If you create video for a living, you live on the value of intellectual property. So protect it—yours and everyone else’s. I still see sloppy rights practices on sets, in edit bays, and inside agencies that should know better. It’s not edgy or clever to cut corners; it’s risky, expensive, and it undercuts the industry you depend on. This isn’t a legal brief—just the operational playbook I wish every producer, editor, and account lead followed. The Three Biggest Risk Zones 1) Music (the #1 abuse area) There are great options: stock libraries, custom composition, licensed catalogs, and algorithmic tools. Use them. What you cannot do: drop in your favorite recording and “credit the artist.” Credit is not a license. Safer paths * Budget for music up front (temp + final). * Keep a short list of libraries at different price tiers. * Build relationships with 2–3 composers for fast-turn cues. * Document the license: track title, licensor, license ID, territory, term, media, and any restrictions. Red flags * “It’s internal use only.” (Still in use.) * “We’ll swap it later.” (It never gets swapped.) * “The client said it’s fine.” (Get that in a license, not a text.) 2) Stock Footage (and imagery, fonts, templates) Buy from reputable sources and match the license to use. “Royalty-free” doesn’t mean “rights-free.” Safer paths * Maintain a preferred vendor list with approved license types. * Screenshot or save license terms at time of purchase (they change). * Track attribution requirements and usage limits (territory, seat count, end products, print/run caps). Red flags * Pulling clips/fonts/templates from random “free” sites with no clear license. * Reusing a project file that embeds a single-seat font or SFX license across multiple clients. * “Buyout” claims without documentation. 3) Client-Provided Assets (logo dumps, mood folders, “internal only” archives) If the client hands you assets, that doesn’t make them safe. You share liability if you publish copyrighted material without permission. Safer paths * Require a Client Asset Warranty (sample below). * Ask for evidence of rights when assets look third-party (music, photos, sports footage, celebrity images). * Quarantine anything unclear until it’s cleared. Red flags * “We grabbed this from Google—it’s just a placeholder.” * “Our last agency used it.” * “We own the brand, so we own the photos.” (Often false—photographers may hold rights.) Your Rights Workflow (Copy/Paste) 1) Brief & Budget * Line-item Music / Stock / Fonts / Talent / Locations / E&O in the estimate. * Define territory, term, and media early (web only vs. paid social vs. broadcast, etc.). 2) Intake & Verification * Collect all client-provided assets in a labeled folder. * For each asset, log source, owner, license type, term, territory, and media. * If unknown → stop and request proof or a replacement. 3) Temp vs. Final * Tag every temp asset clearly (e.g., TEMP_MUSIC_not_licensed.wav). * Publish a rule: no final exports until all temp assets are replaced or licensed. 4) Paper Trail * Save invoices, receipts, license PDFs, emails, and screenshots of license terms. * Please put them in a project Rights folder alongside the edit. 5) Delivery Packet Include a one-page Rights Summary: * Asset → Vendor/Owner → License ID → Term → Territory → Media → Notes → Renewal Date Templates You Can Steal Client Asset Warranty (Plain-English) Client represents and warrants that all materials it supplies (logos, photos, music, footage, fonts, data) are owned by Client or properly licensed for the intended use. Client agrees to provide documentation upon request and to indemnify Producer against claims arising from Client-supplied materials. Rights Checklist (Pre-Export) * Music licensed or replaced * Stock (video/image) licensed and logged * Fonts licensed for this use & seat count * Logos/third-party marks cleared * Talent/location releases on file * Client assets warranted * Captions/subtitles sources licensed (if third-party) * Rights summary included in delivery Myths vs. Reality * Myth: “It’s fair use—it’s only 10 seconds.” Reality: Fair use is context-specific and rare in advertising/brand work. * Myth: “We’re not monetizing, so it’s okay.” Reality: Public distribution is still a use; monetization isn’t the only test. * Myth: “We credited the artist.” Reality: Credit ≠ permission. * Myth: “AI generated it, so it’s free.” Reality: Tools have training, usage, and output terms. Please read them. The Bottom Line Piracy isn’t a victimless shortcut—it’s a tax on everyone who plays by the rules and a direct risk to your client and reputation. Respect rights like you want yours respected. Budget for licenses, track the paperwork, and ship a rights summary with every job. That’s how pros work—and how agencies keep clients for the long haul. This is operational guidance, not legal advice. For edge cases or high-risk uses, consult an attorney and your E&O carrier.

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