Films, like all created works, have copyright holders who in turn grant film societies the right to screen films, usually through agents or film distributors. A film licence must be obtained for every screening. You cannot simply go to a local video store and screen a film hired from them, as those videos and DVDs are only licensed for home viewing.

Details of the main distributors of titles on DVD for group screenings can be found in the Programming section.

There are three main types of film licence which give you the right to screen a film: Theatrical, Non-theatrical and the Public Video Screening licence.
 

Theatrical licenses are the ones used by commercial cinemas. They allow films to be screened and advertised to the general public (providing your venue has the appropriate cinema licence) but are usually the more expensive option for small groups as the fees are calculated based on your ticket price, venue size and audience. The most common deal for a single screening is 35% of box office takings, with a minimum guarantee of between £60 and £80 + VAT. Some groups booking films under a theatrical licence find it easier to do so through a booking agent (who will charge an additional fee).

Non-theatrical licences are more commonly used by film societies. They allow films to be screened on a not-for-profit basis to members and their guests. They are normally a fixed cost (anywhere between £40 and £80 + VAT, depending on the distributor) regardless of your venue capacity, audience figure and membership fees.

Note the following idiosyncrasies of film licensing:
 

a non-theatrical licence for DVDs does not automatically allow you to screen extra features, director’s commentaries, etc.
some non-theatrical licences by default do not allow screenings to large (over 200) audiences – but these can always be negotiated
a film may be available on VHS but not on DVD, or vice versa, or different companies may own the rights to a film on different formats
some films may not have any screening rights available in the UK

Occasionally you may find situations where a film is available to purchase for home viewing but not available for non-theatrical screenings, or only available on another format, such as 35mm. It is illegal to play the film on any format other than the one specified as being available.

What if you cannot get the rights to a film through the normal booking channels? Sometimes it may be possible to get one-off screening rights by contacting the original rights holders: typically the major production company or the distribution company in the country of origin. This is often a difficult task but may be worth it for films without a UK distributor. If you wish to screen a particular title, but don’t know how to find the rights holder, please contact the Virtual Film Club for advice. General information about tracking down rights will be made available through this website at a later date.

The Public Video Screening licence should not concern film groups, but it is worth noting here. The PVSL effectively allows a group to screen any major studio release video or DVD it has obtained from a commercial retail or rental outlet. However, this licence is only available to organizations whose primary activity is NOT screening films, eg schools, churches, shops or restaurants. They may not advertise the screening to the general public, or charge any entry fee. Further information about this licence can be found on the Filmbank website.