FAQs

An annual site license from Swank gives your school legal permission to show movies for entertainment purposes like movie nights, fundraisers, rewards, assemblies, rainy-day recess and celebrations. Swank Educational Streaming is a bundled solution built for educational use and sitewide copyright protection – combining a curated library of films, documentaries and educational series with instructional tools for teachers.

Any school that shows movies outside of curriculum-tied instruction needs a movie license. If teachers also want to stream films for instruction, Swank Educational Streaming combines a curated platform with the license. A Swank K-12 representative can help find the right fit to your school in one conversation.

Yes. Many schools and districts use both to fully support how movies are used across their campuses. Streaming supports instructional use, while licensing ensures your school is covered for events and activities outside of learning. Together, they provide a complete, compliant way to use video across your school.

A Public Performance License is legal permission under U.S. Copyright Law to show a movie outside of a private home setting. Whenever a school shows a movie outside of curriculum-tied classroom instruction, a license is required, even if the audience is small and no admission is charged.

Any time a school shows a movie outside of curriculum-tied classroom instruction, a license is required. Common examples include movie nights, fundraisers, assemblies, after-school programs, classroom rewards and celebrations, holiday parties, PBIS rewards, rainy-day recess and family events on school property.

No. Personal purchases or subscriptions are intended for home use only and do not include public performance rights. A license is required.

The face-to-face teaching exemption allows unlicensed showings when a teacher is present, the school is a nonprofit, only enrolled students attend and the film is an essential part of required curriculum. Most school movie moments don’t meet that bar, and that’s where Swank comes in.

Yes. We provide PD at no charge, available via video conferencing or on-site visits. You can learn more about our copyright education sessions and request one for your district on our website.

For more on copyright laws, explore resources like the U.S. Copyright Law, the Motion Picture Association (MPA), and educator guides such as Copyright for Schools and Commonsense Copyright.

Swank Educational Streaming is a bundled solution built for classroom use, combining a curated library of films and educational content, instructional tools for teachers and a Public Performance License, all in one secure, school-approved platform. It’s purpose-built for instruction while also legally covering school showings like celebrations, rewards and movie nights.

Built to support every subject, grade level and learning style, the curated catalog spans feature films, documentaries and educational series from trusted sources like Disney, Pixar, Universal, Discovery Channel, Smithsonian and more. The library continuously expands to meet evolving classroom needs.

Designed for everyday instruction, the platform helps teachers quickly find curriculum-connected content, align to standards and integrate video into lessons with clear intent. Built-in tools and a classroom-ready interface reduce prep time, support differentiated learning and drive more engaging discussions.

Yes. Teachers can filter by subject, grade level, standards, themes, keywords and language options to quickly find the right content for any lesson objective, student need or learning style.

Yes. Teachers can pre-select and bookmark key scenes, then share those exact segments with students through their LMS so instruction starts at the right moment instead of the full movie. This saves class time when incorporating video into a lesson. Bookmarks are saved within each teacher’s account.

Each school’s portal starts with a curated collection built around the films and educational content most useful to K–12 instruction, with the ability to customize additional titles specific to your school’s needs. Administrators have full visibility into what’s being shown on campus, so they can support teachers while keeping clear oversight of classroom content.

Swank Educational Streaming runs in a web browser and works on Chromebooks, iPads and laptops, supporting classroom display setups like smart boards. No special app is required, so teachers can access the platform quickly during class.

Every school is supported by a dedicated onboarding team that gets the platform configured and ready for teachers from day one. Ongoing help is available through your account representative or the Swank Customer Hub.

Pricing is based on your school or district’s enrollment. A Swank K-12 representative can provide a quote tailored to your needs in one conversation.

We’ll connect you with a Swank K-12 expert for a personalized walkthrough tailored to your school or district’s subjects, programs and goals. Since royalties are paid on every film shown, we aren’t able to offer self-serve trials, but we can provide content samples to test on your devices.

Yes. Swank Educational Streaming includes the public performance license your school needs, so it can be used for both instructional and non-instructional use.

It’s not sold at the classroom level. Swank Educational Streaming is licensed schoolwide or districtwide to ensure consistency and compliance.

For help accessing your streaming portal, contact your dedicated Swank account representative, visit our Customer Hub or explore the Customer Support FAQs below for quick answers to common questions.

An Annual Site License from Swank gives your school legal permission to show movies outside of curriculum-tied classroom instruction throughout the year, covering unlimited showings on school property for 12 months, including movie nights, fundraisers, assemblies, PBIS rewards and rainy-day recess.

Whenever a movie is shown outside of curriculum-tied classroom instruction, a Public Performance License is required under U.S. Copyright Law. Swank’s license provides full coverage for both planned and unplanned showings, so your school is always covered.

Swank licenses movies from all major Hollywood studios, including Disney, Pixar, Universal, Paramount, Sony, Warner Bros., Lionsgate and more. As the sole source for public performance licensing of these studios in the K-12 market, Swank ensures every movie your school loves to show is covered under one agreement. Preview our content library.

The Single Event License is built for one-time showings. If your school plans multiple movie events throughout the year, the Annual Site License is the better fit, covering unlimited showings on school property for 12 months under a single agreement.

The license covers your entire school community, including teachers, staff, students, parent groups and school-sponsored organizations, as long as the event takes place on school property.

Movies can be shown indoors or outdoors on school property during the license term.

No. Coverage applies only to events held on school property.

The license provides permission, not the movie itself. Schools can use any legally obtained copy or bundle the license with Swank Educational Streaming.

Yes. Whenever a movie is shown for entertainment rather than tied directly to instruction, public performance licensing applies. A Swank license covers classroom rewards, holiday parties, after-school events and more so your school can plan without concern.

Absolutely. Schools can charge admission or accept donations for licensed showings, including fundraising events, with no cap on what you raise, as long as proceeds support the school or its programs rather than an outside organization or charity.

Licenses are valid for 12 months from your selected start date.

Get in touch with a Swank representative for pricing tailored to your school or district.

A Swank representative can confirm coverage for any title and provide access to the full catalog.

Browse our Customer Support FAQs below or visit our Customer Hub for any questions regarding your exisiting license. You can also reach out directly to your dedicated account representative for personalized support.

Every Swank customer gets a dedicated account representative and ongoing customer service. Streaming customers also receive onboarding, training and content recommendations. Licensing customers receive event-planning guidance for movie nights, fundraisers and assemblies.

Our technical support team is available to assist with any technical issues, including evenings and during events. You can reach us through the Customer Hub.

We offer a variety of planning guides and resources in our Thought Leadership Hub. For promotional materials to advertise events and tailored support, your Swank representative can provide direct access.

Your dedicated Swank representative can confirm coverage for any title and provide access to the full catalog.

Submit a form and someone from our team will get back to you as soon as possible. For any immediate needs, give us a call at 877-321-1300.