After working as a production attorney on such films as The Santa Clause, Ms. Kendrick became Disney’s vice president for legal affairs in Europe. She later was recruited by former Disney executives, including Jeffrey Katzenberg, to join them at DreamWorks SKG.

“When you start making a film, everyone thinks it’s his idea,” she explains. “Most studios get a copyright infringement claim on every film they release. Very few are legitimate.”

Despite diligent antipiracy efforts led by the Motion Picture Association of America, unauthorized video or Internet distribution occurs with every film released. “What frightens a lot of studios is how easy it is to copy and distribute a DVD or laser disc,” she says. “That’s why studios are so careful with new technologies, to make sure they have the right safeguards.”

“We’ve seen what’s happened with Napster,” adds Ms. Kendrick. “It could start to happen with films, but fortunately we’re not quite there yet.”

“We now live in an online universe,” he says. “Motion picture companies are actively examining technology solutions to see which provide the best protection.” This will be increasingly important as studios develop online businesses that are as active as their film business, he notes.

The timing of a movie’s theatrical release also poses challenges to copyright protection. “Sometimes the DVD may be out in the United States prior to a film’s release internationally, which creates an issue in markets where there’s a lot of piracy,” adds Mr. Lynne, who, after 20 years as an entertainment lawyer, was recruited to New Line by fellow alumnus Robert Shaye ’64, the company’s founder. “This is a challenging and competitive business, but it has lots of rewards,” he says.