Why Broadway bootlegs are bad?

Many actors claim that bootlegs are harmful to their performances and that they are hurting the Broadway industry as a whole, while many Broadway fans support bootlegs because they allow Broadway to be spread to fans who would not be able to physically see a Broadway show, either because of finances or location.

Is it illegal to watch Broadway bootlegs?

But there’s one caveat with bootlegs: they’re 100\% illegal. While you can watch them on YouTube without being put in prison, recording them is against the law. They’ll say it at the beginning of every single performance you’ll ever go to.

Why is bootlegging bad?

Bootlegging is wrong. It is illegal, improper and impolite. If you’re sitting there trying to bootleg a show, you risk distracting the rest of the audience and even the actors. That’s disrupting the audience, people who’ve paid a damn lot to watch something.

What are Broadway bootlegs?

If it exists, then I am entitled to it. Most of the arguments as to bootlegging being “good’ or “bad” can be countered and re-countered until the end of time, but ultimately bootlegging culture is NEVER going to go away IMO. The same arguments have been tossed around in the music industry for decades too.

What are theater bootlegs?

For those of you unfamiliar with the term “bootleg”, it is a recording of a popular Broadway show (usually musicals), usually with the original cast, that someone has recorded illegally (it is sometimes ironically recorded in the video of the theatre’s warning before the show with the cellphones) and posted online for …

Is it illegal to watch bootleg movies?

Watching a stream of unlicensed movies, TV and sporting events is legal. Any discussion of the legality of streaming in the U.S. begins with the Copyright Act of 1976. And watching a stream — even if it’s unauthorized by the copyright holder — doesn’t technically violate these rights.

Are bootlegs valuable?

Prices for bootleg records on that label that sold for as little as $4 when new now approach hundred, and sometimes even thousands, of dollars. While not all record collectors are interested in bootleg records, and not all artists are represented by them, they remain an interesting area of record collecting.

Is bootleg clothing illegal?

As such, it is usually not illegal to buy the counterfeit item. But selling it is another matter. All that having been said, counterfeit and knockoff products remain a booming industry in the United States, and it is unlikely to end in the near future.

What is a musical bootleg?

A bootleg recording is an audio or video recording of a performance not officially released by the artist or under other legal authority. Bootlegs usually consist of unreleased studio recordings, live performances or interviews without the quality control of official releases.

What is a bootleg show?

Bootlegs usually consist of unreleased studio recordings, live performances or interviews without the quality control of official releases.

Is owning bootlegs illegal?

It is illegal to buy a “bootleg” DVD of anything, including an illegally taped broadway show. Law enforcement primarily concerns its scarce resources with the persons who illegally tape the shows and sell the DVD’s for profit.

Where can I find bootlegs of TV shows?

You can find these recorded shows on torrent sites like Pirate Bay. But you can just as easily find them on YouTube and Tumblr where fans have stepped up to curate this illicit content. Here is a particularly nice list of bootlegs contributed by Kate on Tumblr.

Is it legal to take pictures during a Broadway show?

Of course not, but there is always a bold warning that cameras and video taping devices are strictly prohibited during the performance. Just like there are $5 knockoffs of those current box office films hiding down NYC’s back alleyways, there are Broadway bootlegs floating around the Internet.

What happened to Broadway playlists on YouTube?

Over time, YouTube playlists largely become Broadway bootleg graveyards. The hollow place each show used to occupy in the playlist goes black under the shadow of copyright removal.

Are there any bootlegs on Tumblr?

Here is a particularly nice list of bootlegs contributed by Kate on Tumblr. There are a mix of links to YouTube videos and places you can download the shows to your computer. As copyright claims come in and render the links null and void, these shows are struck through.