My first wedding gig

[azmyth]

Shot on GH2 with canon fd primes.

I was by myself. I've never done one of these before so I was literally shooting from the hip. I only had my shoulder rig and tripod.

I'm not happy with some of the white balance later on, but the couple loved it and I've booked 4 more off of this one.. so I'd say it was a success for a first timer.

[blondandfun]

Nice, yeah I'd say it was a success. You can't go wrong with the montage style. For those outdoor scenes where there isn't any background music, some nature audience audio would have added, IMO. Did you shoot the whole thing in 60p, or did you predict which scenes would be good for slow motion?

When the bridesmaids are walking down the stairs that scene could be bumped up in post, maybe lenghened a bit too. Those bridesmaids are potential future clients. Some audience shots also might have "future client" potential also.

[azmyth]

i just guessed what would be good in 60p

[STUDIO32MID]

I see looks like you just opened a stream of biz to come up. Good looking out. What mm lenses did you use? And how you liked the whole experience enjoyed it looking to do more? Also first timer i think it was good.

[1]

So what was the consensus about using copyrighted music in wedding videos?

The song really just wrecked it for me. Couldn't watch because of it.

[azmyth]

I don't know. I used what they asked me to use. Cover bands play covers in bars all the time, and they don't have the rights to play those either. I think of it the same way, people have been doing it for years. It will never go further than friends and family, plus go on vimeo right now and you'll find about a zillion other wedding videos all with copyrighted music. They wanted the song they danced to, I can't really blame them.. it was part of their day.

[1]

zillion other wedding videos all with copyrighted music

Yeah: everyone does it, so it's okay. Uh huh.

Ethics!

Sorry, az, this kind of irked me bad.
"Let me use someone else's work without permission to make my production better."


I don't expect you agree with me.....not until someone rips you off maybe.

[1]

Cover bands play covers in bars all the time, and they don't have the rights to play those either

You might want to check on that information of yours.

Most do indeed have something colloquially called a blanket license. Most likely held by the establishment/bar itself.

[azmyth]

I'm a musician before I am a film maker. I spent years in a touring band, so I know all about copyrights and people ripping off your music.

There was copyrighted music being performed AT the wedding, during it, during the reception.. etc. Every single festival I've ever been to had people playing copyrighted music as well. I didn't say it was right, but anyone who says they've never downloaded an mp3 from the internet that was copyrighted is either 1. SUPER ETHICAL or 2. LYING through their teeth. Everybody does stuff that isn't ethical whether they want to admit it or not.

No, I don't agree with you.. not in this situation. I'm not making a profit off the beatles. I'm making a profit off my camera work and editing skills. They simply wanted that song because its "their song".. you know, couples have those sorts of things they keep between them. Its the song they danced to, so its the song they wanted to be reminded of when they watch the video. They aren't going to sell copies of it, or try to make a profit from it.

Take the song out of the video and the price would have been the same on my end. They aren't paying me for that. I don't even like the song. Its just the song they picked out. I always thought there was some sort of leeway in using copyrighted music depending on the purpose of it. For example, you won't find any music in my movie that is copyrighted unless I have permission to use it, because I will be selling the entire thing as a product to the masses.. not "giving" it to 4 or 5 people. Hell I have VHS tapes of movies I taped back in the day, that's illegal too. I will sleep fine at night!

[azmyth]

I don't want to get in a debate with you over my ethics. I'll do what I need to do, you can agree or disagree. I'm not here for that. I just won't post any future wedding videos with copyrighted music and that shall solve that problem!

[1]

I don't want to get in a debate with you over my ethics

Sorry, but you just did that, with your previous -several paragraph long- post.

We just disagree; it's cool. Most will agree with you, so I am in the minority here, I get that.
The main point for me is that you did use someone else's work, without permission, and your production improved (for the client) because of it. Pretty simple.
Oh, and by the way, I believe whether you make money or not has pretty much NEVER made the slightest difference in copyright infringement law.

won't post any future wedding videos with copyrighted music

GREAT, much appreciated!

[azmyth]

Cool Beans!

[1]

Cool re-fried beans!

[blondandfun]

Mal: You can go Fu*K yourself.. this is straight from the B - L - O - N - D - A - N - D - F - U - N, copyright, 2012.

