[pd-discuss] Fwd: public screening

Mon Nov 7 14:25:32 UTC 2011

PD is jurisdiction / country specific.

Hence, even if PD in US, if *not* PD in the UK you won't be able to
screen in the UK :-( (assuming copyright does not allow non-commercial
screenings in the UK)

Rufus

On 7 November 2011 12:51, Adam Green <adam.green at okfn.org> wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> Please see the correspondance below regarding non-commercially
> screening public domain films - and particularly screening films which
> are pd in the US, but not so in the UK (where I think the screening
> would be taking place) .
>
> Can anyone shed any light on this?
>
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Public Domain Review <publicdomainreview at okfn.org>
> Date: 7 November 2011 13:44
> Subject: Re: public screening
> To: brigitte.orasinski at strangecargo.org.uk
>
>
> Dear Brigitte Orasinski,
>
> Thanks for getting in touch. As far as I understand it is perfectly
> legal to screen films which are in the public domain without  needing
> a license or to pay a screening fee. The difficulty can be though in
> determining whether the film is in the public domain or not. Having a
> quick look around I see the Edison Company's 1910 version of Christmal
> Carol is in the public domain, but only so in the US. It was made
> before 1923 which means it is public domain in the US, however in the
> UK it is not (as the director J. Searle Dawley died in 1949 - not more
> than 70 years ago). A film being in the public domain in the US but
> not being so in the UK is a common scenario - and frankly it is a
> little confusing regarding how one can then re-use these films,
> including screening in the UK (which I assume you will be) - and
> indeed how one can get in touch with companies which might no longer
> exist!
>
> The copy of Christmas Carol (1910) on the Internet Archive -
> http://www.archive.org/details/AChristmasCarol - has been put up there
> by Video Cellar Collection under a non-commercial license. I have no
> idea if they own the rights to the original, but it would seem they do
> for this copy as they say they their copy is "Remastered, retitled,
> tinted and new soundtrack added in 2010". But again its confusing as
> it seems they are US based - though (presuming they do not own the
> rights to the original) their remastering etc. might have been legal
> in the US, it is perhaps not in the UK. But anyhow you can contact
> them here: shane at TheVideoCellar.com.
>
> Here is some more info from the BFFS:
> http://www.bffs.org.uk/export/sites/bffs_site/pdffolder/IP_finaleditwebdoc.pdf
> - but I don't know how helpful this is to your current situation.
>
> I will forward this message on to the publicdomainlist to see if
> anyone there might be able to shed some light on the situation!
>
> Sorry I can't be of any more help.
>
> All the best,
>
> Adam.
>
>
>
> On 6 November 2011 17:15,  <brigitte.orasinski at strangecargo.org.uk> wrote:
>> Dear Public Domain Review
>>
>> I am installing a community winter grotto and would like to show versions of
>> a Christmas Carol as part of it and wondered if public domain films can be
>> shown without incurring a screening fee.  I am not charging people an
>> admission fee, and we are a not for profit, charitable arts company.  If you
>> do not mind giving me some advice, i would very much appreciate it, as this
>> is the first time I have attempted to show film and i know it can be a
>> minefield.
>>
>> Thank you.
>> kind regards
>> Brigitte Orasinski
>> Strange Cargo
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Adam Green
> Editor, The Public Domain Review
> http://publicdomainreview.org/
> The Open Knowledge Foundation
> http://okfn.org/
>
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>

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