FYI - the Quicktime player is just as free as the Flash player, as is the Windows Media player. In my experience, people are more likely to have the updated Quicktime or Windows Media players. Just a thought.

Maybe you can start posting this stuff in some of the bridal/wedding online places. Just to let the brides know that there are people out there pretending to be well qualified videographers, but are actually hacks.

FYI - the Quicktime player is just as free as the Flash player, as is the Windows Media player. In my experience, people are more likely to have the updated Quicktime or Windows Media players. Just a thought.

Travis

I agree.. However it's much easier for someone to rip a .MOV or .WMV then a .FLV filed called as an external file from the .SWF file and which wouldn't let the user see the name of the clip..

In regards to most people, even better reason for Flash 8 video the dudes looking to rip will just move on..:)

Well, I agree as well. Definitely more work involved in ripping off a Flash file.

I just choose to post Quicktime and Windows Media files because that serves my clients better, and the odds that my videos are going to be ripped off are pretty small, and even if they are it won't really affect my clients, which is where my primary concern lies.

Well, I agree as well. Definitely more work involved in ripping off a Flash file.

I just choose to post Quicktime and Windows Media files because that serves my clients better, and the odds that my videos are going to be ripped off are pretty small, and even if they are it won't really affect my clients, which is where my primary concern lies.


True that..

You can't really stop someone from stealing clips that you put up on the world-wide-web, if they are really, really just absolutely determined (some sleaze ball with a real mind to, can write software to intercept the data stream at the TCP/IP data packet level, if nothing else), but you sure can make it difficult (and lower forms of life aren't usually to bright). Using java script is one approach, where your HTML document calls a java script routine from another file on your server, that contains the path information for the video file, rather than having that information wide out in the open on the HTML page. You can also take out indentation and line break formatting in your HTML, to make it a little harder to read. There's lots of ways to make things tougher to steal.

Another approach, would be to plan out the clips, from the get-go, as much as is practical, to include your website address, conspicuously displayed, with some artistry, in places that would be quite difficult to remove it, without utterly ruining the clips (do what you do best: be creative!). That way, if some scum-ball, miserable excuse for pond scum, does steal your material and put it up on their site, they'll be advertising for you! (and you can send them a thank you card at Christmas time!)

Mark,

Having paid for a couple of your videos and benifited from them I would be interested in helping. Do you have a physical address on this guy?

Mike

I agree.. However it's much easier for someone to rip a .MOV or .WMV then a .FLV filed called as an external file from the .SWF file and which wouldn't let the user see the name of the clip..


in the case of wmv, your statement is only correct if you put the clip on the web as an http-sourced file... if it's served up as a .wsx-sourced(or similar) file, the actual file source location is buried in the .wsx reference file, which makes it very difficult to download the clip itself to someone's hard drive, in a file that they can steal and post elsewhere.

you can serve up your wmv files from those .wsx links by renting streams on a windows media server; there are many places on the 'net to do that, and the prices can actually be pretty reasonable... one advantage to doing that is better download performance than you'll get with http-sourced files, or flash files, for that matter.

if you are going to use flash, do it only with the new on2 codec version of flash, as all of the older flash codecs are garbage... it took flash a long time to step up to the video quality that has been around for years, with wmv and realmedia.

the best solution for removing copyrighted material from a website is to send a dmca takedown notice to the webhosting company that owns the server that hosts the stolen clips, and they are required by law to take the website down immediately(within 3 days?)... they don't even have to notify the webmaster of the offending site.

you do want to make sure that your complaint is legit, because there are provisions within the dmca for a big fine, for those who file false copyright takedown notices... but i think that dmca copyright notices have become very common these days, most big webhosting sites have links directly to their dmca complaint departments.

You can't really stop someone from stealing clips that you put up on the world-wide-web...

Hi Robert,

The clips that were stolen were taken from our training DVDs, but thanks for all of the great information on protecting web based video. You are very well versed on the subject.

Mark,
Having paid for a couple of your videos and benifited from them I would be interested in helping. Do you have a physical address on this guy?
Mike

Hi Mike,
Thanks for the offer. No, I don't have a physical address. This is all I have.
Morrison, Melzin melmorrison2005@yahoo.com
PO BOX 4171
Westminster, CA 92683
714-379-3804

I took a quick look at WHOIS info for the registrant info for that domain, and it would appear that the gent/lady in question would prefer not to have phone or physical contact (surprise, surprise).

You might consider looking up his ISP's phone number and giving them a little jingle, to see if they might be willing to offer up an address (or phone number) for the enterprising entrepreneur, prior to just slamming the doors on the site.

Who Da Man...

Melzin Morrison is actually Melvin Morrison.

BUSINESS NAME:INTEGRITY VIDEO PRODUCTIONS
LOCATIONS:1
REGISTRATION NUMBER: 20056047318
FILE DATE: 10/20/2005
EXPIRATION DATE: 10/20/2010
LAST NAME OR COMPANY: MORRISON
FIRST NAME: MELVIN
DOCUMENT TYPE: FBN
PUB:YES

bUT Wait.. he's not done.. Yet..

