Film Education -

Film, internet and copyright

As films and film content are now readily available online, it can be difficult to establish which sources are providing access to legally available content. Schools should be aware of issues relating to intellectual property and ensure that they employ best practice, both setting a good example for their students and avoiding any complications for the institution.

In terms of film, TV and video, authorised sources are those that show content in the way their makers intended and have allowed, such as in the cinema, on official DVD or Blu-ray, or via ‘above board’ online sources that you can find via Find Any Film.

Copyright laws are intended to protect the interests of rights holders, but there are a number of exceptions to copyright laws pertaining the use of film within educational establishments. According to these exceptions, teachers may show films (including whole films, and clips such as those used in the Thinking Film series) in the classroom for the purposes of teaching and learning. Teachers should be aware that after school, lunchtime or breaktime showings of films for entertainment are not covered in the same way by this exception. You can find further details on this exception on the UKIPOʼs website.