Legal issues about movie copyright!

AJ_STYLES_LAX · Post by **AJ_STYLES_LAX** » Tue Feb 04, 2014 3:17 pm

Hello all,

I am a foreigner who is living in Finland. I and my friend are making a business plan to establish the 3D-cinema coffee shop in Finland. Basically, the coffee shop will have different small rooms with home-theater system to watch 3D and HD Bluray movies. When coming to the shop, customers only pay for the duration of staying at the room to watch movies and other foods/drinks they order. They can choose whatever movies they want but not to pay for the movies themselves.

So I just have few inquiries about the legal issues related to this case:

- Is this legal for us to publish movies in this kind of business model?
- If yes, what sources should we use to find and store movies?
- Do we have to pay anything for the copyright fee at Finland? Where to look for it?

Thank you and best regards,

**Sponsor:**

Upphew · Post by **Upphew** » Tue Feb 04, 2014 3:26 pm

AJ_STYLES_LAX wrote:Hello all,

I am a foreigner who is living in Finland. I and my friend are making a business plan to establish the 3D-cinema coffee shop in Finland. Basically, the coffee shop will have different small rooms with home-theater system to watch 3D and HD Bluray movies. When coming to the shop, customers only pay for the duration of staying at the room to watch movies and other foods/drinks they order. They can choose whatever movies they want but not to pay for the movies themselves.

So I just have few inquiries about the legal issues related to this case:

- Is this legal for us to publish movies in this kind of business model?
- If yes, what sources should we use to find and store movies?
- Do we have to pay anything for the copyright fee at Finland? Where to look for it?

Thank you and best regards,

Yes.
I'd get my movies wherever I got them cheapest, but keeping an eye which subtitles are available. I'd store them on shelves.
http://www.elokuvalisenssi.fi/

AJ_STYLES_LAX · Post by **AJ_STYLES_LAX** » Tue Feb 04, 2014 7:42 pm

Upphew wrote:
AJ_STYLES_LAX wrote:Hello all,

I am a foreigner who is living in Finland. I and my friend are making a business plan to establish the 3D-cinema coffee shop in Finland. Basically, the coffee shop will have different small rooms with home-theater system to watch 3D and HD Bluray movies. When coming to the shop, customers only pay for the duration of staying at the room to watch movies and other foods/drinks they order. They can choose whatever movies they want but not to pay for the movies themselves.

So I just have few inquiries about the legal issues related to this case:

- Is this legal for us to publish movies in this kind of business model?
- If yes, what sources should we use to find and store movies?
- Do we have to pay anything for the copyright fee at Finland? Where to look for it?

Thank you and best regards,
Yes.
I'd get my movies wherever I got them cheapest, but keeping an eye which subtitles are available. I'd store them on shelves.
http://www.elokuvalisenssi.fi/

Thank you so much. You made my day!

riku2 · Post by **riku2** » Tue Feb 04, 2014 8:39 pm

AJ_STYLES_LAX wrote:- Do we have to pay anything for the copyright fee at Finland? Where to look for it?

what do you mean "copyright fee"? Movies are sold on DVD and blu-ray subject to certain rights of use, which don't include showing them in the kind of place you are talking about. Buying the DVD doesn't mean you can do anything with it you like. You'd have to negotiate with the rights holders about showing them. There is not just some blanket fee you can pay and that's it. Some rights holders might not let you show their films at all. When you play a dvd there is normally some legal text at the start saying what you can do with the DVD.

betelgeuse · Post by **betelgeuse** » Tue Feb 04, 2014 11:13 pm

riku2 wrote:
AJ_STYLES_LAX wrote:- Do we have to pay anything for the copyright fee at Finland? Where to look for it?
what do you mean "copyright fee"? Movies are sold on DVD and blu-ray subject to certain rights of use, which don't include showing them in the kind of place you are talking about. Buying the DVD doesn't mean you can do anything with it you like. You'd have to negotiate with the rights holders about showing them. There is not just some blanket fee you can pay and that's it. Some rights holders might not let you show their films at all. When you play a dvd there is normally some legal text at the start saying what you can do with the DVD.

Except that the link Upphew provided is for a blanked fee license for quite a few rightsholders.

riku2 · Post by **riku2** » Wed Feb 05, 2014 8:21 am

betelgeuse wrote:Except that the link Upphew provided is for a blanket fee license for quite a few rightsholders.

The licence offered by the site seems similar to those needed by taxi drivers, hairdressers etc who play the radio to waiting customers. But I doubt a place which primarily is to watch films with secondary intention to eat and drink will be covered. But try it and see.

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Wed Feb 05, 2014 8:35 am

Teosto will rip them a new orifice

Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Wed Feb 05, 2014 10:31 am

You need to call the CIAPC They can answer all your questions on copyright rules in FInland.

CIAPC Office
Pieni Roobertinkatu 16 A
Third floor
FIN-00120 Helsinki
Finland

Tel: +358-(0)9-6803 4059
Fax: +358-(0)9-6803 4033
Email: info@antipiracy.fi

browndude · Post by **browndude** » Wed Feb 05, 2014 12:02 pm

I knew a guy who just bought a bunch of DVD´s and decided to rent them without paying the copyright fees or whatever. Surprise, surprise, someone complained to the authorities and he had to shut the business down and pay a huge fine. You need to definitely get the rights to show the movie in a business setting like you intend to do.

AJ_STYLES_LAX · Post by **AJ_STYLES_LAX** » Wed Feb 05, 2014 12:33 pm

Rosamunda wrote:You need to call the CIAPC They can answer all your questions on copyright rules in FInland.

CIAPC Office
Pieni Roobertinkatu 16 A
Third floor
FIN-00120 Helsinki
Finland

Tel: +358-(0)9-6803 4059
Fax: +358-(0)9-6803 4033
Email: info@antipiracy.fi

Thank you for the reply. Legal adviser from CIAPC office has confirmed about my case. My Business is still legal if I get licence from right holders like M&M Viihdepalvelu Oy (Elokuvalisenssi).

masao · Post by **masao** » Wed Feb 05, 2014 4:14 pm

Hi.
This idea reminded me of the lonely box rooms in lousy small shop in Shinjuku where you rent a horny VHS film and
watched it all by yourself on a vibrating chair and reached out for kleenex box. It was 1980s. I did not know how they handled the copyright stuff.

Anyway, you may be able to avoid the copyright issue by charging only drinks and let the customers choose whatever they want to watch from
DVD shelf. It is operated like manga cafe. Then you have to be satisfied with low customer rotation (two hours with one drink?!) and high investment (decent displays and players).
I do not quite believe your plan successful. The future is, I think, in internet.

If I were you, I also visit YritysHelsinki, too. They will help you calculate how much you have to invest, how much you have to charge your drink and how many customers
you can expect etc....

t, masao

Upphew · Post by **Upphew** » Wed Feb 05, 2014 4:31 pm

masao wrote:Anyway, you may be able to avoid the copyright issue by charging only drinks and let the customers choose whatever they want to watch from
DVD shelf.

No go. You are still making the stuff available for public -> someone will want to get their share.

AldenG · Post by **AldenG** » Wed Feb 05, 2014 6:03 pm

masao wrote: I did not know how they handled the copyright stuff.

Yes, it seems like it could be a sticky situation.

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