hello to everyone.

I'm here to consult on this question I'm having. If I'm making some DVDs with my video demos to hand out to possible clients or promoters...will you put a watermark on them or just leave it clean?

if you'' put a watermark...what's the best way you'll go about it.

I never have watermark on my videos highlights online..and Ive seen a few viodeographer that they do...but or handing out I wonder if I should.

any ideas..

Thanks

If you have a logo simply take out the background in something like photoshop and save as a PNG file (with transparent background). Import the PNG file in to FCP and drop it on the sequence. Resize and position to taste and render....

Osmany, my advice depends on what you're giving away and to whom.

If it's a demo of your work (and no-one else's copyright is involved eg there are absolutely no third party music, recording, performance or exploitation rights), we do not deface our material. If it fell into the hands of competitors who passed it off as their work, we hold the originals and would have an open and shut case against them. Since it hasn't happened in 30 years, I hold no fear it will now. Additionally there is the possibility (albeit remote) that the potential client might infer from the watermark that you're suggesting they might try to steal your material.

But, if the recording includes any material for which others may hold rights, I would not under any circumstances allow the material to be distributed.

Such rights are not mere technicalities as readers in the UK will recall when Lou Reed recently forbade Susan Boyle to sign his song, Perfect Day, on one of Simon Cowell's television shows.

It also shows how little regard some parts of the wedding business have for the law.

For you hand outs, I think I would go with Philip's advice and leave it virgin. For online, watermarking those files makes some sense. Your local competition isn't real apt to steal your footage of local clients where the chance of getting "busted" for it, locally, is greater. Where as some schmuck online might steal your work and pass it off as theirs in a heartbeat. Anyone who is going to steal your work, you aren't going to sue and get anything from, regardless of it being local or not. If they are low enough to steal your work and try passing off as theirs in the first place, they are probably a scam from the word go anyways.

here's another angle on it:

if your data is for the local market, then watermark it so if it is copied, you are still getting advertising. Your clients shouldn't be too worried. After all, they put their BRAND LOGO on every product, paper or gift that leaves their premises!

If your data is for a wider market (that which you cannot control) then it doesn't make sense to have a watermark. People will still copy and share it nonetheless!

Thanks Chip and Philip.

that makes sense. I never worry about people stealing my videos..but since I was gonna be giving out a lot of DVDs with my work...I had my moment of....what if...

Well, this will be hand outs mostly to vendors and possible new clients.

Ok, clean..no watermark it is.

Thanks a lot