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Copyright

Using images or music that you haven't generated yourself? Then you need to know what your copyright agreement is. There are a plethora of different resources for photos, video and music, but often they vary in their rights agreements. Check the Ts and Cs before you use imagery. Flaunting rights issues can get expensive!

Music

Music for TV commercials will almost always require a license of some description. Often producers get confused between digital rights and broadcast rights which often require extended licenses. 

 

If you want to use a famous track, you will need to clear the rights with both the composer and the performer.  There are no fixed rates for this as the fee depends on usage and what the composer and publisher want to charge. Often the prices can be prohibitive for the small advertiser. There are a number of options for library music, some of which is excellent. If the music company is affiliated with the 'performing rights society' (the PRS), there is a standard fee depending on usage. You can find out more about how the PRS functions here 

 

There are some very good libraries that are not associated with the PRS and have their own fee structure which can be cheaper.  Prices range from £300 to £1300. Be wary of 'free music'. Often the rights are not free for broadcast and may require extended licenses. 

It's also worth pointing out that your license only covers the original ad. It may not cover a second ad or cutdowns however similar they may be to the original.

We offer a music service to find you perfect track at the right price.

 

Still Images and video

Like music, using still images may require extended licensing. If you have a license to use library images for your website, you don't have automatic rights to use the imagery on TV. This is because, in most cases, the imagery is licensed to the agency, not the production. Once the images are locked into a production, that video can be shared in whatever media the rights were paid for. However, copyright does not allow sharing of the original imagery in its raw state. 

Typefaces

Like imagery, typefaces should not be shared without the necessary clearance. The purchaser is allowed to share content created with the typeface in final PDF or print documents where the typeface is flattened and not editable. However, it its not permissible to supply fonts to other users without express permission or purchase of the font from the designer or font library.

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