The UK's Federation AgainstCopyright Theft (FACT) and Film Distributors Association (FDA) havelaunched a new initiative against film theft.

The new "toolkit" is toassist exhibitors and distributors to protect film prints and prevent camcorderrecording of films. FACT noted that more than 90% of pirate DVDs anddownloads originate from camcorder recording in cinemas.

The group has nowdistributed the FACT BestPractice Guide To Prevent Camcording to UK cinemas to train staff, as well as a guide to helppolice deal with a suspected film pirate.

Meanwhile, UK Film Print and Digital Media ManagementProtocol offers information about the secure handling of film prints atevery stage in the exhibition cycle. That document can be downloaded here.

The UK's new Film Minister Shaun Woodward helped launch theinitiative.

'Film piracy is acrime. Pure and simple. And like any other crime weall have a duty to help stamp it out," he said. "This initiative will helpthose who are best placed to tackle it take swift and decisive action. It isconsistent with the Government's aim of helping build a film industry that issustainable, stable and successful. That's why we've brought together governmentagencies, industry and enforcement in a collaborative approach, in the form ofthe Intellectual Property Crime Group, to share expertise to prevent anddisrupt the growing threat from counterfeiting across a broad range ofindustries."