[Mads Nybo jørgensen]

Hey Magee,

If the media is fine on the original, then it must be the media that you are transferring the files to. Normally it is down to speed and processing; A SSD is faster than most hard-disks and therefore would not hang up on the file. For purpose of investigation, try and transfer the files with problems to a fast raid and see if that clears up the problem?

Alternative could also be that your processor can’t deal with the end of one video file and the beginning of a new one. As in one source clip on your viewer, can easily be made up of multiple video files depending on the format. If two of those files doesn’t sync properly, then you’ll get a drop-out, or worse it will just freeze. One way of checking this is to render the file out to a new file format (“slow playback”) – if the rendered version is fine, then it is a question of the real-time playback not working.

Don’t know if they still do it, but there used to be a time where only Sony created software could read Sony created files. There has also on other (older) Sony systems been problems with Sony compression leading to High Definition digital artefacts – do watch out for this too.

A suggested work around is that you shoot shorter clips, if possible?

All the Best
Mads

@madsvid, London, UK
Check out my other hangouts:
Twitter: @madsvid
https://mads-thinkingoutloud.blogspot.co.uk

[Mads Nybo jørgensen]

Hey Bill,

Thank you for your reply.

The case is a lot more complex than what I give it credit for and as far as I’m aware, the horse is still in the stable. However, the basic question was anyone had ever heard of a Foley artist claiming copyright ownership on the basis that the other party had not executed their part of the agreement.

Your point about case law and precedent is exactly what I was investigating – as in there may never have been a case to determine this point, but that is not to say that there couldn’t be one.

All the Best
Mads

@madsvid, London, UK
Check out my other hangouts:
Twitter: @madsvid
https://mads-thinkingoutloud.blogspot.co.uk

[Mads Nybo jørgensen]

Hey Andrew,

Thank you very much, just what I needed.

All the Best
Mads

@madsvid, London, UK
Check out my other hangouts:
Twitter: @madsvid
https://mads-thinkingoutloud.blogspot.co.uk

[Mads Nybo jørgensen]

Hey Ty,

Well actually, I’m on the side that believes in that any transfer of copyright can not take place unless payment has been made, unless otherwise agreed by, in writing.

All the Best
Mads

@madsvid, London, UK
Check out my other hangouts:
Twitter: @madsvid
https://mads-thinkingoutloud.blogspot.co.uk

[Mads Nybo jørgensen]

Hey Ty,

Not me personally. But a friend of mine have done the work, got part payment, but not the full amount. The final project has got distribution, i.e. it is in the public arena. So the question relates to where the copyright for the uniquely created sound belongs and whether one could argue that without a release note it can not be in the public arena?

Makes sense?

All the Best
Mads

@madsvid, London, UK
Check out my other hangouts:
Twitter: @madsvid
https://mads-thinkingoutloud.blogspot.co.uk

[Mads Nybo jørgensen]

Hey Ty,

Thank you very much for your reply.

This is not an employment issue, but more about rights to distribution without having the correct paperwork. As in that any agreement can only be executed if both parties have delivered their side of the bargain. Work in return for payment.

All the Best
Mads

@madsvid, London, UK
Check out my other hangouts:
Twitter: @madsvid
https://mads-thinkingoutloud.blogspot.co.uk

[Mads Nybo jørgensen]

Hey Mark,

Yes, it is the new economy where our clients are finding new tools to deliver the same job – even if it is in a worse condition…

If you are occupying the middle ground, you might as well close the doors. Alternative is go low, lay off all your staff, and only do small profit making videos. Or go high and sell your services on consultancy, superior quality and customer service second to none. Just don’t stay in the middle…

There are nothing wrong in fixing and producing flip-cam videos. If anything, it is a good entry into the clients business. Who will want to use you for that one time where the CEO or owner needs to look good on telly or the internet.

On flip-side (get it :-)) you can always go high and offer services to your clients that the cable companies can’t match. Superior graphics, cloud viewing/project management, pack shots of product and people that can be used across a variety of media, and delivery for local cinema advertising etc. Occupy the ground your competitors can’t or don’t want to take.

Ultimately, as many will testify, the customers reason for choosing you is often nothing to do with price at all, and all to do with the emotion of working with a customer friendly professional who adds value to their business.

And yes, PR and ad agency employees are in a world of their own, with their own set of rules. If they keep taking your budget and ideas (which they often do) only pitch if you can meet the end-client. Failing that, remember to market to the potential end clients in your area with the tag-line: “Why pay the middleman?”

My 5c

All the Best
Mads

@madsvid, London, UK
Check out my other hangouts:
Twitter: @madsvid
https://mads-thinkingoutloud.blogspot.co.uk

[Mads Nybo jørgensen]

Hey Jon,

Mark has already extensively covered the main points, so there is not much left for the rest of us to add 😉

However, as normally VNR’s are produced on behalf of a corporate entity (including government & NGOs) then you should consider asking all external contributors to sign a release form. In particularly you should highlight how the video may be used for public broadcast. It is not in your client best interest to include people who will later complain about their involvement.

If you’re just doing very short vox-pops on the street, then I find that rolling the camera whilst telling the “victim” who you are working for, should be sufficient enough. After all, you are in a public place and hopefully you are not forcing them to talk with you…

With regards to format; every broadcaster has their own set of requirements. In the UK 25 fps HD interlaced is the safest way to go.
For news agencies such as APTV and Reuters you are better off calling their commercial department and ask them what they prefer.
For digital distribution either a generic high quality MPeg2 or H.264 is normally acceptable. Just make sure that the file is not Apple centric or similar and that it is hosted on a server that won’t take 8 hours to deliver it.

All the Best
Mads

@madsvid, London, UK
Check out my other hangouts:
Twitter: @madsvid
https://mads-thinkingoutloud.blogspot.co.uk

[Mads Nybo jørgensen]

Hey Paul,

Do you want them to remove the video?

If so, send them a registered letter requesting them to do so.
You could soften the language and open up negotiations with them for continuing to use the video.

If that fails, ask Youtube to take it down based on copyright violation. This will be your point of no return.

Don’t forget to name and shame them.

All the Best
Mads

@madsvid, London, UK
Check out my other hangouts:
Twitter: @madsvid
https://mads-thinkingoutloud.blogspot.co.uk

[Mads Nybo jørgensen]

Up till recently I used to use Quickbooks, but as one business closed and another opened, I’ve switched to https://www.freeagent.com.

It is a simpler to use software than Quickbooks Pro. However, through research it came across with more features than the Quickbooks SaaS product (and others), hence why it did win the day.

Check out the large number of Integrations & Add-ons that it supports too. The Capsule CRM link was one particular reason for going with freeagent – however, I am still catching up with the filings before integrating the two.

All the Best
Mads

@madsvid, London, UK
Check out my other hangouts:
Twitter: @madsvid
https://mads-thinkingoutloud.blogspot.co.uk