Free Company Recruitment Contest Questions

Hi,

My Free Company is interested in participating in this contest, but we're a bit confused by the Materials Usage Restrictions and since I can't find any other place to ask this question, I'm posting it here.

For information: http://forum.square-enix.com/ffxiv/t...itment-Contest

The questions we have directly relate to the following:

- You may not split our videos (vocal, music, visual, etc.) and distribute components as separate assets;

- You may not combine or synchronize the Materials with third party content (e.g., a mash-up), but you may include the Materials alongside third party content (e.g., before or after in the same video) as long as you also have permission from the original copyright owner);

- You may only use music as it is incorporated in FFXIV;

- When showing gameplay, you may not replace the FFXIV music with third party music;

- You may not play FFXIV music alone (i.e., without accompanying gameplay footage), or with third party materials;

With this in mind, we would like to know the following:

1) Can we use a single piece of music from the game and use that as our music for the entire video? That is to say, if we record in locations in the Central Shroud, and have several different scenes (recorded separately), are we allowed to mute the sound in those scenes and then use the Central Shroud theme from beginning to end (with no gaps) as a single piece of music for the video?

2) Can we pick a piece of music from another part of the game and use it in our video, or are we restricted to the music from the area where we record the footage? i.e. Say we film in Mor Dhona, but want to use the Limsa Lominsa theme music for the video as a whole. Is this acceptable?

3) If we use music at all, must we only use the music that plays during the actual gameplay footage we record? i.e. if you go to Gridania, there is a theme that plays in the background as you run around. If we were to mute that sound and substitute another piece of music from the game for the whole footage, would that be acceptable? Or must we only use the music playing in the background at the time the footage was recorded?

We don't want to break the rules, but we are very confused as to what we can and cannot do for this contest. The Contest just said to refer to the Materials Usage License, but it's really quite confusing and limiting. A very strict interpretation would seem to indicate that our only real option of turning out a "polished" video would be to have the video be completely silent. :-\ And we would prefer not to do that.

I am hoping that a forum moderator can reply with a clarification, because no one else seems able to help in this.

Hope we get a reply on this quickly until we know for sure we can do voice-overs it seems like most of the videos will be pretty lame with what we can work with.

I was going to ask those same questions, too. It would be cool if a mod could clarify it >.<

Would still like an answer to this question. :-\

I would love to know as well. The terms arent quite clear and just point form one thing to another. Its nice when the contest guidelines are all laid out clearly in one place and its easy to digest, maybe even a demo video we can use as a bit of an example or template.

Quite agreed, we need answers to this. There's already two videos posted in the NA forums, but going by the MUL, they're both automatically disqualified. (Both use third-party music.)
I'd personally love if we're allowed to use music from the Final Fantasy franchise, opening up soundtracks of previous games, licensed bands, and even the movie(s... do we really count Spirits Within?). As I have a LOT of ideas that could use music from the Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children soundtrack alone. o.o

Yup, we really need some clarification.

Also, bumping this as it's something that deserves to be read and answered.

waiting for an answer as well lol

Greetings,

Thanks for the questions! Sorry that some of the wording caused some confusion, so let me clear it up.

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1) Can we use a single piece of music from the game and use that as our music for the entire video? That is to say, if we record in locations in the Central Shroud, and have several different scenes (recorded separately), are we allowed to mute the sound in those scenes and then use the Central Shroud theme from beginning to end (with no gaps) as a single piece of music for the video?

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Yes, you can.

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2) Can we pick a piece of music from another part of the game and use it in our video, or are we restricted to the music from the area where we record the footage? i.e. Say we film in Mor Dhona, but want to use the Limsa Lominsa theme music for the video as a whole. Is this acceptable?

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Yes, you can. You are not limited to using music that only appears in that area of the game.

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3) If we use music at all, must we only use the music that plays during the actual gameplay footage we record? i.e. if you go to Gridania, there is a theme that plays in the background as you run around. If we were to mute that sound and substitute another piece of music from the game for the whole footage, would that be acceptable? Or must we only use the music playing in the background at the time the footage was recorded?

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No, it does not need to be music only from that scene for you to use it.

Any of the music that is used in-game, or songs that appear on the Before Meteor soundtrack, or even the sound effects in the fan kit, is fine to use in your video over any FFXIV game footage.

