Is your ‘movie night’ legal?

“Movie night” screenings at long-term care and senior living facilities are considered “public performances” that require a license, even if the facility rents or buys the films. The Motion Picture Licensing Corporation (MPLC) has forged a partnership with the National Association of Activity Professionals (NAAP) to make the compliance process easier.

MPLC, a copyright licensing agency, is offering an Umbrella License to NAAP member-facilities for a discounted rate. Those who acquire the license will secure public performance rights to show films from more than 650 different studios and film producers without the need for further reporting.

The partnership makes sense, noted Sal Laudicina, president of the MPLC Licensing Division, in a press release about the deal. “In virtually all facilities, the activity professional is the person who organizes the movie event, and this agreement will provide the assurance of comprehensive copyright compliance.”

MPLC, which handles film licensing at more than 250,000 facilities in the United States alone, has already partnered with other major long-term care member organizations, including LeadingAge, the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living and the National Certification Council for Activity Professionals.

Read more about the motion picture licensing process for retirement and senior living communities.

Pamela Tabar

Pamela Tabar was editor-in-chief of I Advance Senior Care from 2013-2018. She has worked as a writer and editor for healthcare business media since 1998, including as News Editor of Healthcare Informatics. She has a master’s degree in journalism from Kent State University and a master’s degree in English from the University of York, England.