Professor

Aren’t most of the leaks usually in January/February anyway?

More Tea

Sad Professor wrote: »

Aren’t most of the leaks usually in January/February anyway?

I remember seeing them around in previous years from Christmas week onwards.

Yeah the leaks come in November December. I'd say a bunch of people got sued after the watermarks were tracked down, and journalists are being a lot more careful now with handling the movies. Or maybe they just invited them to screenings instead of sending them out copies of the movies!

davidsatelle100

Their still sending them out. Kevin Smith had a post on facebook about getting his Rogue One screener before Christmas.

I'd say the watermarks are just making people more careful.

Stone Deaf 4evr

More Tea wrote: »

Apart from Sully nothing major seems to have leaked this year. Has the film industry finally solved their security problems with some new encryption?

I hope not.

johnny_ultimate

I wonder if it has anything to do with the modest profile and size of this year's contenders. There's not really any major high-profile auteur in awards contention for a change (Silence maybe, but it hasn't a snowball's chance in hell of gaining much crossover traction), and many of the favourites have steadily gained buzz (Moonlight in particular) as opposed to having arrived on a wave of anticipation. Manchester by the Sea has been around for a while, but even that's from a somewhat low-profile director and isn't as widely appealing as the likes of The Revenant or The Hateful Eight. There's no big 'is it Leo's year?' type of story either.

Don't get me wrong: I think this is the most interesting bunch of awards contenders in a very long time. But given the comparatively small size of the films I wonder if there just isn't the same ethusiasm and demand for 'leaks'. Or the studios could just be getting cleverer. Whatever.

More Tea

Found this, it's a journalist's list of what he's gotten so far to watch and when he got it. It's crazy no one has leaked Rogue One yet so Im leaning towards "much stronger digital watermarks" this year

Terrible formatting here but you get the idea

Date

Film and Sender
Medium
Via
8/28/2016 MILES AHEAD - Sony Pictures Classics DVD mail 8/28/2016 MAGGIE'S PLAN - Sony Pictures Classics DVD mail 9/26
I SAW THE LIGHT - Sony Pictures Classics
DVD
mail
9/26
THE MEDDLER - Sony Pictures Classics
DVD PAL
mail
10/11
HELLO MY NAME IS DORIS - Roadside Attractions
DVD
mail
10/14
LONG WAY NORTH - Shout! Factory
DVD
mail
10/21
THE MEDDLER - Sony Pictures Classics (Re-send in NTSC)
DVD
mail
10/28
LOVE & FRIENDSHIP - Amazon
DVD
mail
10/28
CAFÉ SOCIETY - Amazon
DVD
mail
10/28
THE NEON DEMON - Amazon
DVD
mail
11/2
DENIAL - Bleecker Street
DVD
mail
11/2
CAPTAIN FANTASTIC - Bleecker Street
DVD
mail
11/2
EYE IN THE SKY - Bleecker Street
DVD
mail
11/2 ANTHROPOID - Bleecker Street DVD mail 11/8 HELL OR HIGH WATER - CBS Films, Lionsgate DVD mail 11/9 THE BIRTH OF A NATION - Fox Searchlight DVD UPS 11/10 ZOOTOPIA - Disney Blu-ray mail 11/10 CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR - Disney Blu-ray mail 11/10 THE JUNGLE BOOK - Disney Blu-ray` mail 11/12 SAUSAGE PARTY - Columbia Pictures DVD mail 11/12 TOUCHED WITH FIRE - Roadside Attractions DVD mail 11/14 WE ARE X - Drafthouse Films DVD mail 11/16 THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS - Universal Blu-ray FedEx 11/16 SULLY - Warner Bros. DVD UPS 11/16 THE SALESMAN - Amazon Studios DVD mail 11/16 AMERICAN PASTORIAL - Lionsgate DVD mail 11/16 HACKSAW RIDGE - Summit/Lionsgate Blu-ray mail 11/16 DEEPWATER HORIZON - Summit/Lionsgate Blu-ray mail 11/17 QUEEN OF KATWE - Disney DVD mail 11/17 FINDING DORY - Disney - Pixar Blu-ray mail 11/21 TROLLS - Dreamworks DVD UPS 11/21 MANCHESTER BY THE SEA - Amazon Studios DVD mail 11/21 THE DRESSMAKER - Amazon Studios DVD mail 11/21 THE HANDMAIDEN - Amazon Studios DVD mail 11/21 NERUDA - The Orchard DVD mail 11/21 LIFE ANIMATED - The Orchard DVD mail 11/21 THE MUSIC OF STRANGERS: YO-YO MA (etc.) - The Orchard DVD mail 11/21 HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE - The Orchard DVD mail 11/21 CHRISTINE - The Orchard DVD mail 11/22 THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN - Universal Blu-ray FedEx 11/22 MISS SLOANE - EuroCorp, Film Nation DVD mail 11/23 YOUR NAME - Funimation Films DVD FedEx 11/25 THE RED TURTLE - Sony Pictures Classics DVD mail 12/3 ARRIVAL - Paramount DVD mail 12/3 FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS - Paramount DVD mail 12/3 I, DANIEL BLAKE - Sundance Selects DVD mail 12/3 WEINER - Sundance Selects DVD mail 12/5 JULIETA - Sony Pictures Classics DVD mail 12/6 TONI ERDMANN - Sony Pictures Classics DVD mail 12/6 LAND OF MINE - Sony Pictures Classics DVD mail 12/6 THE COMEDIAN - Sony Pictures Classics DVD mail 12/6 ELLE - Sony Pictures Classics DVD mail 12/7 KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS - Focus Features Blu-ray mail 12/7 LOVING - Focus Features (delayed delivery 12/13 FedEx) Blu-ray mail 12/7 NOCTURNAL ANIMALS - Focus Features (delayed delivery 12/13 FedEx) Blu-ray mail 12/7 A MONSTER CALLS - Focus Features (delayed delivery 12/13 FedEx) Blu-ray mail 12/9 JACKIE - Fox Searchlight DVD UPS 12/9 PATERSON - Amazon Studios DVD mail 12/9 GLEASON - Amazon Studios DVD mail 12/9 SNOWDEN - Open Road DVD mail 12/9 BLEED FOR THIS - Open Road DVD mail 12/12 20TH CENTURY WOMEN - A24, Annapurna DVD mail 12/13 ALLIED - Paramount DVD mail 12/13 FENCES - Paramount DVD mail 12/13 SILENCE - Paramount DVD mail 12/13 MOONLIGHT - A24 DVD mail 12/13 DOCTOR STRANGE - Marvel Studios DVD UPS 12/13 MOANA - Disney Blu-ray UPS 12/14 FANTASTIC BEASTS Etc. - Warner Bros. DVD FedEx 12/15 FREE STATE OF JONES - STX Entertainment DVD mail 12/15 HIDDEN FIGURES - 20th Century Fox DVD UPS 12/16 THE EDGE OF SEVENTEEN - STX Entertainment DVD mail 12/16 LA LA LAND - Summit (Liongate) Blu-ray mail 12/19 PATRIOTS DAY - CBS Films/Lionsgate DVD mail 12/20 LIVE BY NIGHT - Warner Bros. DVD UPS 12/20 ROGUE ONE - Lucas Films DVD UPS 12/22 O.J.: MADE IN AMERICA - ESPN Films 2-DVDs mail 12/22 FIRE AT SEA - Kino Lorber DVD mail 12/23 TOWER - Kino Lorber DVD mail 12/23 HOOLIGAN SPARROW - [Unknown] DVD mail 12/23 EQUITY - Sony Pictures Classics (re-send, original lost) DVD FedEx 12/28
RULES DON'T APPLY - 20th Century Fox, Regency
DVD
UPS
12/29
SING - Universal
Blu-ray
FedEx
12/30
BILLY LYNN'S LONG HALFTIME WALK - Sony
DVD
FedEx
12/30
PASSENGERS - Sony
DVD
FedEx
1/6/2017
MY LIFE AS A ZUCCHINI - GKids
DVD
mail

