My First YouTube Content Ownership Dispute
In the year after my divorce, as I was trying to figure out what to do next, I uploaded a handful of videos to YouTube. Some are of me just being goofy and singing, a couple are of me just talking to the camera about what I was going through and one was a documentary about Geoff Smith called Making Gravity with Geoff Smith.
Some of the videos contain songs and YouTube associates the songs with copyright holders and provides links to buy mp3s of the original recordings. To me that seems like an ideal use of technology. I got to be goofy and sing a couple songs that provided sales opportunities for the copyright holders, and no one would opt for my silly versions over the originals. Pretty cool.
I recorded one video on a Sunday afternoon. Typical for me, on a Sunday afternoon, Miles Davis was playing quietly in the background. It didn’t cross my mind that the song was even in the video because I’m talking the whole time. YouTube’s tech detected the song, but didn’t associate it with the title and didn’t provide links to buy the MP3. They contacted me to let me know they couldn’t monetize it unless I could prove I had the right to use the song. That makes sense. It’s a video YouTube could remove completely and I wouldn’t care.
This morning I got this notice about the Making Gravity documentary:
Dear 00neal,
Your video, Making Gravity with Geoff Smith, may have content that is owned or licensed by IODA.
No action is required on your part; however, if you are interested in learning how this affects your video, please visit the Content ID Matches section of your account for more information.
Sincerely,
- The YouTube Team
I clicked the link to dispute the question about my right to use the song. I produced the video with the songwriter and copyright owner, Geoff Smith. It’s a documentary created to promote Geoff’s music. The dispute process was smooth and I expect a positive resolution.
It makes sense to me that Google’s algorithm would flag the content. Geoff uses the IODA (Independent Online Distribution Alliance) to distribute and protect his music. They provide independent artists with the same type of protection that major labels provide to their artists. Neither IODA or YouTube would know that Geoff worked with me to produce this documentary about Geoff producing his song That’s Gravity. Ideally, YouTube will check it out, and they’ll add those groovy links so people can buy copies of the MP3. It really is a great song.
It is a good thing that we’re upset by SOPA, PIPA, and stories about videos wrongly taken down from YouTube. In my experience, YouTube is doing a pretty impressive job balancing the rights of copyright holders with the desires of users, and they’re doing it without the interference of Congress.
Get a copy of That’s Gravity from Amazon for $0.99!
Read MoreBehind the Scenes of The Bloodstone Diaries: Thief of All Things
Since the end of GeekBrief.TV, I’ve done a lot of stuff, but not a lot of it has been public.
- I’ve search for life’s meaning and found it means what we make of it; and if we don’t make it mean what we want, it’s just mean.
- I’ve studied filmmaking, UX design and story telling.
- I’ve produced several videos for other people.
- I’ve worked on two novels I hope to finish in the next few months.
- I took care of my grandmother and her sister last winter.
- I produced a set of Ballet DVDs for a local dance company.
- AND my favorite project …
Earlier this year, Let’s Think Productions was shooting a short film in my hometown. Mark Givens who oversees MainStreet El Dorado introduced me to Margy Neil, one of the Let’s Think producers, and Margy invited me to shoot the “Making of” stuff for The Bloodstone Diaries: Thief of All Things. I captured about 15 hours of behind-the-scenes footage during the four day shoot, and it was just about the most fun I’ve ever had in my life.
I learned a lot while working on this project, and gained a lot of respect for Gerry Bruno, the director (who’s mother makes a mean red sauce!). Watching the Academy Awards all my life, I wondered what the point of making short films is. Who watches them? Where are they shown? It’s simple. Short films are like little auditions where people who want to make feature films show what they can do. Gerry is one of the nicest people I’ve ever met, and his laugh is the most joy-filled laugh I’ve ever heard. I hope the world get’s to experience his talent in a much bigger way.
Thief of All Things premiered Saturday in El Dorado, Arkansas, the place I grew up. It will be making it’s way around the film festival circuit, and hopefully picking up awards along the way.
I have enough footage to make a feature-length documentary about the project. I doubt I’ll do that, but here’s a short to give you a glimpse of some of the work that went into the project, and a taste of the story about Bettie Lawrence who becomes possessor of The Bloodstone.
