How to Protect Home Video from Being Stolen and Used by Someone Else

[videocheez]

Hello Forum,

I hope I picked the appropriate forum section. I mean no disrespect if I did not.
I'm writing this on behalf of my son who has been made a video in H.264 720P format for a person that he knows through school. My son is a sophomore in college majoring in electronics media. His specialty, so far is video editing. He has produced, filmed and edited a video that is going to be sent to another guy across the country. The other guy is some kind of music/audio guru. My son has a concern that he is going send his video and the guy is going to take it and get all the credit for the whole deal.

We would like to know how to or hear any suggestions about how he could protect the video. He was thinking about putting in a 25% opacity layer with his logo that covers the entire video. Its kind of obnoxious but its the only way we can think of at the moment. This is why we have reached out to the forum to find out if any of the forum members have any suggestions on how to protect the video or protect it.

They have no contracts or legal agreements in place. My son just wants to protect himself just in case his video goes viral.

Thanks in advance, VC

[Noahtuck]

any suggestions on how to protect the video or protect it.

Ummm.... Yeah.....

Easy, don't share it.

Copyright it ?

[videopoo]

They have no contracts or legal agreements in placel

Why not?

Just put a water mark on it

[smrpix]

They have no contracts or legal agreements in place.

If you're really concerned, lawyers are far more qualified to give legal advice than a forum.

[smrpix]

Or publish it before he gets his hands on it, even in a private vimeo or youtube to establish priority. (Still not as good as asking a lawyer)

And the other guy really IS the author of the audio, unless your son has an agreement.

And who did he make it for? That guy can claim it was a work for hire leaving your son no rights at all.

[aedipuss]

upload a watermarked version to youtube as a private video. send the guy a link to view it. then he'll know it's already been published and not easily copied. i do it all the time for "sample" videos for clients.

[videopoo]

Or publish it before he gets his hands on it, even in a private vimeo or youtube to establish priority. (Still not as good as asking a lawyer)

And the other guy really IS the author of the audio, unless your son has an agreement.

And who did he make it for? That guy can claim it was a work for hire leaving your son no rights at all.

There you go! Good idea

[videocheez]

upload a watermarked version to youtube as a private video. send the guy a link to view it. then he'll know it's already been published and not easily copied. i do it all the time for "sample" videos for clients.

Thanks for all your advice guys. I especially want to thank aedipuss for an excellent suggestion. I read all of the other replies and my son and I think the above mentioned quote gives a little bit of protection.

I knew somebody would provide a solution and ideas that we had net yet thought of.

I can't afford a lawyer. I still gotta pay for two more years of college. If I want legal advice, I'll post my questions on the Lawyer forum.

They don't have any contracts in place because it was just a fun thing to do over winter break. My son put so much time in to it that he wants credit for the video portion. He asked me for some advice and I said that I'm gonna check with the smart folks at videohelp.com. You guys have never left me hanging. I think he is doing some type of creative commons protection that he learned about in his media class. I have no idea what that is but I think its some kinda discount copyright.

Thanks again, VC