Planning an outdoor movie night? In many cases, showing a movie outside your home requires permission from the movie's copyright holder. Here's what you need to know before your event.
If you're showing a copyrighted movie at a school, church, neighborhood gathering, business, park, community event, or another public setting, you will generally need public-performance rights for that screening.
This can apply even when the event is free and you aren't charging admission.
Purchasing a movie or having access to it through a personal streaming subscription generally gives you the right to watch it privately. It does not normally include the public-performance rights needed to show the movie to an audience outside your home.
Different movie studios work with different licensing providers, so the company you contact will depend on the movie you'd like to show.
Start by searching the licensing companies below for your movie. If you're unsure which company represents a particular title, their licensing representatives can help.
Swank provides public-performance licensing for a large catalog of movies from major film studios. Search its catalog to see whether your movie is available.
Visit SwankCriterion Pictures represents films from a variety of studios and can provide licensing for qualifying public screenings.
Visit CriterionSome Angel Studios films have their own options for licensed group and public screenings.
Visit Angel StudiosSome independent films and specialty titles may be licensed directly by the studio or through another distributor. Check with the rights holder when a title isn't available through the major licensing providers.
Generally, yes. Whether you charge admission and whether a screening qualifies as a public performance are separate questions. A free public movie night can still require public-performance rights.
Owning a DVD, Blu-ray, digital copy, or other copy of a movie normally gives you private viewing rights. It doesn't automatically give you permission to show that movie publicly.
A personal streaming subscription generally does not include public-performance rights. You'll still need to determine whether a separate license is required for your event.
Licensing prices vary based on the movie, distributor, audience, venue, event type, and other factors. Because pricing can change, contact the licensing provider directly for a current quote.
Some licenses permit ticketed screenings, but the licensing terms and price may be different from a free event. The licensing provider may also use attendance or ticket revenue when calculating the fee. Tell the provider that you're planning to charge admission when requesting your license.
No. Many popular movies are available, but a particular title may be unavailable because of studio restrictions, release windows, or licensing limitations. Check availability before advertising a specific movie.
Licensing fees are paid to the company or rights holder providing your public-performance license. Future Projections' equipment rental and event services are separate from your movie licensing agreement unless your written quote specifically states otherwise.
Absolutely. We can point you toward the appropriate licensing provider and help you understand what information you'll need when requesting a license. The actual licensing agreement is between you and the applicable licensing provider or rights holder.
Future Projections provides the screen, projection, sound, setup, and takedown so you can focus on creating an unforgettable movie night.
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