I think our LGBTQ fellowship is going to show a less-than-legally attained

[Critters2]

copy of "Milk" tonight. They announced in worship that they're showing it, which raises still more royalties/legality issues.

Does anyone know if "Milk" is out on dvd? Or do I have to be the meany, and ask that they not break the law in the future?

[Rabrrrrrr]

1. Milk was released a week or two ago

[Critters2]

2. Good!! I'm surprised, because it was just here like two weeks ago,

but that's not really surprising. Our theatre, well...it's not surprising. I was just going to look up its release date. Thanks for saving me the key strokes!!

Thanks! :hi:

I don't mind ignoring that part of the law which says dvds are only to be shown in homes, but if we're gonna do that, I'd rather we were illegally showing a legally purchased or rented disk.


Critters

This message typed using illicitly attained wi-fi. Somehow.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

3. Yes, I saw it in a store today

:-)

[54anickel]

4. Uh-oh, I bring in dvds for church showings quite often. I thought it was legal so long as there's

no admission fee charged. Guess it depends on the understanding of "home".

I hope Agent Mike isn't lurking.

:hide:

[Critters2]

5. No, Technically, you're not supposed to show it in a public place.

Typically, they only go after places that charge a fee, but you may recall that churches that were in trouble for public showings of the Super Bowl thought they'd be okay by not charging, but they still got "cease and desist" letters.

DVDs are covered under similar royalties laws. You can sign up with movie licensing companies, that charge you a fee, and then pay royalties to the appropriate production companies when you show a dvd, the way CCLI, OneLicense, and LicenSing do with music. But without paying royalties or buying a license, it's not legal to show movies in a church.

[54anickel]

6. Ahh, thanks. I forgot all about the Super Bowl rift. Guess I'll need to be more

careful and maybe move some of the movie nights to my home instead. Of course, then I'd have to clean. :freak:

[Critters2]

7. I don't think they go after church groups much, but they could.

I tell people not to publicize film showings too widely, just tell members of the small group watching the film. The real risk comes when pastors use films in worship, as sermon illustrations and the like.

Of course, the best solution is to buy a license, which I'm thinking we need to do....much as my trustees won't want to spend the money.

Here's more info (from a site trying to sell licenses, so caveat emptor--but it's basically accurate):
http://cvli.com/about/why-cvli.cfm

[54anickel]

8. Thanks Critters2. I'll check with our W&M team, since they are planning an

additional "contemporary" worship, "big screen" and all. They've recently started surfin' the tubes for images, film-clips and ideas for our pastor to use just as you described. They are a pretty savy group when it comes to proper licensing of music for the "Praise Team" so hopefully they're on top of this aspect as well.

[Critters2]

9. You're lucky. Any time I mention contemporary worship,

our musicians threaten to resign. And since they're held in higher esteem than me, they're basically holding worship hostage. God forbid we use any instrument but our beloved Schantz Organ (I'm supposed to get all teary eyed when I say the word "Schantz", but I can never seem to pull that off. ).

[54anickel]

10. Wait a minute, aren't you UCC? I thought they were all progressive types, on the

cutting, leading edge, contemporary through and through....silly me. :spank:

It's been, and still is to some extent, a long and difficult road. For a small percentage of the congregation, it's baby steps all the way. They hated the Praise Team at first, now they complain that we only have them play once a month. There was the anti big screen screed, but that's pretty well settled down now - there's not a church in this small town besides us and the orthodox Roman Catholic that doesn't have one. We just have to figure out where to put the screen and what best to do with "the dead Jesus" that's up on the front wall - now there's a realbattle that's a brewin'. And yes, we are ELCA. :P

[Kat45]

11. Sounds llike our church--the music folks holding the rest of us hostage.

Are music people always so difficult? I wouldn't have expected that.

[Critters2]

12. Commonly told joke among pastors:

What's the difference between an organist and a terrorist?


You can negotiate with a terrorist.