Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Unofficial music videos

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    Unofficial music videos

    What is your take about making unofficial music videos?

    I don't mean splicing up footage in an editing software with a music track and uploading to youtube, I'm talking about actually getting out there with a crew and shoot a music video - only nonofficial - since obviously it doesn't involve the artists or their consent.

    Has this been tried before? Is it considered copyright infringement even if it's just for online use with no intention of making money out of it? (maybe a naive question).

    I have a couple of favorite tunes to which music videos were never made, and I would love to create videos for them.

    Will be happy to hear your thoughts in the matter.

    Thanks.

    #2
    ANY exhibition or distribution -- Internet or whatever -- would be a copyright infringement, regardless of whether or not you do it for profit. That doesn't mean similar stuff isn't done all the time, and it's probably doubtful anybody will come after you for it. Still, if the law is important to you, then don't do it.
    David W. Richardson
    Writer/Producer/Director/Editor
    Chapel Grove Films
    Celtic Cross Films
    Bliss Video Productions
    http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1400903/?ref_=tt_ov_dr

    Comment


      #3
      seems like a lot of work for something you then can't show off publicly.

      Personally I'd rather make an official music video for a local band who would love the publicity. Even then, you'll need a carefully worded contract - they don't want your wonderful freely available video (whcih includes their song) taking sales away from the actual song, but equally they may be delighted to have that video creating publicity for the rest of their album.

      Comment


        #4
        I find that it's not that easy to find songs by local groups that I actually can envision a video too. For me, I really need to like the song.

        I wonder if anyone here knows about unofficial videos... I would be curious to see them.
        Last edited by Lynos; 06-28-2008, 10:38 PM.

        Comment


          #5
          There is some leeway in the Fair Use Act for videos used as spoofs... I will do some research...
          GH4. FCPX. Mac Pro (2012). Macbook Pro (2010).

          Comment


            #6
            People do it all the time for their demo reels. They shoot fake commercials of real products as well (then try to get the product-maker's agency to hire them to make it again for real).

            It's called "Spec". As long as you don't broadcast or distribute it, no problem.

            If you want to get into music videos, there's tonnes of bands out there that have great music and would love to have someone do a video for them.

            Comment


              #7
              Have you tried to buy the rights to the song? I'd be curious if you'd try and report on your experience.

              Comment


                #8
                I really do believe I will not be able to afford buying the rights to the songs I'm interested in.

                I guess one can always try, though...

                Comment


                  #9
                  There are unsigned bands out there with a heck of a lot better music than most of what plays on the radio, you just have to find them. That's really the trick. I have been extremely lucky so far to find two great unsigned bands to make killer videos for, but right now I'm stuck on trying to find the third and fourth that I want to shoot this summer. It's not easy unfortunately, because as you said you have to love the song to want to make a video for it, really. I cannot listen to a song 200 times if I don't care for it, unless I'm being paid an obscene amount of money.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    People don't feel like answering your question for some reason.

                    Short answer - go do it.

                    If it it's really good the worst that happens is you get a ton of attention and YouTube eventually pulls it - but not before the band takes notice and thinks about hiring you to do their next video.
                    -http://www.NicholasJRobinson.com

                    Comment


                      #11
                      I don't feel like there's anything wrong with it, and have done it a couple of times for big bands. I could never acquire the rights to that music without spending a pile of money, but it was good practice, good for the reel, and I have a feeling any band would get a kick out of it (though their lawyers might not).

                      Technically you can't put someone else's music on your demo reel either, but almost everyone does that too. There's a big difference between a spec video, commercial, or use of a song in a reel and actually trying to sell someone else's work without them benefitting. I say go for it! Sometimes there just isn't music locally that really grabs you.
                      —Graham

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Why would anyone want to hire someone who has proven they have no problem with stealing someone else's material for their own use? Seems like a bad business move to me.

                        I hope nobody does the same to any of your projects.
                        David W. Richardson
                        Writer/Producer/Director/Editor
                        Chapel Grove Films
                        Celtic Cross Films
                        Bliss Video Productions
                        http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1400903/?ref_=tt_ov_dr

                        Comment


                          #13
                          It's against the law. If you have no interest in being legal or ethical, then do what you want. Just don't complain if the day comes when somebody decides to steal YOUR work for their use.
                          David W. Richardson
                          Writer/Producer/Director/Editor
                          Chapel Grove Films
                          Celtic Cross Films
                          Bliss Video Productions
                          http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1400903/?ref_=tt_ov_dr

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Ok... but what does it really hurt? If they already have a video on YouTube, you can't say that he is hurting their record sales. That's obviously 100% bullsh** because anyone who wants to listen to the song can go to YouTube anyway, so it's not unethical because it doesn't cost anyone any money, nor does it harm anyone physically or financially. It's just not a big deal, i.e. nobody really cares about knockoffs like that.

                            I'm not saying I'd do that myself, because I think it's a total waste of time and money to make a video for a song that you don't even have permission to shoot for, it just seems stupid to me, but that doesn't make it unethical. Oh no, some guy made a video and posted it on YouTube with our music that's available everywhere, what ever shall we do?! *yawn*

                            Especially funny commentary considering how many bands recently have actually held contests to let fans make videos for them and then paid the winning filmmaker for their video, made it their official video for that track or a bonus video on the CD, etc.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              It's not unethical and it's not against the law. It's just a waste of time considering how many cool bands there are out there that would love to have someone do a video for them.

                              If you don't have any ideas for the video, listen to the song over-and-over-and-over with a notepad and pen in front of you, and wait for the ideas to flow. This, after all, is what really matters -- how you come up with ideas. Don't expect to be doing too many videos if you can only think of videos for songs that you've already heard a thousand times.

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X