You know the old story about the tribespeople who think that cameras steal souls? Well they might be right, or they might be luddites, but either way, if you are picking up a camera and want to make a piece, you should know the rules and regulations when it comes to video releases.
The basic questions you have to answer (and usually prove) are: does my subject realize that I am going to use this footage for my own purposes; will they allow it; and to what degree do I have to respect their good name (libel).
The rules are very different for every venue. Let's go through 3...
At one end of the spectrum, you need release forms for anyone who appears in a video, any place which appears or in which video was taken (if the place appears prominently), and any music which appears in the piece. These rules apply most stringently for network and cable television and for widely released movies. I can provide you with templates for each of these release forms.
At the other end of the spectrum, film festivals are not-for-profit events and they therefore have loopholes. One loophole, for example, is that you can use unlicensed music. As for appearance releases, the risk you run is that the person will be upset for libelous reasons. If the project were ever picked up for sale (which is possible) and you don't have a release you run the risk of your subject suing for compensation (and you also run the risk that the buyer won't buy it).
Then, right in the middle, there's news. News Crews rarely get releases. Instead they ask
people to say and spell their first and last name. This is known as a video release. By making it clear to the subject that they are being filmed, news agencies argue that the burden is on the subject to prove that they were unfairly portrayed or that their image was stolen or misused. For this reason, news crews will never show a person's face when they need shots of obesity or hair loss (you've probably seen the blurry shots of a crowd, or the shots where they show people from their neck down).
For our purposes, I would encourage you to always get personal releases and try to avoid using copyrighted music. The music is unlikely to cause grief at first, but it could be tricky later on. The rules on music are pretty much the same as the rules of sampling music.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
VJ Academy: Video Releases
Monday, February 19, 2007
VJ Academy: Intro
I'm going to start putting up posts that will provide info useful for production. In addition I compiled a collection of videos from the last few International VJ Awards and will be handing them out in the next few days.
If you would like to learn more about the Video Journalism movement, the first place you should look is Sabine Streich's VJ Queen vblog. The site is very new, but the content is of a high quality.
Unfortunately, some of it's in German, so... yeah. Choose wisely.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Just so we are all on the same page...
What happens when you assign stories to a dozen Video Journalists? The VJs go out and find a character and present the truth of that character’s world. What happens when a dozen VJs find a dozen truths? What happens when the truths contradict each other?
These are the questions we want to answer in the VJ Grab Bag - Volume 2. And that’s why our topic will be Atheism.
I just want to make this clear: We are not looking to promote Atheism, but rather to turn a critical, investigative eye on the many interesting elements of life for a Non-Believer.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Volume 2 Research JumpStart
Use the following questions to develop story ideas. Some of the suggestions have characters or organizations associated with them that can be used as starting points.
- Fundamentalism: Are fundamentalist Atheists a contradiction? Are they effective evangelicals? What’s the point?
- Politics: Can an Atheist be elected to public office? Find one. Are Atheists driven to one political party over another? Does being an Atheist also mean that the person is pro choice, pro stem cell research, pro homosexuality - is this some sort of a political alignment?
- Coming Out: Is it difficult to come out as an Atheist? What makes it a controversy? Is it frivolous to say you are ‘coming out’ when you decide to be an Atheist?
- New Atheism: Are New Atheists driven by politics, faith or revelation? Is it rational to embrace Atheism because of government policies? Are George Bush’s policy’s driving people towards Atheism? Is it just fashionable?
- Reverse Osmosis: Is Atheism a dead-end for spirituality? Do many Atheists later turn into believers?
- Faith: Is faith in science different from faith in religion?
- Organizing: Is it a contradiction to be an organized Atheist? What is unifying the Atheists?
- Spirituality: Can you be a good person and be an Atheist? Is there a moral sacrifice you make in choosing Atheism?
- Rituals: What does an Atheist Wedding look like? Funeral?
- Taxonomy: Brights, Freethinkers, Nonbelievers, Agnostics…what’s the difference? Why differentiate?
- Daily Life: What is it like for Atheists to survive in a society that is filled with rituals that are symbolic of religion? Is being Atheist somehow unnatural? Do Atheists live longer? How many Atheists are there?
- Public Perception: What do people think of Atheists? Are they evil? Do they shower? Conduct a “Man on the Street” Survey
- War: Are there ever any Atheists in Foxholes? Find one.
