CLEAN MEDIA UNITED LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE

An extremely passionate and ambitious activist group called Clean Media United has relaunched their website and their mission.

Their motto?

"The choices we make in media reflect the choices we make in life."

Their mission statement?

"To unite and promote those persons and entities dedicated to promulgating clean media and to educate the general public of the harmful effects of pornography (in all of it’s forms); to maintain records and a history of the persons and entities that promote clean media: and to apply for educational grants to encourage and to further clean arts. When a million whispers unite, the world will have to comply to our scream for change!"

The Clean Media United website is now active. Available on the site are video interviews with public figures from professional snowboarders to business leaders, all of whom support "Clean Media." Among the video clips that can be found on the site are interviews with Clean Flicks founder Ray Lines and Clean Flicks CEO Allan Erb. Ads for Clear Play, TV Guardian, and Family Safe can be found under the heading "Buy Clean."

The following message was part of a recent Clean Media United press release:

"One of our first goals was to provide a list of Clean Organizations, which is constantly growing. Search for an organization that is involved in the same fight you are, and unite with them to make a greater impact. You can create your own group, invite your friends, and collaborate ideas and information together, send email updates to everyone through the new site, and lots of other stuff. Imagine a Google-type search engine that is family friendly! "GOOGLE-FAMILY". You can research pornography, without seeing any pornography! Everything that comes up is a family-friendly site! You go on vacation and want to support family friendly hotels, so you find hotels in our Clean Book that refuse to offer adult entertainment to their guests. You vote with your dollar, so support those businesses who support Clean! Think of it as an online phone book, search for any business, local or national, that has pledged to support Clean!"

Find more information at CleanMediaUnited.org

CLEARPLAY PRESS RELEASE (2007)

Salt Lake City, Utah - Dec 6 2007

Best Buy Picks Up ClearPlay Nationwide

ClearPlay, the leader in advanced parental control technologies for consumer electronic products, today announced that the company's content-filtering DVD player is now being sold in Best Buy stores throughout the United States.

The award-winning ClearPlay DVD player empowers parents and other individuals with the ability to edit out content they find objectionable for themselves or their children -- such as profanity, graphic violence, sex and nudity -- during DVD playback. This is done by creating filtering information on a movie-by-movie basis, and then loading these "filters" into the DVD player using a USB "filter stick." This way, filters for the latest DVD releases can be constantly updated, providing parents and other adults with control over what they and their children watch. Analogous to airline or TV movie versions, it also makes many DVDs accessible to a broader audience.

The ClearPlay DVD player available at Best Buy includes more than 2,500 ClearPlay movie filters, a ClearPlay USB FilterStik(TM) for easy updates, and a USB port which can be used for easy viewing of digital photos and to load ClearPlay Filters. The Best Buy ClearPlay offering also includes twelve months of unlimited updates as new DVD are released. "We are delighted that the ClearPlay DVD player will now be available to parents everywhere through Best Buy's national distribution," said ClearPlay Matt Jarman, co-founder of ClearPlay. "This opportunity is a major step forward for ClearPlay and for the individuals and families we serve."

ClearPlay's innovative approach to providing edited movies has attracted a loyal following of users, and garnered numerous awards. In 2005, the company's DVD player became the first-ever product to receive the Parents Television Council's Seal of Approval. In 2007, ClearPlay received the Gold Award by Top Ten Reviews and the official Seal of Approval from the National Parenting Center.

"This is an inspiring success story about a small Utah company whose perseverance and resilience are beginning to bear significant results," said ClearPlay co-founder Lee Jarman. "Our recent expansion into retailers like Best Buy will help ensure that people everywhere have meaningful options for their home entertainment."

CUTTING AND PASTING: HUNSTSMAN v SODERBERGH AND COPYRIGHT LAW

BY CHRISTOPHER JORDAN / Nov 16, 2007
Flow TV

Huntsman v. Soderbergh illustrates the ever-escalating efforts of corporations to control their every representation in culture as if copyright ownership is a natural right rather than a constitutional privilege. In Huntsman v. Soderbergh, filed in August 2003 and decided in favor of the Directors Guild of America (DGA) in July 2006, a Denver federal court ordered four companies to stop selling and renting unauthorized edited or altered copies of movies, while allowing another company to continue marketing its DVD players and software filters because it does not make derivative copies of movies.

The guild argued that the creation and distribution of the final edited film products violated these provisions. The basis of the main “reproduction” claim was that duplicating movies by copying them onto a computer hard drive as part of the process of making the final edited movie was infringing. Huntsman v. Soderbergh thus raised several questions: Did CleanFlicks violate fair use by using illegal means to create its clean DVDs and by selling a product that compromises the potential market for the copyrighted work? Did ClearPlay violate copyright law by selling software that omitted offensive content without actually altering DVD content? Did CleanFlicks have the right to modify copies of works it had paid for under the first sale doctrine and sell them for profit or did this violate the copyright owner’s sole right of reproduction of the work?The “fair use” law allows the reproduction and use of a copyrighted work in order to balance the author’s right to compensation against the public’s interest in the widest possible dissemination of ideas and information. Fair use thus acts as a defense against the copyright owner’s monopolistic control over who can access copyrighted material and how they can use it.ClearPlay and CleanFlicks contended that their enterprises were legal under two provisions of fair use: purpose and character of the use, and the effect on the potential market of the copyrighted work. In contrast to CleanFlicks, ClearPlay markets a DVD player equipped with filtering technology as well as downloadable software that allows consumers to edit potentially offensive material without actually accessing the DVD. Huntsman v. Soderbergh determined that ClearPlay does not violate the copyright owner’s exclusive right to prepare derivative copies because it is not feasible to have a derivative work when no copy (or “fixation”) of the derivative work exists.

CleanFlicks similarly argued that its modification of Hollywood movies conformed to fair use because the legality of the intermediate copying involved (e.g., reproducing works onto a hard drive) depended on the legality of the final product, and that such copying was a non-infringing fair use when it ultimately produced a transformative, non-infringing final product. Rather than compete with the market for the original product, CleanFlicks argued that it served an entirely new market and bolstered the original one, since the company purchased one copy for every copy it sold in edited form. By condemning this rationale, Huntsman v. Soderbergh threatens the role of fair use in offsetting the monopoly of copyright ownership conferred by the U.S. Constitution.

