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advice for making an interesting slide show for county fair display
GerryDavid
Registered Users Posts: 439 Major grins
Once again I decided to get a booth at the local county fair. I want to make it a bit more interesting this year, so I plan to bring my 23" widescreen monitor and my laptop and do a slide show for the hours im present. I dont want to leave the computer and monitor when im not around. Im not a huge fan of bringing my monitor since I cant lock it to the table like I can with my laptop, especially since someone could bump the table and make it fall. But anyways.
I want to make an interesting slide show. I plan to have a few segments put together, a few senior portrait sets, and then a few other topics like children, family, etc.
So I have two questions:
Ive noticed things in the past that try to get your attention, usually a question that is answered after you watch their commercial, so I was thinking of doing something like that.
Question 1 -
Does anyone have any suggestions for questions that is related to photography and/or seniors that is actually interesting?
I also want to use popular music, but I dont know how to get the licensing for that, nor really have a budget for it after getting the booth ready. 15 11x14 prints and frames gets quite expensive.
I use animoto and they dont really have anything that is popular or current. How legal would it be to put in music from a cd that I own, just for this, not to sell to a customer or give to anyone, just for them to hear it as they see the pictures. An easy way around this would be to simply have a stereo pumping music next to the computer, as far as I know thats perfectly legal. Its illegal to include that music with a slide show to a customer.
Question 2 -
At what point does it become illegal? Is it legal for me to use copyrighted music in the display if its part of the slide show, or does it have to be on a stereo for people to hear at the same time?
On a side note im going to have a raffle for two free portraits, one for families/pets, and the other for seniors. I figure this will be an easy way to get names and contact information.
The family one will be an hour on location and they will get 3 prints of 3 poses.
The senior one will be a BFF session for them and their friend. They will get an hour total, each will get two prints of 2 poses.
A model release will be required by all that win so I can show the pictures, so the time wont be a waste, and hopefully they will love more than the 2/3 poses and want to buy more.
I want to make an interesting slide show. I plan to have a few segments put together, a few senior portrait sets, and then a few other topics like children, family, etc.
So I have two questions:
Ive noticed things in the past that try to get your attention, usually a question that is answered after you watch their commercial, so I was thinking of doing something like that.
Question 1 -
Does anyone have any suggestions for questions that is related to photography and/or seniors that is actually interesting?
I also want to use popular music, but I dont know how to get the licensing for that, nor really have a budget for it after getting the booth ready. 15 11x14 prints and frames gets quite expensive.
I use animoto and they dont really have anything that is popular or current. How legal would it be to put in music from a cd that I own, just for this, not to sell to a customer or give to anyone, just for them to hear it as they see the pictures. An easy way around this would be to simply have a stereo pumping music next to the computer, as far as I know thats perfectly legal. Its illegal to include that music with a slide show to a customer.
Question 2 -
At what point does it become illegal?
Is it legal for me to use copyrighted music in the display if its part of the slide show, or does it have to be on a stereo for people to hear at the same time? On a side note im going to have a raffle for two free portraits, one for families/pets, and the other for seniors. I figure this will be an easy way to get names and contact information.
The family one will be an hour on location and they will get 3 prints of 3 poses.
The senior one will be a BFF session for them and their friend. They will get an hour total, each will get two prints of 2 poses.
A model release will be required by all that win so I can show the pictures, so the time wont be a waste, and hopefully they will love more than the 2/3 poses and want to buy more.
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Comments
Last weekend to make some more room in my event trailer, I removed the stands from my monitors and mounted them on the wall. instead of using expensive brackets, all I did was get some 5mm x35mm mild steel flat and drill 2 holes for it to screw back into the top monitor mountings.
I extended the bar about 4cm wider than the screen itself then drilled a couple more holes either end and screwed the steel holding the monitor to the trailer wall.
I used tec screws but maybe you could use some of those weird head security screws for a bit more protection if you think it is warranted.
By attaching the monitor to the wall you won't have to worry about it falling and it would add some extra security to the thing. Should cost under $5 to do.
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15 11x14 prints and frames gets quite expensive.
