Copyright & Public Screening
The majority of feature, documentary and independent films in the library's media collections are under copyright. Therefore, it is necessary to follow established policies for the legal use of these materials. Most items in the collection may be borrowed for personal study. Faculty wishing to use materials in class are encouraged to put the items on reserve for the term.
Refer to the Dartmouth College Copyright Policy for additional information about copyright.
Purchasing Rights for Public Screening
When showing a movie on campus (any showing that is NOT in your home or room) you must purchase the screening rights for the film from the distributing company. Legally you and your organization are required to secure the proper rights whether or not you charge an admission fee. Rates for the rights usually range from $250-$1000 depending on the film and the format. For these reasons, we recommend that you make arrangements early and solicit funding from the Programming Board (PB), the Council on Student Organizations (COSO), or other co-sponsorship organizations.
Planning your campus movie event:
Step 1: Reserve an appropriate venue for the event. Some rooms have the necessary equipment installed, while others will require setup. Speak with the building scheduler about venue options or contact Classroom Technology Services to make arrangements to borrow equipment. Reminder: Alert the scheduler when you have finalized arrangements for film screening rights.
Step 2: Make arrangements for the film rights. See contacts below for companies that distribute films for non-theatrical viewing (anything outside a movie theater). Each distributor represents a different set of film companies, so you have to find the one that offers the rights for your selected film. Most companies have a website with a search function so you can look up the film title.
Step 3: Make payment arrangements. Set up a club/organization account with the distributor. They will send a bill for the film to you and you can process payment through your club account. COSO and PB will assist with co-sponsorship of most film screenings. If the screening will be held in the Collis Center, the Collis Governing Board may also be able to provide co-sponsorship.
Distribution Companies
Criterion Pictures
Studio and independent films
1-800-890-9494
Kino International
Foreign, independent, and educational films
1-800-562-3330
Milestone Film & Video
Documentary and educational films
1-800-603-1104
New Yorker Films
Foreign and independent films
212-645-4600
Contact: Linda Duchin
Swank Motion Pictures
Studio and independent films
1-800-876-3344
Sony Pictures Classics
Independent films
1-212-833-8850
Contact: Mike DiCerto as of September 2016
If none of the companies above have the title you are looking for, contact the Hopkins Center Film Office (646-2576, hop.film@dartmouth.edu) for further assistance.