CleanFlicks also defended its business on the grounds of the first sale doctrine, through which the first buyer of a copyrighted work can use it in any way she sees fit as long as no violation of copyright occurs, such as the duplication of a copyrighted work. The ruling against this argument in Huntsman v. Soderbergh undermines the role of the first sale doctrine in counterbalancing the monopoly enjoyed by copyright owners.The counter suit filed by the DGA also alleged that CleanFlicks and ClearPlay violated the Lanham Act by misrepresenting the trademarked names of well-known directors. Because U.S. copyright law has never acknowledged an artist’s moral right to prevent the mutilation or distortion of his or her work, Hollywood studios protect the artistic interests of directors by using the exclusive ownership conferred by copyright law to define the alteration of film content as trademark infringement. The use of copyright law in this fashion primarily protects the interests of the major studios rather than directors in the digital age by allowing them to argue that manipulation of a specific movie distributed by them damages their ability to profitably exhibit it in theaters and market it to multiple consumer demographics, as they currently do by releasing the R-rated version of a film in theaters and an NC-17 version as a Director’s Cut on DVD.

The DGA argued that ClearPlay and CleanFlicks engaged in editing that is inconsistent, creating confusion in the mind of the consumer. In Pirates of the Carribean (2003), “God-forsaken island” is muted, but “heathen gods” slips through. According to the DGA, ClearPlay editing also resulted in the insertion of social, political, and professional prejudices. In The Hurricane (1999), racial conflict between law enforcement and people of color is deleted, even though it establishes a context for how people of color later react to the police. The argument that CleanFlicks and ClearPlay’s editing created confusion in the mind of the consumer is erroneous. Consumers seek out edited videos or editing software/hardware systems exactly because of the difference between the altered products and the originals.The DGA’s allegation that CleanFlicks and ClearPlay violated directors’ trademark rights is also questionable because directors rarely hold the copyright to their films, much less the underlying rights to the script. Their artistic efforts are “work made for hire” by the studios; thus the studios hold copyright. The designation of the studios rather than film directors as copyright owners of Hollywood movies nonetheless throws into relief the extent to which the Lanham Act actually serves the interests of Hollywood studios rather than the DGA.

Huntsman v. Soderbergh illustrates how the legal system constructs copyright ownership as a natural right rather than a constitutional privilege. Even though the Directors Guild of America prevailed in Huntsman v. Soderbergh, the case nonetheless demonstrates that copyright law ultimately protects the interests of capital rather than Hollywood directors. Content providers who wish to extend copyright protection well beyond its intended objective of ensuring remuneration for creators and promoting the progress of the arts and sciences will continue on the basis of Huntsman v. Soderbergh to exert absolute control over how and when legally acquired, copyrighted material can be used.

CLEAN FLICKS AND CLEAN FLIX

BY THE BARON OF DESERET / July 14, 2006
Opinion Piece

Once upon a time, back in February 2004, I started a weblog.

I knew that in addition to general LDS issues, I wanted to focus on movies--and to that end I created a special movie section on the site which, despite not being read by very many people has been a rewarding experience and has generally been updated consistently with two or three new articles every month. At the time, CleanFlix and other such movie cleaning services and technology were in their infancy, and I figured it would only be a matter of weeks before a comprehensive article on them would see the light of day on my new website.

Never happened... The CleanFlix blog article remained on the back-burner for the last two and a half years and has never materialized...mostly because in those two and a half years I've never once used CleanFlix, ClearPlay, or any movie editing service. Surprising, in a sense, because (a) we don't happen to watch R-rated movies, and (b) we live in Utah County where opportunities to rent edited videos are rampant. Seemed like the perfect alignment of stars to make us regular customers....

And yet, everytime I think, 'You know, it might be nice to check out "Lost in Translation" or "Sideways"' and drive by a CleanFlix, I just keep on driving, and have never really developed any serious interest in trying out edited movies. Since CleanFlix and the like have been hot discussion topics lately (see here also) I figured it's probably time I attempt to figure out why I'm not part of the edited movie craze when it seemed inevitable back in 2004.

The key issues from my perspective:

(1) Purism: As a movie purist, I want to see the real movie, not just some arbitrary subset of it. If the movie is supposed to be dark, ugly, and violent--then perhaps it should be seen in its dark, ugly, and violent fullness...or not seen at all. As a commenter in the M* thread remarked, editing movies away from their original intent is a little like buying a copy of Playboy with the pictures cut out just to read the articles. If you care about objectionable content (and I submit you should) it's probably more appropriate to just find some other movie to watch. There's plenty of clean(er) ones out there...

(2) Funding the Enemy: Buying an unedited DVD, and buying an edited DVD from a place that had to buy an unedited DVD first looks exactly the same on the movie studios' income reports. While this fact is a good argument why the studios shouldn't be complaining about edited video places as much as they have, it is also an argument why you might not want to buy edited videos in the first place. Like that pictureless copy of Playboy, you may feel morally superior for finding a way to get some value out of it without wading through the smut, but the purveyors of that smut got just as much of your money with which to line their pockets regardless. You still become one more name on the list of Playboy 'consumers' who keep them running.

If the goal is to encourage the production of better and cleaner entertainment, directly supporting the production of 'bad' forms of entertainment financially, even through a sanitizing middleman, seems to be the exact opposite of what you'd want to do...

(3) The Appearance of Evil: Suppose your bishop is having a casual conversation at a ward activity and says, "Oh, yeah--I read about that in an article in last month's Playboy..." What would your first reaction be? Does that bishop have the luxury of saying to himself: "Of course I only read the 'sanitized' version of Playboy. If everyone else ignorantly jumps to the conclusion that I read the unedited version without first finding out the facts, that's their problem..." But it's not just their problem... Appearances matter.

Many scoff at the idea of "the appearance of evil", and act as if you can take a can of Coors Light, dump it into the sink, fill it with orange juice, and then drink it in public all you like without any harm being done. ("Hey, if people ignorantly assume without finding out the truth, that's their problem...") Lack of credibility or the appearance of unworthiness can have many devastating effects on other people (and yourself), and knowing that people will jump to conclusions without all the evidence, wise people will actively avoid circumstances where they could be misunderstood. The 'truth' doesn't matter much when one or more members have already gone inactive out of disgust for the seeming low standards of their current bishop...

Likewise, if you're on a date and casually start quoting lines from "Sin City" or "Pulp Fiction"--do you have the luxury of assuming your companion won't assume you've just revealed something about your standards in entertainment? Protesting later that you had only seen the clean versions won't matter much if your potential boyfriend/girlfriend has already presumptively crossed you off of the partner suitability list in their head...

(This fact forces some people I know to speak defensively all the time--"I was watching the TV-edited version of "Braveheart" the other day...", "We rented an edited version of "Goodfellas" with all the profanity and violence removed and..." This may help avoid misunderstandings, but at the cost of sounding awkward and/or self-righteous instead.)

Basically, if you're going to maintain standards inwardly, it's frequently beneficial to make sure they are reflected outwardly as well, without attempting to be 'in' the R-rated world but not 'of' the R-rated world amongst people who might not be able to tell the difference...

