Thread: Protection from Video Theft

I am a videographer of musicians, creating website videos for purchase. One method I use when not contracted is to work just like a photographer: shoot, edit, and offer the finished product to the musician. The clips I create are posted in Flash form on my website for the musician to view and make his decision. I believed that these videos were secure but when viewing links in awstats, I followed one to a MySpace account and there was one of my (unpurchased) videos playing on the site. How can I protect against this? It is outright theft.

First thing I would do would be to report the violation to MySpace directly, for they are pretty good (and quick) on removing such posts and preventing viral redistribution.

Next, you may wish to review some intereting articles I got for you to help decide your next path:
Adobe Developer Whitepaper
BBC News Article

NOW... I did find a Free MP3/AVI/MPEG4 protection utility (encryption)....so maybe using this converter you can safely return your videos back to MPEG (and on the same page you will find Flash-to-MP4 converters!) with the confidence that your files are encrypted. HERE

And....you can tell from this posting on a "freelance programmer forum" that this is not just your concern!

... it's a start anyway!

PS: Loading your website is too much of a bother to even try to "Enter" the site, with the horriffic loads you have stacked on it (I tried to email you to let you know you got a reply): and in fact, your ARE using MP3 files .... so converting FLV to MP4 should not be a sweat.

Did you get to see this? Solve anything/provide an approach?


"Inquiring minds want to know"! LOL

Dear Vasili:
Can't thank you enough for all the effort that went into your response. I had keyed my initial question to be e-mailed any answers. That obviously didn't work properly. I just happened to stop in for a look. I'll try it again for notifications.
Anyway, your first suggestion of contacting MySpace has already been performed and they have eliminated four of the pirated videos and taken corrective actions, whatever that means.
I'm still in the 'beginner' stage of understanding video methods. I started with Flash progressive and basically have stayed with it, mainly because of not enough hours in the day to allot the time to learn more. Most of my daylight hours are spent editing. I looked over the articles you mentioned and find I will have to read them a few more times to 'get it'.
I am concerned about you stating my site is so overloaded, you wouldn't even enter it. What does that mean? I get a lot of traffic through there and no one seems to be having any problem. Can you elaborate?

Dayjack, I was just on your site. I did not notice the dates you posted the original thread. But I do want to tell you I clicked on the bottom area of the triangle on the home page and arrived at this page - http://www.e-webvid.com/home.html

I have Real Player installed on this computer. It did give me the option to 'download this video', as Real Player does with any video I view on the net.

I did this April 23/08 at about 9:35 PM EST

No, I did not download it, I too run a video business.

Cheers!

Freddy971:
Thanks for the info. I have not had time to address the problem but hope to do so soon. It is rather discouraging after all the work involved to get burned by the very people that I am trying to help.
I have a lot of high quality stuff still in the can but it's not going up until they are safeguarded.
I visited your site and had the same ideas you did about the services to provide, but it took tons of sales work and I am basically lazy. The crowning damper was working for a little old lady who as we went through her boxes of stuff, wanted to give a twenty minute overview of every photo. It was horrible! Bands are a lot more fun for moi.
Please don't be offended, but your sample video needs a bit of a steadier hand. Get a 5ft to 6ft collapsable monopod (about $20). You won't believe the difference. You can get overhead shots with it also because it is so lightweight.
Thanks again about the download news. Not good.

Dayjack

That sample we have up there is our first wedding we did. The shaky video will be addressed forthright. The shakiest video was shot by my partner who has no video taking experience. Since last August when we shot that wedding, we have several more in the can and more booked. Love the video business.

For the viewing public, here is a little trick I have done on another site I am webmaster for. Depending on how much control you want to give the person viewing the video is put the player on the page, set it up to what it plays then before you publish the page put a text box or boxes over the player(s). That effectively block anybody from doing a right click and downloading the video.
Another idea in you original post, you said 'and offer the finished product to the musician.' You could post the video on a separate page and give the musician the URL to go get it, give him or her or them a time limit to go get it. Stress to them that this copyright material and they should not pass around this page URL.