A ‘Sensitive’ issue has arisen. Some advice appreciated

[Dylan Hargreaves]

Hey all, thanks for your responses and apologies for dipping out of the thread: had to go a-shooting yesterday!

Well, it all seems to have come to a successful conclusion. I offered to produce the charity’s new DVD project, but they said they had no money for it, and couldn’t afford it. However, I did a slightly retweaked version of the full doc, removing a couple of local references, to run on community tv, and it occurred to me there was no reason why they couldn’t have that version so long as it was on the understanding it could only be used as is, and was not to be cut-down or re-edited in any way. They are delighted with my offer.

This is great, as it means the film will get seen by more people who could benefit from it and I get to help out a charity.

My only problem with the whole issue in the first place was that this isn’t the first time a third party has asked if they can ‘have’ footage we’ve shot for other clients, and no matter who’s asking, I find it a bit cheeky.

There’s a general lack of understanding out there about the value of video work in its completed form, and I get the impression that people think because you’ve been paid for it once that it’s fair game for them to get their claws on it gratis.

Do stills photographers get this too?

[Richard Herd]

Stills get it too.
So do musicians, songwriters, illustrators, graphic designers

[Malcolm Matusky]

If they (the other company) are making money, make sure you make money as well. If they are doing it for free, then charge your costs to provide the material, but no “rights” to any of the footage.

Malcolm
http://www.malcolmproductions.com

[Bill Davis]

Not to hijack the thread, but the larger problem I’m seeing is an increasing number of clients who want me to produce work for them – but then they want to take delivery of my TIMELINE files as a part of their project deliverables.

That scares me a lot more than widely distributing intact copies of a finished work.

I don’t want to have them either hack up my work, or worst yet, go to school on my efforts and take over all the subsequent downstream work based on my original creative work.

Sigh.

“Before speaking out ask yourself whether your words are true, whether they are respectful and whether they are needed in our civil discussions.”-Justice O’Connor

[Mark Suszko]

There’s a reason the Colonel keeps the list of herbs and spices secret. And coke keeps their formula for sugar water locked up. So it is with us. If you do give up your secret sauces, I hope you’re charging appropriately and not just giving it away.