Back when films were distrubuted on physical reels of film, making copies of the film was very expensive. The solution was to make enough copies for the cinemas

Back when films were distrubuted on physical reels of film, making copies of the film was very expensive. The solution was to make enough copies for the cinemas in America, and once American cinemas were done with them, move them on to other countries. Films were given internationally staggered releases in order to control distribution costs. Once Internet advertising made marketing campaigns international, this suddenly ran into problems. Australia - usually amongst the last English-speaking countries to see Hollywood films - suddenly saw what Americans were seeing, and what they wouldn't see for the best part of a year. Many films went to DVD in America - and therefore the piracy networks - before getting to Australian cinemas. This specific problem has been solved now that films are distributed on optical media and hard disk drives, but torrenting remains very popular in Australia. When we talk of protecting copyright holders, the film studios are often blamed. However, this distribution system was set up by a network of separate distribution companies. A century ago, they provided the solution to a genuine logistical problem; now, they seek rent for solving a problem that no longer exists.