Movies and TV shows are a great tool for entertaining waiting rooms, calming and distracting patients, and improving the hospital experience facility-wide. But there are a few steps you must take before pressing “play’ to ensure you’re following copyright law.

Watch the video below to learn why copyright compliance is important, when a license is necessary and how you can secure it for your facility.

• What does Swank do?
• Why do I need Swank’s services?
• Who appointed Swank to issue public performance licensing?
• What if my facility purchased the movie or subscribes to a streaming service?
• If movies are donated to my hospital, can I use them legally?
• A small group is having an informal gathering in our facility to watch a movie. Do we still need a license?
• Do we need a license even if we don’t charge patients to watch movies or TV shows?
• Who’s responsible if a movie or TV show is shown without a license?

What does Swank do?

Swank provides entertainment content, licensing, and viewing platforms to hospitals, clinics, colleges, libraries and dozens of other entities that want to show films legally on their property. We work with everyone from the biggest studios in Hollywood to the most innovative indie film companies to help hospitals like yours enhance the patient experience.

Why do I need Swank’s services?

According to the Federal Copyright Act, copyrighted materials like movies can only be used for a public performance if they’re properly licensed. However, neither the rental nor purchase of a movie carries the right to exhibit it outside of one’s home. We help you get entertainment content and the rights to legally show it.

Who appointed Swank to issue public performance licensing?

Major and minor film studios trust Swank as their liaison and agent to provide public performance licensing for their library of movies.

What if my facility purchased the movie or subscribes to a streaming service?

DVDs and online streaming platforms provide movies and TV shows for personal home use only. These sources do not give you legal permission to show content in a public or semi-public setting, like a hospital.

If movies are donated to my hospital, can I use them legally?

How you obtain movies or TV shows doesn’t change the setting where you’re showing them. You still need a license to show them in a hospital.

A small group is having an informal gathering in our facility to watch a movie. Do we still need a license?

Yes. You need a license regardless of the number of people watching the movie or TV show.

Do we need a license even if we don’t charge patients to watch movies or TV shows?

Yes. A license is required regardless of whether or not there are admission charges or fees.

Who’s responsible if a movie or TV show is shown without a license?

The management of the facility where the movie is shown bears the ultimate responsibility and consequences of copyright infringement. However, anyone involved with the public performance of copyrighted material could be implicated.