Basic fair usage of images taken from google in a music video?

Tommatt

So I'm going to try and make a music video for a friends band. It has to do with religious bigotry and some of the evils done in God's name. It's easy enough to come across great photos just by googling "God hates XXXX" but I don't want to have to worry about copyright. I've tried googling a few phrases to get some basic understanding of fair use, and I guess I wouldn't really have to worry about it unless someone filed a complaint but I'd rather avoid that if possible.

Any general guidelines or things to look for when choosing a picture? If it's in a public domain like google images is it free game?

**EDIT** I guess a better question would be, where are some places to go to look for images I can use? What are some sources that are likely to be free to use? Newspaper clippings and such?

Hahnsoo1

You might be better off looking for stock photos from an archive like the Getty Image archive (they have a Royalty Free section) or something similar, if you are trying to avoid legal trouble. Right now, with the possible theme of your music video, it sounds more like you are looking for trouble rather than trying to avoid it.

Google Image Search is NOT public domain. Not even close. Public Domain does not mean "out there in the public".

naporeon

Yes, and it is important to note that music videos do not fall under fair use doctrine in the United States.

As @Hahnsoo1 indicates, just because you can find something with a search engine, it does NOT follow that it's public domain. In the technical sense, something is considered public domain only if intellectual property rights have been forfeited or have otherwise lapsed or expired. The great bulk of what you will find with GIS is very much still privately held.

Getty is a great resource, and in addition to images, should have some royalty-free video available as well. Best of luck.

Tommatt

I'll check that site out, thank you. Some of the images just fit the theme, I'm also looking for renderings of things done during the crusades for example, and it's just easy to get some ideas from google images. I didn't think they'd be fair use.

What about newspaper clippings and news posts and stuff like that?

Going to edit the OP, I guess the better question would be where are places to go to look for images that can be used.

Sentry

I use this site http://creativecommons.org/
It allows you to search images, sounds, videos, etc. all by their licensing. The more you plan to do with this video, the more restrictive the licensing becomes. You likely want licensing that can be adapted and modified for commercial use with attribution, which is going to give you the least amount of stuff to work with, but hopefully it will be enough.

RoyceSraphim

Tommatt wrote: »

I'll check that site out, thank you. Some of the images just fit the theme, I'm also looking for renderings of things done during the crusades for example, and it's just easy to get some ideas from google images. I didn't think they'd be fair use.

What about newspaper clippings and news posts and stuff like that?

Going to edit the OP, I guess the better question would be where are places to go to look for images that can be used.

Scan them from archives and look up library archives of of events.

Push comes to shove, make your own newspaper imagery in photoshop and slap some some filters on it to fit the video.

halkun

Here's a takeaway about fair use...

Say like you were in a location were hundreds of people could see you and there were cameras and everything
Suppose that a known murder appears attempts to kill you with no provocation. In self defense you kill him.
Everyone saw you did it in self-defense, the camera all saw it plain as day...
You *WILL* get arrested and charged with homicide.
You can claim self-defense to the cop, but that's not going to stop the changes from getting filed.
A person claiming self-defense must prove at trial that the self-defense was justified.
The evidence is weighed and it's an open and shut case that you are in the right and acquitted.

Say like you take a a single frame of copyrighted work and use it in your own work
Say then that the owner of the work sues you for copyright infringement.
You *WILL* get charged with copyright infringement.
You can claim fair use, but that's not going to stop the charges from being filed.
A person claiming fair use must prove at trial that they are justified to make that claim.
The evidence is weighed and if the court thinks so, you are acquitted.

It's the same kind of defense, you have to go to trial to prove it. Any other claim outside the courtroom is worthless.

Tommatt

Thanks for the info and help giys, I'll try out those resources. It started off ase just doing something basic with a live recording, and then the thought of making a video. I've always been the type of person where if I'm going to do something, I'm going to put some effort into it and try to do it right. And if it ends up being another #nailedit poster, so be it, but I'm going to put my creativity into it and try to make a real video.

Greggy88

naporeon wrote: »

Yes, and it is important to note that music videos do not fall under fair use doctrine in the United States.

Actually, they might. It depends on the music video. If, for example, the video is commentary, criticism, parody, news reporting, or teaching. The catch is that fair use is an affirmative defense, not a right. To know for sure whether something is covered you have to go to court. Which is a bummer.