Digital copyright - obtaining permission question

[Micky-D]

Hey guys n gals..

I thought here would be a good place to start my question...

I am looking for someone experienced with digital video copyright to help me with a few questions..
I have a site which deals with downloadable videos.. at the moment its in the market research stage so I'm okay for time.. but..
I want to be able to sell videos that are re-encoded for certain devices and obviously I need the owners permission to do this.. but there are so many videos and so many owners I havn't a clue where to start... Is there not one place I can go to that I can just pay royalties to and they will distribute them to thier respective owners??

Obviously I want my site to be legal in all aspects.. I particularly want to be able to approach sony for a lucrative deal I can offer them but I cant till I fill in all the legalaties..

I want to offer many varied videos such as TV series like Lost, The Simpsons. Films, Music vids, Adult films etc so as you can see lots of vids.. lots of owners..

Does anyone have any advice they can offer??? Im in the UK by the way...


Thanks peeps!!!!!

[Marc Peters]

Simple answer: this would be impossible.

[Micky-D]

How do other companies work round this? Surely they dont just do it and hope they dont get prosecuted?

[Marc Peters]

I'm not aware of any companies in the UK offering this service. The only service that resembles this is BTvision or iTunes in the states.

[Micky-D]

Hmmm glad you pointed that out.. I'd forgotten about those...
So... maybe approaching iTunes might be a good idea.. May I PM you marc only I dont wish to openly discuss the nature of my idea?

[Marc Peters]

I'm never one to poo-poo an idea, but what you plan to do really is somewhat unachievable. And if it was viable, every tom, dick and harry would be setting up their own sites for video downloads.

Video sharing communities have become mainstream in the last year or so. Off the back of this, there's been a plethora of copycat youtube sites eager to jump on the video community bandwagon. Unfortunately most of these sites operate at a loss due to the high bandwidth required and will, in the long run, be closed due to copyright infringements.

There's been talk both on these forums (and to a greater extent the whole of the web ) on what will happen now that Google has bought YouTube. Indeed, before the purchase, agreements were signed to legitametly stream music videos. I feel however, that the big boys will dominate this market leaving little room for the small guy.

This will be a lucrative market for both TV companies and Studios. It will give them the opportunity to sell direct. You may see models such as iTunes or BTvision 're-selling' videos, but for the small guy, I don't think there will be the opportunity.

[Andy Lockwood]

You have to remember that companies like BT or Apple have alot of clout, bargaining power, huge customer bases and a solid position to negotiate from. Whilst I wouldn't want to be too negative, I suspect that the likes of Sony won't give you a second glance.

I qualify this to some extent by the experience of a friend of mine that has a belting idea (not web related). His product and service has been taken up by BT but.... it's literally taken him years to get into that position. He has had to jump through a trillion hoops, spend fortunes (and I mean fortunes) on lawyers etc and it's been a slog and a half. It will pay off, but his is a unique proposition, whereas yours is (not being rude) nothing new.

You'll be at the back of a very long queue I suspect.....unless you have an existing customer base to make it worthwhile the big boys paying attention.

One last point.... even if yours is a unique idea, once you've pitched it, unless you can patent the idea, the likes of Sony or whoever will have the capability to just offer it themselves, and most likely will do, cutting you off at the legs.

Sorry to be so negative, but I believe they are are all worthwhile points.

[Micky-D]

Hmmm granted I would agree if I were trying to compete with YouTube or If my Idea were anything like Youtube but unfortunately it isnt. My idea has absolutely noting to do with youtube or youtube type ideas or businesses. I'm sure youtube wouldnt have sold at that price if it were to rollover at the first sign of competition... granted youtube ran into constant debt but it was a threat enough to have google bid that ammount on it.

So the big boys do not deter me in the slightest. the idea that I have is unique in that it has not been offered anywhere before.. I agree that the hurdles faced are steep ones but that does not rule the idea out. One cannot just give up at the first sign of trouble... Theres no reason I cannot approach the big boys and co-oporate over this idea especially as it is aimed at a specific target user group.. just as Itunes is aimed at Ipod users so this idea is aimed at another specific device or devices user(s). The fact is that one of the biggest companies I know have overlooked a good money spinner and I intend to cash in on that gap as any good opportunistic person would...

Ideally I would like to go to that company with the idea already developed (ie copyright legalaties worked out) but if needs be I can present it in its current form...

Do not think I'm trying to rouse an argument with ya buddy.. thats not my intention.. Im just trying to convey an idea and driving force behind it without openly discussing the full specifics of the idea. I whole heartedly agree with your above comments but I think i'm slightly out of the Google / Youtube battleground lol.

[Marc Peters]

What device are you talking about?

Microsoft has recently agreed a somewhat 'radical' deal with music companies for the release of their iPod rival. This will enable users to 'share' their music via wireless connections with other device users. How? Because they're Microsoft.

As Andy and myself say, it's not the fact that no-one's though or indeed gone ahead with video download sites, it's more that the viablity is somewhat restricted by TV and movie studios. I use the example of YouTube as this is similar if not the same as your idea. I would think that Google will eventually use this as a vehicle greater sharing copyright material.

Adults sites have been using video-on-demand for years. Indeed, the adult entertainment industry is typically the fore-bearer in video and web technology.

[Micky-D]

Originally Posted by Turn Media

You have to remember that companies like BT or Apple have alot of clout, bargaining power, huge customer bases and a solid position to negotiate from. Whilst I wouldn't want to be too negative, I suspect that the likes of Sony won't give you a second glance.

I qualify this to some extent by the experience of a friend of mine that has a belting idea (not web related). His product and service has been taken up by BT but.... it's literally taken him years to get into that position. He has had to jump through a trillion hoops, spend fortunes (and I mean fortunes) on lawyers etc and it's been a slog and a half. It will pay off, but his is a unique proposition, whereas yours is (not being rude) nothing new.

You'll be at the back of a very long queue I suspect.....unless you have an existing customer base to make it worthwhile the big boys paying attention.

One last point.... even if yours is a unique idea, once you've pitched it, unless you can patent the idea, the likes of Sony or whoever will have the capability to just offer it themselves, and most likely will do, cutting you off at the legs.

Sorry to be so negative, but I believe they are are all worthwhile points.

I agree entirely in your above statement.. I know how tough it is to get recognised.. but I'm a firm beleiver in persistance... Theres no doubt I wont be discussing with anyone this idea in any great detailed length and I'm sure nobody will blame me for that. Granted I probably will fall short on this idea but as you said if you already have an existing customer base which even though I have not advertised.. I do lol.. I know it will take lots of work and probably lots of cash I think it will be worth it in the end... I have given myself a reasonable target of 2 - 4 years so I'm in no hurry... and it isnt so much about the idea itself its the additional possibilities of the idea that make it unique...

Im not dismissing anyones advice.. in fact it spurs me on for some dumb reason better known only to my brain lol but if one person can make it as you have said above... then its an example that others can too.

Im not a big smart businessman with lawyers at my express disposal im just a regular dude with a regular job thats hit upon what I consider a good idea.. If it works all well and good.. if it doesnt then I'll move on to soemthing else so its no big loss but you have to try regardless of what anyone says... right?

Its taking a leap of faith that sets appart the successfull from the unsuccessfull isnt it?

i do want to take a second to thank you guys for your honesty though.. even though I admit its not what I wanted to hear.. but it is however what I expected.. my job now is to take those hurdles and navigate around them as best I can