Motion Picture Licensing Corporation

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The Motion Picture Licensing Corporation (“MPLC”) is an independent licensing agency that provides the Umbrella License® to ensure the copyright compliance for the public performance of motion pictures. MPLC’s clients are able to publicly perform authorized motion pictures and other licensed programs from any legally obtained source intended for personal, private, home use only - such as home videocassettes and DVDs, in its facility(ies), under the terms and conditions of the Umbrella License.

History

Prior to the MPLC’s inception, public performance licenses were issued on a title-by-title basis, a time consuming and expensive process for groups wishing to show movies. In December 1986, the U.S. Department of Justice legally authorized the MPLC, via a Business Review Letter, to issue blanket or Umbrella Licenses, which would allow an organization an unlimited number of showings of titles from all MPLC authorized producers for a flat, annual fee.

For over 20 years, the MPLC has been regarded as a leading source of copyright information as well as provider of the Umbrella License for non-commercial movie exhibitions in the United States. In 2003, the MPLC started its global operations and now operates in many countries across Europe, South America and Asia.

At present, the MPLC has over 250,000 locations under license in the USA, and over 450,000 locations worldwide.

MPLC secures theatrical public performance licenses from producers, then resells the rights to a wide variety of organizations including clubs, fitness centers, public libraries and corporations. MPLC represents all the major Hollywood studios, and many independent producers. Jerome K. Miller, Using Copyrighted Videocassettes, (2nd ed. 1988).

[edit] Legal basis

Under the federal Copyright Act (Title 17 of the United States Code), movies may be shown without a separate license in the home to “a normal circle of family and its social acquaintances” (Section 101) because such showings are not considered public. However, only the copyright holder has the right to “perform” a movie outside the sphere of family and friends. (Section 106).

Statutory damages for noncompliance with the copyright law can be steep. The Copyright Act of 1976 under Section 504(c)(1) prescribes statutory damages of $750 minimum to $30,000 for each work infringed, and if the court finds that the infringement was committed "willfully," the court may increase the award of statutory damages to $150,000, in addition to full costs, including reasonable attorney fees, to the prevailing party.

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) currently administers 24 treaties for the international protection of intellectual property, including the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works which was first adopted in 1886.

[edit] External links

web site at www.mplc.com.