Please Watermark Your Work?

[gunsrunner]

Just read your post and it made me think, I have just posted a video on youtube and for me it was just the fun of filming and making the vid that i do it for. So if someone uses it, it doesn't bother me, BUT. What i didn't think about, is the fact that there are people out there trying to make a living out of making under water video and that my video as a whole may not be used, but it may have 10 or 20 second segments chopped out of it, that would save someone from having to pay for the footage, when they should be!
So I will be watermarking my footage from now on.
I suppose that this has become more of an issue since HD handycam's have become more common.

 

[searider]

Thanks alot! its a wake up call for everyone!

 

[robint]

I usually just put my info at end of video and I don't mind if various websites link to them. (I have seen my videos pop up on numerous websites but always intact with my name and website at end)

On the other hand....still photo theft is a BIG issue. Back when I was shooting still photos I had a photo (not even a good one) used on a company's website. I contacted them and they didn't want to take it down... so I let a few people know here on SB and on another scuba photo website and they all e-mailed the company (two people are attys), and the image came down. Since this happened I have insisted all underwater images of mine or my husband have a copyright on them!!!

Also, a few people on that other underwater photo website had their images taken by someone who posted them on a website for SALE!!! They had to threaten a lawsuit in order to get the person to remove them. One photo was even entered into a photo contest by the thief!!! Since then I have tried to keep watching various websites to make sure this isn't happening with our photos or anyone else I know/recognize.

robin

 

[J Easy]

I was recently perusing through the website of a particular German diving company that I did all my certs with while I was in Oman. As i was in the section for the shop in an area in Southern Oman i noticed there was a video page. Now, I was pretty excited to see more video from the area because I have only seen a couple....which are mine. Well, now one of them is embedded in their website ha ha ha. I couldn't believe it. I had mixed feelings really. I was flattered that they would choose to use my video but at the same time because it's not watermarked or copywrited I can't get anything out of it. Honestly I don't make video's to get anything other than personal satisfaction so I guess in reality I DID get something out of it! I think when I start producing better videos then I will seriously think about the watermarking thing, but I'm just a lowly amature right now