- Make your own religion: What kinds of religions are people making for themselves? Paganism? Infidel? Are people shopping for a religion?
- Technology: How are Atheists using cable TV and the internet? Is it a forum for discussion or is it an evangelical tool?
You don't have to dig too deep to find story ideas here. Looking forward to your feedback.
(Thanks to Sheherzad)
Volume 2
For the Second Round of the Grab Bag, we have a couple of new objectives.
The biggest change between Rounds 1 & 2 will be in the kinds of content we are looking for. Instead of searching for stories and characters from all walks of life, we will be focusing on a specific topic. In an effort to choose the most fertile field, we have chosen to have all of our stories revolve around Atheism.
Another big change will be in our roster. We are looking to increase the number of contributors. We are also looking to add to our ranks more people who have worked as Video Journalists, camera, editors, writers, whatever. The reason here is that we want the Grab Bag to be a forum for people to experiment. The more mixed our group of contributors, the more likely it is that the work we feature will break boundaries and invent new forms. To that end, I will also be showing several exceptional videos on this site in the coming weeks.
The third major shift is in distribution. We are considering ways to simultaneously release the videos in several formats. We will have a screening of course, but as we develop we will be working on a website which houses the videos and arranges them in a functional, clear way. We hope to use this new site to as a kind of online publication, reminiscent of literary journals, but with flashing, blinking lights. We are also looking at a couple of alternative distribution methods, such as a DVD release (a VJ mix-tape?). Any ideas are welcome.
All of this means: we need your help. If you have any skills in web design (I sure don’t) or any production skills and you want to get involved, just send me an email.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Report from Volume 1
I don't think any of us expected the success of the screening this weekend. We had a packed house and a lot of great people showed up to keep us laughing all night.
And of course, we had some exceptional videos to showcase. Thanks to everyone who came out and kept the place warm. More importantly, thanks to everyone who shared their work with us.
It is a difficult task to put in extra hours to work on a volunteer project. I am very proud and happy with all the work that came from our experiment and I'm looking forward to working with everyone for Round 2.
For more photos and videos from the screening, Go below the fold...
The screening program was made of 5 original videos, and 4 contributions from friends, old and new.
My favorite for the night was Daniel & Jeff's profile of James Spencer. The video has the distinct feeling of an Ode to James Brown. I was especially impressed by the limited use of music. When the soundtrack finally came up in the end, the video turned a classic funk ballad into a moving requiem.
The second clip also followed a soulful man, Daddy Bruce. The rib master sang his old song from the corner of a small shack in Boulder, Colorado. Fittingly, his customers are wacky troubadors and slightly dazed college kids. This video was the only one produced by a professional VJ, our very own Graham Meriwether, and shows how rewarding it is to find a strong, unique character and let them speak in their own voice. 
In between two videos about meat, we were treated to the unusual genius of Vit, a Czech Marionette maestro, and the producer of an opera called, Once There Was a Village. Created by Mark Bernal, this video was being cut up until the very last minute. It seems puppeteers are a hard bunch to nail down, and it took a little extra time to find a group who was performing. The music comes from my favorite punk marching band, the HMB.
Another hit came in the form of a bleeting goat. "Fresh Meat" was produced by Kieran O'Hare and was the first video he has created. Be happy they weren't killing goats the day he went shooting. Be happy that you can see it right here.
And because blood and guts and old men are generally depressing, we finished our main program with Mayen Ma's "Waltz Cafe Comedy Hour." Showcasing the talents of one of Astoria's exhuberant artists, Mayen's video made me miss the souvlaki and many great little Astorian Cafes. As you may have read, Mayen had more than a few setbacks in making her piece. Happily, her clip got the place laughing after a few gruesome minutes in the butchery.
Once again, thanks to everyone who showed up and everyone who showed something. If you want to contribute to future Grab Bag's let us know. Also, thanks to Connie Sun for hosting us and for taking the photos.
And that, Ladies and Gentlemen, is called a beautiful evening.
Photo Overload
The screening was a huge success. Enjoy some photo overload at our rough, remote site...
James Spencer
Created by Jeff French and Daniel Zier, this video has the distinct feeling of an Ode to James Brown. I was especially impressed by the limited use of music. When the soundtrack finally came up in the end, the video turned a classic funk ballad into a moving requiem.
Fresh Meat
"Fresh Meat" was produced by Kieran O'Hare and was the first video he has created. Be happy they weren't killing goats the day he went shooting. Be happy that you can see it right here.
