Disney sending request for $250 after a PTA fundraiser shows a Disney movie

[bcla]

I've certainly heard of this before.

https://www.berkeleyside.com/2020/0...ents-they-owe-250-for-screening-the-lion-king
I know in my area there have been local showings (free) of Pixar movies on a lawn. There's no specific charge to watch, but the fundraising part include sales of food beverage items. However, one of the members of the community works at Pixar and arranged for permission to show these movies. Still - the movies shown were the home video versions. Once there was a problem with a disc malfunctioning and someone living nearby went home to lend his copy of the same movie.

 

[barkley]

the local universities and colleges do this all the time and you know they aren't getting any permit-and they charge for admission! it's about time a company steps up and enforces their rights.

 

[DisLiss]

The thing I most wanted to know, the person interviewed refuse to disclose----who ratted out the school to the Mouse.

 

[bcla]

The thing I most wanted to know, the person interviewed refuse to disclose----who ratted out the school to the Mouse.

Pretty easy for someone working for their licensing company to scour the internet for these events. A lot these fundraisers are advertised to the public.

 

[sam_gordon]

Sorry, I'm on Disney's side on this one. Don't want them fining you $250? Don't show their movie. Or go through proper steps to get an exception. The way I read the article, it was a coincidence that it was a Disney movie. The company that handles the licensing handles multiple studios.

Also, if I read the article correctly, a school could pay $536 for the year and show any movie? Seems like a no brainer to me. That's what, maybe $1/kid? Can a school district pay and cover any school in the district?

 

[serenitynow]

If the school breaks the law, the school should pay the fine. They knew better, if not, that’s a really bad school.

 

[DisneyKoyote]

Immediate thought: wow Disney is so stingy, just let them watch a movie damn.
After some consideration: If you replace Disney with a small local company (or even a one-man team), I would definitely want the school to compensate them. Just bc Disney is a bigger corporate company doesn't mean they don't deserve the same rights. Also, just follow the law its not that hard in this situation.

 

[bcla]

If the school breaks the law, the school should pay the fine. They knew better, if not, that’s a really bad school.

It's specifically a criminal matter and there is no fine involved. This is just a request for a licensing payment.

 

[Cindy's Mom]

Team Disney on this one.

 

[Cindy's Mom]

the local universities and colleges do this all the time and you know they aren't getting any permit-and they charge for admission! it's about time a company steps up and enforces their rights.

Do you know this for fact? If the local university or college has general counsel that has her head screwed on right.....she would have applied for a license and the school would have a blanket one

 

[tvguy]

Not sure what the controversy here is. All they needed was an MLPC license and there wouldn't be an issue. My kids school had a license for showing movies during after school care. I think it cost them $100 a year. The fees are based on the group applying for the license. Non-profits paying the least.

https://www.mplc.org/page/faqs

 

[SteveH]

I'm actually surprised that the School District does not already have a MPLC license already paid for, at least around here they do and anyone using the building is covered. We license music, it's annoying but it's how the game is played.

 

[tvguy]

the local universities and colleges do this all the time and you know they aren't getting any permit-and they charge for admission! it's about time a company steps up and enforces their rights.

I suspect most Colleges and Universities have an MLPC license.

 

[Heather07438]

From my understanding, due to music involved (among other areas) Disney doesn't even hold the right to waive the fee permit as a Good Will gesture. It's not a unilateral decision.

If Lion King remains so important to their community's well being then apply and pay for the permit like thousands of others have already done. The continued mentality that Disney owes US citizens something still catches me off guard. Wholesome is not synonymous with altruistic.

 

[kdonnel]

the local universities and colleges do this all the time and you know they aren't getting any permit-and they charge for admission! it's about time a company steps up and enforces their rights.

Are you sure?

The college I went to paid for all the movies they showed.

 

[amylevan]

Our PTA, for a pretty small school district, pays for the license. I would imagine most colleges would also be smart enough.

Hate to say it, but I’m team Disney on this one. Their property, their copyright, their right.

 

[L&Lfan]

Have they never seen the warning on every Videotape or DVD regarding public performances? They got busted, so what? Pay the fee like everybody else.

 

[Heather07438]

Have they never seen the warning on every Videotape or DVD regarding public performances? They got busted, so what? Pay the fee like everybody else.

Good point. It's hard to play ignorant when there's a big FBI warning posted at the beginning of every movie. PTA's aren't magically exempt from reality.

 

[NotUrsula]

the local universities and colleges do this all the time and you know they aren't getting any permit-and they charge for admission! it's about time a company steps up and enforces their rights.

I know they are getting the rights. This is my wheelhouse, and I can guarantee you that the rights are purchased. For academic institutions, this is done by the library staff campus-wide, and is set up under the same account that is used for in-classroom film viewing. There are several companies that handle permissions processing for schools and colleges, one of the largest is Swank Motion Pictures
https://www.swank.com/

 

[barkley]

Do you know this for fact? If the local university or college has general counsel that has her head screwed on right.....she would have applied for a license and the school would have a blanket one

I suspect most Colleges and Universities have an MLPC license.

re you sure?

The college I went to paid for all the movies they showed.

Our PTA, for a pretty small school district, pays for the license. I would imagine most colleges would also be smart enough.

if they are charging admission then even if they have the mplc license it appears they are still in violation per the mplc website faq's-

Q We don’t charge admission. Do we still need a license?
A Yes. A license is required regardless of whether an admission fee is charged. In fact, the Umbrella License covers only those situations where admission is not charged.

the mplc license specifically prohibits charging an admission-


4. Rights. The public performances authorized by this Agreement shall take place in the Facility(ies) identified in the Application or as Licensee otherwise notifies, and shall be via any means originally intended for personal use only including but not limited to DVD, streaming and download. The sole purpose of such performances is to entertain and/or educate authorized viewers and only employees that facilitate those performances. No specific titles, or any characters from such titles, or producers’ names will be advertised or publicized to the general public, and no admission or other fee will be charged to the audience. The exhibitions cannot be used to endorse any goods or services. Works are defined as motion pictures and other audiovisual programs to which MPLC has received the rights to license under the parameters set forth herein

-which is what the local universities and colleges do. they make flyers and posters with the names of the movies and the cost of admission.


btw-even if a school has the license and doesn't charge admission they would do well to check the mplc website for the movies disney rotates onto their moratorium list b/c those are excluded from the licensing.