Harnessing the Benefits with Creative Commons Licenses

How to Use Creative Commons Copyright Licenses [Complete Guide]

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

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You might have noticed that, when you post a video, you get to choose how you want to copyright it: standard license, or creative commons. You’ve also probably noticed that when you looking for royalty-free music or stock footage a lot of it is licensed through creative commons.

So, what exactly are creative commons ?

To hold the copyright to a creative work means that you own it, and anybody who wants to use your work for anything (i.e. uses a song you composed in their YouTube video) has to do so on your terms. When you license your work through creative commons you do not give up your rights to your creative work (a common misconception).

When you use a creative commons license you are outlining the terms under which other creators are allowed to use your creations in their projects for free if they credit you for your work.

If you do not want anyone using your work for free in any context, you stick to traditional copyrighting.

But if you’ve created a piece of music, a photograph, or a clip that you wouldn’t mind other people using, potentially as a way to get your name out there, you might want to consider creative commons.

There are 6 different creative commons licenses. Which is right for you will depend on your answers to these two questions:

Are you okay with a creator making money off of something they create using your work?

Are you okay with a creator producing a derivative of your work?

To say ‘no derivatives’ is to say ‘I’m okay with people using it, so long as they don’t change it’. One example of a derivative is a techno remix of a song. If you are alright with other creators making derivatives of your work, you may also want to require them to ‘ShareAlike’. ShareAlike means that the creator of that techno remix of your song has to use the same creative commons license you used for your original to distribute the remix.

An example of a derivative someone might make of a YouTube video would be auto-tuning it to make a song or cutting up your video to make one that’s just ‘the funny parts’.

Here are the 6 creative commons licenses, and a chart you can use as a quick reference tool.

Attribution – CC BY

If you’re using music or other media with this license, all you need to do is credit the artist.

If you license your video this way, people can do whatever they like with any element of it (video or sound) so long as they credit you. I.e. if someone wanted to mute your clips and use you as stock footage in a bigger project, they could.

Attribution-ShareAlike – CC BY-SA

If you use music, photos, or any other media licensed this way, then you must both credit the artist and license your video this same way. Meaning, you can’t use YouTube’s standard license and must instead allow for others to use your work the way you are using the licensed media.

If you apply this license to your video, you’re saying you don’t mind people using all or portions of your video for their project so long as they allow others to use their work in the same way.

Attribution-NoDerivs – CC BY-ND

This one can get tricky.

Essentially, you can use media licensed this way so long as you don’t alter it or create a different version. For example, you can’t take a song licensed this way and use it in a mashup with another song. That part is clear. Where it gets tricky is when you want to use a song in your video.

Under normal copyright rules, using a royalty-free song in the background of your video would not count as creating a derivative. The definition of derivative according to creative commons is a bit broader and includes ‘syncing’. This means you can’t take an ‘Attribution-NoDerivs’ song and create any kind of music video for it.

For example, you can’t edit clips of yourself snowboarding so that they’re in sync with a song that has this license.

Whether or not you can play the song in the background of your vlog while you are speaking can be a bit of a grey area. In theory, it shouldn’t be a problem, but if you’re accessing the music through a social site like SoundCloud then it might be best to ask the artist first.

There’s no reason to license your YouTube videos this way. If people cannot alter your video, all that’s left is for them to repost it. Even though they’d also be crediting you, they’d still essentially be stealing views and ad revenue from your original video.

Attribution-NonCommercial – CC BY-NC

If you’re using stock footage, music, or stock photos licensed this way then you should still be able to monetize your video. YouTube monetization and commercial use are different things. However, there is a lot of confusion about this issue, and chances are the rights holder intends for this license to mean ‘no monetization’.

What you definitely could not do with a NonCommercial license is to use the song/other media in an actual commercial for a product, including product placement that a brand is paying you for.

If you license your video this way, people can use it in whatever way they like so long as they credit you and don’t try to make money off of it. Once again, that doesn’t mean they can’t use it in a YouTube video which they monetize because, technically, they’d be making money off of the ad that ran ahead of the video and not the video itself.

The thing to be careful of with this license is that it’s not ‘ShareAlike’. So, if you license your video this way somebody could use your clips as stock footage and then provide them - as part of their project – for free to a third person to use in a project they were making money off of.

Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike – CC BY-NC-SA

Music and other media with an ‘Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike’ license can be used in and altered for your videos, so long as you aren’t making money off those videos. You must also use this same license for the video you create using elements licensed this way.

If you license your video this way, people can use it or a portion of it in their project if they credit you. They must also use this same license for their video if they do. This protects you from the situation where a third person who never licensed your original content is making money off of it.

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs – CC BY-NC-ND

There aren’t many situations where you would be using media licensed this way in your YouTube videos. You can’t alter it, sync videos to it, or make money from any video that uses it.

You also probably shouldn’t use this license for your videos. ‘NoDerivs’ means there are not many ways people could use your content, except to repost full videos and steal your views.

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Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Best of the Best: Cutting-Edge Hiring Videos #1-10

Get Inspired from Top 10 Recruitment Videos

Liza Brown

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

“In recruiting, there are no bad or good experiences, just learning experiences!” – Anonymous


Nowadays, videos are the engaging and most preferred method not to tell, but to show. Yes, we are talking about those awesome recruitment videos. It would be super smart, easy, and memorable to attract new talent via videos. Check any of the recruitment videos, and you can admire how beautiful, informative, and attractive those videos are. A sense of authenticity shows by presenting a genuine understanding of the workplace, the company’s culture, and employees’ perspectives. Even if you want to flaunt employees, there’s no best choice than recruiting videos. Fortunately, all such videos find their posting place on YouTube, the most viewed social media. It is excellent for effective targeting.

