Frequently Asked Questions
What is public performance licensing?
A public performance license allows someone to show a movie outside of a home. The licensing fees collected for public performance licenses go towards compensating the people who work on a movie production from start to finish.
The Copyright Law includes a section specifically pertaining to classroom educational use in a nonprofit educational institution. Find out more.
How do I place an order?
You can request a quote online by contacting the account manager responsible for your state. Click here to request a quote.
How much does the Public Performance License cost?
The cost of the Public Performance license depends on a few things related to the type of event you are hosting. Criterion Pictures USA offers the most competitive prices in the industry, and we can price match in most situations. Our account managers are always available to answer any questions you may have.
Can we charge admission at our movie event?
Absolutely! If you decide to charge admission, the licensing fee is the quoted fee or 50% of your gross ticket sales, whichever is greater of the two. You do not pay both; one or the other whichever is more.
What if our movie event date changes due to circumstances beyond our control?
Easy! Contact your account representative immediately. In most cases, we can reschedule your event.
Are there any restrictions when it comes to advertising the movie event?
You must use the studio-approved movie poster to advertise your movie event. Criterion Pictures USA can help you customize the event posters and provide a print-ready PDF for you. Please see the Advertising Tools section on our website. For more information on how to run a successful movie event, visit our Movie Screening Tips page.
Do you offer movie screening options for virtual events?
Yes, we do. Through our Virtual Movie Program using our Digital Streaming platform Criterion On-Demand and our list of award-winning films, Criterion Pictures can help you plan your virtual movie events.
Are there any restrictions with the movie license?
The license is good for one calendar day only unless otherwise worked out prior to placing the order. All advertising guidelines can be found on our terms and conditions page of the order form. If you need a copy of the terms and conditions, please contact your account representative.
What are your payment options?
We accept all major credit cards, purchase orders and time permitting, checks.
I am looking for Halloween movie ideas and suggestions.
We have an extensive library of Halloween movies. Please see our Halloween Movie Catalog or Search Our Movie Database for suitable titles.
We are considering starting an outdoor movie tradition in our community. Ideally, we would show one movie per month. Could you please guide us through the process and required fees?
Licensing is done on a title-by-title basis, so we’ll license a specific movie on a specific date for you. The cost of the license will vary depending on the title and the circumstances of your screening. To better assist you with this, please consider the following information: Do you have a venue in mind? How many people do you think you’ll have in attendance at an event like this? Are you planning to sell tickets? If so, how much? Will this be a drive-in style show, or blankets and chairs on the ground? Please Request a Quote from one of our knowledgeable sales representatives.
We’re planning a Client Appreciation Event. Can you please advise on what movie licensing we need?
You need a public performance license.
We would like to show a movie on our community baseball field. Do we need to buy a public performance license?
Yes. Once you take a movie outside of your home, you need a public performance license to show the movie to the public.