THANK YOU!!!!! :)

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Originally Posted by Okipuit

Any of the music that is used in-game, or songs that appear on the Before Meteor soundtrack, or even the sound effects in the fan kit, is fine to use in your video over any FFXIV game footage.

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I'm assuming that the song "Answers" is not acceptable, however. :)

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You may not split our videos (vocal, music, visual, etc.) and distribute components as separate assets

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Can someone explain this to me? :D I'm assuming this applies to real life "distributing"?

Also, can we use snippets of in-game cutscenes and FFXIV NPC voice acting?

And would it be okay for a song to "fade" into another music track? Ex: Garuda fight music changes into Gridania music?

Thank you for the clarification, Okipuit :)

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Originally Posted by YunieAura

Can someone explain this to me? :D I'm assuming this applies to real life "distributing"?

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It means that you can't get one of the Eorzea Collection videos and upload to YouTube just the audio, or cut certain part of said video and upload just that part (with or without added things), for example. It must be distributed (in any media, be it online or offline) as it was originally.

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Originally Posted by Yshnal

Thank you for the clarification, Okipuit :)


It means that you can't get one of the Eorzea Collection videos and upload to YouTube just the audio, or cut certain part of said video and upload just that part (with or without added things), for example. It must be distributed (in any media, be it online or offline) as it was originally.

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Thanks Yshnal :D I thought it was something like that.

can we use copyright free music?

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Originally Posted by Shiveria

can we use copyright free music?

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If its not SE, most likely not. They take down videos off YouTube all the time that doesn't have FF music in it.

Can we overlay text and images?

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Originally Posted by Kaihri

Can we overlay text and images?

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I would like to know this too. :)

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Originally Posted by LiadansWhisper

I'm assuming that the song "Answers" is not acceptable, however. :)

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Why wouldn't it be? They actually use versions of it in game ;)

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Originally Posted by Rhas

Why wouldn't it be? They actually use versions of it in game ;)

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Because there is a specific exclusion, by name, of that track in the Materials Usage License.

And the music used in the Eorzea Collection videos? Are we allowed we use that?

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Each entrant must agree to the Free Company Contest Rules applicable to their own region.

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My FC is international Free Company, Australian and Japanese can we still participate in the Contest?

EXCELLENT!!!

Thanks for the response!

Time to get to work!

I also take it, if we produce our own Music, we CANNOT use it over the FFXIV clips?

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Originally Posted by LiadansWhisper

THANK YOU!!!!! :)



I'm assuming that the song "Answers" is not acceptable, however. :)

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Why wouldn't it? Doesn't that belong to Square Enix, and part of FFXIV? And it's still used in ARR.

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Originally Posted by Rex

Why wouldn't it? Doesn't that belong to Square Enix, and part of FFXIV? And it's still used in ARR.

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They say in their ToA that the song cannot be used.

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Guidelines for Music and Sounds
You may only use music as it is incorporated in FFXIV;
When showing gameplay, you may not replace the FFXIV music with third party music;
You may not play FFXIV music alone (i.e., without accompanying gameplay footage), or with third party materials;
You may not use the song track entitled "Answers."

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>>Source<<

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Originally Posted by Kaihri

Can we overlay text and images?

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I would like to know this too

Does this mean ALL third party music is unacceptable? We must use music that can be found within the game?

Do we have to use youtube? That's what stopping my FC from participating. None of the members want a Google+ account and you are required to have one with youtube in order to use it since they very recently changed how youtube works. So since none of us have Google+ and we don't want it, then none of us can post a video to youtube. Can we use better alternatives to upload the video or is this contest google+ users only?

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Originally Posted by Kaihri

Can we overlay text and images?

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It would be really helpful if a Community Rep could chime in on this.

Also, are we allowed to have video transitions or do cropping? or is that considered modifying the footage?

Everyone trying not to get auto disqualified... Reps not chiming in :(

Can we use First party music that we created over gameplay footage?

Can we use text overlays OR video transitions (fades, cut ins, all those funky ones from high school video club that you thought looked cool when you were 14)?

Reps, please~

Just one question, my apologies if it was answered anywhere else:
Who is considered part of the Free Company for the contest?
-Those who were in the Free Company at time the contest ended?
-Those that are in the Free Company at the time of prize distribution?
-Those that were in the Free Company at the time their video was posted?