Christian Video License

Video editing software has become more user friendly and available to anyone, which has made it easier to edit movies and show these clips during church services. However, many have questioned the legality of editing movies and showing the clips from their computer ... and if their CVLI license covers this. Another question is if they can put these clips on the internet and are covered under their CVLI license. There are many opinions and I am not an expert in this field, but cvli.org answers many of the questions on their website. Here are a few of their terms that answer the questions many church staff members are asking (careful attention to number 4 & 8 to answer above questions):

"4. The public performances authorized by this License shall take place in the facility(ies) specified in the Application and the sole purpose of such public performance is to exhibit motion pictures to members, staff and guests of LICENSEE and the audience will be limited accordingly. No specific titles, or any characters from such titles, or producers’ names will be advertised or publicized to the general public, and no admission or other fee will be charged to the audience."

"6. The specific titles which may be publicly performed by LICENSEE under this License are motion pictures produced and/or distributed by CVLI-affiliated motion picture companies only. CVLI represents that it or its motion picture company licensors may not possess the appropriate rights to certain individual titles, or, due to the expiration of those rights during the term of this License, CVLI may send LICENSEE at any time during the term of this License binding notices that certain titles cannot be or may no longer be publicly performed under this License. Such notices shall be binding and effective upon LICENSEE when received. It is LICENSEE's responsibility to remain up-to-date regarding CVLI's current list of Producers and Distributors, such list to be made available to LICENSEE upon request."

"7. LICENSEE may publicly perform the specific titles covered by this License by means of lawfully manufactured pre-recorded home videocassettes and DVDs of those titles, acquired by LICENSEE from any legitimate source. The responsibility for obtaining home videocassettes and DVDs is that of LICENSEE, and that the costs of acquiring such home videocassettes and DVDs are to be borne solely by LICENSEE and are separate and distinct from the agreed public performance license fee."

"8. LICENSEE may not duplicate, edit or otherwise modify the home videocassettes and DVDs obtained for public performance purposes under this License."