Suckit

Sad Professor wrote: »

Aren’t most of the leaks usually in January/February anyway?

https://torrentfreak.com/screener-season-is-here-but-where-are-the-piracy-leaks-161218/

In all years that were previously documented the first leaked screener came out before December 16th. This means that today’s absence of 2017 screeners is definitely noteworthy.
That said, the bulk of the leaks are often published late December or in January, so it’s too early to draw any conclusions. Time will tell if there are going to be any presents for pirates this Christmas.

Then, on the 29th of December, this was mentioned:
https://torrentfreak.com/infamous-piracy-group-says-it-ready-to-start-leaking-screeners-161229/

Interestingly, however, Hive-CM8 has just put out a statement which suggests that January might be the month to watch. Alongside a TS (telesync) release of the new Assassins Creed movie, the group notes its absence but expresses eagerness to start leaking screeners again – with some caveats attached. (note: statement edited to fix typos/grammar)
“Yes, still here and kicking, we had to have a break for some time. Bet you are waiting for screeners, yep why not,” Hive-CM8 begin.

And one the 3rd of January, the first Screener was leaked this year:
https://torrentfreak.com/first-dvd-screener-leak-of-2017-is-denzel-washingtons-fences-170103/

The leaked DVD screener drought has been broken with the release of the Denzel Washington movie Fences. The copy carries a Paramount Pictures "For Your Consideration" watermark. With more leaks said to be on the way, the group behind the leak informs TorrentFreak that they prefer not to brag about their achievement.

Frank O. Pinion

The group responsible for most of last year's screeners, Hive-CM8, have said they don't want to release screeners for the big films, until the film has had a fair chance at the box office, after hurting The Hateful Eight's box office take, among others.

More Tea

Frank O. Pinion wrote: »

The group responsible for most of last year's screeners, Hive-CM8, have said they don't want to release screeners for the big films, until the film has had a fair chance at the box office, after hurting The Hateful Eight's box office take, among others.

That's quite unusual. A torrent release group with ethics!