[jet]

The ''UK Official Download Chart'' launched on September 1, 2004, and includes any permanent digital download track under 10 minutes that sells for at least 40p (0.4 GBP).[citation needed] In January 2005, downloaded tracks outsold physical singles for the first time in UK music history[citation needed], prompting The Official UK Charts Company to begin to incorporate downloads for the first time into the ''UK Singles Chart'' on 17 April 2005, at which time Radio 1 stopped broadcasting the separate download chart[citation needed], although the chart is still compiled. Initially this was on condition that the song must have a physical media release at the same time; this rule was fully lifted on January 1, 2007, meaning all download sales are now eligible in the chart.[citation needed]

copied from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia,good or bad its done all the time.

[Daniel Rutter]

I personally don't care about the use of the music, or any law behind its use. If these record companies wanted something done, they'd sweep Vimeo off their feet and start pulling down all those videos in a heartbeat. Argue all you want about the use of a bloody song, when you could have hit the mute button and actually criticized the work being SHOWN to you.

Az, I think your filming techniques are damn good for wedding videos. You seem to deliver a very cinematic video, which I'm sure the customers were happy with. I'm not a wedding shooter, there isn't enough of a market here for me to actually get into (I've shot one, I used a Brian Adams track for the video... never copped any crap for that by the way) so take my criticism as someone who watches it knowing video work in general.

Your use of FD glass has interested me in getting some of those lenses myself. I just bought a 28mm f2.8 off eBay yesterday after watching the video. I'll look into other lenses there as well.

I'm curious to know... do you use any Panasonic lenses in your shooting?

[azmyth]

I have used the Kit lens that came with my GH2 for literally 2 shots in 7TM and I didn't use it at all at the wedding. Its really "sharp" compared to my FD lenses, and I like that creamier filmic look more. Its a decent lens, and can be used in a variety of situations but I almost never use it. I have a plethora of m42 and FD lenses, and a few weird Minolta and Nikon zoom that I rarely use other than for fun.

My go to lenses have been... 50mm canon fd 1.8, 28mm canon fd 2.8, 35mm canon fd 2.0, and I borrowed a Tokina 11-16mm from Shaun here on the forums.

[deckmaster]

I borrowed a Tokina 11-16mm from Shaun here on the forums.

how's your shooting experience with this lens? is it easy to focus?

[Lunchbox]

I also have TOkina 11-16mm. It's a great piece of glass. Also I found out it's very forgiving with shakiness and focusing with this lens even at F2.8

[Robehgo14]

When did this forum become about copyright infringement, I though it was a film forum.
HAven't been on here for a long time because I got tired of all the bickering, figures, nothing has changed.
AZ, good work
MAL-you're a moron

[drapeama]

When did this forum become about copyright infringement, I though it was a film forum.

Yeah, but just like Vimeo's rules says, in the first Uploading Guidelines:

You must own or hold all necessary rights (copyrights, etc.) to your video.

[Playing]

So let's assume you want to do a 100% legal wedding video. What are you left with?
Would you sync the dancing to a Kevin MacLeod track and find one for the church service too? I am not trying to be funny. It's an honest question.

[drapeama]

So let's assume you want to do a 100% legal wedding video. [..] It's an honest question.

I understand perfectly what's the point here. For the one I've done last year, they gave me a list with the song they would use during the ceremony and after. As it's for a "personal" use and not for sale like a movie, I don't think there's a big issue here. I know, it's not better to do it even if it's for private viewing, as the copyrights are the same, but they played these song during their ceremony: is there anything wrong with that, copyright related? I don't think. So on that basis, if you captured a song that has been played on location (and let's say you've dubbed it with a clean track of the song for the final result for better audio) is there anything wrong with that too? Hard to say. The main question was when you share it online, that's were the problem become apparent: there's a copyright infringement on vimeo or youtube, artist's right and everything related.

[Playing]

The main question was when you share it online

Exactly. I would not prepare a clip and give it to the couple to put on the Internet.

[1]

MAL-you're a moron

Mal: You can go Fu*K yourself.

Thanks guys. Much appreciated.
And please, don't hold back.