Copyright on YouTube

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Laurie Calvert
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Copyright on YouTube

Post by Laurie Calvert »

I buy a yearly licence from the MCPS (and BPI & PPL) to cover musical copyrighted content in my home made movies. This, as I understand it, would allow me to play my movies publically (for example in a village hall) as long as I do not make profit.

Does this license therefore cover my videos on YouTube? I am not making any profit there.

Also, does it cover any visual elements that may be copyrighted such as a character suit design? For village halls or YouTube?

Cheers,
Laurie
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stingman
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Post by stingman »

Both answers is NO i`m sorry to say. I had one withdrawn on Youtube because Carn`tstop the Music said it infringed on there copyright.
Ian Gardner
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Laurie Calvert
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Post by Laurie Calvert »

Thanks for the reply.

Does anyone know if there is any way to obtain clearence for YuoTube? Or for visual elements? Let us know if you know.
ned c
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Post by ned c »

My reading of YouTube is that you can put anything you like on there and if no-one objects it will stay on. As an example take a look at the number of versions of John Denver's Rocky Mountain High set to stills and video!

ned c
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Dave Watterson
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Post by Dave Watterson »

Stingman has it right - as usual. The IAC licences only cover music - not images. And they only cover it for normal amateur purposes. You can see more details on http://www.fvi.org.uk/central/copyright ... scheme.htm

Have a special look at the MCPS section which limits how you can have public shows ...

Nothing in the IAC agreements covers the use of music on the web.

Some of the "royalty-free" music companies allow the use of their material on the web - but check the small print on their websites to be sure.

Ned is right: YouTube don't restrict what you put up there but you are responsible for clearing all the rights. If they get a complaint they remove the material. Some record and tv companies do not object - they like the publicity. Others do object.

It is an area no one has really cleared up properly. Part of the problem is that music rights are usually sold by geographical territory and the web crosses all the borders. Thus even if they wanted to agree, British licensing agencies might not be able to allow it. As usual if you have unlimited funds deals can be done but for the rest of us ... be careful!

Dave
Laurie Calvert
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Location: Hornchurch, Essex

Post by Laurie Calvert »

As you say, it seems some companies are ok with the free advertising and some not. Viacom and YouTube/Google are at it again sueing over lost revenue http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7420955.stm or getting some free advertising, I'm not sure which :-)

Personally I find it a great resource for finding clips of things for reference that I otherwise could not find. The other day I needed to shoot something in the style of Mastermind and there it was on YouTube for reference. It has proved useful so many times.

So I'd like to see this licencing/copyright issue cleared up by YouTube (and the others) or some other way people could put up videos legally in the clear. For now we just have to put it up there and wait to see if anyone objects.

I've had one video that asked if I had permission to use the music. I only had the MCPS licence, so wasn't sure if it covered it. My solution? I removed the video, which kept them happy. Within two hours my video (of my robot in testing) had new AKM copyright free music and was up again, which kept me happy.

One video objection so far out of 103 posted.

I also use it to embed video from YouTube in my web site www.calvertfilm.fsnet.co.uk so it is so useful to me.

My web site took 8 years to reach 100,000 hits. My YouTube movies reached that figure in 8 months.

But thanks again for clearing up that officially there is no way to cover copyright in this example.
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Dave Watterson
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Post by Dave Watterson »

I have no idea how this compilation deals with copyright issues ... but for any cinema lover it is compulsive viewing.

100 movies
100 quotes
100 numbers


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FExqG6LdWHU

and for those who have to know where the clips came from
http://acrentropy.blogspot.com/2007/05/ ... -know.html

Dave
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