Re: RARA-AVIS: Using film noir in the classroom

From: Philip Benz ( Philip.Benz@wanadoo.fr)
Date: 10 Apr 2000


A.N. sez:
<< What if I rent a movie, invite 20 friends over, then talk about it? >>

IMO, it's not a public showing. Normal copyright restrictions don't apply. But educational institutions are defined as public places. Prior authorisation is required even if very rarely requested.

I was under the impression that showing an entire film in a classroom in the US was possible, though. I'll check the refs further up on the thread.

Tribe sez:
<<There was a big case about 10 years ago now, where the courts found copyright infringement because a professor used Kinko's to copy all those handouts that professors use in class sometimes. I agree, it's bullshit....but that's still infringement.>>

Actually, that is quite legitimate, since the widespread use of
"coursepacks" damages the commercial potential of academic materials.

Again, to summarize the (IMO outrageous) position on French copyright law: (1) showing a film in class is subject to prior authorization; (2) showing short excerpts infringes on the artistic integrity of the work and thus is not allowed; (3) lending films, CDroms etc in a library is subject to prior authorization; (4) students viewing websites on school equipment is subject to prior authorization (!!).

If anyone is interested in the Ed ministry copyright document, they can find it here (in French): http://www.educnet.education.fr/juri/bmonnet.htm

We now return you to your regular hard-boiled sponsors.

Cheers, --- Phil

Philip.Benz@wanadoo.fr Lyc饠Astier, Aubenas, France
"English with the Maltese Falcon," an ESL lesson on character portraits: http://www.ardecol.ac-grenoble.fr/english/falcon/falchome.htm

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