Using scenes from DVD's, licensing?

[GavRob]

I have a selection of teachers that want to use clips out off purchased DVD's in their power points.

Does any one know what the legall standing on this is as i am unsure.

We are about to buy a Trust USB2 Digital PCTV and movie editor so they can pull out sections of footage to use (small clips) but before we buy i want to make sure i don't upset any licensing laws.


Any advice?

[Geoff]

My understanding is that you can't do that.

[CyberNerd]

AFIK there is a 'fair use' policy that covers clips for teaching and learning. for things that are public screening (afterschool clubs, films at lunchtime) you need a public screening license. Not sure whether or not this covers copying but I doubt it

[Geoff]

Yes, but to extract usable clips from a comercial DVD requires you bypass the DRM. This is a criminal offence. So while yes, you can use clips. You actually can't because of the DRM restrictions.

[GrumbleDook]

You can play the DVD ... but you cannot extract sections from it ... likewise you can play commercially purchased VHS tapes ... but you cannot edit them.

If you record the show (via ERA) onto VHS or a PVR ... or even directly onto a computer, then you can take the section that you require ... but not edit it for distribution or resale ... and this includes putting clips onto a streaming server for viewing in different locations.

Talk about a minefield ....

[DMcCoy]

Can someone point me in the direction of which scheme allows you to play dvds? (commercial ones). I have read everything I can get hold of and have yet to find a definate answer!

[bossman]

I have been told by my LEA that as long as you can define the use as educational and justify that, then you do not need a license to do so as you are covered by your local authority.
Any VHF tapes we have are converted to digital media for long usage and as i understand, the copyright allows you by all intentional purposes to make one backup of any genuine video or digital media that you own. This has been through the courts at one stage in america on behalf of the large media companies and thrown out of court for whatever reasons(read this on the internet somewhere but can't remember).

[GrumbleDook]

Can someone point me in the direction of which scheme allows you to play dvds? (commercial ones). I have read everything I can get hold of and have yet to find a definate answer!

You mean the PVS stuff from FilmBank?

And this thread has information too ...

HTH
HAND

[DMcCoy]

Ah, well that wasn't there last time I looked! (I notice at to bottom that it says it has just been announced :P). I missed the other thread it seems, there was one before that I remember though.

So all we need is a legit copy, the pvs license to show dvds (unless on the "not allowed" list).

And for music cds, legic copy and I assume the ppl/prs should cover that.

A quick look at those also seems to exclude any streaming or network stored music/dvd.

Thanks for the info, I did spend some time looking into this a couple of years ago, but things didn't seem to have caught up with dvds! (at least on their web sites).

[plexer]

The PVS licence has been available for a while so their "just launched" tag is a bit out of date nope you can't stream under it.

Ben