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One man’s mission to stop pirates stealing magic
A magician from Gloucestershire has turned his years-long pursuit of online pirates into a documentary film. Andi Gladwin, who runs the online magic store Vanishing Inc, discovered in 2017 that his tricks, books and products were being illegally copied and sold for very little money, prompting him to track down and confront those responsible himself.
His investigation took him to Serbia, Belgium, France and Egypt for face-to-face confrontations, and the story became the basis of the film Stealing Magic, made in collaboration with video game studio owner Randy Pitchford over three years. The documentary premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in June and has drawn positive reviews, with Gladwin saying he was especially encouraged by interest from US lawmakers and computing experts keen to tackle piracy, and hopes the film inspires others to speak up about problems in their own industries.
In short
- Magician Andi Gladwin's fight against piracy became documentary Stealing Magic
- He confronted thieves selling his tricks in Serbia, Belgium, France and Egypt
- Film premiered at Tribeca; US lawmakers show interest in the piracy issue
Explained simply
Online piracy – the illegal copying and selling of digital products – has affected many creative businesses. In 2017, Andi Gladwin, who runs an online magic shop called Vanishing Inc, discovered that his tricks, books and products were being copied and sold on the internet for much lower prices. Rather than accept this, he decided to investigate who was responsible.
Gladwin's investigation took him to Serbia, Belgium, France and Egypt, where he confronted people selling his work without permission. These encounters became the basis for a documentary film called Stealing Magic, made in collaboration with video game studio owner Randy Pitchford over three years. The film explores how online piracy affects creators.
Piracy extends beyond the magic industry to affect musicians, writers, software developers and others whose work can be copied online. Many creators face the challenge of having their products illegally copied and sold for lower prices. Gladwin's story illustrates the problem and shows how some creators are taking action against it.