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Step 5Legal issues
Running a mobmov does entail its share of legal issues, and I'm not going to interpret the law for you. However, I will relate to you my personal understanding of the issues at hand. Of course, don't take my word for it, and always check with the appropriate authorities before actually running a mobmov of your own.
Copyrights
If you're running a mobmov, it's very important that you respect copyrights. A mobmov can attract a lot of attention, and as the movement grows, the powers that be may take a glaring notice of not just you, but mobmovs in general. If we do this thing right though, the movie studios will have more reason to cooperate with us and might even appreciate what we're trying to do.
The bottom line is that you must respect the copyrights of the movies you show -- just because you aren't charging admission doesn't mean that you can show the movie without paying for its use. I personally have had the best luck contacting the studios directly. They are usually so excited by the idea, that they approve it for a limited audience without charging any fees. Your mileage my vary; mine has. As the novelty of the mobmov wears off, it may also become more difficult to get free showing rights. A lot of movie studios will just direct you to an independent licensing house, which is usually a dead end. Most movie licensing houses do not permit outdoor showings of films, even if you offer them lots of money. Without attempting to preach, it's a very silly and outdated system.
Swank Pictures is the *only* movie distributor that I know of that will license non-theatrical outdoor showings (non-theatrical means that you don't charge admission). They have a bazillion rules, including a stipulation that you must show in a predetermined location. Licensing fees, though, are quite affordable: ranging from $100-$300 depending on the movie. Read the rules that govern outdoor movies. You should contact them to set up an account if you wish to take this route.
I have secured a limited number of independent movie licenses for mobmov use, which you can project for free to cheap if you're a mobmov driver. That said, there are numerous sources of freely available creative commons movies and media available online. Check out archive.org for listings of such movies.
FCC Rules
It is my layman's understanding that the FCC permits unlicensed broadcasts as long as they are under a certain power and do not interfere with existing radio stations.
Police
From my experience, the police are not too concerned about mobmov activities. It is very clear at a glance what we are doing, and that it is safe and legal. But I always bring along any licensing documents to prove myself just in case of inquiry.
In the course of running my own mobmov, there have been two police drive-bys. Both times, the friendly cop slowed down for a harrowing few seconds, took shape of the scene, and then drove on their merry way. Once a policeman approached me after a show and asked me what station we transmit on, so he could tune in next week!
I suppose that at 10pm at night in a dark area of town, we really are the least of their worries. If anything, our presence makes it safer. However, there are three main points to keep in mind to minimize the possibility of attracting (negative) police attention:
Noise pollution: One of the important features of a mobmov is there is usually a very low level of noise generated. Walk-ins, on the other hand, must blare their audio over loudspeakers. This sort of distraction is the kind of thing that will attract the attention of the police, but as a mobmov owner you can be less wary. Even still, a mobmov showing can be very noisy depending on the environment and the patrons. Keep an ear on it and you should be okay.
Light pollution: Always be very keen about where you show your movie. I'd highly recommend against showing in a residential area or worse- on a residential building. This can generate some very strong complaints, and might get you fined for disturbing the peace.
Trespassing: If you will be inviting cars into a parking lot or other space owned by someone other than you, make sure you get permission to show there first. We've had reasonable success projecting onto dimly lit walls from the street, so that no one is parked on private property. As far as I'm aware, there is yet no law prohibiting trespassing with light. Please be aware that any public property, such as schools or parks, are usually heavily guarded against after-hours trespassing. You will very likely be dispersed and questioned if caught showing a movie on public grounds (this happened to the Santa Cruz GDI). When in doubt, check with the city or your local police.
If you'll be showing where there's neighbors, invite them to attend. Not only may you grow your audience, but if people know about it and feel included, they'll be less likely to cause a fuss.
Copyrights
If you're running a mobmov, it's very important that you respect copyrights. A mobmov can attract a lot of attention, and as the movement grows, the powers that be may take a glaring notice of not just you, but mobmovs in general. If we do this thing right though, the movie studios will have more reason to cooperate with us and might even appreciate what we're trying to do.
The bottom line is that you must respect the copyrights of the movies you show -- just because you aren't charging admission doesn't mean that you can show the movie without paying for its use. I personally have had the best luck contacting the studios directly. They are usually so excited by the idea, that they approve it for a limited audience without charging any fees. Your mileage my vary; mine has. As the novelty of the mobmov wears off, it may also become more difficult to get free showing rights. A lot of movie studios will just direct you to an independent licensing house, which is usually a dead end. Most movie licensing houses do not permit outdoor showings of films, even if you offer them lots of money. Without attempting to preach, it's a very silly and outdated system.
Swank Pictures is the *only* movie distributor that I know of that will license non-theatrical outdoor showings (non-theatrical means that you don't charge admission). They have a bazillion rules, including a stipulation that you must show in a predetermined location. Licensing fees, though, are quite affordable: ranging from $100-$300 depending on the movie. Read the rules that govern outdoor movies. You should contact them to set up an account if you wish to take this route.
I have secured a limited number of independent movie licenses for mobmov use, which you can project for free to cheap if you're a mobmov driver. That said, there are numerous sources of freely available creative commons movies and media available online. Check out archive.org for listings of such movies.
FCC Rules
It is my layman's understanding that the FCC permits unlicensed broadcasts as long as they are under a certain power and do not interfere with existing radio stations.
Police
From my experience, the police are not too concerned about mobmov activities. It is very clear at a glance what we are doing, and that it is safe and legal. But I always bring along any licensing documents to prove myself just in case of inquiry.
In the course of running my own mobmov, there have been two police drive-bys. Both times, the friendly cop slowed down for a harrowing few seconds, took shape of the scene, and then drove on their merry way. Once a policeman approached me after a show and asked me what station we transmit on, so he could tune in next week!
I suppose that at 10pm at night in a dark area of town, we really are the least of their worries. If anything, our presence makes it safer. However, there are three main points to keep in mind to minimize the possibility of attracting (negative) police attention:
Noise pollution: One of the important features of a mobmov is there is usually a very low level of noise generated. Walk-ins, on the other hand, must blare their audio over loudspeakers. This sort of distraction is the kind of thing that will attract the attention of the police, but as a mobmov owner you can be less wary. Even still, a mobmov showing can be very noisy depending on the environment and the patrons. Keep an ear on it and you should be okay.
Light pollution: Always be very keen about where you show your movie. I'd highly recommend against showing in a residential area or worse- on a residential building. This can generate some very strong complaints, and might get you fined for disturbing the peace.
Trespassing: If you will be inviting cars into a parking lot or other space owned by someone other than you, make sure you get permission to show there first. We've had reasonable success projecting onto dimly lit walls from the street, so that no one is parked on private property. As far as I'm aware, there is yet no law prohibiting trespassing with light. Please be aware that any public property, such as schools or parks, are usually heavily guarded against after-hours trespassing. You will very likely be dispersed and questioned if caught showing a movie on public grounds (this happened to the Santa Cruz GDI). When in doubt, check with the city or your local police.
If you'll be showing where there's neighbors, invite them to attend. Not only may you grow your audience, but if people know about it and feel included, they'll be less likely to cause a fuss.
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May 8, 2010. 11:55 AMunidyne
says:
If you are concerned about copyrights, consider an "oldies night" where you show older films that have lapsed into the public domain. Such horror classics as "Night of the Living Dead", "Carnival of Souls" and "The House on Haunted Hill" have audience appeal. There's lots of dramas, westerns, comedies and cartoons that are in PD. Alpha Video (oldies.com) sells excellent quality DVD transfers of public domain features (I have no financial ties to them).
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