[Mads Nybo jørgensen]

I would add to Eric’s good response that anyone who wishes to crack and distribute your video will be more than able to do so, in particularly if you’re aiming for a younger market.

In the old days of film distribution we used to super impose the end-users name onto the video so we could see who had broken ranks and distributed the copy early – this process takes deep pockets and is difficult to police.

Other alternative is to use digital finger-prints and have spiders that crawls the net to find illegally uploaded copies – Getty Images are very successful with this process. However, they target business users who can normally afford to pay.

Rather than spending a lot of time developing and managing copyright protection, you might be better off using that time and cash on marketing and developing associated materials and social interaction that will get the customer to continuously return to your site.

Do spare a thought for Adobe, who did some research in Europe that showed that for every 1 copy of software sold, there are 10 illegally being used – their model is to charge that one user enough to pay for the other 10, whilst at the same time keeping the 10 from upgrading their cracked copies…

All the Best
Mads

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

[Mads Nybo jørgensen]

Hej Thomas,

Yes, your client is from Jylland and probably more happy doing welding than standing in front of your camera 🙂
And that was not meant to sound like a put-down of him, just a reality check from a film makers point of view – not an uncommon situation when working with most directors of a SME, or even large corporates.

As much as re-shooting is not an option, don’t be afraid of going back to your client and ask to film “more” footage – it works best for both of you, if the message gets across looking and sounding the best possible.

He does not have to be a native speaker to be loved by an international audience – he just have to look alive and animated. Currently we are not getting the notion that he actually likes what he is selling.

Keep in mind the type of distribution that the video will be doing, don’t be afraid of making four short videos, rather than one long one.

I’ll be more than happy to look at the 8 minute, and to do so in confidence – feel free to email me a link to madsnj [at] hotmail [dot] com

All the Best
Mads

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

[Mads Nybo jørgensen]

Hej Thomas,

I’m a bit late to this conversation, but since I “wasted” some of my youth making telly in Vejen, Denmark back in the 1980’s, I would like to throw a couple of pointers in.

Is this a mini documentary or a sales/corporate promotional video?

As docu it is OK-ish for Youtube.

If it is the other, it needs to be much sharper. As the other guys suggested the “victim” is looking like he was caught in the headlights. English is not his first language and he is not comfortable – too late to fix that. Replace most of him with a Voice Over by a neutral story teller – this will also allow you to pace your interviewee’s soundbites much better.

Product, what is it? Show me more – I left the video with the impression of a slow dad (now dead) and a merger with a company that makes the business a steel business, more than a specialist tool business.

Be positive and upbeat through out. Do remember history, but don’t use it as an excuse for why things are better today.

Also, what is the market: Local, regional or global?

Where is the customer testimonials?

On the positive side, it is very well shot and there is some nice moving pictures. Just needs the unkind hands of an editor 🙂

All the Best
Mads

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

[Mads Nybo jørgensen]

Just to add to Tim’s last post – NDA’s (& mutual NDA’s) are quite common in many other industries and government organisations, and rightfully so. However, you need to know how to use them + they probably won’t be a good thing if you’re in the business of Social Media and/or distributing other people’s content 😉

Again, for those who didn’t get it, NDA is only one of several ways to establish a business relationship – which is the basic fabric for making any future claims, should such unfortunate experience had to happen.

Stephen, do whatever you feel comfortable with. But it is true to say, that you just have to trust your potentially new client, or you’ll never get to do any business at all.

All the Best
Mads

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

[Mads Nybo jørgensen]

Hey Nick,

Well done for sticking to your guns! As much as the lawyers got the fees, you got to feel that you did the right thing, and that is often worth a lot more than the cash.

All the Best
Mads

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

[Mads Nybo jørgensen]

[Tim Wilson] “Your problem Mads is that, over there in the UK, things are much more civilized”

Ha, yes. Well, actually no.

