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Is it legal to pay theatres to play a DVD movie?

08 Mar

I know many movie theatres rent their screens for many different purposes.
So is it legal for me to rent a screen, to show a movie I have legally bought on DVD to my friends, like on a birthday party for example?
I won’t be charging my friends for the showing of course.
Please mention any specific situations where it could and could not be done and if any theatres would allow to show films in such a way at all.
Thank you.

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7 Comments

Posted in Movies in cities

 

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  1. Venus V

    March 8, 2010 at 12:21 pm

    sure it would probably be expensive to rent out for a private showing, and how would you show the DVD on the screen anyway

     

  2. namix8

    March 8, 2010 at 1:13 pm

    no but it would be expensive by getting your own screen and all but not illegal

     

  3. bmoviebimbo

    March 8, 2010 at 1:39 pm

    i don’t see why not. you’re just renting the theatre’s equipment to play a DVD you already own the right to play.

     

  4. Equally Uneven

    March 8, 2010 at 2:38 pm

    Legally, no…it has nothing to do with charging money….a ‘group’ screening of any movie, ‘legally’ requires written permission from the copyright holder….There are many people that do not obtain permission, and I have never met one that ever got caught

    see people…. that right to view ,because you own it,….does not apply to , let’s say….an entire city….There are definitions about the what is considered a viewable audience…..You need to purchase something called public viewing rights….

    http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/clubs/upload/Public-Viewing-of-Films-and-Movies.pdf

     

  5. Billy bob jr.

    March 8, 2010 at 2:42 pm

    I think the quality would be crappy. If you can try to find the film and have them run it that way.

     

  6. Morgan R

    March 8, 2010 at 3:12 pm

    Movie theatres do rent out their rooms, and do have specials for birthday parties * i used to work at one*, but they use film reels to show movies. Not dvd players.

     

  7. Lori S

    March 8, 2010 at 3:26 pm

    They would never let you for liability reasons. You could put up a big screen i.e.-a large sheet, or large tarp or canvas in your backyard and show it on that. Some party venues you can rent for the day will let you set up for it & they sometimes have screens already. If you are a member of a large church they usually have audio/visual equipment ready to go. That depends on, of course, the type of film you want to show