AMVs - why companies need to relax.

sletia · Post by **sletia** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 4:09 pm

It's sad that the fan tribute known as "anime music videos" are being cracked down on (i.e. Evanescence banned use of their songs).
Why?
Because 99% of my anime collection came from interest garnered FROM these fan tributes!
It's true!
Here's some examples: (added links to some because theyre so good)

Ah! My Goddess!- I never even cared to look into the series until I downloaded Steakslim's video tribute to the movie called "Hope." I only downloaded it because of the song: Apocalyptica's Hope Vol. 2.
When I saw that the series actually had a dark side to it, I had to get it.
Thank you, Steakslim, for making AMG my biggest part of my cel gallery!
http://www.animemusicvideos.org/members ... hp?v=13938

Angel Sanctuary- Don't own it yet, but plan to buy it. Saw a video set to Union Underground's Revolution Man and have wanted to find it since.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zwqgUR_IIE

Bubblegum Crisis- Several videos, first video that made me sit up was done to System of a Down's Toxicity. Not even the best video in the world, but the footage was enough. I now own the entire BGC 2040 series and the first DVD of the OVA.

Escaflowne- I WANT to pick up the series, bad, ever since seeing Korn's Let's Get This Party Started used as a tribute to Dilandau. The guy is too psycho not to notice! I was turned off by the TV edited series that was shown years ago - this video proved to me it has the grittiness I love!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9hXGJFvO1M
(Warning: Shows Dilandau's true identity.)

Hellsing- I'm sure many of you have seen the video done to E Nomine's Vater Unser. This was a double shot: I got into BOTH Hellsing AND E Nomine. Now own all of Hellsing. (I haven't found E Nomine anywhere.. )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMyaZ7hkmwQ

And on the flip side...

Evanescence: Didn't have a clue who they were, then found the most beautiful music video set to "Bring Me To Life" and the Utena series. This video is still amazing. Sadly it's harder to find thanks to copyright issues.
Either way, I own almost all of Utena and Evanescence.
Yes the video is overused now, but at the time it was very new. YES, watch it, even if you hate the song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_nJyW1g0eA

Have any of you gotten into an anime or a music artist thanks to a fan-made video?

RoboFlonne · Post by **RoboFlonne** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 7:21 pm

It's free advertising for the anime companies but not for the song writers. Maybe that's why?

Cloud · Post by **Cloud** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 7:22 pm

Perhaps. I'm glad we have that all cleared up.

sletia · Post by **sletia** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 8:04 pm

Free advertising for the song writers, yes. As I said I got into lots of bands from AMVs.
Besides why would someone download a 30+ meg file for one song? Wouldn't be worth it.

blueheaven · Post by **blueheaven** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 9:38 pm

One of my faves was Nightwish's Tenth Man Down playing over a music mashup of Gundam 08th MS Team.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR2UJpTtgco

And I am not a Dragonball fan, but I love this vid of DB, DBZ, and DBGT mixed to Creed's Higher. The scene where Vegita transforms into SSJ4 and Goku gets this look of pride in his eye makes me tear up for some odd reason.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJWLQbcUN48

Maiko · Post by **Maiko** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 4:53 am

It's not just the record labels that are shutting down distribution of AMVs, but producers and those who hold rights to the anime themselves.

Evanescence AMVs have long since been removed from the premier AMV catalogue, as well as all that include music by Seether and Creed, which are all distributed by Wind-Up Records. The main cause was some doofball contacting the record company after watching an AMV, asking if the record label itself had made the AMV and if it was official. Labels tend to turn their heads, or not go online deliberately searching for misuse of their songs, but if one is brought to their attention or presented to them, by basis of their contract and law, they have to follow-up with a cease and desist to the source. AMV.org's adminastrators took the warning they received from Wind-Up Records very seriously, and that is why they no longer catalogue any AMVs by Evanescence, Creed or Seether. Rest assured, there are still a plethora of really terrible ones available on YouTube and Google Video.

As for producers getting involved, ADV films which owns American distribution rights to several anime, is notorious for the dreaded "cease and desist" letters of doom. And more recently, the producers of "Inu Yasha", Yomiuri TV, have been doing a crackdown as well. I know this because several of my "Inu Yasha" AMVs were redistributed without my permission and reposted a bazillion times on YouTube ( I really hate that site- it makes it so easy for people to steal and claim videos as their own, and YouTube rarely does anything about it ). After tiresome campaigning against YouTube to get them removed myself, they suddenly all disappeared. Apparently, Yomiuri's producers sent YouTube legal threats for the distribution of my videos, which contained "Inu Yasha" footage.

Actually, I'm excited that Yomiuri has even *seen* them. LOL- in fact, I was about ready to write them: "Has Kappei seen them!!???" ^_~x Anyway, I have yet to receive a 'cease and desist' letter from them, even though my contact information is always available in the videos. I assume that for the most part, they don't mind if I make fan videos about their shows. However, it's sites like YouTube that abuse both sides of the coin and make the larger companies come down hard on the creators who are just showing a little bit of fan appreciation. YouTube just allows the mass reproduction and distribution of the same footage and video a hundred times over. And anyone can link to it from anywhere, from any website or blog or forum. At least with AMV.org, which is the ONLY place I want my videos catalogued at, one has to sign up for a membership, get access to specific servers to download videos, and people who abuse the system are quickly dealt with and weeded out. YouTube is just a free-for-all.

mightymask · Post by **mightymask** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 9:58 am

Certain AMV's have both heightened my interest in particular animes as well as made me fans of certain bands that I would not have known had I not seen the AMV. If I liked it enough, I look for where/when they're performing if they're in town. And I'm not just saying that. It's the truth.

