The Motion Picture Association (MPA) today launched Operation ZoomOut ? an aggressive anti-piracy enforcement initiative with a focus on illegal camcording of newly released movie titles in cinemas.

Operation ZoomOut is scheduled to run through until January 31, 2009, in 13 countries and territories across the Asia-Pacific region.

Like Operation Takedown before it conducted during the summer blockbuster season, Operation ZoomOut will focus on the prevention of illegal camcording of newly released titles in cinemas.

More than 90% of newly released movies that llegally end up on the Internet and in street markets around the world originate from illegal recordings being made in cinemas, according to MPA. These recordings often appear online within hours or days of a movie premiere.

With day and date releases of major studio titles becoming more prevalent, and worldwide premieres in Asia-Pacific becoming more commonplace, the number of illegal recordings in the region has risen exponentially.

This year so far there have been 96 illegal unauthorized recordings forensically matched to theaters in the Asia-Pacific, MPA added. This represents a 405% increase over the same period in 2007, when there were 19.

To coincide with the launch of Operation ZoomOut, the MPA is also releasing an updated version of its 'Make A Difference' training package for cinema staff to help them prevent camcording, identify camcorders as well as assist police when they are caught making illegal recordings. 'Make A Difference 2,' which provides anti-camcording guidelines and a DVD on how to prevent illegal recordings, will be distributed to all cinemas across the region in the coming weeks.

This awareness initiative is part of the 'Make A Difference' campaign (http://www.make-adifference. sg), in which the MPA works with theater exhibitors to train employees and to implement anti-camcording security measures that ensure that movies are protected, and not stolen, during premieres and screenings.

MPA said that Operation ZoomOut would be conducted in Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.