As I reflect on my first 100 days leading the Motion Picture Association’s (MPA) Content Protection team, I’m energized about what we’ve already accomplished together and excited about the path forward. Following a 27-year career with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, I’ve been impressed by the dedication and expertise across our Content Protection operation, in particular, the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) – in enforcing intellectual property rights and protecting the creative works that inspire and bring joy to audiences worldwide.
I’ve met with our member studios, and the Content Protection and ACE teams around the world, to better understand their needs and challenges. These conversations are shaping our strategic planning process and helping us build a robust framework to guide our efforts to combat piracy in an increasingly complex digital landscape.
Earlier in the year, the MPA’s Content Protection team grew our bench of legal experts, welcoming Jesse Martin as Senior Vice President and Associate General Counsel, Content Protection and Legal Affairs (Intermediaries Programs); Marissa Bostick as Senior Vice President and Head of Global Litigation; and Bryan Willett as Vice President of Content Protection, Americas Region. With these new additions, we are doubling down on our expertise and agility in our antipiracy efforts.
To stay ahead of the evolving threat of digital piracy, my top goal for the year ahead is to bring our capabilities to the next level. To achieve this, I have identified three main strategic pillars to focus our efforts: Detect, Deter, and Dismantle.
- The first pillar, Detect, centers on strengthening our intelligence-gathering and analysis. We will be taking affirmative steps to harness key data sources and broaden our visibility into global piracy networks. Building on the impressive research already conducted by the ACE team , we will work to collect, share, and leverage intelligence in new ways to drive impactful enforcement actions across the world.
- In the Deter pillar, our aim is to create the conditions for success, even in the most challenging market areas. This means continuing to educate consumers on the dangers of piracy such as identity theft and malware, and leveraging new ways to put “sand in the gears” of the criminal enterprises behind so many of the globally prevalent piracy sites and services. Targeting live sports piracy and disrupting source piracy networks will be a key focus.
- Finally, under the Dismantle pillar, we will ensure our enforcement strategy remains agile and effective. Drawing on my previous law enforcement experience, I can attest to the immense satisfaction of putting handcuffs on bad actors and dismantling their complex criminal operations. This will remain a core part of our work, but with an even greater level of focus and precision.
Underpinning these three strategic pillars are four foundational areas: People, Process, Partnership, and Tools & Technology. From leveling up our existing talented workforce to forging new global alliances, every element of our organization will be aligned to maximize our impact.
I’d like to end by thanking Charles Rivkin, Chairman and CEO of the MPA and Chairman of ACE, as well as Karyn Temple, the MPA’s Senior Executive Vice President and Global General Counsel; their leadership and guidance has been invaluable during this time. And I want to thank each of you for the warm welcome and support during these first 100 days.
I’m proud to lead the MPA’s Content Protection work, on behalf of our member companies. And I am confident that together, we will continue to make significant strides in protecting the creative works that entertain and inspire millions around the world.
Larissa Knapp
Executive Vice President and Chief Content Protection Officer
The Motion Picture Association (MPA)
