Do I always need a public performance license?

Yes for public or ticketed screenings. A consumer DVD or personal purchase typically does not include public performance rights. Obtain written distributor permission or purchase a license to avoid copyright infringement.

Can I use electronic signatures for the agreement?

Yes. Electronic signatures are legally enforceable under ESIGN (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA in most states, provided intent, consent, attribution, and record retention requirements are met.

Is notarization required for validity?

Generally no for contract enforceability, but notarization or witnesses may be required or preferred by a venue or for certain indemnity acknowledgements—check state-specific rules or stakeholder requirements.

What if a distributor revokes the license?

Review cancellation and cure provisions in the agreement. Your remedies depend on contract terms; ensure the agreement identifies who bears costs and whether replacement programming is required.

How long should I keep the executed agreement?

Retain executed agreements at least three years for tax and accounting purposes; retain six years for any healthcare-related records per HIPAA; consider longer retention for high-value events.

How do I cancel or amend an executed agreement?

Follow the amendment and termination clauses: obtain written consent from all parties, record any fee adjustments, and preserve the updated executed copy with the original for audit purposes.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Miscellaneous
Movie Screening Agreement

Movie Screening Agreement

This template is fully customizable. Edit the text, fill out the fields, and send it for signature. Give it a try!

MOVIE SCREENING AGREEMENT

This Movie Screening Agreement (the Agreement) is entered into by and between Licensee: with address: ; and Licensor: with address: .

RECITALS

WHEREAS, Licensor is the owner or authorized distributor of the motion picture entitled "" (the Picture), and has authority to grant public screening rights; and

WHEREAS, Licensee desires to obtain from Licensor a limited, non-exclusive license to publicly screen the Picture at the event described below, and Licensor is willing to grant such license on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.

SCREENING DETAILS

Screening Date and Time

Date: Time:

Venue Expected Attendance Admission/Ticketing

Admission Fee per attendee: $ Ticketing Provider (if any):

SCOPE OF WORK

Licensor grants Licensee a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to publicly exhibit the Picture solely at the Screening described above, subject to the following specifications and obligations. Licensee's obligations and Licensor's deliverables are set forth below and in the Scope of Work.

Detailed Scope of Work

PAYMENT TERMS

License Fee: Licensee shall pay Licensor a total license fee of $ for the rights granted herein.

Deposit and Payment Schedule

Deposit: $ due upon execution; Remaining balance due by .

Payment Method and Schedule Details

Late Payment: Any undisputed amount not paid within days of the due date shall accrue interest at or the maximum rate permitted by law, whichever is lower.

TERM AND TERMINATION

Term: The license granted hereunder commences on and terminates on , unless earlier terminated in accordance with this Agreement.

Termination for Cause: Either party may terminate this Agreement immediately upon material breach by the other party if such breach is not cured within days after written notice.

Termination for Convenience: Either party may terminate this Agreement for convenience upon days' prior written notice. If Licensee terminates for convenience within days of the Screening, deposit shall be forfeited to Licensor.

CONFIDENTIALITY

Each party shall keep confidential all non-public information disclosed by the other party in connection with this Agreement and shall not disclose such information to third parties except to the extent required by law or with the disclosing party's prior written consent. This obligation shall survive termination for a period of years.

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS & PROMOTION

Technical Rider / Projection Requirements Promotion and Credits

INSURANCE, INDEMNIFICATION & WARRANTIES

Insurance: Licensee shall, at its own expense, maintain commercial general liability insurance with limits of not less than $ per occurrence, naming Licensor as additional insured where required.

Indemnification

Warranties: Licensor warrants that it has the rights necessary to grant the license herein and that the Picture does not infringe third-party intellectual property rights. EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY SET FORTH, LICENSOR MAKES NO OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED.

CANCELLATION; FORCE MAJEURE

Cancellation by Licensor for cause entitles Licensee to a full refund of prepaid amounts. Cancellation by Licensee after the deposit becomes non-refundable as set forth above. Neither party shall be liable for failure or delay in performance caused by events beyond a party's reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, government action, labor disputes, or equipment failure; in such event the parties shall cooperate to reschedule the Screening at a mutually agreeable date.

GOVERNING LAW; ENTIRE AGREEMENT

Governing Law: This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of without regard to its conflict of law principles.

Entire Agreement: This Agreement, together with any exhibits or riders executed contemporaneously, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior discussions, negotiations and agreements. No amendment shall be effective unless in writing signed by both parties.

