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Old 2007-06-18, 11:42 PM
Tubular
 
No Graphics/Text Scrolls added by author on show footage of DVD-videos

I have downloaded a few video DVDs recently that had a "Do Not buy or sell, for free trade only" text scroll or message that appeared on the screen periodically throughout the performance footage of the show. I agree with this message, that it should not be sold, but I do not agree with where this message is placed. In my and several others' opinion, it should not be on the actual performance footage of the show, but on the menu of the DVD or on the opening/closing credits (and absolutely before or after any concert footage) of the show. As someone from another thread stated, it would be like adding an audible message on an audio torrent while the band was playing. It takes away and distracts from the enjoyment of the show! We should take all the steps necessary to ensure that people don't sell unreleased material (like reporting bootleg sellers to Ebay admins) as that would hurt the artist, but at what cost? The money that someone spends on bootlegs could obviously be used to buy official releases or concert tickets. Most of the fine people who use this site will never sell stuff they have downloaded, so why impose a penalty on them? The few jerks who will sell material from here will not be stopped by a scrolling message during a show. They will do it no matter what.

I propose that The Traders' Den ban DVDs that have such "do not buy or sell" messages on the performance footage of the show that have been added by the DVD author. Maybe an exception can be made for people who don't have access to the master files, and can't author a version without this message. I might even go as far to say that all graphics or special effects that are added by an author on the performance footage of the show should not be allowed, but I have seen at least one DVD where special effects were used. Sometimes it was cool, but after a while it became tiresome. So to summarize: put all the opulent, fancy graphics, effects, and "do not buy or sell, for free trade only" messages on the menus or opening/closing credits of a video DVD that you want, just keep them off the actual performance footage of the show. I realize that icons or scrolls added by TV stations or video cameras cannot be removed by the author cleanly, and shouldn't be messed with. I know I'd be up for a reauthor/reseed of those shows that have been done this way.

Last edited by Tubular; 2007-06-18 at 11:51 PM.
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