When a film is first released, a private licensing agreement is signed between the studio and the distributor. As the distributor markets the film to individual theaters, additional agreements are signed between the cinema and the distributor, usually stating the theater agrees to show the movie for two weeks.
Aside from home use, a special license is required to show DVDs and videocassettes at bars, hotels, or at any type of non-paid public performance. This umbrella license can be obtained from the MPLC website. The price varies depending on the number of performances and attendees, but the license is good for one year.
Schools, and educational facilities do not require permission to show copyrighted entertainment movies as long as certain, strict criteria is met. To comply, a teacher or instructor must be in the room at all times, the movie must apply to the current curriculum, and only members of the enrolled student body can be present. In addition, the movie must be either a licensed video copy, or taped from television.