Illegal Music on Event Videos

[Mark Suszko]

Reuben, welcome aboard the Kobayashi Maru.

You alone are going to have to decide if any such gig is worth the potential risk, we can’t make that call for you. You already know its morally wrong and illegal, the issue is that enforcement is completely a roll of the dice. If you are going to gamble, you had better have enough money to pay out if you lose, and If you can’t afford to lose, you should not play.

[Kristofar Rieleef]

There are a lot of great royalty music tracks out there. Do some searching and make a list of sites that you like and when they say they want so and so, direct them to what they can legally use and pay for. Tack it on the bill if they choose a pricey license for some classical tune. If they want to go with someone who’ll add Michael Jackson to they’re wedding video they do it at they’re own risk. Chances are know one will ever see their video to make a stink anyways, but it’s better to be safe as a business owner. If you add a famous song on YouTube, they tack on an add for that song with an option to buy it, or they tell you to take out the music. This should be the same for wedding videos I think. Just add on an ad at the end for direct purchasing of the song. Usually the ones that want the music, pay for it anyways. I don’t see the harm in adding it to the video and making 20 copies for your family and friends. Copyright laws should be more flexable in that way I think.

[Mark Suszko]

If we don’t like the law we need to fight to change it, not leave it there hanging over us. If we ignore the laws that inconvenience us, soon no laws will hold any weight, moerover, enforcement will become completely random and outrageous. Anarchy.

As it stands, however, all the power is in the rightsholder’s hands. So complain to your senator and congressperson, tell them what we need.

As to the small risk in going ahead, the problem with that is that in this modern world, everything shows up on youtube somewhere at some time. There are people paid to do nothing but surf sites all day looking for rights violators to sue. You can’t promise me that of 20 DVD’s I hand out, none of those people will share the programming on their copy anywhere, ever.

I won’t do it because while it may be an astronomically small chance, it IS *possible* so I’m not willing to put my family’s finances at risk for it.

[Kristofar Rieleef]

Good call Mark, I agree we should talk to lawmakers. You’re also right about the copies too. Who knows where something may end up. Chances are it will be on YouTube and there is that chance that someone may try to sue the person who made the video, which would be you or me. Good to just steer clear of it altogether and help out the musicians that are struggling to get by. I personally met someone who makes electronic music that is very modern and cutting edge. He’s small time and I like going straight to him for a lot of my projects.

[Grinner Hester]

Congrats. I’ve not met many wedding video dudes who are not proud pirates. WEVA itself will hand awards to pirates. Carzy industry, that introductory to video world.
grab some DeWolfe music and then simply quote prices for protected music when someone requests a protected song. They truely don’t know better. It’s your job to let them know how much that will cost. Should they come back with telling you your competition will do it, simply explain you are on a higher level than that. Let them know your videos are great without having to resort to stealing anything. You can even tell em ya won’t steal any cake at the wedding either.
Really, the fact that your competition steals things is in your favor. Take the high road. Charge more. Tell em why.

[Trent Whittington]

For me the best way of convincing clients that wish to use illegal music and that we wont use it; is to explain that when we use royalty free music or music specifically composed or chosen for a set peice that it is much more original and is taylor made for their video.
Especially when the fact that 9/10 weddings will all use illegal music, the music we choose is for that video.

Trent Whittington – Currently studying Associate Degree in Digital Television

http://www.trentwhittington.com

[Reuben Zuazua]

Thank you for all the responses. I did not thing that this would generate hot feedbacks.
I have a few local bands that would love to have their music added.
I’m making a quick video for the band so that I can add there music to the DVD’s Im making, and as a bonus Im including that video as a promo if they choose to buy the music they can. Not sure if I explained that correctly. But since Its a DVD, there is a link for About the Music.
and a quick blah about the band and there music.
Also the band is saying thank you as a personal touch.
Hopefully I can pull it off. In my head it seems fine.
Reuben

Reuben Zuazua
After Hours Production
graFX Artist
indie@afterhoursproduction.com

[Grinner Hester]

Think of how much they’d gladly pay for a custom music video to a song written specically for them. Yuo can write it by asking them to tel you some stories about themselves, how they met, some highlights, ect. You can then get local bands to record these songs. On your end, it doesn’t have to increase much budget. On their end, man it multiplies the value of their video. Just another way to place yourself so far beyond the cometition that uses stolen elements.

[Mike Cohen]

This has been addressed before but I’d be interested in opinions. Assuming you videotape the wedding as it happens, and you on-cam mic picks up the music during the various dances, and you don’t replace that with the actual track from the CD. Is that still considered illegal by the music industry? I would say yes, but as soon as a wedding videographer is sued the whole industry will be threatened. What bride wants to view her wedding dance with her husband without the actual song she danced to?

Mike Cohen

[Reuben Zuazua]

grinner hester said “simply explain you are on a higher level than that.”
I like that Idea. But there is reality. I lost out on what i consider to be an easy 200 just because I didnt want to accept a check on Friday for a Shoot on Sunday, and that was only a down payment…. Ive been kicking myself up and down for 2 weeks. Although, I did have another job come up on monday for a little more.. but thats just Karma! I think.

I hear what you are all saying especially Mike Cohen about your external mic picking up the music. Our creative nature is to just replace that song with a CD quality one. I did it during my College years but the other morning I woke up to a phone call from a Friend to do this favor, and when I was told to just download the songs from the internet to replace the actual soundtrack, I froze… I explained that is not good. Especially since im charging you for the Video and making a Copy to a DVD (distribution). I logon to the internet. Showed the customer custom sounds that can be just as good, and told them that while they are dancing, Im getting VO’s from there guests and that is what you want to hear anyways.
they loved the idea. then went and found someone to do the job anyways, the way they wanted it. Thats $1400 out the door.
Im going broke here!

Reuben Zuazua
After Hours Production
graFX Artist
indie@afterhoursproduction.com