Showing films at home

[didds]

We are toying with the idea of having a minifilm festival at home next year - basic format projector anbd screen in the garden and friends come and relax and enjoy a film together et.

As we wont be charging for it are there any potential legal ramifications fo doing so? eg copyright and royalties etc? I can't see the difference between 20 people watching it in a garden and 20 people watching it indoors in a living room, or ten people or five etc. ?

DAK?

didds

[swill453]

I don't think you need a licence in your garden. You need one if it's "in public".

See https://www.gov.uk/showing-films-in-public

Also https://www.independentcinemaoffice.org ... licensing/

Scott.

[Aldumbell]

Check your local law. For instance, where I'm from your allowed to have 50 people and the local police is very strict. You WILL get a fine if you have 52 people watching a movie. Also, check the hours. Once again comparing it to the law in my town, whatever you do until 11 PM is legal. However if you as much as watch TV loudly (granted, there are people this can bother, and young couples with babies that can wake up from the noise so I get it), your neighbors can call the police.
Aside from the plain law, I would put up a sign or something telling my neighbors what I have planned, just for fairness.

[swill453]

Check your local law. For instance, where I'm from your allowed to have 50 people and the local police is very strict. You WILL get a fine if you have 52 people watching a movie. Also, check the hours. Once again comparing it to the law in my town, whatever you do until 11 PM is legal. However if you as much as watch TV loudly (granted, there are people this can bother, and young couples with babies that can wake up from the noise so I get it), your neighbors can call the police.
Aside from the plain law, I would put up a sign or something telling my neighbors what I have planned, just for fairness.

Not sure what country you're in but in the UK we don't really have "local laws" that work like that.

Scott.

[UncleIan]

In theory your local council may argue it's a public performance as it's for a large group of friends, and in my experience they tend to err on the side of "you need a licence" as that's money for them and difficult to argue against. Then you'd need to get a one of licence from the copyright holder/their agent to show a given film.

I think it's probably one of those cases where it's better not to ask the question of officialdom, as they'll give you an officious answer.

Better to beg forgiveness than ask permission.

[kempiejon]

One can buy a one off outdoor licence from this lot - https://www.filmbankmedia.com/licences/stsl/

[swill453]

The specific question, as per the title of the thread, is for showing films at home. One only needs a licence to show films not at home. Therefore no licence required.

If someone tried to tell me I'm not at home when I'm in my garden, I think I'd tell them politely to go away.

Scott.