Want to know more about recruitment videos? Dive into the article until the end, as we have discussed various other interesting aspects related to the concept. Let’s start by discussing the essential elements of 10 inspiring recruiting videos!

• Part 1: Best 10 Recruitment Videos
• Part 2: Tips for Creating Awesome Recruitment Videos after Covid-19

Best 10 Recruitment Videos

Here’s a rundown of our shortlisted ones in no particular order.

1. GrubHub

As we all know that food is the only way to live! Well, creative cooking is more of a thing, especially when combined with the company’s mission. The company asks, “What do you bring to the table?” as the most critical question in the employees’ interview. It opens up the company and employees’ opportunity to share their team contribution and fulfill the company’s goals.

2. Bluecore

The solution to a successful career is a better team collaboration and the ability to own projects independently. It’s a recruitment video with a super-attractive intro line that says, ‘Bluecore is the twistiest, trendiest, the best ride you will take in your career.’ Then, it covers all the required information that a candidate looks for in a company. It beautifully shows all the values and mission backed by employee testimonials.

3. HubSpot

HubSpot is a developer and marketer of high-quality software products for ultimate sale and inbound marketing. Their so-called ‘Culture Code’ is represented in the recruitment video. The dominant cultural and organizational environment is what they want to show, no matter what. There is a ‘no-door’ policy where nobody, even the executives, has no office. They have also stated the employees’ perks and unlimited vacation days.

4. Listrak

Listrak is a retail digital marketing automation platform for various DM services. They made a kind of cool recruitment video showing the busy, creative, and desired work environment. The video itself shows the company values and overall work environment, from feeling to eating as well. After watching the footage, everyone would love to feel refreshed. It looks like more of a next-level experience to work at Listrak.

5. Hillsboro Police

Would you love to see entertaining and quirky videos? Here’s a fascinating recruiting video by Hillsboro Police. It works well because it is an over-the-top and incredible video from a police department. The funny and downright element helps to check the insights of the police force more closely. Well, Hillsboro is one of the best among unique companies located in Hillsboro, Oregon.

6. Enova

Enova’s recruitment video presents all those candidates who would love to hear from a company. It further encourages employees to explore various support systems and interests in the evolving career path. The testimonials also shared for employees are with multiple roles and benefits in the company. The so-called team integration and collaborative work environment are well visible through Enova.

7. HomeAway

Life at HomeAway presents a series of recruitment videos while also showing their boomerang employees. The advantage taken is via sharing their stories and also documenting special events. They have stated their special events such as Movember celebrations, annual Battle of the Bands competition, and Bring your Kids to Work Day, etc. It’s an international company with various branches across the globe. It is the reason they have to make separate interview videos for each office.

8. Outcome Health

The motto ‘Activate Good’ indicates in the “Outcome Health’s” recruitment video. It shares a unique story of a passionate employee about giving back and providing opportunities to excel in their career path. No matter what your interest is, the Outcome Health will let you know how to achieve those dreams by positively incorporating a health factor into life. It is one of the many stories to help local non-profits and employees’ partners give something valuable to the community.

9. Trendkite

The video title is quite refreshing that says, ‘Inside Look at Trendkite’s Culture.’ It boasts a lot of enticing and funny benefits such as free food, hoverboards, and energetic, passionate, and initiative takers as a hiring team. They effectively balance the work environment and fun with colleagues in the workspace. They have also stated their core value as ‘One-Team,’ celebrating both team and individual wins no matter how versatile.

10. Quirky

The interns at Quirky have many other responsibilities than just filing papers and getting coffee out from there. The video specifies all the departmental kind of information and internship candidates you should hire. This recruitment video also encourages submitting video interview and further provides specific instructions on application submission. It shows the most lovely internship environment every intern would ever want.

Tips for Creating Awesome Recruitment Videos after Covid-19

It looks like that Covid-19 has changed the face of recruitment overnight. Due to uncertainty in every industry, the effect on recruitment would be no different. The pandemic has shifted a significant workforce in the specific ways that we haven’t anticipated. The recommended solution to social distancing places every work environment either at home or in a remote area. Companies are being encouraged to make recruitment videos and post them online. It also speeds up the hiring time while also giving the option of video interviewing.

Let’s learn some useful tips by which your recruitment videos stand out.

Include only the right people

Showing just the CEO or Founder of the company will not be helpful to make an awesome recruitment video. That’s not the ideal presentation of experience for the candidates. Show them what they want to see, including the employees and overall work environment.

Make multiple videos and keep them brief

You must make small video shots and then combine them with competent video editing software . It would be great to make little videos targeting various kinds of audiences. The next tip is to keep the overall recruitment video short between 2 to 4 minutes only.

Use an excellent video editor

Simply creating a video is not enough unless you know to edit it correctly. We recommend Wondershare Fimora9 video editor for beautiful editing features. It consists of lots of new functions, including advanced editing options as well. None of the recruitment videos is posted online without editing.

Include a CTA (Call to Action)

Don’t make a video like a lost opportunity. Instead, you should make it a grabbing chance. Have some call-to-action directing a viewer to somewhere valuable. You can even put a link to a landing page on the career site of the company.

Extensively promote

Use various kinds of promotion tools and platforms to publish your videos. You can post them on Facebook, YouTube, and well-recognized promotion platforms and attract talented clients. Include the link of those videos in each of your job descriptions. Additionally, you can share such videos with Linkedin and Glassdoor.

Include the necessary information

Apart from presenting just the physical environment, you must also share the necessary information for the company. Sometimes, the creator forgets to state the required information in the desire for complicated info. But that’s not the solution if you have missed the basics.

Conclusion

So, this is all about inspiring recruitment videos! We have included all the required information on the concept and the best ten recruiting videos. Reading the post would also help you make amazing recruiting videos that stand out and prove to be action-oriented.

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown