High resolution satellite imagery of UK & Ireland needed

[Antony Buonomo]

Hi Dave

I was asked to do something very similar for another UK channel. The bottom line is it has to be bought and cleared and you should talk to the producer about this. There are a few places where you may find the wider elements of what you need easily and cheaply, but the rest is jealousy guarded and protected and quite expensive. Of course if you want to rip something and take a chance you can, but bear in mind what is being risked.

Possible solutions:
– Start with satellite imagery and then switch to vector (much cheaper and easier to find)
– Persuade your producer to use Google Earth Pro (con is that the logo must be visible at all times)
– Sometimes local environment groups/research universities have commissioned their own imagery

Good luck

Antony

[David Wiffen]

Hi Antony,

Thanks for your response. Very informative.

I’ve looked into using Google Earth before but couldn’t find a clear cut answer to whether it can be used for tv broadcasting services. I’ve been looking through the google earth pro documentation and again I am struggling to find how you credit it and whether you can manipulate the imagery in anyway. The documentation does say:

You can personally use an image from the application (for example on your website, on a blog or in a word document) as long as you preserve the copyrights and attributions including the Google logo attribution. However, you cannot sell these to others, provide them as part of a service, or use them in a commercial product such as a book or TV show without first getting a rights clearance from Google.

Could you shed any light on this?

It would be difficult to stipulate exactly what was being used.

Many thanks.

[Antony Buonomo]

David

Yes GEP can be used, but the key is in the last sentence ‘clearance’. Also, they will tell you that the logo must be shown throughout, there will be no exceptions. I don’t know what your working contract is with the people that hired you but the clearance stuff is the producer’s job and the decision about an onscreen logo is editorial. Either make sure you are being paid to make these choices or kick them upstairs.

A

Vertigo Productions
https://www.vertigo.co.uk