Ciaran_B

Some of the bigger private film trackers have changed their rules and won't allow screeners. I know a lot of the stuff that ended up on public trackers started on private ones.

Gaz

LOL ... no sooner has a thread started and they are starting to leak, Patriots Day and Hidden Figures just leaked.

More Tea

Gaz wrote: »

LOL ... no sooner has a thread started and they are starting to leak, Patriots Day and Hidden Figures just leaked.

Havent heard of either till now but both have strong reviews.

spurious

Saw 'Hidden Figures' in the Odeon Screen Unseen. Nothing terribly surprising plot-wise, but very well acted and enjoyable.

B.A._Baracus

Anytime the words dvd screeners gets mentioned I always think of the leak of "I am legend" back at Christmas 2007.

If memory recalls correctly it hit the net on December 23/24 while the movie didn't officially come out until the 26th in the cinemas. Amazing copy too.

silverharp

the one I remember was Fury , but that was North Koreans or something ;-)

More Tea

The fact that many, many people out there have very watchable copies of Rogue One, Passengers and Arrival and nobody has leaked them yet is crazy!

Frank O. Pinion

More Tea wrote: »

The fact that many, many people out there have very watchable copies of Rogue One, Passengers and Arrival and nobody has leaked them yet is crazy!

Now leaked, along with La La Land.

promethius

More Tea wrote: »

The fact that many, many people out there have very watchable copies of Rogue One, Passengers and Arrival and nobody has leaked them yet is crazy!

both out there

Suckit

https://torrentfreak.com/more-pirated-movie-screeners-leak-online-170115/

After weeks of anticipation, more pirated copies of awards screeners began appearing online this week. With leaked copies of Arrival, Hidden Figures, Patriots Day, Moonlight and La La Land, it appears that the pirate "screener season" is properly underway.

the_syco

Mr.S wrote: »

Are they compressed to remove all the digital watermarks?

Pretty much this, I'd say. The watermarks will only appear for a few frames at certain times, so a reduction of frames coupled with lower quality is probably the best way to get rid of the watermarks.

Seems Hive-CM8 will be sitting on a few of the larger releases, possibly by request from their source?

Suckit

I have always wondered why Hollywood don't release another format just for screeners or any other reasons that they might send out stuff.
I mean similar to a Blu-Ray player, but without any connections other than a unique connection to a unique TV, similar to HDMI, and maybe an audio conection.
That way the only way someone could copy them would be to film the TV Screen.
It couldn't be that hard.

OU812

Many years ago, I used to be involved in the movie industry (early 90s to early 2000s), there was a function called "Cinema days" that ran over a number of years whereby they'd get all the journalists/industry together & we'd all go to the cinema...

For 12 hours a day, three to four days in a row.

We'd see all the major movies to be released over the next six months to a year (anything they could get a copy of basically), most had not even been seen by the censor yet. For example I saw "The Matrix" in November 1998 and it was actually released in June 1999. It had literally been flown in the previous day.

I don't understand why they can't run screenings like these for the industry.

There's approximately 6,000 voting members of the academy, it would be easy enough to organise.

From what I hear though, very few voting members watch the selections because they're too busy, instead they give the DVDs to their staff to watch & ask their opinion.

Sad Professor

There are free screenings, but not everyone goes to them. Most Academy etc members are working professionals and don’t have time to see everything. This is why most awards go to the same few films because most members only watch what they’ve heard are the top dozen or so films of that year, hence the importance of parties, ads, etc.

There are also screeners offered via more secure formats (iTunes) and in better quality (Blu-ray), but many elderly members (i.e. the ones with time to watch films) are technophobes or don’t have Blu-ray players.

More Tea

The highly aclaimed Moonlight now leaked too.

More Tea

Hacksaw Ridge added to the leaked list. It's Mel Gibson's WWII Oscar bait film.

Pinkman

No sign of Jackie and Silence it seems.

OU812

No sign of "Sing" or "Rogue One" either

More Tea

OU812 wrote: »

No sign of "Sing" or "Rogue One" either

Think some of the titles may be using Leet Speak in their titles to avoid takedowns.

OU812

More Tea wrote: »

Think some of the titles may be using Leet Speak in their titles to avoid takedowns.

What's Leet Speak when it's at home... Specifically what would it be for those two titles?

R P McMurphy

OU812 wrote: »

What's Leet Speak when it's at home... Specifically what would it be for those two titles?

r0u63 0n3 51n6

Cantona's Collars

OU812 wrote: »

No sign of "Sing" or "Rogue One" either

The latter is in the wild,no doubt it will appear in a day or two.

leaked manchester by the sea is now available, and a monster calls. so don't think it solved at all. I watched both anyway.

Suckit

I think Manchester by the Sea was available before Christmas, although i am not 100% sure if it was a screener.

Tefral

Jackie is online now too

Sad Professor

Well as the last several posts prove, the answer to the OP’s question is a definitive “no”. And with that I’m afraid we're strayed too far into flagrant discussion/promotion of piracy, which is against charter.

Thread closed.