(4) "Hey, they're just movies...": Both "The Baroness" and I like movies...but they're just a casual, unimportant form of entertainment.

Back in '99 (pre-CleanFlix), when I was at BYU and "The Matrix" came out, it quickly became the hot controversy around campus, with a lot of students who felt they probably shouldn't see it, but couldn't resist, simply because (a) it was supposed to be a 'light' R, and (b) it was the "It" movie of the year, which you just HAD to see if you were anyone. I never did see "The Matrix" (or its 2003 sequels) part because my standards had already been determined, and part because no movie is "must-see". Big name movies come and go every year and no movie--even "The Passion of the Christ" (also unseen by me)--is 'important' and 'life-changing' enough to be worth losing sleep over not seeing. We liked all three "Lord of the Rings" movies, but had we not seen them (as with our friends who don't watch PG-13 movies) it would be no more tragic than going through life not having read "Pride & Prejudice" or not having tasted Rocky Road ice cream. Movies just aren't that important...

This isn't to say CleanFlix and the like shouldn't exist--I think the movie studios' case against them lacks merit especially since (a) they still make the same amount of money and (b) they have little credibility from an 'artistic' standpoint since they edit movies for content on airplanes and TV all the time.

(Tangent: We saw the TV-edited version of an originally R-rated movie last year. After watching it, I glanced at some of the online articles about it, and discovered most of the discussion revolved around the full-frontal nude scene of the lead actress. This nude scene was not in the TV version of course, but more oddly, looking back, "The Baroness" and I couldn't figure out for the life of us where in the movie the scene would have been, as a nude scene from this actress's character had no relationship with anything that happened in the movie. This is significant only to show that oftentimes the R-rated material has no artistic value whatsoever, and is often completely superfluous to the underlying story...)

Due to the technicalities of copyright law, CleanFlix themselves may be in trouble, but ClearPlay seems to be completely legal, so regardless of the outcome of recent court cases there will always be some outlet for those who wish to partake of sanitized films. And yet, for all the reasons above, I don't think we'll be joining them. Edited films seem to present just as many concerns as solutions to the problem of finding clean entertainment, and for the time being it looks like my rendezvous with Scarlett Johansson and Virginia Madsen will just have to wait...

COURT BLOCKS SALE OF SANITIZED DVDs

BY CYNTHIA LITTLETON / July 10, 2006
The Hollywood Reporter

A federal judge in Colorado has handed the industry a big win in its protracted legal battle against a handful of small companies in Utah, Arizona and Colorado that offer sanitized versions of theatrical releases on DVD.

The case encompasses two of Hollywood's biggest headaches these days: the culture wars and the disruptive influence of digital technologies.

Senior U.S. District Court Judge Richard Matsch came down squarely on the side of the DGA and the major studios in his ruling that the companies must immediately cease all production, sale and rentals of edited videos. The summary judgment issued Thursday requires the companies -- Utah-based CleanFlicks, CleanFilms and Play It Clean Video, Arizona-based Family Flix United States and the separate entity CleanFlicks of Colorado -- to turn over all existing copies of their edited movies to lawyers for the studios for destruction within five days of the ruling.

Utah-based CleanFlicks, which describes itself as the largest distributor of edited movies, through online sales and rentals and sales to video stores in Utah, Arizona and other states in the region, said it would continue its fight against the guild and the studios. CleanFlicks and the others make copies of official DVD releases and then edit them for sex, nudity, violence and profanity.

"We're disappointed," CleanFlicks chief executive Ray Lines told the The Associated Press. "This is a typical case of David vs. Goliath, but in this case, Hollywood rewrote the ending. We're going to continue to fight."

David Schachter, attorney for CleanFlicks of Colorado, said Sunday that it was unclear whether any of the video-editing companies would seek an emergency hearing this week to request a stay of the injunction pending an appeal. He said such a move was unlikely for CleanFlicks of Colorado, which operates a retail store in Colorado Springs, Colo. It was unclear Sunday whether the store was still open.

Representatives for Family Flix could not be reached for comment during the weekend. A posting on the Web site www.clean-edited-movies.com reported that the Family Flix had decided to shut its doors after five years as a result of the litigation, though the date of the posting was unclear. The site quoted Family Flix founders Richard and Sandra Teraci as making plans to establish their own production company.

CleanFlicks and the others maintained their edited DVDs were legal under fair use guidelines that allow for the use of copyrighted material in criticism, news reporting, parody and other circumstances. The slogan on the CleanFlicks Web site is "It's About Choice." An online listing for Family Flix's offerings on the Web site of the Mormon-based Meridian magazine noted that the content snipped out of its edited videos included all references to "homosexuality, perversion and co-habitation."

The mainstreaming of sophisticated digital editing technologies has fueled the cottage industry of movie sanitizers. CleanFlicks and others purchase an official DVD copy of a film on DVD for each edited version of the title they produce through the use of editing systems and software. The official release disc is included alongside the edited copy in every sale or rental transaction conducted. As such, the companies argued that they had the right on First Amendment and fair use grounds to offer consumers the alternative of an edited version for private viewing, so long as they maintained that "one-to-one" ratio to ensure that copyright holders got their due from the transactions. Matsch disagreed.

"Their business is illegitimate," the judge wrote in his 16-page ruling. "The right to control the content of the copyrighted work ... is the essence of the law of copyright."

The fight began in August 2002 with a pre-emptive legal filing by CleanFlicks against the DGA and 16 prominent directors after it got wind that the guild was preparing a legal case against the company. CleanFlicks sought a court ruling clarifying its right to market the videos on First Amendment grounds. The DGA and directors countersued the following month. After initially staying out of the fray, eight Hollywood studios joined with the directors and the guild in December 2002, filing claims of copyright infringement against CleanFlicks and other companies.

"Whether these films should be edited in a manner that would make them acceptable to more of the public playing on a DVD in a home environment is more than merely a matter of marketing; it is a question of what audience the copyright owner wants to reach," Matsch wrote. "This court is not free to determine the social value of copyrighted works. What is protected are the creator's rights to protect its creation in the form in which it was created."

The studios involved in the suit are MGM, Time Warner Inc., Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc., the The Walt Disney Company, DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc., Universal, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation and Paramount Pictures Corporation. The directors named in the initial August 2002 filing included Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Steven Soderbergh, Michael Mann, Robert Altman, Curtis Hanson, Betty Thomas and DGA president Michael Apted.

Apted called Matsch's ruling a vindication for the guild and its members, especially with its clear support for rights of the work's original creator to protect how their film is presented.

"No matter how many disclaimers are put on the film, it still carries the director's name," Apted said. "So we have great passion about protecting our work, which is our signature and brand identification, against unauthorized editing."

