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Author Topic: How does licensing work for free film showings? Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 01-10-2017 05:46 PM                     On this topic, there also have been the slight increase of "Pillow Movie," or "Movies in the Park" movies where there is an open field, an inflatable, or a tent pole screen raised, projection equipment, along with portable generator(s) in the back of a van, folks arrives with lawn chairs and the similar, and sit an watch a optical disc movie of whatever chosen by the proprietor of the event. ..and it gets advertised via almost any form of media. What gives on this one? - Monte  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-10-2017 07:09 PM                        It's happened here. A civic group showed "Grease" downtown on a Thursday night, just about a half block from my theatre. I decided not to raise a stink about it. About 30 people came in and bought popcorn from us and carried it to the free show, so it was actually a win for us. We had a decent crowd that night for our regular movie as well. This is one of those "pick your battles" scenarios. The only way I would protest one of those shows is if they were showing a pirated recent movie that isn't already out on video.  |  IP: Logged Leo Enticknap Film God Posts: 7474 From: Loma Linda, CA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 01-10-2017 08:20 PM                        An open air movie show in Montana in January???!!! If they make a habit of this, you might like to consider offering frostbite remedies at your concessions stand!  |  IP: Logged Frank Cox Film God Posts: 2234 From: Melville Saskatchewan Canada Registered: Apr 2011 posted 01-10-2017 09:20 PM                        It's been done here a few times as well. The Chamber of Commerce pays someone (I've never been entirely sure who) to bring an inflatable screen and set it up in the playground at the high school. It has been done once ever summer for about the past three or four years. I would be rather surprised if whoever it is that's showing the movie has any kind of copyright clearance from the movie company (especially since he's played Disney cartoons), let alone has paid SOCAN fees or anything else like that. But I really don't care enough about it to squawk. I stopped being a member of the Chamber of Commerce several years ago for "reasons", and I guess that's just one more.  |  IP: Logged Kenneth Wuepper Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1026 From: Saginaw, MI, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 01-11-2017 09:55 AM                     During the Summers here in Michigan, there was a traveling show that went around the inland lakes and showed feature films for free to the vacationing audience. The traveling show had a portable screen and a 16mm carbon arc projector. The speaker hung at the side of the screen and it was set up on an open lot. The projector was bolted to the floor of a van and showed out the back doors. These shows were funded by the local grocery/gas station/convenience store. The films came from the non-theatrical exchange and were certainly paid for by the traveling operation. Last year there was a traveling digital show in the county park. Portable metal framed screen and car radio sound in the parking area. Projector during the show was placed on top of the van without covering or weather protection. The local West Side merchants association here in Saginaw holds free movies on Sunday nights in a parking lot. The "Lawn Chair Film Festival" is very successful. There is a roll down screen on the side of the building facing a parking lot. Projection is set up on scaffolding. These movies are after the free Eddy Concert Band concerts in the downtown pavilion performance space. Titles are booked by a commercial booking person and are played from DVD type material.  |  IP: Logged Manny Montes Master Film Handler Posts: 270 From: United States Registered: Feb 2010 posted 01-19-2017 01:53 PM                     Most of the places that do "movies in the park" type events do not do them correctly nor obtain the proper permissions to do so. I think most times it's honestly out of ignorance not malice, at least from the ones i've seen its either a small business or local government doing it and they assume since they aren't charging for it/not doing it for profit and they physically bought the DVD then its kosher.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-19-2017 06:26 PM                        quote: An open air movie show in Montana in January???!!! I said it was "a Thursday." It was in the summertime. Even Montanans wouldn't watch an outdoor movie in January! (Canadians, maybe, but not Montanans!)  |  IP: Logged Rick Cohen Expert Film Handler Posts: 102 From: Amherst, New York Registered: Feb 2011 posted 01-22-2017 06:21 PM                        These "movies in the park" or whatever you choose to call them, are classified by the studios as "Non-Theatrical Venues" and must obtain a licensing fee for any screenings which are open to the public. The licensing is usually obtained through Swank, or a similar post-theatrical distribution company which is authorized by the studios to license their movies. Many places which set up these "pop-up" venues, will advertise their screening without any licensing, sometimes out of ignorance, but more often out of the hope that nobody will notice, so why pay the fees? If you are an exhibitor with non-theatrical pop-up venues cropping up near you, the best course of action is to contact Swank directly, after which they will verify if the appropriate licensing has been obtained or not. In the absence of such licensing, Swank will politely "suggest" to the venue operator the advantages of using their licensing services, if they wish to avoid a potential lawsuit from a studio for violation of their copyright. Even if there is no admission fee being charged, a license is still required for all public showings. It is ironic how most of these non-theatrical pop-up screenings seem to disappear after the people organizing them discover there is a $250-$400 licensing fee involved.  |  IP: Logged Martin McCaffery Film God Posts: 2481 From: Montgomery, AL Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-22-2017 08:48 PM                        I get plenty of calls from people who want to show a movie for a private party of something. I tell them they have to pay a fee to the distributor and they ask "Can't I just bring my DVD?" The best line I have that gets through to them is "You know that FBI warning at the beginning of every DVD? That's what it's about."  |  IP: Logged

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