Trying to raise money for a friends kids. I suggested maybe having a movie night in the neighbourhood for everyone. Not charging an admission fee, but charging for snacks and beverages. I have a small theatre room in my house that can seat around 30. And just don't wanna get in trouble.
Would this be illegal
- Thread starter FTWWTF
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Could you try using GoFundMe, where you can explain why your friends kids (family) is in need of support? https://ca.gofundme.com/
Lots of people in need use this method to raise money.
You could also do a garage sale and use all the proceeds towards the family. For another option.
But if they are in need of help they could call 2-1-1 (http://211.ca/) and ask for support, or you could do that for them. If that is financial support, emotional support, housing, clothing, etc.,
I don't think it's illegal to sell snacks to raise money for the family, but that is my opinion.
Hope your friends family is okay.
Lots of people in need use this method to raise money.
You could also do a garage sale and use all the proceeds towards the family. For another option.
But if they are in need of help they could call 2-1-1 (http://211.ca/) and ask for support, or you could do that for them. If that is financial support, emotional support, housing, clothing, etc.,
I don't think it's illegal to sell snacks to raise money for the family, but that is my opinion.
Hope your friends family is okay.
No issue whatsoever.
charge admission...and for snacks!
Its a fundraiser....no one cares or even would find out about it!!
charge admission...and for snacks!
Its a fundraiser....no one cares or even would find out about it!!
The potential legal issue is copyright. Specifically, whether you have the "public performance" rights to the movie you want to play.
If you want to be fully above board find out what it takes to get those rights. Expect it to cost around $200 for a non theatrical public screening of a recent big release movie. If you request a quote explaining that it is a fundraiser with not more than 30 attendees they may significantly reduce the price for you.
However, if you keep this low key and obviously charitable in nature my guess is even if they found out they wouldn't do anything, or at most send you a letter telling you not to do it again.
If you want to be fully above board find out what it takes to get those rights. Expect it to cost around $200 for a non theatrical public screening of a recent big release movie. If you request a quote explaining that it is a fundraiser with not more than 30 attendees they may significantly reduce the price for you.
However, if you keep this low key and obviously charitable in nature my guess is even if they found out they wouldn't do anything, or at most send you a letter telling you not to do it again.
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Technically it is illegal for unauthorized use of copyright materials, but there have been millions ( maybe billions ) of illegal music downloads on the internet.
True if it's public
One possible out is if he personally invites only people he knows. Then it's a small private gathering. When you buy or rent a movie you are buying the right for private performances, so that is OK, just your friends over to watch a movie
It's when you open it to the public that requires negotiating a license with the rights agencies, which as I said, usually costs about $200 per title, but you might be able to get a significantly cheaper rate for a small charitable event.
Singing happy birthday at a kids BD party is illegal/copyright infringement. So what's different about playing a movie for a Children's fundraiser.
Not any more. Warner/Chappell lost in court in 2015 when they failed to prove they held a valid copyright to Happy Birthday, and were forced to pay a $14 million class action settlement to refund royalties that they had previously collected on the song.
So you can sing Happy Birthday in public with all your heart, and if you ever paid any royalty for the right to do so previously you can go get your money back.
http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSL2N15O1N8
P.S. the spirit of your post is correct, you need to pay a license fee to perform a copyrighted work in a public setting
For the 100 - 200$ you might raise why not just cough up the money yourself, how much would you really expect to raise without people feeling they are being gouged, and what is the fundraiser for, an illness or a school trip or something.
The work to put in isn't worth the hassle.
The work to put in isn't worth the hassle.
Well, it could bring the neighbours together and that wouldn't be a bad thing as if there was ever to be another event, people already trust him that he's legit and he's doing something with good intentions.
Gotta keep the hood togetha' YO!
Neighbours are best for driving by and waving. What is the cause of the fundraising, if he's got a 30 seat theatre, must be in a nice neighbourhood. I couldn't imagine inviting people over and charging them for stuff, I would be humiliated. What are you going to do buy a bunch of small bags of chips for a dollar and sell them for 3, and sell pop for a dollar, or sell bags of popcorn. Sounds like such a stupid idea.
People won't do that unless the kid has an illness or something.
All the more reason to invite some Terbites over for some big screen porn instead.
Nobody's regulating that.
Our fightclub is accustomed to paying to play and will be stronger than strangers,kids etc that will spill the beans, cheap out and complain about paying etc.
Problem is explaining how he raised the " dirty" money.
