I enjoyed the Boston Eyes on the Prize showing in February ("Eyes on the Screen"), but have recently heard that open public viewings of copyrighted films may be actionable, even when admission isn't charged. Many colleges have a policy of not allowing community-wide advertising for showings of video on campus outside a classroom setting. Would someone please point me to the straight dope on when and how a video may be legally viewed and advertised among sympathizers and colleagues? (In the wider community, as was done with the Eyes on the Prize exhibition, not on a college campus.)
Fair use is governed by Title 17, U.S. Code, Section 110
In plain English, the straight dope is that any viewing of a film outside of a private home must be done with the permission of the copyright holder, even if no admission is charged.
There are a few library and university sites that explain copyright and fair use issues well. I especially found helpful a site at the Univ. of Texas
Major studios have agencies that provide these kinds of permissions - more info from these agencies can be found here:
http://www.mplc.com/faq.php
http://www.movlic.com/faqlibrary.html
Independent films might be easier to get permission for (or not) depending on the group, the cause, the people involved, etc. But legally you do have to get permission.
Of course the usual disclaimers apply here: we're librarians, not lawyers, what we tell you should not be construed as legal advice, etc.