However, Pride & Prejudice & Zombies and Moby-Dick are bad examples as the Authors’ copyright has expired. So it is only the print version that you’re using that you’ve got to make sure is over 75 years old – anyway, this takes us away from the discussion in hand.

Let me spell out my reasoning more clearly 😉
Stephen will not be charging for his idea per say, instead he will charge for the time spend on creating the idea – in order to do so, he needs to establish a relationship with the client. There is a number of devices that he can employ in order to establish a relationship.

And yes, if the client doesn’t like Stephen’s idea, then he could agree that they don’t have to pay him – everybody wins…

Does that help?

All the Best
Mads

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

[Mads Nybo jørgensen]

Hey Tim,

What you don’t agree with me!?

Actually, we do agree on this point: There is no way that you can protect an idea, because that is all it is – and once it is in the public domain, it is for all to use.

However, you can protect a business arrangement. And I hope that you will agree with the following suggestion: If a “client” ask a “supplier” to provide an idea. Then should the “client” use the idea, the “supplier” has the right to charge for it. For this to be enforceable, one needs to establish a business relationship.

I.e. Stephen ask the “client” in writing to confirm that they would like him to make a proposal. There would be nothing wrong in him agreeing to do so, provided the client understand that there will be a charge should they want to use the idea – obviously he has to make this point upfront, rather than when the horse has bolted.

An NDA is not perfect (as previously stated), but it is one way in the eyes of a court to establish a serious business relationship.

All of this is a mute point if Stephen is very good, competitively priced and the client feels that he is the right man for the job…

All the Best
Mads

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

[Mads Nybo jørgensen]

Hey Stephen,

Mark and Tim is right, you cannot easily protect an idea. Best way forward is to convince the client that you are the best supplier.

However, you can “employ” a number of devices to help you secure your idea and concept. Potential client might not like these, but if you don’t ask, you don’t get and it also shows that you are professional:

1) Ask the potential client to sign a mutual NDA – this is for both parties to secure their confidential intellectual properties. (Please note: NDA’s are very difficult and expensive to take through the courts, but they do show intent of good faith by both sides). Alternative could instead be to get client to sign an Account Application form for doing business with your firm. This form MUST come with Terms & Conditions attached and a box to tick for client accepting them. And it must include a clause for ownership of ideas and concepts.

2) Include people or locations into the concept that are unique and that will sign an exclusive contract with your company – i.e. if potential client approach them, they will already be assigned to you.

3) Produce a test video demonstrating the concept. By doing this, you take a tangible ownership of the idea, and you could potentially go after the winning production company for violating your copyright. (Please note that you must make your idea very unique for this to work)

My 5 pence 🙂

All the Best
Mads

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

[Mads Nybo jørgensen]

Hey Daniel,

Congratulations.

Suggestions for you in the following order:

1) Hire an accountant! A good and cost effective one. Get a book-keeping service that will 2-4 hours for you a month, always cheaper than using the accountant. You might think of this as being an expense, but accounting is the single biggest point where most small traders and companies fails.

2) The fees from your clients has to pay for your expenses, taxes, yourself + give at least 10% profit. It might be more fun than the pizza place – but that opinion will not be shared by the tax man and your suppliers. So make sure that you charge enough! and make doubly sure that you charge for all those small things in life that you never noticed you used, before it is too late to ask the client for the cash.

3) If there is only one book you should ever read, then Seth Godin has a free download on his website here of the Bootstrappers Bible: https://www.sethgodin.com/sg/docs/bootstrap.pdf – not only read it, but it is really important that you understand it!

4) Do not borrow money to invest with. Either pay everything cash or get a silent investor (not partner!) on board to provide finance and cash-flow in return for a future pay-back.

Good Luck & Well Done for jumping out into the unknown – you’ll be absolutely fine.

All the Best
Mads

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

[Mads Nybo jørgensen]

Hey Bruno,

Apologies, but there is too many unknowns in this project for me to give you any accurate advice. Best suggestion would be to see whether Mike Cohen is willing to help you out.

All the Best
Mads
London, UK