Film licence for voluntary group

[RoseWei]

Friend of mine has just phoned me - he's in a pickle. He's organiser for a series of film evenings for members and supporters of a local voluntary organisation. Next film night is soon and he's just discovered, by reading the small print, that the film may only be exhibited in a private home. He didn't realize that he might therefore need a licence (the other films to date fall into a different category altogether).

It's a foreign film company and distributor and my instinct is to advice my pal to phone them and get a licence - can't ever be too late. I think I read somewhere that amongst those liable for any breaches could be the management of the venue - ie the public hall that he's hired for the occasion.

Thoughts? Reassurance! Thanks.

An annual license for the club may be sufficient. Try contacting MPLC.
If no admission charge, less than 200 people, 1 showing of the film, then looks like annual license is £75.

May be worth your friend sending them an email, then calling on Tuesday.
In the email, provide the title of the film, distributor, production co, that sort of info so MPLC can see if it is a title on their list.
[email protected] Tel : +44 (0)1323 649 647

Otherwise, try to contact the distributor and see if they will say who they licence through. Filmbank are another license arranger in the UK. They do a single film license (think this is for when there is an admission fee) and annual (where no admission fee is charged).

Hope that is of some help.

Many thanks, nannynick - really useful.
Will he need a local authority licence as well?
And if he already has the DVD, might Filmbank still be appropriate - they wouldn't be supplying the film.

Alas I do not know. Maybe Filmbank or MPLC can advise on what other licences are needed, or if their licence is sufficient on it's own.