Now I've seen (or heard) everything! I've heard of people stealing content. I've heard of people stealing photos. But someone stole my voice!
About a year ago I did an old promo video for my business, Nashua Video Tours (below, left). It's just a simple comparison between video and 360 degree tours.
This guy frtom KJ Video Tours in Tampa, FL stole my VOICE.... he changed the speed (kind of like a reverse munchkin trick!) and put it on his video, promoting his business! The guy from AK Real Estate Tours stole some video and the script... and added some new video!
My head is still spinning! In a million years I never thought I would see something like this....
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery...I guess... but this is bizarro....
This was my original video....
...and this one takes my voice,
changes the speed and adds different video! WTF???
And this guy took the video and added a new voice, same script!
44 Comments on Dude, KJ Video Tours stole your VOICE!!!
OCT
24
2007
I've seen it all! Call a lawyer. Off at the knees.
"Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" is a hackneyed phrase used by content thieves to excuse their own perfidy, lazy work habits, lack of imagination and propensity to steal rather than earn.
Imitation may be a form of flattery, but theft is NOT.
Jeannie: It's funny.... the internet is a VERY big place in one respect, and a very SMALL place as well. It's very easy to find must about anything you want - if you know how.
Bob: I have no idea. Trust me, in a million, gazillion years, I never thought I would even have to think about that! It's so strange... as someone commented above.... CREEPY.
Missy: Based on the guy in the van at the beginning, maybe he's got a hillbilly twang or something! Although he IS from Florida, so not speaking English may be actually the case...... LOL
Fred, first of all your tours ROCKS. I'm from New England and I've forgotten how beautiful the landscape is and how much personality the homes have.
Thanks for outting this creep, stealing another person's creative hard work is unacceptable. Last night, I was reading a post saying we can register our work as copyright material, you may want to check into this and place this creep on notice.
This is the creepiest thing/theft I have ever seen in this industry. I'm grabbing my virtual pitchfork and I'm joining the march! This is wrong.........
Renee: Yeah, I just randomly found a list of video tour companies and had never heard of these guys - so clicked on it to see what they were doing. Surprise!
It's funny, I was thinking that I wouldn't be able to sleep last night worrying about how nasty I was going to look on national TV tonight. Guess what? I didn't even THINK about that! This was so creepy for me that thinking about this kept me up! LOL
Fred - Go get 'em! The one that distorted your voice just made it sound creepy - why would they want to publicize their services with a distorted voice?
SPOOKY !! Maybe the guy will be FRED LIGHT on October 31 st !!
I told you your voice is the icing on the cake ..... you should definitely look into copyright infringement .. I've got a great "New Hampshure" patent attorney .. Let me know ;)
Not only is that disturbing and frustrating, but it's...well - hilarious! Someone thought that they were somehow generating value with that slowed down 'reverse chipmunk' audio rip? Amazing...
Perhaps this is a good sign, masked in piracy. IS the demand for video tours growing to the point where desperate 'me too-ers' are now feeling the need to express their selfish and misguided interests in such pitiful (and illegal) ways? I hope so!
Anyway Fred - go get 'em (or let Darwinism simply do its thing). =]
Hahaha, that is crazy! You probably don't need to sue them, I bet a quick phone call would get that taken down pronto. Not to go to their defense or anything (that was blatant copyright infringement imo) but it is possible they just didn't know any better... Nah, they had to know they were ripping you off! Be flattered, but then get that crap taken down.
Fred: You can also contact the provider to take down the videos based on copyright infringement and then get advice on other legal remedies after that.
Fred: Don't you just love the speed of Google? And I just can't believe KJ Video Tours stole your voice. Perhaps you should notify Realtor.com about KJ Video Tours' violations.
Roberta: Seriously, I find it more humorous than offensive. Actually, I just find it to be beyond weird. It had to have taken more time to extract my audio, change it's tonal quality, etc. then it would have been just record your own. And I didn't think it's all that great to begin with - but whatever......
Plus, I'm much more about revenge... LOL Having this blog post sitting right under his entry in Google is about as good as it gets for me. I have better things to do really than to hunt him down like a rabbit and pay a bunch of lawyers for doing nothing. It's not impacting me in any way.
I just was thinking if you shouldn't "stamp" your future videos with NashuaVideoTours small sign in the bottom corner of your video throughout entire video, just to prevent situations like this one. I did it on my last video even though my videos are not as good as yours. Anyway, I'm working on quality, and actually I just bought high definition video camera so I am excited about it a lot. BrightCove.tv gives you an option to put your logo on each of your videos you download to BrightCove .
Irene: I do actually use that feature in Brightcove in some places (like on my website) but I try not to advertise myself too much on my clients' videos - I do at the very end but that's it. This guy took my VOICE, which is even stranger! The reality is, as with photos and images if you know what to do, you can copy and reuse anything from the web. I could copy your video and just crop it enough to remove your bug in the corner, fill the screen with the cropped video and voila! It's really not that hard.
However, I'm really not sure how you protect your voice. And more importantly, why would anyone want to use my voice... that's the BIG question! LOL
damn fred, now I've seen it all!! what a douchebag that guy is....he doesn;t even know how to correctly use the pitchshifter. And the video, did he shoot that with a cell phone?
Hey, did you know that willful copyright infringement subjects the violator to treble damages? I'd write a cease and desist letter or call them and ask them who their attorney is because you need to speak with the attorney who will be defending the lawsuit. Outrageous! You should kick them in the butt for taking your stuff.
Yeah, the audio is a different beast to protect... at least with the video you do have the option of branding it with a logo.
That's hysterical about your post as it shows up on Google right under his site results!!LOL
In reality, if he contacted you in advance and offered to properly credit, tag, and maybe link to you... you may have even considered granting him permission?
Shoot! This foils my plan. I was going to steal KJ's video and speed it up... but now if I do THAT, it's going to sound like the original and my scam will be completely exposed!
You'll have to get one of those Darth Vadar voice boxes..and threaten to hunt down the scoundrel that rips of your voice one more time. Not matter where they run in the solar system. Seems many music beds folks use in videos are either not appropiate, stolen or would be better not to have any. When I worked in radio we paid ascap and bmi for licensing rights. We did not use a recognized song in production of spots. With video, maybe making your own music and something not recognizable so the viewer/listener does not find themselves singing along and not listening to you one iota! I don't mean dig out the white with red mouth piece flute-a-phone from 4th grade...but something other than a set of bag pipes or Weird Al polka theme. I find with the Kentucky Chicken "Sweet Home Alabama" jingle I don't pay much attention to the announcer...mouth water over the food but don't get the line or ad punch. Keep up the good work Fred. You are the Rudolph of this group.
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