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

Assignment: Licensee shall not assign or transfer its rights or obligations under this Agreement without Licensor's prior written consent. Any attempted assignment in violation of this provision shall be void.

Notices: All notices required or permitted under this Agreement shall be in writing and delivered to the addresses set forth above or such other address as a party may designate by written notice.

Licensee Printed Name:

By:

Date:

Licensor Printed Name:

By:

Date:

What a Movie Screening Agreement Covers

A Movie Screening Agreement is a written contract that records the parties, venue, film title, screening date and time, license or rights granted, payment terms, insurance and indemnity clauses, audience limits, and technical requirements. It clarifies who is responsible for securing public performance rights or distributor licenses, and it sets expectations for cancellations, refunds, and promotional use of footage. For public or ticketed events the agreement should explicitly reference the source of the exhibition license and any distributor restrictions to reduce the risk of copyright claims or venue disputes.

Why a Clear Agreement Matters for Screenings

A properly drafted Movie Screening Agreement allocates legal risk, documents licensed rights, and preserves remedies if a distributor or rights holder alleges unauthorized use. Clear terms reduce last‑minute disputes, set payment and cancellation expectations, and help venues and organizers comply with licensing and insurance requirements.

Which organizations commonly use Movie Screening Agreements

Typical users include independent cinemas, event promoters, nonprofit groups, universities, and private venue operators that present films to paying or public audiences.

Independent theaters and arthouse venues that schedule ticketed public screenings and handle distributor relations.
Colleges, student groups, and community organizations that host campus or public film events and need rights documentation.
Event producers and festival organizers that contract venues, secure rights, and manage vendor obligations.

Use the agreement whenever a screening involves public exhibition, ticketing, or any third‑party distribution source to ensure licensing and liability are managed.

Core clauses to include in a professional agreement

A compact agreement should contain discrete, enforceable clauses so each party understands rights, costs, and obligations before the event.

Parties

Identify the organizer, venue owner, and licensee by full legal name and business entity; include mailing and contact addresses for notices and invoicing.

License Details

Specify the film title, distributor/licensor name, type of license (public performance, noncommercial, educational), license period, territory, and any audience or venue restrictions imposed by the licensor.

Payment Terms

State fees, deposit schedule, payment methods, and refund rules; include responsibility for box office splits, taxes, and chargebacks if applicable.

Insurance & Indemnity

Require general liability insurance with coverage limits, name additional insureds as needed, and include mutual indemnity provisions for copyright infringement and third‑party claims.

Technical Requirements

Document projection format, resolution, sound spec, run‑order, and on‑site technical contact; allocate responsibility for delivery of screening media and preshow checks.

Cancellation & Remedies

Define cancellation windows, credits versus refunds, and remedies for breach including cure periods and limitation of liability where permitted by law.

Step-by-step: preparing and finalizing the agreement

Follow a predictable sequence to confirm rights, venue readiness, and financials before sending the agreement for signature.

01

Confirm Rights: Verify public performance license availability and cost.
02

Draft Terms: Populate agreement fields with venue and payment details.
03

Review Insurance: Confirm liability coverage and additional insured endorsements.
04

Execute: Send for signatures and retain a fully executed copy for records.

Typical signing and delivery flow

A concise workflow reduces friction and records the chain of custody for rights and payments.

Upload Document: Host final draft in a signing platform or PDF repository.
Place Fields: Add signature, date, and initial fields where required.
Send to Signers: Email signers or generate a secure signing link.
Store Executed Copy: Save PDF with audit trail and confirmation emails.

Digital workflow settings to check before sending

Configure authentication, reminders, and field behavior so signatures are attributable and records are retained.

Field	Configuration
Signature Type	Allow typed or drawn signatures; require signer attribution
Authentication	Use email link plus SMS code for moderate assurance
Reminders	Set two automatic reminders at three and seven days
Audit Trail	Enable timestamp, IP capture, and completion certificate

Technical and platform considerations

Choose a platform that supports secure storage, audit trails, and the authentication level you require for signers.

File Formats: PDF, DOCX supported
Integrations: Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, NetSuite
Authentication: Email, SMS, SSO options

Confirm the platform preserves the signed PDF, generates an audit trail, and meets any industry compliance needs such as HIPAA or 21 CFR Part 11 when those regimes apply.

Key timing considerations and recommended lead times

Plan ahead for license requests, distributor approvals, and technical rehearsals to avoid denial of exhibition rights or late fees.