Daddy Bruce
In this clip, the rib master sings his old song from the corner of a small shack in Boulder, Colorado. Fittingly, his customers are wacky troubadors and slightly dazed college kids. This video was the only one produced by a professional VJ, our very own Graham Meriwether, and shows how rewarding it is to find a strong, unique character and let them speak in their own voice.
Waltz Comedy
Showcasing the talents of one of Astoria's exhuberant artists, Mayen's video made me miss the souvlaki and many great little Astorian Cafes. As you may have read, Mayen had more than a few setbacks in making her piece. Happily, her piece got the place laughing after a few gruesome minutes in the butchery.
Marionette Opera
At the 1st VJ Grab Bag, we were treated to the rambling genius of Vit, a Czech Marionette maestro, and the producer of an opera called, Once There Was a Village. Created by Mark Bernal, this video was being cut up until the very last minute. It seems puppeteers are a hard bunch to nail down, and it took a little extra time to find a group who was performing. The music comes from my favorite punk marching band, the HMB.
Read More......Saturday, February 10, 2007
1st VJ Grab Bag - Tonight!
Get them booties on and put the final touches on your audio. We are screening to-night.
The screening will take place at 8PM with a little libation and some edible accompaniment. If you can't make it to the screening, give us a call. Doubtless we will be nearby having a post apocalyptic drink. We will also have photos and a wrap up right here, right away.
Also, keep a look out for info for VJ Grab Bag Volume 2. We are going to announce the changes and accompanying new story ideas tonight. Stay tuned for research links, story suggestions, and photos, fancy, fancy photos from tonight's screening.
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Convenient Truth - Call for Entries
The kind folks over at TreeHugger (really, go there right now if you've never been, they are fantastic) are holding a video competition called Convenient Truth and they are calling for entries. Read the flyer for more info or go to TreeHugger TV to get involved.
They will also be sharing a video with us at our screening this Saturday. Make sure you join us so you can see it. (They say it's themed for Valentine's Day.)
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
VJGrab Bag Vol. 1 - Screening on Saturday
The VJ Grab Bag is an experiment designed to get people working together. We are a handful of friends challenging each other and trying to launch our ship into the ocean. We've got some big ideas coming up ahead and hope you will join us on Saturday and in our future games. Go take a look around to learn more about the Video Journalism Challenge.
Stay Warm...
Thursday, February 1, 2007
From Tacos to Comics
This entry comes from Mayen Ma...
VJ grab bag. This was not only an exercise in shooting and editing but also in the process of creating a story. My initial piece was going to be on the Taco Truck in Sunnyside. I had my shot list, questions, possible montage ideas, a soundtrack… it was going to be amazing! It was going to be amazing up until 8PM on the first cold night of the season. I had been waiting for the damn truck for 45 minutes and no dice.
Feeling a bit defeated, I returned home in order to regroup. Could I do a piece on the Taco Truck not being there? No, that would only be good if there were other people to talk to on the street and in the dead of winter, I’d be lucky if a passer-by stopped. The next best thing, I thought, would be the Waltz Astoria artist fair.
The Waltz Astoria artist fair happens at Waltz (a coffee shop in Astoria), which is artist friendly, especially for locals. So once again, I gathered my equipment readied my questions and shot list, only to find that the fair wasn’t happening on the particular day I went to shoot. BALLS!
The very friendly barista suggested that I come back on Tuesday night for their comedy night. Right-comedy. It’s not that I don’t like to laugh, don’t get me wrong, I just don’t like being somewhere, in public, feeling like I have to laugh at bad jokes to make the situation less awkward. Waltz is about the size of my living room, so awkward non-laughter was a big concern for me.
Needless to say, I schlepped back to Waltz on a cold Tuesday evening after a long day at work. I started filming the chalking on the sidewalk that acts silent hawkers cajoling Astorians to go to the show. As I was filming the chalking, I spotted a very concerned guy watching my every move suspiciously before entering Waltz. He was Matt Taylor, the host of the comedy night.
After Matt and I got on the same page-he realized I wasn’t filming in order to sue him for graffiti and I realized filming at night is a bit…creepy. Matt proved to be a very humorous character and his show proved that I didn’t hate stand-up comedy.
Some may find the piece to be a bit jumbled. Perhaps it is because I didn’t plan as thoroughly as I would have liked or perhaps because iMovie is a pain in the ass. I blame iMovie.