Early on the legal sparring involved Salt Lake City-based ClearPlay, which offers video filtering software that allows for home viewing of cleaned-up versions of Hollywood titles.

ClearPlay offers software programs developed for specific titles that users can run on their computer or ClearPlay's proprietary DVD player along with an official copy of the DVD. With this technology, a nude shot of an actor can be altered to show a silhouette, or profanity can be bleeped out. Because ClearPlay's technology does not involve making an altered DVD copy, it has been shielded from the copyright infringement claims. The debate over movie content filtering activities made its way into Congress, which passed the 2005 Family Movie Act that protects ClearPlay and other software-based filtering companies. Matsch noted that Congress at that time had the opportunity to also carve out legal protections for CleanFlicks and its ilk, but chose not to.

The DGA said in its statement on the ruling it "remains concerned about this exception to copyright protection."

Matsch's opinion could wind up eliminating most of ClearPlay's competition, but company Bill Aho still criticized Matsch's reasoning.

"While it may be good for ClearPlay Inc., it's bad for parents," Aho said. "Moms and dads need all the help they can get to protect their kids, and these companies were providing a valuable service."

CLEARPLAY PRESS RELEASE (2006)

Salt Lake City, Utah—July 7, 2006

ClearPlay Responds to CleanFlicks Ruling—Disappointed by court ruling against its competition.

Even though it could clear the field of all competitors, ClearPlay would rather have the courts allow companies that edit DVD’s to continue operations. ClearPlay CEO Bill Aho expressed concern over yesterday’s summary judgment ruling from the District Court of Colorado, which favored Hollywood studios and ordered an immediate injunction against CleanFilms, CleanFlicks and other companies that edit and resell DVD’s. "While it may be good for ClearPlay Inc., it’s bad for parents," said Aho. "Moms and dads need all the help they can get to protect their kids, and these companies were providing a valuable service."

ClearPlay’s unique movie filtering technology was protected by Congress with The Family Movie Act of 2005, and was not affected by yesterday’s ruling. ClearPlay works as a feature in a DVD player to filter regular DVD’s from sex, violence and profanity. CleanFilms, CleanFlicks and others sell or rent edited copies of DVD’s, which the courts deemed a copyright violation.

Unless the courts grant a stay of injunction, ClearPlay will have the only product on the market that offers a legal filtered alternative for popular Hollywood movies. The company currently has filters for 2000 movies, with new titles available every week. ClearPlay is also licensing its movie product, as well as other leading-edge parental control technologies, to multiple markets in media and consumer electronics.

CLEANING UP THE MOVIES (PART 2)

BY KIETH MERRILL / April 16, 2006
Meridian Magazine

Hollywood loves money. Greenback blood is the sustaining life force of the good, the bad and the ugly. But even Hollywood is puzzled by people willing to pay TWICE as much for a movie all "cleaned up".

To be honest, so am I. But as discussed in Part 1, a remarkable number of conservative consumers sustain an equally surprising number of companies that "re-edit" customer's videos and DVDs. The buyer pays twice. Once to buy the movie. Twice to have the "bad stuff" taken out.

Some circumvent the double pay proposition with "membership rentals". It's a good service but the economics are essentially ths same. The consumer pays a premium, only it comes in the form of membership. There are lots of issues. The technical tap dances the re-editors go through may ultimately not be enough to rescue their controversial chorus line of copyright questions from the alligator-invested swamp where they are dancing - no wait, those smiling jagged jaws are Hollywood attorneys.

Some argue that Hollywood has missed the boat. The DVD technology that enables Hollywood to put "all that other stuff" on the disc also allows them to include alternative versions. They could - if they wanted - include a ratings reduced version so you could watch Saving Private Ryan, Schindler's List , Patriot and even Training Day ( R-rated one and all) with your kids and mother-in-law, Laverkin. Hollywood could easily give you PG versions of their R-rated films. Remarkably they don't. Technically it is easy. Politically it is practically impossible.

"Impossible" for an industry as complex and cumbersome as Hollywood spells "o p p o r t u n I t y" for the unfettered and nimble entrepreneur. Two small companies have created a "clean up the movies" alternative to the "Re-editing" services.

As promised, I am talking about "DIGITAL FILTERING". DF is more complex and technically sophisticated than simple digital editing, the technique now used by most of the re-editing services . The current limitation is that it only works with DVD. These are not red flags of warning but banners of celebration. Digital Filtering offers significantly more control and ultimately promises a more enduring and cost-effective solution.

What? You say. Digital filtering only works with DVD?

If there is anyone out there who has not switched to DVD -- clinging somehow to the notion that VHS video cassettes will survive -- I would like to sell you my vast laser disc collection. Technology changes. Some change with it. Some people still shoot hi-8 video, own vinyl records and listen to the Beach Boys on 8-track tape players.

The truth is that DVDs are chasing video tape off the retail shelves. Circuit City has announced that it is dropping movie videos in VHS format. Frank Ahrens and Dina ElBoghdady writing in the Washington Post call it "the death knell for videotape and the VCR which has been the dominant form of home video entertainment for almost two decades." [Ahrens, Frank, ElBoghdady, Dina, Dvds Are Pushing Videotapes Off Retailers' Shelves, The Washington Post, June 21, 2002.]

Blockbuster is spending $365 million to replace 25% of videotape rental inventory with DVD movies and games. DVD rentals jumped 176% in one year at the nation's largest video rental store. Despite that 95 % of Americans have a VCR sitting on the top of their TV, they are headed for obsolescence. It is a slow death but inevitable extinction. When VCRs were introduced in 1978, they cost $800.00 Today you can buy a VRC for $60.00. [but only if you hurry and go somewhere besides Circuit City.]

The digital revolution in home entertainment is not a fad. DVD is here to stay - at least until the inevitable new technology comes along. According to Ahrens and ElBoghdady , "The slow extinction of VCRs could at least temporarily leave viewers with fewer entertainment options and wedge them between two warring titans - electronics makers and Hollywood studios,"

There is a war going on. In the midst of the battle, a few entrepreneurs move stealthily among titanic enemies taking technical and tactical advantage of what each seems willing to neglect-- a vast population of conservative consumers who would like to clean up the movies.

Those bright people with the technical talent to tap into the digital domain promise an amazing future of consumer control.

When you watch a movie, the last thing you care about is how in the heck those beautiful images and incredible sound got from that flimsy little disc called DVD [Digital Versatile Disc.] and onto your screen OR how they got on the DVD in the fist place.

