Q: For my high school project ad, how do I use music safely to avoid copyright issues? The video will be on Instagram & YT.
To whoever this question may concern,
Hello, I hope this message finds you well. My name is Kaitlin, a sophomore in highschool. I was just curious about music copyright and using it for an unofficial advertisement. I'm planning to create a short motion graphics ad to promote a beverage from Milkis, a beverage company, and to upload it onto Instagram and Youtube shorts from the official Milkis account if it gets accepted. This is for a school project. I'm planning to use music in the background, however, I'm aware that I could violate copyright laws. I was wondering what exact steps to go through to use certain music in my ad without getting sued and for free. I've done some basic research, however, I'm confused about getting permission from the owner. Would a basic email to the music artist asking if I could use their music in my ad work? I would greatly appreciate it if the setps were given very clearly, as I know extremely little about copyright.
Thank you,
Kaitlin
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A:
To use music safely in your high school project ad and avoid copyright issues, you should seek music that is licensed for free use. Websites like YouTube Audio Library, Free Music Archive, and SoundCloud offer a variety of music tracks that are available for free use under Creative Commons licenses. When selecting music, ensure that the license allows for commercial use and modification, as you intend to use it in your advertisement. Once you've chosen a suitable track, download it from the source and keep a record of the license terms for future reference.
It's important to note that simply emailing the music artist asking for permission may not be sufficient, especially if the artist does not own the rights to the music. Instead, focus on finding music that is explicitly licensed for free use and follow the terms of the license. This ensures that you have legal permission to use the music in your ad without risking copyright infringement. Be sure to credit the artist appropriately in your video description or credits, as required by the license terms.
By using music that is licensed for free use and following the terms of the license, you can create your high school project ad without worrying about copyright issues. Remember to keep records of the music sources and license terms for future reference, and always credit the artist appropriately. This way, you can showcase your creativity while respecting the rights of the music creators.
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