At the heart of every manufactured housing community is a desire to build lasting friendships among community residents.  Community managers and residents alike are always looking for  new ways to bring neighbors together and develop a true sense of community.  Manufactured housing communities across the country accomplish this with popular events like holiday parties and potlucks.  As every community manager knows, coordinating activities can be time consuming.  With economic concerns on the minds of both managers and residents, getting an event off the ground ban be more challenging than in the past.  However, one programming option is guaranteed to be simple, affordable, and successful every time. 

Increasingly, movies are an easy, cost effective way to engage residents and encourage community interaction.  As simple as popping in a DVD, movie exhibitions in manufactured housing communities have been aided by the falling cost of high definition televisions, video projectors, and even inflatable screens. With content available via DVD, download, or internet stream, programming options for residents of all ages are just a click away.  However, before you start popping the popcorn, make sure you take a moment to consider copyright law.

What is a Public Performance?
According to the US Copyright Act, Title 17 of the United States Code, copyrighted motion pictures and other audiovisual programs that are available for rental or purchase in any legal format, such as DVDs or other digital formats, whether streamed or downloaded, are intended for personal, private use only.   Common areas within a private community such as a clubhouse, greenbelt, recreation room, or gym are considered “public” by law, and showing movies in these areas requires a public performance license.   Regardless of whether or not an admission fee is charged, this legal requirement applies equally to for-and non-profit organizations. It does not matter if management or residents program the exhibition; fines for non-compliance start at $750 for each inadvertent infringement and go as high as $150,000 for each egregious violation. 

Protect Your Community
WMA has worked with the Motion Picture Licensing Corporation (MPLC) for over 20 years to educate members of the need for copyright compliance.   Founded in 1986, the MPLC is an independent copyright licensing agency authorized by motion picture studios and producers to issue the MPLC Umbrella License.  The Umbrella License grants residential communities the public performance right needed to play movies in common areas.  Once licensed, an unlimited number of movies can be shown for one annual license fee, and your community gains the assurance of comprehensive copyright compliance. 

WMA Members Save
Through a special partnership with the MPLC, WMA members receive a discount of up to 20% on an annual Umbrella License.  Pricing is based on the total number of spaces within your community.

Manufactured Housing Community Pricing
Total Number of Spaces x Price Per Space = Annual License Fee

2014 WMA Member Rate
$2.25/space ($1,090.00 maximum annual fee)
Non-Member Rate
$2.85/space ($1,335.00 maximum annual fee)

The Umbrella License provides the most comprehensive programming available from over 650 motion picture producers, ranging from major Hollywood studios like Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. to independent, specialty, children’s, documentary, and foreign language producers.  Movies can be obtained by residents or staff by any legal means whether rented, purchased, or borrowed.  All legal formats including Netflix stream, iTunes download, or Redbox DVD rental, are covered.

Get Licensed
If you wish to show movies within your community, a public performance license is required. Classic movie matinees, “dive-in” poolside movies, and holiday movie nights are all a click away with the Umbrella License. WMA encourages its members to comply with federal copyright law, and has negotiated a member discount to make licensing more affordable than ever before.  To obtain a license, simply complete the application provided in the Custom Brochure for WMA Members (see brochure link on right panel on this page) and send it directly to the MPLC.

Questions?
For questions and additional information about the MPLC’s simple and affordable license, please contact the MPLC directly at (800) 462-8855 or online at www.mplc.org.