Pirates Beware Case Studies - Learning from local companies Ground Glass Images Pte Ltd Movie producer Mr Juan Foo is as passionate about the protection of IP as he is with his artistic profession. From day one in his trade, he knew that copyright is the IP that subsists in his works, be it the storyline, screenplay, cinematography or broadcast. Though it may not be a registrable IP right, Juan is vigilant in the protection of his copyright in a number of ways.When it comes to dealing with co-workers and external parties, who often come together on an ad-hoc, need basis in relation to every movie project, he recognises that the trust factor will not displace the need for a non-disclosure agreement to be signed.He has shared that his work “The Return of the Pontianak” had attracted debate as to whether copyright is owned since the pontianak is a non-proprietory subject matter, not to mention that the roll-out of the movie has seen rampant piracy in neighbouring countries not long after the movie had been released in Singapore. Juan understood that it is the expression of the idea of the pontianak, not so much of the idea itself that matters in assessing whether copyright exists or not. He also shared that the piracy of his movie drove home the fact that one could be more vigilant in the surveillance and enforcement of one’s rights especially when the onus is on the copyright owner to ensure that the infringement is checked.