Suffice it to say the movie, originally shot on 35 mm motion picture film -- unless it was Attack of the Clones -- was converted to digital code at a lab in Hollywood and compressed into something called MPEG 2 then burned onto a DVD - a million DVDs. Your computer or DVD player comes with software that can read - decode - the compressed digital information and translate it into moving pictures and dynamic sound. Understanding decoders and DVD drivers is important to understanding the process and control of quality.

TWO DIGITAL FILTERING SOLUTIONS

I contacted both companies that lay claim to Digital Filtering solutions. They are ClearPlay and Movie Mask.

Mr. Bil Aho, CEO of ClearPlay, and Mr. Breck Rice, Founder and COO, of Trilogy Studio. creator of Movie Mask, were both extremely cooperative, candid and explicit about their companies and commitments. It is important for you to remember that I have relied on their comments, information and opinions about their respective companies and products and about each other. I am not an investigative reporter, software engineer nor clairvoyant. What they said is what you get. My comments are the Elmer's glue.

I wanted to test drive both ClearPlay and MovieMask. ClearPlay is the only company offering digital filtering that has been up, active and operating for any period of time. MovieMask has announced release of its masking software this month.

CLEAR PLAY

I started with ClearPlay. My first impression was very positive. The ClearPlay site is clean, crisp and appealing. I was struck by a quote by Michael Medved - who happens to be one of my heroes.

"Movie fans who have been worried about excesses in violence, sexuality, and language can now enjoy their favorite films with a sense of security and satisfaction." Michael Medved.

I signed up for the 30-day free trial and paid for an additional 30 days in the spirit of fair play. To my dismay, I discovered that ClearPlay does not support Macintosh.

MOVIE MASK

I went immediately to Movie Mask. I downloaded the Beta-test version of Movie Mask with the special password supplied by Mr. Rice. Dang it ! The Beta-test version of Movie Mask does not support Mac either.

My instinct was to forget about writing Cleaning Up the Movies Part 2 and write about something much more right brained. [And by the way I promise, no more "techy" articles, OK?]

With out the ability to actually "test drive" the sites, I felt a bit disadvantaged. But then it occurred to me that you can test drive both sites and send your feedback to Meridian or the respective companies. ( www.moviemask.com, www.clearplay.com,]

At one level, both companies do the same thing. They offer digital filters via the Internet called respectively, "ClearPlay Guides" or "Movie Masks". As of this writing, each company offers a product that essentially skips or mutes objectionable images or ideas.

The big difference in the companies seems to be where it is going and what is possible. Movie Mask has a vision of a more complex and sophisticated technology that will allow, among other things, digital replacement of images. ClearPlay does not even contemplate going there, or, as Aho stated, "he does not believes that such technology will exist in the near future." According to Movie Mask they are only months away and already have Alpha prototypes.

Neither product works with stand-alone DVD players. ClearPlay informed me that they are optimistic that by the end of the year the product will come installed on at least one -- and maybe 2 -- DVD consoles from major manufacturers. "In time for Christmas, we hope," Bill Aho told me. ClearPlay has not yet announced the specifics of the deal, but let's hope it happens. It is a huge step.

If ClearPlay is successfully bundled with existing DVD players it moves digital filtering to the next logical level - from the personal computer to the set top box. The difference in the numbers of people who watch movies on computers - even computers hooked to their television - and the hordes that watch movies on dedicated DVD players is enormous.

Breck Rice informed me that Movie Mask is also in negotiation with manufacturers of stand alone console DVD players to install the Movie Mask decoder as part of -- or in place of -- the current drivers.

MARKET FOR CLEAN MOVIES

According to Bill Aho, "There is a mountain of data confirming the desire for "cleaned-up" movies. Everyone knows that G and PG movies do better at the box office. That Hollywood doesn't seem to "get this" is one of the great mysteries of entertainment.
Great care is taken and thoughtful effort made at ClearPlay to ensure that although a scene or word is removed, the continuity of the story is maintained, and the presentation retains its entertainment value. Many say the end result is similar to an airline or television presentation of the movie.
ClearPlay has created "Guides" for over 250 titles. The list of titles on the website is impressive and growing rapidly, if the list of popular "new releases" is any indicator. It is pretty much the list of the movies you want to see. "Of the new major releases we try to do anything of substance at the box office. There are some movies that can't be cleaned up such as Eyes Wide Shut or American Pie. On the other hand not many of our customers have any interest in movies about teenage sex."

"We really don't make a call on what is offensive or appropriate," said Aho. "That's a matter of discretion, values, taste and age. What we do is create Guides according to a ClearPlay standard. Right now, that involves removing all profanity, nudity and graphic violence. You can go to the ClearPlay website and get a feel for what the theatrical version of the movie is like, and how the experience will be when it is ClearPlayed.

We have collectively set our standards. In the end, one of our editors makes the judgment and the executives of the company review it. The film, Patriot, as example takes out the scene of the boy being shot, but we don't remove all the blood. When it comes to violence it is difficult to specifically articulate . It depends on the level of carnage. "Graphic" is the key word. Customers can go to the web site and get information regarding the edits before and after."

Aho acknowledged that, "the ClearPlay market tends to skew to people with family values and sensitivities across the Midwest, Intermountain States and Bible Belt." He said that ClearPlay "is national for the most part, in about every state", but was unwilling to give me any statistics regarding numbers of subscribers, hits or other "confidential" market information.

One of the great challenges for anyone attempting to "clean up the movies" is that tastes and sensitivities can be vastly different, even among otherwise homogenous conservative demographics. ClearPlay offers only one "guide" per film. People more offended by sex than violence or not offended by language do not have options. Still, Aho reports that "Customer satisfaction is very high. In discussing the "one ClearPlay Guide standard", Aho told me, "in the future there will be customized ClearPlay filters."

Access to ClearPlay Guides is via a membership which costs $99.00 a year ($59.00 for Meridian readers) or $10.00 per month. The membership offers unlimited downloads of Guides to the over 250 titles. The steps are easy. 1. Join ClearPlay. 2. Buy a DVD. 3. Go on line and download all the current moves [250 plus titles]. 4. Put the movie into the DVD player on your computer. 5. ClearPlay interface comes up. 6. Press play. 7. Watch the "cleaned up" movie.

The edits created by the digital filters - the ClearPlay Guides-- are limited to skip and mute. There is no replacement of images or words. When the guide calls for mute, the sound track goes silent. Aho emphasized that the editors made an effort to go for the solution that cleans up the scene with the least disruption to the flow of the story.

A challenge faced by ClearPlay is that their 3rd party decoders are not always frame accurate. That means for all the care taken by the editor, a command to mute or skip a few frames may in fact end up skipping more. The editor's instructions in the ClearPlay Guide is only able to put the edit "the region" not always on the precise frame.

Because ClearPlay doesn't run on Mac - and I am unwilling to taint my fingers on a windows machine - I have not personally tested Clear Play.

