Films on Campus

Good Morning all,
I am sorry about the long message that follows. I work at a small liberal arts private Presbyterian college and I am trying to get an opinion on film usage on-campus with a somewhat academic purpose in mind.

I have two instructors who teach similar content for two separate departments (English and History). They wish to create an environment of learning and personal growth for their classes as well as members of the campus population.

They would like to have a film series of commercially produced motion pictures that relate to their course content via DVD to a large audience of 200 or so in our teaching theatre. The films will not be rented films nor will they come from a production clearing house such as SWANK. They are either owned by the instructors or by the college library. The professors wish to show it to all four of their classes at one time instead of showing it to each group individually and then after the viewing, they wish to generate discussion amongst the class members as it pertains to the courses. This I am sure is legal since it would be used for the following: Academic purposes, face to face instruction, critical analysis, and will not impact market. This is no different than showing it in class or in a team teaching situation.

The questions that have been raised are as follows: Keeping in mind that this will be unadvertised to the campus and that the instructors currently allow guests as regular attendees in their courses....

Would the showing(s) be a violation of copyright if the students invite guests even though the guests are not enrolled in the course? (This faculty would like the views of others in order to create a more lively discussion.)

Could the History and English majors attend to help create a more lively and academic discussion?

On another note, within a similar context. Could the history department have a film night and show a commercial motion picture in its entirety for history majors to analyze the contents of a film as to the basis of historical fact? Or, the English department show a film based on a book with similar discussion?

Could the history department host a film night using college or personally owned videos or DVDs and invite others to participate in the viewing and discussion?
(These would be non-credit situations.)

Thank you so much for any responses,
Judy Dehle
Whitworth College
Spokane WA Received on Fri Oct 28 2005 - 01:10:00 GMT