The MPLC Umbrella License® for Day Schools

Movies are Ubiquitous on School Campuses

Now more than ever schools are using the “magic of the movies” to provide quality entertainment and enhance educational programs. As you may be aware, all of the following activities require a public performance license by law:

• Film adaptations of favorite books like Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules make for exciting assemblies.
• Student groups are generating revenue through movie fundraisers.
• Parent-teacher organizations are sponsoring free movie nights to bring families together.
• Before and after-school programs supplement activities with movies.
• Short educational programs like “The Magic School Bus” are perfect for rainy day recess.

While your school or district may have a policy in place for exhibitions held during school hours, with various groups and organizations using school property before, during, and after-school, it is virtually impossible to insure copyright compliance at all times. A school can even be considered a “contributory infringer” for allowing unlicensed exhibitions to occur on its campus.

The MPLC Umbrella License for Day Schools

Maybe your school already has a public performance license for most of the major Hollywood studios. However, if your school does not currently hold the MPLC Umbrella License® for Day Schools you are missing out on exclusive annual copyright coverage for 20th Century Fox and over 390 educational, children’s, documentary, foreign, and specialty producers including Scholastic Entertainment, History Channel, and Discovery Channel!

Want to show favorites Rio or The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader as a special treat? Make sure you have the assurance of copyright compliance.

Affordable Pricing for Day Schools

In the past, schools and related organizations such as parent-teacher groups, paid hundreds of dollars for each movie they wished to screen.  Now your entire school can be covered for unlimited exhibitions before, during, and after-school for one low fee. With the Umbrella License your school can secure copyright protection for as little as $95 per school, per year!  Pricing is based on your school’s full-time enrollment:

Greater discounts are available when you license three or more schools at the district level. Please contact the MPLC to discuss group pricing. Whether this is your school’s first public performance license, or your school is simply seeking supplemental coverage, the Umbrella License is an affordable way to ensure copyright compliance and enhance programming options.

The Simple Solution

While non-profit schools do not need a license to show videos for narrowly-defined “face-to-face” instruction, i.e., when the movie is shown in the classroom and is part of the curriculum, all other school showings require a license. This includes rainy day recess, any before or after-school exhibitions, holiday parties, parent-teacher organization events, lectures or assemblies offered without course credit, movie “rewards” for students, and any entertainment use on campus.

The Umbrella License makes copyright compliance easy because it is facility-based. Your school is covered whether students watch an episode of “MythBusters” during rainy day recess or the PTO sponsors a family screening of Mr. Popper’s Penguins.  With affordable pricing, one organization can pay for the license to insure compliance within the entire school. Once licensed, movies can be obtained from any legitimate source and shown without any further reporting. With the confidence of copyright compliance, you’re free to explore and encourage the wide range of programming ideas that are at your fingertips.

To view or download the complete list of motion picture companies represented under the Umbrella License, please see our day school producer list. We also have a day school programming guide which lists popular titles covered under the Umbrella License.

Get Licensed and Ensure Copyright Compliance!

If your school has not allowed video programming in the past, now is the time.  While there may be guidelines for video use that occurs during the school day, it is difficult to monitor video use that occurs outside of school hours.  Such use requires a license, and the Umbrella License makes copyright compliance easy. The Umbrella License provides your school with public performance protection before, during, and after-school—all for one low annual fee. Once licensed you can obtain movies from any legitimate source. Best of all, movies provide simple, affordable entertainment for your entire school community.

To obtain a license, simply complete the application provided in our brochure, and submit it to our office via fax, email, or mail. Upon receipt, your application we will be processed, and your Certificate of License and either a receipt of payment or an invoice will be mailed. Once licensed, you can immediately begin programming movies obtained from any legitimate source, whether rented, purchased, or borrowed.

Please contact us directly at (800) 462-8855 with any questions regarding the Umbrella License.