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Be careful putting films on YouTube and Google

Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2009 11:13 pm
by Dave Watterson
On 9th March newspaper reports told of a breakdown in the deal between PRS and Google/YouTube which had made it much simpler to put movies on the web legitimately.

Proof of Sod's Law in action is that this happened about the time many people received their copy of Film & Video Maker which included an article explaining how the deal, struck in Autumn 2007, made it much less risky to put up videos on those services because the music rights were mainly cleared.

At the time of writing this posting in the forum, the two sides are posturing and making public noises ... that suggests there may still be room for negotiation. Until the position is resolved, please be careful if you put movies onto the web that you do have the rights to the music. It may be alright if you have only used royalty-free music but do check the websites of the music companies concerned to see if internet usage is permitted. If you had music created specially for your film then check the deal between you and the composer/arranger/musicians.

Dave

Re: Be careful putting films on YouTube and Google

Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 4:45 pm
by stingman
Thank you David for your Wisdom and very important information.

Me personaly, I will continue to do as I have ALWAYS done. If I choose to use a bit of copyrighted music in one of my films then I will. If I want to put it onto YouTube, I will.
I still work on the principle of that I am in NO WAY making any money from it! In fact I`m doing them a favour in advertising THEIR music!

I had one film removed form Youtube. It was my film version of YMCA! I was a bit shocked as some of the stuff I`ve seen on YouTube has been copied in full direct from the TV!

Oh well!

Be good Peeps and keep on Smiling! ;-)

Re: Be careful putting films on YouTube and Google

Posted: Sat May 09, 2009 9:39 am
by Mike Shaw
I'm with you 90% of the way on that! (Only 90? Read on...)

However, it's a coin of two sides. Years ago I wote a couple of semi techie books on using and programming the Psion Organiser, and the very modest return on royalties helped with a family holiday or two. Then the books were taken up by Libraries ... a sort of reader's version of YouTube if you like. From that moment on, Royalties virtually dried up completely.

I think the point is not that you're not going to make money from the music or whatever - but that you're making it available for others to listen to without (them) having to buy it. That means a loss of income to the creator of the work - much though he or she may delight in his or her work being enjoyed by many.

We are different of course - as 'amateurs' we create for the fun of it and the pleasure we get in having others see our efforts. The more people ask to see one of my movies, the happier I am. But if I earned a living at it, I don't think I'd be too happy with pirating or copying.

Having said all that, while I usually try to use Royalty free music, there are plenty of occasions when I've used a popular song - and have been very grateful for the IAC Music licence coverage.

And - in full support of your argument - YouTube seems to be littered with musical offerings, people singing etc without any thought of Royalties (just look at that lady from 'Britain's Got Talent' whose rendition of 'I dreamed a dream' from Les Mis has been viewed (they say) over 30million times ... I bet not one penny has gone to the songwriter.

So why pick on us - we're adding creativity (and value) to the work of songwriters! As you say - promoting their work.

Which side of the fence I sit on am I facing? I haven't a clue! Depends which way the wind is blowing at any given instant!

Glad I don't have to try to sort it all out!

Re: Be careful putting films on YouTube and Google

Posted: Mon May 11, 2009 12:29 am
by billyfromConsett
If you make a film and put it onto youtube or whatever, it's possible that someone will copy it off the net and use it for whatever.

If you use a bit of someone's music in your movie for youtube etc, that a band made to keep a roof over their heads, there is software available that can extract the music from the movie, and people can have the 'free' music in their collection.

The quality would be garbage, but it doesn't stop people with those pirated DVD's showing movies with people buying icecreams in the cinema added to the background.

So if you make movies with other people's music or talent included and show the world, the band pays with some lost sales I'd guess. When I get so good that people will buy my stuff only if they can't nick it, I will feel a range of different emotions I'd say ...

Re: Be careful putting films on YouTube and Google

Posted: Mon May 11, 2009 8:51 am
by fraught
I've got around 75 films on YouTube... and i reckon atleast 90% of them contain copyrighted music. I'm sure if you trawled YouTube, you'll find that the same probably complies with the whole of the site. What makes me different to the majority of those posting films on YouTube is that i'm paying for a PPL, etc. Ok, i know it states it doesn't cover Internet use... but atleast i'm paying something, unlike the majority of everyone else getting away with it. So i don't tend to worry about the copyright issue.

Infact, my film 'ABC' about my trek in Nepal contains that classic Jackson 5 track 'ABC'... BMG music caught me on YouTube... but actually allowed me to use the track, giving the option to pop some advertising on the films page. So it does work to their favour too.

At the end of the day... if someone complains about your use of someone elses music, YouTube will just turn the audio off giving you the option to replace using their own free music library, or you can remove the film to change at your leisure. Not a big deal... unless you are really upset that you can't put your film on YouTube. ;)

Re: Be careful putting films on YouTube and Google

Posted: Mon May 11, 2009 9:19 am
by billyfromConsett
I've also got a few bits of commercial music in my movies online. And I too pay my little bit to use music in my movies. We'll see if an agreement is reached between both sides. At worst they'd take a movie off the net - as there is no commercial gain for me, the offence is not a targetted area for criminal action. Technically is it criminal though? Probably.

Re: Be careful putting films on YouTube and Google

Posted: Fri May 15, 2009 11:49 pm
by billyfromConsett
I've just noticed that on Youtube I've had a soundtrack from a movie removed, as some US company, WMG or suchlike own the copyright to something they picked up with their clever software. They did offer to allow me a substitute soundtrack however, but I can't be bothered to re-record the ambient sound and commentary on again for youtube.

So I've just deleted the movie.

Re: Be careful putting films on YouTube and Google

Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 3:21 pm
by Roy
I would imagine that 99.9% of all music used in videos on YouTube and other sites is illegal. But its like everything else in life, it's bad luck if you get caught. (excepting speed cameras of course) Just for the record I do buy music.

Re: Be careful putting films on YouTube and Google

Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 4:10 pm
by fraught
billyfromConsett wrote:I've just noticed that on Youtube I've had a soundtrack from a movie removed, as some US company, WMG or suchlike own the copyright to something they picked up with their clever software. They did offer to allow me a substitute soundtrack however, but I can't be bothered to re-record the ambient sound and commentary on again for youtube.

So I've just deleted the movie.
I've also had this happen to me, but luckily my film was basically a silent one with a pop track over the top. So i found it easy to use their free audio service. Its amazing which popular bands have allowed their tracks to be used in this scheme.

Re: Be careful putting films on YouTube and Google

Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 7:42 pm
by Stephen
yup... WMG decided to have a pop and moi also...
they left the vid up but removed the music track... it was by a not too well known band ....
errr The Beach Boys? :wink: :wink: ...

checking out the owner of the copywrite its not even WMG!!!!!!!! ...sheesh......

I cannot be bothered with all this 'carry on' so I've just deleted the whole film also....