Film Copyright

May I show a film on campus?

Copyright laws are very strict and exist to protect the rights of those who own the content. Many artists and others are involved with the making of the film, and all of them depend on the income from copyright licenses to fund current and future projects. Honestly, sometimes it seems like the laws may be too strict, but that is usually because people have found ways to abuse loopholes in the past. So, even though your intentions may be noble, actually meeting copyright laws typically requires an investment of time and money. More importantly, following copyright regulations is simply the right thing to do.

Some common questions are below. While the answer to most of them is “no,” you can make it a “yes” by buying the rights (and we tell you how to get the rights below!).

Since I own the DVD, can I show it to anyone?

Nope. While it seems like you should be able to, by purchasing the DVD you only pay for the right to watch it with you and your immediate family or "normal circle of friends." 

Can’t I just show the DVD to my cluster mates or teammates?

If you limit this to your normal circle of friends, probably. If your team is small, maybe it works. If you have 30 players on your team, the law is not likely to see this as a “normal circle of friends.” So, no.

My student organization wants to show a film for the campus and it’s educational — is that allowed?

No. “Educational use” is narrowly defined and refers to a faculty member showing a film in the classroom to the class during a regularly scheduled class session.

I’m a professor wanting to show a movie to my class. Can I do that?

Yes! (Finally, a yes.) With limitations, of course. “Educational use” involves a faculty member showing a film in the classroom to the class during a regularly scheduled class session. You cannot show the film outside of class time without obtaining the rights to it.

How much do the rights to a film cost?

Typically, the more recent the film the higher the cost. However, once films have left the theaters the cost is around $300–$400.

How do I get the rights?

Faculty can work directly with the library staff to find out about rights for their academic needs. Everyone else can contact the Events and Conferences Office and we’ll help you secure the rights. Sometimes we can get the rights within a few days, but other times it can take weeks, so please plan ahead.

The film I want to show is really old (like, the 1980s!) so is there even copyright on it?

Most films are copyrighted in the United States for 95 years. After 1978, it is copyrighted for the creator's lifetime and 70 years after that. 

Wow, I really find all this information fascinating! Are there other copyright issues that Hope College deals with?

Of course! The library has information aimed at academic questions, CIT addresses technological concerns, and the Events and Conferences Office purchases music rights for the campus. Feel free to contact those areas with general questions.

Did someone at Hope College just make up these random rules?

Actually, no. You can find the full copyright law online, and Hope College consulted with two different law firms for clarification on the law and continues to monitor changes in copyright law.