Video/film

Video found on the internet can have the same copyright protection as a film being shown in a cinema. Copying, reusing or distributing this material will infringe copyright unless the copyright owner has given you their express permission, however, getting this permission can be difficult. A list of websites has been compiled which provides ‘copyright friendly’ videos, but please remember to check the specific terms and condition of each. Always remember to credit the material unless specified otherwise.

A video or film can be shown under the educational performance exception in its entirety if it is for the purpose of instruction, during regular hours of teaching and no external audience is present. 

While there are copyright exceptions that cover certain educational uses, showing a film at a film festival, student event, or public lecture generally requires a licence from the copyright holder. Failing to obtain a licence can result in copyright infringement with potential legal consequences. It's essential to ensure you have the necessary permissions before using copyrighted material in these settings. Depending on the film you would like to show, you can choose licenses from Filmbank licenses, Motion Picture License or the British Film Institute (BFI).  

You can also download our helpful guide.

A wonderful resource is also the Learning on Screen webpage which offers guides on Fair Practice when screening audio visual content, video essay guides and audio visual citation guidelines. 

If you have any other questions, do get in touch with the Copyright and Licensing Manager. 

 Resources

• BFI online – film clips cannot be downloaded due to copyright reasons however, they can be ‘streamed’.  
• Black and White Movies – provides access to old movies where either the copyright has expired or they have been shared legally.
• BUFVC - British Universities Film and Video Council.
• Creative Commons Search – use Creative Commons (CC) to search for videos with CC licences on YouTube. Learn more about Creative Commons.
  
• EU Screen – this database provides free online access to videos, stills, texts and audio from European broadcasters and audiovisual archives. It allows you to explore selected content from the early 1900s to the present. Please do not copy the content but instead provide a link to the website.
• Moving Image Archive – free movies films and videos which are in the public domain (copyright expired) or available on a Creative Commons Licence.
• Nasa eClips – short educational videos for kids on science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

ERA+ and Open University Licences

The University also subscribes to licences from the Educational Recording Agency (ERA) such as Box of Broadcasts. The ERA+ licence covers its members to record broadcasts from all BBC channels (but excludes Open University broadcasts on television and radio), ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, and S4C. It also includes all digital TV and radio channels operated by these companies. 

Kanopy

The University subscribes to Kanopy as well. Kanopy is an on-demand streaming video platform for public and academic libraries that offers films, TV shows, educational videos and documentaries. Use your University login to access. 

Prepared to pay?

Independent Cinema Office – provides information about the licences you need to screen a film to the public and how to get started. You will need to check your host venue has a PPL PRS licence.

Please note that the external website links have been compiled to help you highlight the range of websites available but are not endorsed by the University.

For more information please contact the University Copyright and Licensing Manager.