Aho told me that ClearPlay was working on a frame accurate decoder product of its own due with the next release. Both ClearPlay and Movie Mask agree that there is a need for better accuracy in the decoder software. The first release of Movie Mask includes its own proprietary decoder that is perfectly frame accurate according to Move Mask engineers.

THE VISION OF MOVIE MASK

Movie Mask is a product of Trilogy Studios. The company grew out of the gaming industry when the founding partner and chief computer programmer, David Clayton, decided to use his vast knowledge of digital imaging to do something positive - like cleaning up the movies.

Movie Mask has been in development two years and has come to market just this month. You can access and test drive Version I at www.moviemask.com

"Movie Mask has been slow coming to market," Breck Rice explained, "because of the very complex programming behind the product and the technical sophistication of the Director Software used to create the Movie Masks.

"Movie Mask Version 1.0, released July 4, 2002, is a skip and mute program very similar to the product that ClearPlay has on the market but with a couple of important differences.

"For one thing, "explains Rice, " Movie Mask has its own frame accurate decoder that is being released with the product now. This allows a more finely tuned edit. In the opening of Saving Private Ryan, for example, we have 32 edits. They are frame accurate. It is more complex, but in the end allows us to take out the gore without being subject to the sloppy work of the standard decoders that might whack out 3 unexpected seconds."

Subsequent releases of Movie Mask, Rice explained, will include replacement of images and words without noticeable interruption in the sound tracks. Virtual clothing, lip manipulation and other special effects will be added as the product is enhanced.

The vigorously discussed and popular demonstration of future capability includes the infamous scene from Titanic where actress, Kate Winslet, poses nude for her artist boy friend, Leonardo DiCaprio. Remarkably, the movie was given a PG-13 rating, but because of full upper body nudity the scene remains controversial. Removing the scene [Skip] arguably interferes with the progression of their relationship. Movie Mask promises the ability to cover Kate with a modest corset -- or a blue GAP shirt it you want -- and it is this that the demonstration illustrates. (To see this demonstration you can contact Movie Mask through their website.)

Movie Mask is only one of the products coming from Trilogy Studios. Movie Mask Director, the sophisticated software developed to create the masks [digital filters] that not only skips and mutes but covers, augments and replaces, promises to be, according to Rice, "a graphics tool that combines the best features of programs like Photoshop, Final Cut Pro and After Effects into a single, simple to use program. And it does it on the fly."

Aho claims that he seen the demonstration for Movie Mask and argues that the "technology is a long ways away."

"Not so", insists Rice. "We are very, very close."

"While ClearPlay has only one filter per movie, -- a kind of one standard fits all approach -- " explains Rice, "Movie Mask allows the consumer many more options . Viewers can drop violence but keep the language or visa versa. "It will be possible to "dial in" the movie you want at precisely your own standard and tastes," explains Rice.

Access to Movie Mask is via the web. A consumer goes on line (www.moviemask.com) and downloads trilogy studio proprietary software which includes decoders and DVD player drivers. All of the existing mask files are included. Movie Mask has 150 titles prepared to date and expect 500 by the end of the summer.

Rice emphasized that each movie title has multiple mask versions so consumers can customize the movie to their own tastes and standards. Consumer can actually adjust - so the language, sex and violence can all be at different levels. -

Movie Masks has created its own rating system. The "G, PG, PG-13 and R" ratings guides used by the MPAA are copyrighted and fiercely protected. Movie Mask ratings are based on age and include, M-8, M-12, M-16, M-19. M=movie mask. The numbers are appropriate age..

Trilogy is very supportive of what ClearPlay is doing according to Rice. " Trilogy Studio is in full support of ClearPlay's solution. We hope they are wildly successful because they are educating and building a market for consumer choice in media and entertainment. Because of our different technologies and expanded options we don't really consider ClearPlay a direct competitor but look upon them as an ally in the market place."

Trilogy Studio is still open to select strategic and financial partners. Company credibility surged ahead a year ago when CNN host Larry King and his wife, Shawn, joined the Board of Directors and became outspoken supporters in promotional videos. Beloved entertainer and child advocate, Marie Osmond, is also a member of Trilogy Board of Directors.

Looking ahead Rice said, "We know our initial target markets - we are creating an entertainment application for the DVD ROM followed by the 16 million Next Generation DVD players [X-Box, Play Station 2 etc.]. We know our mid range objective. We have been commissioned by two Movie Studio executives to get Movie Mask drivers and software embedded into consumer electronic hardware."

Next month, as part of its broad vision of digital entertainment Trilogy will launch the Digital Media Institute at the Larry H. Miller Entrepreneurial Center. This new institute involves several universities in and outside of the United States. Trilogy hopes to create "the Juilliard of Digital Media, " says Rice.

I confronted Trilogy - Movie Mask founder, David Clayton, with the criticism that Movie Mask demos are "pie in the sky" and that the technology is "no where near". He smiled to himself. There is no lack of confidence here. Clayton agreed to leave his computer long enough for an interview.

"The hard stuff is done," Clayton said. "The root is there and we know it works and now it is about expanding that base and throwing a lot more people at it. The important thing is that from the beginning we have been doing it right. Designing the architecture. Building the base. Securing the framework. We are a company of vision. We can see where all of this is going. We don't see another solution. We have not focused on the quick or simple fix. Skip and Mute are crude first steps compared to where we are headed. We have been building strong and solid stepping stones to bigger and better things. We are patterning our software and company to win a war and not just a little battle - we are here for the long haul"

ClearPlay is here now. They are good people, doing the right thing for the right reason. They have a good product and a great web site. They have an expanding list of "cleaned up" titles and a growing consumer base nation-wide. Check them out at www.clearplay.com.

Movie Mask is the new kid on the block offering rudimentary skip and mute like ClearPlay in their Version 1.0. But mostly they exude confidence and enthusiasm about the next generation of consumer control with Movie Mask options that range from virtual clothing to buying a copy of Julia Robert's dress on line while watching Runaway Bride. Check them out at www.moviemask.com

TV GUARDIAN BACKS CLEARPLAY

September 5, 2005
The Daily Variety

CleanFlicks Conundrum: Solutions prez Bray 'sick and tired' of racy films -- The company that sells the TVGuardian filtering device has sided with ClearPlay in its fight with the DGA over the issue of excising sex, violence and foul language from video and DVD versions of movies.


View full story at www.variety.com

CLEARPLAY TO FILE COUNTER-SUIT

September 5, 2005
The Daily Variety

CleanFlicks Conundrum: Movie scrubber seeks court injunction -- The legal battle over sanitized versions of Hollywood movies has heated up with a software supplier announcing it will file a countersuit against leading directors, the Directors Guild of America and the major Hollywood studios.


