FilmMates Home Video Entertainment will be using USA Video Interactive Corp SmartMark anti-piracy technology to protect its films for distribution.

FilmMates recently entered into a home video distribution agreement with Vivendi Universal Visual Entertainment, a wholly owned subsidiary of Universal Music Group.

USVO's SmartMarks are invisible, unremovable, forensic "digital watermarks" embedded in every video frame to protect digital video from piracy. SmartMarks work with existing production and distribution technology to protect copyrighted material without requiring new equipment in the distribution or playback environment. Like embedding a forensics team inside video content, SmartMarks give enforcement agencies the proof they need to stop piracy.

American Reunion, Living Life and Rent Control are the first three films scheduled for distribution. These three films will be made available for home video in early spring 2006, with distribution scheduled for the USA, Puerto Rico, and Canada. In addition, FilmMates' Sherlock a Case of Evil will be SmartMarked for Internet and home video distribution in Japan.

Story filed 29.01.06