Are Sydney churches breaking the law? If they are screening any part of a pre-recorded film in church without permission, the answer is yes, according to copyright lawyer Karen Gettens.
"Unauthorised public screening or copying/distributing of copyright works will usually be an infringement of copyright," she says.
But a new licensing organisation has been launched to help churches through this legal minefield.
The Church Video Licence, launched in March, gives churches and other ministry organisations blanket coverage for thousands of movie titles, from a list of over 60 producers including Village Roadshow, Paramount and 20th Century Fox.
"The Church Video Licence was developed as a means whereby churches can remain within the law in a cost- and time-effective way," says the Managing Director of Christian Copyright Licencing International (CCLI) for the Asia-Pacific Region, Malcolm Hawker.
The licence applies to segments of films or full-length features. However it will not cover the use of unauthorised copies or material recorded from television.
The licence comes as a response to a number of enquiries from churches confused or concerned about copyright, says Mr Hawker.
"We had many enquiries from churches regarding displaying videos within a church and therefore a public setting," he says.
"We advised them that they are required to contact the distributor for a licence. This can be a time-consuming and expensive exercise."
Under Australia's current copyright laws, churches cannot screen a film in a church or youth group without permission, even if the video or DVD is owned or rented.
A screening in a church service or youth group amounts to a "public performance" even if no fee is charged.
Anglican Youthworks College Dean Graham Stanton, who teaches a subject called Spirituality on Screen, says the licence is good news for Sydney Anglican churches.
"Christians can do what they've been doing but no longer break the law."
The licence operates much like the current CCLI music licence, with one payment linked to the church's location and size covering all usage for the year.
"The response to the Church Video Licence has been overwhelming as groups recognise its value," says Mr Hawker.
