Recorded without your knowing?

[chris_b]

Four times this year bands that I’m gigging with have been recorded without our prior knowledge. And on three of those four it was the promoter! Now I've just found several YouTube’s of my first gig with a band I've just joined. We had no rehearsals and I'm busking and reading. I think I did a good job for a first gig but the band was a bit shaky in places and there's no way would I want that gig to be filmed! I'm finding it annoying that unapproved performances are being put into the [s]pubic[/s] public domain like this in a way that gives us no editorial control over the quality of the performance.

Anyone else had or having this problem?

Edit: Red faced edit for spelling!!!

Edited March 9, 2010 by chris_b

[51m0n]

Who is doing it?

Its pretty tricky to stop people filming stuff the days, I dont know how you can hope to stop them without appearing to be an a***hat, but you could politely ask people not to put them on youtube. The promoter you should be aboe to just say no to though I guess, unless he is willing to pay you extra for the priveledge, he is in all likelihood trying to promote the night on the interweb though, and probably thought it was a great performance and that you would thank him.

[Bilbo]

I know what you mean but, at the same time, if you have a ropey night, it was already in the public domain anyway so the bad rep is probably already circulating

Seriously, though, I have come across three or four things on Youtube that appeared without my knowledge and I am not playing great on any of them.

Conclusion? I am not a great player

Its an interesting dilemma, isn't it? Censor you publically available material to ensure only the best is out there but accept poor playing standards the rest of the time. Personally, I use it as learning material and as a way of ensuring that my self image is reasonably accurate. I have found most live recordings (tape and video) to be a wake up call and to provide me with insights I can use to focus my practice. I don't think anything I do is important enough for it to matter whether it is on Youtube or Myspace or whatever. It can't undermine my reputation as, to all intents and purposes, I have none

[Stylon Pilson]

[quote name='chris_b' post='768755' date='Mar 9 2010, 02:40 AM']Four times this year bands that I’m gigging with have been recorded without our prior knowledge. And on three of those four it was the promoter! Now I've just found several YouTube’s of my first gig with a band I've just joined. We had no rehearsals and I'm busking and reading. I think I did a good job for a first gig but the band was a bit shaky in places and there's no way would I want that gig to be filmed! I'm finding it annoying that unapproved performances are being put into the pubic domain like this in a way that gives us no editorial control over the quality of the performance.

Anyone else had or having this problem?[/quote]

As far as preventing people from filming it is concerned, the only way to achieve that is to not play the gig in the first place.

If you do discover stuff on YouTube and you want it removed, a polite message to the account holder usually works. If they refuse, use the [url="http://www.youtube.com/copyright_complaint_form"]YouTube copyright complaint form[/url].

S.P.

Edited March 9, 2010 by Stylon Pilson

[Low End Bee]

Personally I'd be delighted someone showed the interest to do it.

[BottomEndian]

[quote name='chris_b' post='768755' date='Mar 9 2010, 02:40 AM']unapproved performances are being put into the [b]pubic[/b] domain[/quote]
If anybody's putting stuff into your pubic domain without consent, that's a police matter.

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='BottomEndian' post='768982' date='Mar 9 2010, 10:37 AM']If anybody's putting stuff into your pubic domain without consent, that's a police matter. [/quote]




Chris, were you playing covers or originals?

If covers, then you could report those YouTube sites for royalty violations, couldn't you?

[tombboy]

Nothing you can do legally unfortunately...
The film producer owns the rights to the content of the film. It is his interpretation of your performance. The band (including you) become the 'subject matter'. You and the band were performing a show to the general public and the performance becomes their's so to speak. Even top-end acts cannot do a thing about it unless they own the recording rights to the film being broadcast.

However, 'morally', maybe a polite word with the author could work, as suggested previously.

[jakenewmanbass]

It's a tough one, I think it's the height of bad manners to not ask your permission but increasingly that seems to be the accepted norm.
I stopped playing at a gig because the promoter made tapes and then sold them to the audiences of subsequent gigs. I had a few stern words.... and never worked there again

[chris_b]

I know there's not much I can do, or afford to do! My gripe is that we weren't asked first. We'd probably have said yes if we were, and tried a little harder!!

The top guys retain control of their artistic output. I want to as well! I've hardly ever heard Nathan East, Verdine White or Rick Danko play live because the bass on their DVD's is usually rerecorded after the gig. You don't hear any "poor choices" from these guys!

Then there's the self promotion part. When you're angling for a gig and you get asked, "Have you got anything we can listen to?" You can't just direct them to the authorised stuff.

[wateroftyne]

Welcome to 2010... there's nowt you can do, really.

[MythSte]

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='768987' date='Mar 9 2010, 10:43 AM']If covers, then you could report those YouTube sites for royalty violations, couldn't you?[/quote]

I'd like to think this can work, but part of me says that the offender could come back at you asking you if you'd paid your royalties to play it in the first place!

Funny old world, I think im with WoT though

[jakenewmanbass]

[quote name='MythSte' post='769182' date='Mar 9 2010, 01:21 PM']I'd like to think this can work, but part of me says that the offender could come back at you asking you if you'd paid your royalties to play it in the first place!

Funny old world, I think im with WoT though [/quote]
We as performers don't have to pay royalties to perform a piece, only the venue is required to complete a PRS return and it's collected through the license fee.