There's no real way to patrol it for them. It's getting both the anime and band pub. The spreading of the creativity of others is one of the great things that's come about from the creation of the internet.

It all boils down to greed, pride and the bottom dollar. I will keep my donations going for Animemusicvideos.org -

blueheaven wrote:The scene where Vegita transforms into SSJ4 and Goku gets this look of pride in his eye makes me tear up for some odd reason.

True dat!

kizu · Post by **kizu** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 11:21 am

I've made a few AMVs for shows I really like. While making them I do tend to think it's not so bad, I'm making a tribute to a show I love and a band/song I love. I guess... those thought I never really think as rationalization... But on the other end, yes AMVs have heightened my interest usually more for the band/song rather than the anime itself. As I only look for AMVs of my favorite shows. As for youtube funny thing is, although I do like the place, it is prone to people ripping and passing off an AMV or any video as their own which is why recently on some of my Shinsengumi clips I've started putting on watermarks. I dunno... I guess I should take off the one AMV i put up in my rk saitou section... Ummm... but eh... I don't want to but I wonder if I'll get in trouble with rubberslug about it, but considering that from what I know about collecting cels even those somewhat violate copyright. So I dunno...

Baakay · Post by **Baakay** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 7:16 am

I would never have watched, much less PURCHASED, Cowboy Bebop *or* Trigun if not for "Tainted Donuts." That's a whole lot 'o anime goodness right there.

And gosh, if that song were available somewhere that I could locate out in the wilds of Neanderthal-land, I'd buy it too.

It's... a shame, really.

But what I don't understand is that some of the big producers have actually sponsored PRIZES for them at AX and local cons for ages. Another case of the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing? Maybe on purpose?

wELCOME cONSUMER · Post by **wELCOME cONSUMER** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 8:56 am

Some anime conventions have held contests for these types of things.
I'm guessing that's no longer true, but it wasn't that long ago...

The problem with the internet is, once you post any kind of data, consider
it stolen. That goes for even your private websites and galleries. You can't
control what web surfers are doing and there's no sense in trying. The best
you can hope for is to slow them down or, as suggested, watermark the item.

It's unfortunate, but making a AMV doesn't give you ownership of it. The
materials used are the property of their respective owners/companies/studios.
Crediting the author of an AMV is more of a courtesy than a legality. But
I still think the benefit outweighs the potential violations. The studios could
look into the matter and judge that fan tributes are not harmful but actually
contribute to the success of their properties.

Is it that they don't like anime? Or maybe the quality of the video compression?
If a fan approached them first, asking permission to use their song,
would they ever say yes?

The real problem is how broad copyright laws have become. Originally,
a copyright ensured the owner of certain rights and monies. However,
new advents in technology have led to legal cases where the definition
and range of copyright laws have increased so much, it's ridiculous. It
no longer comes down to you stealing profits from the copyright owners,
they can stop you from doing anything they want. Parodies and free samples
are examples of things that are technically no longer legal without
explicit permission. Giving away a copy of a song, album or movie for free
will land you in big trouble. Even if the receiver legitimately purchases
the item because of your "free sample."

Ok, now I'm rambling. This topic ticks me off.
Just another case of picking on the harmless while ignoring the real problems.

Ms. Poe · Post by **Ms. Poe** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 10:19 am

Meh.

I think Amv are a great way to get ppl into anime. It's just stupid the production companies haven't picked up on it.

If you want the best Naruto mvid, look up:

"The Kill" by Da Cool Gohan.

It's the BEST Naruto mvid I've ever seen. Anyone who's never seen Naruto would go out and buy it immediately b/c of this video.

MV contests still go on. Shit, that's the whole point of Anime Weekend Atlanta. You don't see the companies running in there to shut them down.

blueheaven · Post by **blueheaven** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 12:19 pm

Hell, look at No Doubt's video for Ex-Girlfriend. It's a direct take-off of A Kite, complete with the bathroom fight scene! Don't tell me that musicians aren't aware of this stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bYt7OJJxlU

Pearl Jam used Anime in Do The Evolution

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFUxsIBNLvA

iwakuralain16 · Post by **iwakuralain16** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 1:30 pm

blueheaven wrote:Hell, look at No Doubt's video for Ex-Girlfriend. It's a direct take-off of A Kite, complete with the bathroom fight scene! Don't tell me that musicians aren't aware of this stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bYt7OJJxlU

When that No Doubt video premered, I also saw that kite influenced that video... or.. they just stole scenes from it and acted them out. There was another video that was done the same way... I can't think of it right now but i will post again if i can remember >_<

I know one of michael jackson's music videos had it on there.. or was it janet jackson. hey its both! it has scenes from anime on the screens... man this video is old...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ks_klLXy-g

wELCOME cONSUMER · Post by **wELCOME cONSUMER** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 4:56 pm

blueheaven wrote:Pearl Jam used Anime in Do The Evolution

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFUxsIBNLvA

That's not anime. It's on par with Justice League in the way it was created.
The planning, preproduction and producing were done by Epoch Ink Animation,
who are located in LA. Then it was sent to Korea. It was directed by Kevin Altieri,
who's a director from Batman: TAS. A team of Americans did the storyboarding,
character designs and backgrounds. That type of production process is what
Americans started doing once they stopped using traditional cel animation.

Cloud · Post by **Cloud** » Sun Oct 29, 2006 4:57 pm

I don't think I have seen it.