1 IN 3 AUSTRALIANS ARE 'ACCIDENTAL PIRATES'

New research revealed that a third of Australians – 34% - said they see piracy as stealing or theft but they regularly do it by burning, buying or downloading illegal or unauthorized copies of films or TV programs. In other words 1 in 3 Australians participate in something that they don't agree with.

With this in mind, IPAF developed a fully-integrated social marketing campaign that aims to generate debate and eliminate the grey areas around piracy.

Tony Singleton, MD of creative agency The Furnace, who created the campaign for IPAF said, "We're appealing to people's better nature to do the right thing. The campaign is designed to get people to question their actions and attitudes towards piracy and to find out more. It's all about education – we coined the phrase 'Accidental Pirates' to help the target segment realise they are part of the problem."

The campaign includes traditional advertising in cinemas and on television and an online quiz www.accidentalpirate.com.au where people can check if they qualify as an accidental pirate. There's also a social media element designed to show the human face of our industry and clarify what piracy is and why it's damaging our industry.

David Roach, the writer/producer of Beneath Hill 60 said, "It takes a small army of people to make a movie. So anytime someone downloads a film illegally, it makes our job – which is getting great Australian stories to the screen – that much more difficult."

What can you do to make a difference?

We'd love everyone to get involved in the initiatives of IPAF. However, the first and easiest step is to respect the people and businesses working in the film and TV industry in Australia by watching, renting and buying the real thing in entertainment. Also, join the conversation – read the blog, take the quiz, follow us on Twitter, talk to your friends and colleagues, and give us your comments on the blog.