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Filmbank

Filmbank distributes DVDs and videos from the major film companies and many of the smaller ones. These include Buena Vista (Disney) Warner Bros, 20th Century Fox, UIP, Columbia Tri Star, Pathe, Icon and many more. Films rented from Filmbank are licenced for public screening, whether or not admission is charged

To join Filmbank you should complete the application form on their web site and return it to them with a deposit of 150 pounds (this is refundable when you close your account). You will normally have to give a trade reference from a company you regularly deal with, such as a local business.

You can book films for your screenings via their web site or by phone. Their new web site is comprehensive and fairly easy to navigate and gives full details of all the films they have available. It also gives details of prices.

Filmbank are well used to dealing with groups like those in the Network as they are one of the major sources of films for film societies. However, the way Filmbank will deal with your group does depend on whether they categorize your screenings as either 'commercial' or 'non-commercial'. Even if your group is not setting out to make a commercial profit, Filmbank will class your screenings as 'commercial' if:

the general public can turn up; you charge admission; you advertize the screening with a specific film title

When you apply for an account, you should explain whether you plan to operate along the lines above, or whether yours is a members-only film club, for which members pay an annual subscription only ('non-commercial'). If in doubt, contact Filmbank and discuss it directly with them

If Filmbank categorizes your screenings as 'commercial', you will have to submit a return after each screening, stating how many tickets were sold and what the ticket income was. Filmbank provide a form for this. You will then be invoiced for 35% of the ticket income (minimum 60 pounds), plus VAT and postage. So, if you sell more than 170 pounds worth of tickets per screening, you will end up paying more than a 'non-commercial' screening of the same film, but will otherwise pay the same.

FilmBank Web site