Using Images and Audio
Introduction
We all know that using images and sound will greatly enhance your video project, but it is not as simple as just a copy-and-paste.
There are important laws and licensing terms that you need to respect while using multimedia materials. You also need to make sure you are giving credit to the original creator of the material, when it is appropriate.
On top of that, there is the even trickier business of where to find these materials and how to make them fit well in your project.
Let's get started!
What Is On This Page?
What is Copyright?
Watch
This short video gives a quick copyright overview in Canada, including what it is, and how it affects you as a student.
You can also work through the Copyright Tutorial for Seneca Students mentioned in the video.
Fair Dealing
What is Fair Dealing?
Fair Dealing is the user's right to use material under copyright protection without permission or payment if use meets the criteria described in the Copyright Act and provided the "dealing" is "fair".
But what does "Fair" mean?
For use to be considered fair, you must:
Provide attribution or citation to the work.
Be using the work for one of the following purposes: research, private study, education, parody, satire, criticism, review, or news reporting.
Determine the use meets the six factors: purpose, character, amount, alternative, nature, effect.
Read more about the six factors on our Copyright Guide or the Copyright Tutorial for Students.
Watch
A mashup refers to the use of a combination of media (images, music, etc.) used to create something new (e.g. a video or presentation).
This video offers some guidance on what can and can not be used.
Exercise: The Do’s and Don'ts of a Copyright Mashup
Instructions: Drag the activities on the left into the appropriate category, "Do" or "Don't", on the right.
Creative Commons and Public Domain
Some materials have agreements or licenses that can either reduce or remove copyright limitations.
These are things you can use in your digital project even if they do not meet the conditions set out in Fair Dealing and Mashups.
Creative Commons
A CC license usually means the creator allows others to re-use and re-purpose their work.
There are conditions that may apply (like non-commercial use only, no modifications, etc.) but you are generally free to use something with a CC license. Read about the various license types on the Creative Commons website.
Over 1 billion CC-licensed works exist across millions of websites. The majority are hosted on content platforms that provide CC license options for their users.
See here for some of the best known platforms for sharing CC content.
Public Domain
Copyright typically lasts for 50 years after the owner has died. It is why we can copy stuff from Shakespeare and Mozart without having to request permission.
For this reason, public domain material is usually historical, so it might not be as useful for your digital project, but you never know!
The Internet Archive is a large host of public domain materials like videos, books, images, etc. Wikipedia also has a list of Public Domain collections.
Do not assume because a creator has died that their works are public domain. Copyright is a tricky subject!
Finding Free Media Online
Use our Find Free Images and Audio guide to find websites that house free content to use in your school assignments or personal projects, or choose a media type below.
Exercise: Searching Google Images for CC Content
You can use Google Images to find material with Creative Commons licenses. Try it yourself!
Search for "lizards" in Google Images. Then filter your results by choosing Tools - Usage Rights - Creative Commons Licenses.
Tip!
Keeping your files organized can help make your life easier. Save or collect any project files in a folder dedicated to your project.
Likewise, if you need to relocate any of your downloaded content, a file with the citation information or URLs of where you found your content is very helpful indeed!
Citation in Digital Media Projects
You always need to cite your sources in digital projects, but you do not always need to use specific citation styles, such as MLA or APA.
Always confirm citation expectations with your instructor if your project is a class assignment. If you have been asked to use MLA or APA for things like images, consult the Seneca Libraries Citation Guides.
Legal Requirements (Copyright Law)
What are you legally required to cite in your digital project?
According to the Copyright Act, you must cite the sources you use in your digital project by citing two things:
The creator (if available), and
Where you found the item (e.g., the hyperlink to the source)
You must also make sure the use of any multimedia files in your project fall within Fair Dealing, or that you are using Creative Commons or public domain materials (section 29.21).
Seneca Libraries Recommendations
Seneca Libraries has general recommendations for citing sources in digital projects, as well as specific recommendations for things like PowerPoint presentations, infographics, websites, videos, photo collages, and Instagram posts you create.
Check out our Citing Sources in Digital Assignments guide for more information.
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