I toying with this idea and I need your help. At my tiny university there is a big auditorium with projector and screen and nice sound. What if I had a website where the students could vote or select movies they want to see on the big screen and we I would have daily showings of maybe 2-4 movies they have selected. I then have a small charge for tickets and profits go to the school, the filmmaking club, and...hopefully my pocket. What do I do about legal issues and copyright of the movies and all that? Probably some people would have to actually bring the dvd in sometimes.
theater at my school? please help!
- Thread starter MistaDobalina
- Start date
I'm on the film board for our university. We go through a company called swank for our movies. http://www.swank.com/
This would make your showings legal
You probably don't want to Google swank unless you have your adult filters on though.
This would make your showings legal
You probably don't want to Google swank unless you have your adult filters on though.
knightly, how long does it take for them to ship a movie? and I can't find out on their website exactly what their program does? do I legally have to have a distributor to show a film?
This is the information for a particular college, use it as a guideline, not legal advise.
You must obtain a Public Performance License (typical range: $300.00 - $500.00) for the individual film(s) from a licensing agent, which allows you the right to screen the film publicly.
There are, however, a few exceptions.
1. The film is in the Public Domain.
2. You have written permission from the film’s producer or other holder of the right to grant such permission.
3. The film is obtained from a company that provides a Public Performance License with the purchase of the film. These films are most often documentary in nature, and typically do not include commercial or theatrically released films.
Companies that provide a Public Performance License with DVD or Video purchase include:
Media Education Foundation
Listed on MEF website: In addition, all purchased videos and DVDs are licensed for classroom viewing and public screening where no admission is charged.
All Filmmakers Library, Inc. titles, for sale or rental, include public performance rights.
First Run/Icarus Films
From their site: "Videos purchased from First Run/Icarus Films are licensed with Public Performance Rights for non-commercial and educational exhibition when no admission fee is charged."
PS. If you are charging money that is a whole different ballgame.
You must obtain a Public Performance License (typical range: $300.00 - $500.00) for the individual film(s) from a licensing agent, which allows you the right to screen the film publicly.
There are, however, a few exceptions.
1. The film is in the Public Domain.
2. You have written permission from the film’s producer or other holder of the right to grant such permission.
3. The film is obtained from a company that provides a Public Performance License with the purchase of the film. These films are most often documentary in nature, and typically do not include commercial or theatrically released films.
Companies that provide a Public Performance License with DVD or Video purchase include:
Media Education Foundation
Listed on MEF website: In addition, all purchased videos and DVDs are licensed for classroom viewing and public screening where no admission is charged.
All Filmmakers Library, Inc. titles, for sale or rental, include public performance rights.
First Run/Icarus Films
From their site: "Videos purchased from First Run/Icarus Films are licensed with Public Performance Rights for non-commercial and educational exhibition when no admission fee is charged."
PS. If you are charging money that is a whole different ballgame.
Gay. Does that mean that when I take a movie to show a couple friends, it is illegal? I'll just argue that I have a copy of my movie that I want to show, say, 2,000 of my friends. And the charge is more like a ... recommended donation . what's the cutoff limit of people that says it is now a "public performance" i know nobody knows, i'm just confused and frustrated with stupid regulations like these
And yeah charging would be the point since I doubt my school will pay for the purchase of that many movies.
How would I get written permission from a studio to show ALL their movies, chunks of profits going to them of course?
. what's the cutoff limit of people that says it is now a "public performance" i know nobody knows, i'm just confused and frustrated with stupid regulations like theseAnd yeah charging would be the point since I doubt my school will pay for the purchase of that many movies.
How would I get written permission from a studio to show ALL their movies, chunks of profits going to them of course?
This webpage has a good basic summary of the law in question --
http://www.exhibitlicensing.com/copyright.html
http://www.exhibitlicensing.com/copyright.html