Copyrights are a very tricky subject. Without doing deep dive, I wanted to address the most common copyright question I receive: Can I use this music in my video?
The simple answer is: did you buy the music license? And most of the time, the answer is no. Purchasing the song for download (via iTunes or other music apps), does not give you the license for the music. For a "popular" song produced by a major music label (think any song you could hear on the radio), the music license could range from $60 to $60,000. Yeah, really. It all depends on what type of video you are making.
So if you're not ready to shell out a couple grand for your next video's soundtrack, there is a better option. There are a variety of websites that specifically license music for videos. Most of the music on these sites are created by indie artists who get paid for their licensing. Some sites work on a subscription basis - pay per year for unlimited downloads - and some work on a pay-per-song basis. Here are a few websites to check out for royalty free music:
That's great, but what if you just NEED to have the latest Ed Sheeran song in your video? First, I'm going to ask you really? Do you really need that? And then I'll point you to TracksMusic.com. They license popular songs for around $60/license. Not everything is available, and your video can only be used for specific reasons - mostly only "life events" (ie. weddings). If you are looking to make a brand video, Tracks can't provide a license for that.
Remember! A license is a one-time use. If you use the same song in two different videos, you will need to purchase a second license.
Do you have a specific video question? Schedule a free video analysis call at bit.ly/callawv