Re: Film Festival

From: Bob Stock <bstock[_at_]ucla.edu>
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1998 18:36:01 -0700

On 10/12/98, Michael Sullivan <mmsulliv[_at_]riderlaw.com> wrote:
>
> A client's wife is on the Board of a Lutheran Seminary. She
> has proposed a "Film Festival" for Sunday afternoons where a
> commercial film with religious overtones (The Apostle, The Mission,
> City of Joy, etc.) would be shown from rented or personally-owned
> videos and a discussion would follow the movie. The shows would
> be free. Attendance is guessed to be around 100 people. Fair use
> or violation?

I vote for violation. I also suggest obtaining permission from the copyright owners, although I know that's a hassle. You have the usual four-factor analysis:

1. Purpose and character of use. It is noncommercial and possibly educational, although you don't quite say what the purpose of the discussion following the showing is. Weighs in favor of fair use.
2. Nature of copyrighted work. Expressive and weighs against fair use.
3. Amount of work. All of it and weighs against fair use.
4. Effect on the market. One hundred people is a fair number, and only one person is owning or renting the movie. Seems to me that it has a negative effect on the owner's market. Weighs against fair use.

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Bob Stock <bstock[_at_]ucla.edu>
UCLA School of Law '98
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/1206/

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Received on Wed Oct 14 1998 - 01:34:12 GMT