Copyright Guidelines for Showing Movies and Other Audiovisual Works on Campus
Colleges and universities must properly license movies or any other audiovisual work (hard copy, digital copy and streaming) to show them publicly. Movie studios and other Media companies own the copyrights to the movies and media they produce, and their agents are the only parties authorized to license sites like colleges and universities.
How does that apply to SUNY Cobleskill?
When you buy, rent, or borrow a DVD, a digital copy or streaming of a movie (or any other audiovisual work) made by someone else, you normally obtain only the copy, and not the underlying copyright rights to the movie to be shown in a private venue such as a private room or house. You certainly are free to watch the movie yourself, but, beyond that, your rights are very limited by law. In particular, you do not have the right to show the movie to "the public" such as public lounges. In most cases, doing that requires a separate "public performance" license from the copyright owner. To determine whether you need such a license, you must determine whether what you want to do would constitute a "public performance", and, if so, whether there are any exceptions that would allow you to proceed legally without a license.
What is a "public performance"?
The showing of a movie or any other audiovisual work will be considered to be a "public performance" if either of the following is true:
- You will be showing the movie to people other than members of your family or a small group of your friends.
- You will be showing the movie or any other audiovisual work in a place that is open to people other than members of your family or a small group of your friends (for example, a classroom or lounge area), whether or not any such people attend.
- Showing a movie or any other audiovisual work in your home, residence hall room or apartment will not constitute a public performance, as long as you limit attendance to family and friends. Most other showings will constitute public performances.
- Showing a movie or any other audiovisual work in a residence hall lobby, break room, public space such as the Unity Center, Bouck Hall Auditorium, or any other place on campus other than your residence hall room is considered a public space and so you cannot play a movie or any other audiovisual work in those place since that will be considered to be a "public performance".
For additional information click here to read ‘What You Need to Know Before Showing
Movies on Campus’ published by SWANK Motion Pictures INC.
Have any questions?
Contact Us
Office of Student Leadership
Bouck Hall Room 209
518-255-5300
studentleadership@cobleskill.edu
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Monday - Friday
8:00am - 4:15pm
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