License Application Window:

Apply 2–6 weeks before screening to secure distributor approval.

Deposit Due:

Require deposit on booking, typically within 7–14 days of contract.

Final Payment:

Collect final payment no later than 7 days before event.

Technical Rehearsal:

Schedule a full run check 24–48 hours before screening.

Cancellation Notice:

Specify notice period for refunds or credits, commonly 14–30 days.

Milestone timeline from booking to post-event

Track milestones so responsibilities and deadlines are visible to each stakeholder.

01

Booking Confirmed

Venue and organizer commit and pay deposit.

02

License Secured

Distributor issues public performance license.

03

Technical Check

Equipment and media verified on site.

04

Post-Event Closeout

Reconcile ticketing, payments, and any outstanding obligations.

Common mistakes to avoid when preparing an agreement

Assuming public exhibition rights are included with a consumer DVD instead of obtaining explicit distributor permission.
Leaving payment and refund terms vague, which invites disputes over revenue splits and chargebacks.
Failing to confirm required insurance endorsements and naming the venue as additional insured.
Using unsigned or poorly tracked license confirmations instead of attaching executed distributor agreements to the contract.

Potential legal and financial consequences

Copyright Liability: Statutory damages possible

License Revocation: Screening subject to stop order

Civil Suits: Distributor or rights holder claims

Insurance Gaps: Coverage denial for unpaid endorsements

Reputational Harm: Publicized infringement claims

Contract Disputes: Monetary damages and injunctions

Document and platform security considerations

Encryption: TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit; AES-256 at rest

Audit Trail: Timestamp, IP, and event history captured

Compliance: ESIGN and UETA legal frameworks supported

HIPAA: BAA available when required

Certifications: SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001

Accessibility: WCAG 2.0 Level AA support

Vendor pricing and capability snapshot for eSignature use

Basic pricing and feature availability across common eSignature vendors; signNow appears first for neutral comparison purposes.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting Price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Free Trial	7-day free trial	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Bulk Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Envelope Cap	No envelope cap	100 envelopes/user/year	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan

Real-world examples of event or venue agreements

Two brief examples show how organizations adapt screening agreements for different contexts.

Community Cinema Example

A nonprofit theater finalized a screening agreement for a ticketed event with a distributor

included indemnity and projection specs
the executed contract and license prevented a last-minute takedown request and clarified refund obligations for a sold‑out screening.

Campus Screening Example

A university student group arranged a college screening under an educational license

required campus insurance and venue addendum
attaching the license and proof of insurance to the agreement ensured compliance with university event policy and protected the hosting department.

Practical tips for a smoother agreement process

Implement consistent practices to reduce contract friction, speed execution, and lower legal risk across events.

Attach Licenses

Always attach distributor license confirmations or purchase receipts to the agreement to make the source of rights explicit and easily auditable.

Standardize Clauses

Use a modular template for technical, indemnity, and insurance clauses so you can adapt language quickly for one-off screenings.

Use Clear Deadlines

Set explicit dates for deposit, final payment, and technical checks; include remedies for late payments or no‑shows.

Record Signatures

Preserve the fully executed PDF and authentication certificate; include it in your event closeout folder for audit and insurance needs.

Frequently asked questions about Movie Screening Agreements

Answers to common questions about licensing, signatures, notarization, and post‑event obligations.

Need help? Contact support

Do I always need a public performance license?
Yes for public or ticketed screenings. A consumer DVD or personal purchase typically does not include public performance rights. Obtain written distributor permission or purchase a license to avoid copyright infringement.
Can I use electronic signatures for the agreement?
Yes. Electronic signatures are legally enforceable under ESIGN (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA in most states, provided intent, consent, attribution, and record retention requirements are met.
Is notarization required for validity?
Generally no for contract enforceability, but notarization or witnesses may be required or preferred by a venue or for certain indemnity acknowledgements—check state-specific rules or stakeholder requirements.
What if a distributor revokes the license?
Review cancellation and cure provisions in the agreement. Your remedies depend on contract terms; ensure the agreement identifies who bears costs and whether replacement programming is required.
How long should I keep the executed agreement?
Retain executed agreements at least three years for tax and accounting purposes; retain six years for any healthcare-related records per HIPAA; consider longer retention for high-value events.
How do I cancel or amend an executed agreement?
Follow the amendment and termination clauses: obtain written consent from all parties, record any fee adjustments, and preserve the updated executed copy with the original for audit purposes.

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