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Apr 11, 2013 | Luke Blount

Is Your Church Breaking the Law?

Have you ever shown a movie at church and wondered if that FBI warning that comes before the movie applied to you? Most people shrug it off, play dumb or just close their eyes as it comes across the screen. But the truth is, you could be breaking the law.

 

It is illegal for churches to show copyrighted movies and even clips of copyrighted movies without the consent of the producers. The fact that churches are non-profits does not exempt them from copyright laws.

 

These copyright laws are, and will always be, a difficult issue for churches (especially small ones) to follow. But in recent years, complying with federal laws (and properly supporting the art you choose to distribute) has become much easier.

 

Church Video Licensing International is an organization dedicated to helping churches navigate the complex copyright laws associated with public viewings of movies. They have built a relationship with more than 500 producers, including major producers like Disney, Universal, Paramount and Fox. Packages start as low as $70 per year and increases based on how many members your church has and the number of producers covered. There are two basic packages: the "family package", which features christian and family values movies, and the "total package", which covers all producers. Click here for pricing.

 

 

 

Once you have a license, you are free to show any movie that is covered under the CVLI license, however you are not allowed to advertise your event to the general public. You may only advertise to your intended audience. Also, churches may not charge a fee to view any film.

 

CVLI also provides a service called "Screenvue," which is a database of clips from major movies that can be used to supplement sermons or sunday school lessons.

 

If you currently hold a Church Copyright License for reproducing music, CVLI will work with you to integrate your services. Find out more here, and stop ignoring those FBI warnings.