FIRST NAME:MELVIN
LAST NAME:MORRISON
No. Of Owners:1
BUSINESS NAME:SIERRA VIDEO PRODUCTIONS
LOCATIONS: 1
Registration Number:20066060610
File Date:02/16/2006
Expiration Date: 02/16/2011
DOCUMENT TYPE:FBN
PUB:NO

Dat guy dare is trying to outsmart the Von Lanken's..

Might that be the same as:

Sierra Video Productions
PO Box 153
Big Creek, CA 93605
Phone: 559 269-2480
Cell: 893-3145

I don't know. It was just the first thing I could find that seemed to match. But I don't mean to ruin anyone else's reputation. Any way we can verify?

I don't think so.. That place is in Fresno county and ole Smelvin registered his FBN (Fictious Business Name) in Orange County..

But hell I could be wrong, two states up in Washington.. So maybe someone from CA knows if Big Creek is in Orange County or not..

Possibly

1. MORRISON, MELVIN 7872 TRASK AVE WESTMINSTER CA 92683 42 10/07/1963 (714) 895-5099
2. MORRISON, MELVIN 205 EASTVIEW WESTMINSTER CA 92684 42 10/07/1963 (714) 895-5099
3. MORRISON, MELVIN 205 EASTVIEW DR WESTMINSTER CA 92684 42 10/07/1963 (714) 895-5099
4. MORRISON, MELVIN 13522 ILLINOIS ST WESTMINSTER CA 92683 42 07/10/1963 379-5530
5. MORRISON, MELVIN 1428 PO BOX WESTMINSTER CA 92684 42 07/10/1963 379-5530
6. MORRISON, MELVIN 336 PO BOX WESTMINSTER CA 92684

Maybe Mark could cross-reference his sales records and come up with a match to some of the aforementioned name/address/phone possibilities?

This is like Cold Case or CSI or something...yous guys are good.

LOL.. It's all in the google baby.. all in the google..

Wow, this is getting really interesting. Westminster is very close to me. Perhaps I should set up a sting at the local Post Office. I could get some of those neat-o lipstick cams and a meatball sub. Nothin' says stake out like a meatball sub...

Mike

I have been getting visits to my website referred from a russian site.

I don't speak russian but tried using a translator to figure it out... which was taking too long, but it seems to be a site like dvinfo.net and the russians are studying our videos and pricing.

Are we winning the wedding videography race?

http://www.1dv.ru/forums/lofiversion/index.php/t19658.html

LOL! Dave is popular with them...


This only obtained rule for which it is possible to banit' me to the pair with the data by post .
The disturbances of copyrights I do not see, therefore as references they go deliberately from the ultimate source and rightholders lay out them as demki on their sites for the free running off.
In the division "let us show all our of videotvoreniya" they be present the same similar references to our Russian sites.
Did not want to leave this list only to itself; therefore placed everything for all.

This thread was hanging out in the Wedding forum, but I thought it would be more appropriate for our TCB forum. Also edited the title to more accurately reflect what's going on.

Three of the clips came from our training videos and I'm even in one of the clips.

Mark,

Aside from legal action about stealing your clips/creative product, I would think you also have a potential personal suit against him. He is using your image (self) without your permission and posting it in a manner that was not intended when you agreed to appear (in your OWN video product) He needs to have a model release from you.

Now that Chris has moved this thread to TCB, maybe some of our more knowlegble legal folks will chime in.

Good luck.

My thoughts after reading through this thread.

Can the California Attorney General's office be contacted? Many state attorney general offices will go after stuff like this.

Local tv investigative reporters also like stuff such as this. Especially if they are protecting the consumer (brides in this case) from fraud. Wouldn't it be fun to see ol' Melvin with a full sized ENG cam in his face being asked some hard questions about his business practices on the 6:00 news.

Those folks who are on the Windows platform might like to check out Swishmax which is a killer Flash making application. Much more user friendly than Macromedia's own version. This is in reference to the protective measures outlined earlier in this thread wrt video on the web.

Good luck Mark and thanks to all the others who have offered to help and to Pat for his sleuthing skills. I can't ever get all this stuff out of Google.

-gb-

Very good point Joe-

I'm not sure how many people will go through the hassle of ordering a dvd then ripping it-converting it-then editing it. But I guess it is definately a possibility.

What are options to legally go after these kind of people? Just curious...I'd prefer to 'happen' upon them in a dark parking lot...

Ive had this happen to me. And as far as legalities go, by the time proceedings are up and running, theyve gtten rid of all the evidence, so its a shot in the dark, UNLESS you can prove that its your work, which is where screncapture software like camtasia come into play.

Mark, go grab camtasia and visit this site, downlaod their clips and record all your actvity while you are there. With camtasio open, open up your calendar so u hav a record of time and date for when u vsted the site.
This now becomes ur evidense against this thief.
Take ur original works and your new evidence to a lawyer and nail these bastards...

I am curious about Smelvin,the photo thief...Im sure he's up to his dirty little tricks,somewhere in cyber space.lol...funny,it seems, I too have fallen victim to his "dirty deeds done cheap".I happened on this site by accident a few weeks ago, and have been checking daily for updates...u are 100% right in your quest.......keep the info flowing.....