View full story at www.variety.com

HELMERS' CUT ABOVE?

September 5, 2005
The Daily Variety

CleanFlicks Conundrum: Current climate fuels copyright debate -- Maybe Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton should give CleanFlicks or ClearPlay a call.

View full story at www.variety.com

MOVIE FILTER FIRM BLASTS DGA CHARGES

September 5, 2005
The Daily Variety

CleanFlicks Conundrum: ClearPlay calls guild actions 'affront to personal rights' -- ClearPlay, a specialist in parental movie filtering technology, has blasted the Directors Guild's recent legal strike against sanitized versions of Hollywood films.

View full story at www.variety.com

DGA PRESS RELEASE

An official press release from the DGA with regard to their counter-suit:

DGA responds and counterclaims against Robert Huntsman and CleanFlicks; adds motion picture studios to suit. (September 20, 2002)

Motions also filed to expand counterclaim to include other entities that provide unauthorized altered versions of videocassettes and/or DVDs


Los Angeles (September 20, 2002) – The Directors Guild of America (DGA) today filed an answer to the lawsuit filed against sixteen of its director-members by Robert Huntsman and CleanFlicks of Colorado, L.L.C, as well as a counterclaim to the lawsuit. The answer and counterclaim were filed in U.S. District Court in Denver, Colorado.

In addition, the DGA also asked the Court:

* To allow the Guild to "intervene," thereby enabling the DGA to represent the interests of its entire membership;

* To allow the Guild to expand counterclaims to include other companies that engage or contribute to the practice of editing or altering videocassettes and/or DVDs in commerce;

* To allow the Guild to bring in the motion picture studios as necessary parties, citing their role as the copyright holders of films.

The other entities the DGA motion seeks to include in its counterclaim are Video II; Glen Dickman; J.W.D Management Corporation; Trilogy Studios, Inc., which is the producer and distributor of MovieMask software; CleanFlicks; ClearPlay, Inc.; MyCleanFlicks; Family Shield Technologies, LLC, which is the manufacturer of a product called MovieShield; Clean Cut Cinemas; Family Safe Media; EditMyMovies; Family Flix, U.S.A. L.L.C.; and Play It Clean Video.

The sixteen directors named as defendants in the original lawsuit, all of whom will be represented by the DGA, are Robert Altman, Michael Apted, Taylor Hackford, Curtis Hanson, Norman Jewison, John Landis, Michael Mann, Phillip Noyce, Sydney Pollack, Robert Redford, Martin Scorsese, Brad Silberling, Steven Soderbergh, Steven Spielberg, Betty Thomas and Irwin Winkler.

According to the documents filed with the court, the film altering entities are renting, selling, or distributing versions of movies, which neither the Guild's members nor the studios authorized, and which are altered versions of members' works. In the counterclaim, the DGA states that these entities are in violation of the Lanham Act, which is a federal statute that prohibits false advertising, trademark infringement, and unfair competition, and has been applied to protect an artist's right not to be associated with an unauthorized, edited version of his or her work.

In addition, the DGA charges the companies with trademark dilution under federal law and unfair competition under California law.

"What these companies are doing is wrong, plain and simple," said DGA President Martha Coolidge.

"It is wrong to cut scenes from a film –just as it is to rip pages from a book—simply because we don't like the way something was portrayed or said, then resell it with the original title and creator's name still on it." Coolidge continued. "It is wrong to circumvent the studios, who are the copyright holders, and the director, who is the film's creator—all in the name of turning a profit. It is unethical, it is shameful, and the DGA will aggressively pursue these claims.

In its counterclaim, the DGA and its director plaintiffs are asking the Court to grant a permanent injunction to stop the defendants from wrongfully distributing unauthorized versions of feature films that they have edited to remove content and language.

Following are descriptions of what the defendants are doing:

* CleanFlicks sells, distributes, and/or offers in commerce, versions of feature films that have been edited by CleanFlicks to remove portions of the films. Through the cleanflicks.com website, CleanFlicks sells edited videos and DVDs; through the mycleanflicks.com website, MyCleanFlicks rents edited videos and DVDs. CleanFlicks also offers edited videos in its chain of video stores throughout California, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Michigan, Montana, Ohio and Oregon. Like Video II, CleanFlicks removes content through cut edits and volume muting.

* Video II is editing films to offer "E-rated" video versions of new releases, which are then provided to grocery stores in Utah. Corporate record filings and previous news accounts list Glen Dickman as the President of both Video II and J.W.D. Management.

* MovieMask, produced by Trilogy Studios, is software that consumers can purchase online then download into their computer. The software "masks" or filters frames either by editing scenes or dropping out language. On the moviemask.com website, Trilogy Studios boasts that future upgrades will have the ability to superimpose new images, words, advertising or other material during the playback of the DVD. The software "masks" are currently available for 41 films, though the company says it plans to increase its library on an ongoing basis.

* ClearPlay, like MovieMask, markets movie-filtering software that can be downloaded from the Internet. The company currently offers software filters for over 150 DVDs and according to its website adds approximately 25 titles per month. The software instructs the DVD player when to skip over or mute portions of the film in order to filter out specific content. ClearPlay is offered on a monthly paid subscription basis.

* Family Shield Technologies is the maker of a product called MovieShield. MovieShield consists of three separate electronic devices: One device is connected between a VCR or DVD player and television set. A second device is portable and is used to transfer specific movie information. A third device is connected to a computer to download information into the transfer device. MovieShield uses a "patent pending" technology to determine which scene is being played in the movie. Then, using a database of timing information, MovieShield determines when to mute the sound and/or blank the video screen. The "shielding" is broken into eight different categories. According to their website, these categories include: "vain references to Deity; minor language; major language; nudity; sexual situations; immodesty; violence; and gore."

* Clean Cut, like CleanFlicks, sells, distributes, and offers, via the Internet, versions of feature films that have been edited by CleanFlicks to remove portions of the films. The videos and DVDs sold and rented by Clean Cut have been edited, without authorization, to remove content they consider "objectionable." Clean Cut offers its products via the Internet at www.cleancutcinemas.com.

* Family Safe and its affiliated entity or alter ego EditMyMovies, rent and sell edited videos via the www.familysafemedia.com and www.editmymovies.com websites. Family Safe and EditMyMovies also offer a software product called "TVGuardian," which masks or filters language of movies during their VCR playback, and provide this software in DVD players available for sale via the Internet.

* Family Flix, and its affiliated entity or alter ego Play It Clean, sell, distribute, and offer via the Internet, versions of feature films that have been edited by to remove "objectionable" portions of the films, similar to CleanFlicks. Family Flix and Play It Clean offer their products via the Internet at www.familyflix.com and www.playitclean.com.

