Help! Movie screening legality

Shawn Philip Nelson

Shawn Philip Nelson

Veteran
At the place where I work (non-movie related) I have been given the task of choosing a movie for my company's "movie day" wherein my company decided to reward the employees by taking 2 hours out of a normal day to let us all stop and watch a movie on site. We have about 200 employees. In the course of asking people which movie they'd like to see it was brought to my attention that any DVD I would have is licensed for "home use only" and that since we are a publicly traded corporation, a bunch of us watching a movie on site would violate those terms. Does anyone know where I can find out the legality of this? This screening is not "open to the public", only employees on site would see it and no admission would be charged (quite the opposite, everyone would be on salaried time, they would actually be getting paid to watch the movie). I need to figure this out quick before this fun event gets canceled. Any info is greatly appreciated.
-Shawn
 
I wouldnt worry about it unless, you are charging admission or are in some way profiting from the screening of it. Or if some journalist would find it very interesting that (your company name here) watched (this movie here).....

The MPAA burned copies of "This flm is not yet rated"..... you could also buyout a theater for a screening of a first run film!

Keep in mind I am not a lawyer, and any advice you get online is only opinion...

oh and maybe call and find out how much a Public Performance License is of course on behalf of some other company in some other city...
 
I think I remember Criterion as hadling such licenses because a year or so ago they dinged my girlfriends daycare about twoo hunred bucks so the daycare could legally show VHS movies to a bunch of toddlers who weren't watching most of the time. I argued this point with the company and they basicaly said "Sucks to be you...Pay up"
 
There are companies who won't show this kind of thing for this reason. In my former life as a corporate VP, I nixed a public display of something. Of course, it would have been broadcast by satellite to various locations worldwide . . .
 
Update:
I found out that to screen "Cars" to 100 people will cost me $250 for the first screening and $150 for the second. So, $400 for my 200 coworkers to watch it. My company has given approval and tomorrow I'm calling Criterion to process the paperwork for a Public Performance License.
 
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