CLEARPLAY PRESS RELEASE (2002)

Salt Lake City, Utah—Sept 21, 2002

ClearPlay Denounces Hollywood Attacks—Company labels Directors Guild lawsuit "predatory" and "anti-family."

ClearPlay Inc., the leader in enhanced parental controls for movie filtering, has issued a statement regarding legal proceedings that have been initiated by the Directors Guild of America, aimed at ClearPlay as well as other companies that provide similar benefits.

"The DGA's claims against ClearPlay are wholly without merit," said Bill Aho, ClearPlay's Chief Executive Officer. "While other companies in our industry may utilize methods that are legally controversial approaches, ClearPlay does not. Banning ClearPlay filters is like trying to ban the fast-forward or mute buttons on your remote control."

"ClearPlay has worked with the leading entertainment copyright attorneys in the nation to ensure that the company does not violate copyright law, and has continued to respect the properties and rights of the studios, directors and artists. ClearPlay is simply an advanced parental control feature. ClearPlay does not sell or rent edited movies. The company does not reproduce VHS or DVD's. ClearPlay does not add unauthorized audio or video content to movies, nor does it contemplate doing so in the future. In fact, we don't even use box art or movie clips in our website or promotional materials."

"Given our scrupulous adherence to copyright law, these actions by the DGA against ClearPlay can only be viewed as predatory and malicious harassment."

"The very idea that the DGA should be allowed to control how families watch movies in their homes is an outrageous affront to personal rights and civil liberties. Every organization in this country that is concerned about parental rights, freedom of choice or the influence of media in the home should take a firm stand against these anti-family efforts."

ClearPlay provides software that allows consumers to view DVD's—which they purchase through conventional retailers—free of unwanted content.It gives consumers the ability to skip and mute over graphic violence, sex, nudity and profanity if they choose. ClearPlay filters do not touch, alter or change the DVD in any way.

ClearPlay offers its DVD-ROM software to consumers via its website, www.clearplay.com, and through various affiliates, doing business across the U.S. as well as internationally. The company offers filters for 300 popular movie titles.

CLEARPLAY PRESS RELEASE (2001)

Los Angeles, California - Dec 10, 2001

Clearplay Launched Groundbreaking Movie Filtering—Brand New Technology Expands Family’s DVD Options.

The joys of home movie watching...the smell of popcorn popping...the smiles on your children's faces as they anxiously throw in the DVD your 11-year-old has been begging to rent all week. There's just one problem...you want to watch a really great story but you don't want to cringe and watch your family squirm during the sex scene or the occasional barrage of expletives. Thanks to ClearPlay, there is a solution.

ClearPlay Inc., a technology company specializing in the development of DVD filtering tools, debuted today with the launch of a revolutionary new product. ClearPlay enables the whole family to enjoy the hottest film releases together — whether they are rated PG, PG-13, or R — without having to endure these awkward moments.

With the click of a mouse, you can now download the patented ClearPlay software from the Internet to your PC or laptop and filter out objectionable content from a wide selection of popular new and classic DVD movies. For big-screen family viewing, most PC's or laptops can also be connected to the TV.

Once ClearPlay is downloaded, parents can choose whether to "ClearPlay" a movie or watch it in the original. The file instructs the DVD player when to "skip over" or "mute" portions of the film in order to filter out specific content. ClearPlay has developed patent-pending precision timers that allow for frame-accurate control of the DVD presentation without impacting any of the copy protection measures incorporated in the DVD standard.

"Watching movies together can be a terrific family experience and with ClearPlay you're a lot more comfortable about what your family is seeing," said Bill Aho, CEO of ClearPlay Inc. "In many cases, both parents and kids are seeing movies they would not have previously considered because they were worried about some of the content. Our goal is to open up more movies to families, but without some of the content that concerns so many parents."

Central to the company's philosophy is that each ClearPlayed movie maintains the continuity of its storyline and the engaging nature of the film. To accomplish this, the company employs professional film editors to develop guides while keeping an eye on the movie's artistic value.

The annual subscription price of $9.95 per month offers access to ClearPlay's entire library of guides for more than 150 hit DVD titles, with approximately 25 new titles being added each month. Log on to www.clearplay.com to take advantage of the company's no-risk trial. Experience ClearPlay's service for 21 days, if not completely satisfied, cancel for a full refund.

BYU GRADS DEVELOP DVD-EDITING SOFTWARE

BY CHARITY BRUNSON / Nov 28, 2001
Brigham Young University's Daily Universe

ClearPlay became available last week. The company, founded by brothers Matthew, Lee and Peter Jarman, worked for two years to perfect the innovative technology that makes ClearPlay possible.

Their unique software allows an editor to map out a movie, noting frame by frame each moment that needs to be skipped or muted. The resulting file tells the computer how to play back the DVD. "If you think of a DVD player like a record player it's like picking up a needle moving it and dropping it," Peter Jarman said.

What makes ClearPlay unique is that it doesn't physically alter the DVDs, which means viewers can see an edited version of a movie they rented at any video store, Peter Jarman said. It also means that ClearPlay is completely legal -- since it changes only the playback and not the DVD itself, it doesn't violate any copyright laws, he said.

ClearPlay is currently designed to run on a computer -- it requires the intelligence of a DVD-ROM and Windows 98 or 2000 to operate -- but a laptop can be connected to a regular TV with a cable.

ClearPlay also still relies on human judgment. "ClearPlay doesn't automatically know what to skip -- we have to create a navigation file for every movie," Peter Jarman said. The service can be downloaded at www.clearplay.com.

Currently, about 160 titles are available at a flat subscription rate of $70 a year. About 15 - 20 movies are added each week. The selection includes PG, PG-13 and R- rated movies, carefully chosen for their family-friendly themes. And though the editing guidelines are the same for all films -- all graphic violence, profanity and sexual content is removed -- the results aren't necessarily child appropriate.

"With some movies, the premise of the movie isn't suitable for kids; we're not taking away that premise," Peter Jarman said. The service does, however, strive to help families promote responsible media viewing.

"It's a tool to help parents and individuals who want to enjoy a lot of the mainstream entertainment out there but not suffer through anything inappropriate or offensive," he said. It is students, however, who Peter Jarman said he thinks are most likely to benefit from ClearPlay, because they have the technology to use the software.

And in Provo, there seems to be a demand for edited movies. Clean Flicks, a club for renting edited movies, said they have over 1,500 members at fees ranging from $30 a year to $25 a month.

Matthew Jarman, who was actually inspired to start ClearPlay while working for a local movie editing company, said he is pleased with his product. "I think there are a lot of developments that we will continually improve on, but it works well right now," he said.