At what point does it become illegal?
I think strictly speaking, these days anything more than humming a few bars gets the music industry copyright hypocrites up in arms.
I'll probably send your thread into overdrive by upsetting all the pure and good people whom never do a thing wrong in life but I don't really give a fig about the music industry and copyright bleatings.
They are a completely hypocritical and corrupt industry that make billions and bitch about every little thing that dosen't go their way.
On one hand, when a new song is released, they have all sorts of promos and bribes, kickbacks etc to get Dj's on the radios and in clubs to play it because they know the more it's heard, the more it's bought. Some of the incentives and perks they offer are probably criminal, just no one ever dobs them in for it.
Then they do the about face after trying to get the music played and say you can't infringe their copyright etc by playing it pubicly or incorporating it into something like you want to do etc.
I'm pretty sure by even putting your protable stereo next to the computer and playing a disk you bought your infringing copyright under the terms of public performance.
I say stuff them!
If I put a song on a promo i'm not selling or profiting directly from, as far as i'm concerned i'm doing them a favour by promoting it, the same as they were handing out bribes and all sorts of kickbacks to have done. I did a slide show for some kids a few months ago and i must have heard people say 10 times that they never really liked this song till they saw the show and now they love it.
Not sure if they still have it here but years ago video producers doing weddings could pay around $100 a year and that gave them the official right to use music on their vids.
Now that was a complete crock to me because they never asked you how many song you wanted to use, which ones or artists or anything else that would remotely be useful in directing the funds charged to the people who's work you were using. They go on endlessly about these music artists loosing millions but then when you see they are charging money with no actual way of repatriating the artists, you know it's a crock.
Now the soft of heart and head will bleat what about if your work got ripped off?
Well the music industry is notorious for ripping of photographers images and shafting people so what's good for the goose is good for the gander in my no doubt soon to be flamed opinion.
I think if you're worried about maintaining the letter of the law and you don't have the time nor money to jump through all the stupid hoops just to play a song, then you best write and play something yourself just to be on the safe side. Of course then you'll probably have to join some music association or you will leave yourself open there as well!
Seems to me they will bitch about anything they can however in reality, who is going to be the least bit concerned about you playing a song on a video at a county fair in your booth? Use it on a national advertising Campaign and things would and should be different but in this respect, it's rubbish.
Anyway, up to you but I personaly don't worry myself needlessly and unlike the pedantic fearmongers whom are scared of their own shadow, I do not have any fears or concerns about being sued and loosing my house or any of that always parroted but never actually seen to happen first hand FUD that forumites dream up.
Good luck with your fair.
BTW, did you ever do that hair salon or Ipad promo?
I think you were going to do something with a pet store at one stage too. I did one ( got roped into it ) about a month ago and MUCH to my astonishment, did very well out of it.
Not the result I would have imagined in a million years!
At what point does it become illegal?
I think strictly speaking, these days anything more than humming a few bars gets the music industry copyright hypocrites up in arms.
I'll probably send your thread into overdrive by upsetting all the pure and good people whom never do a thing wrong in life but I don't really give a fig about the music industry and copyright bleatings.
They are a completely hypocritical and corrupt industry that make billions and bitch about every little thing that dosen't go their way.
On one hand, when a new song is released, they have all sorts of promos and bribes, kickbacks etc to get Dj's on the radios and in clubs to play it because they know the more it's heard, the more it's bought. Some of the incentives and perks they offer are probably criminal, just no one ever dobs them in for it.
Then they do the about face after trying to get the music played and say you can't infringe their copyright etc by playing it pubicly or incorporating it into something like you want to do etc.
I'm pretty sure by even putting your protable stereo next to the computer and playing a disk you bought your infringing copyright under the terms of public performance.
I say stuff them!
If I put a song on a promo i'm not selling or profiting directly from, as far as i'm concerned i'm doing them a favour by promoting it, the same as they were handing out bribes and all sorts of kickbacks to have done. I did a slide show for some kids a few months ago and i must have heard people say 10 times that they never really liked this song till they saw the show and now they love it.
Not sure if they still have it here but years ago video producers doing weddings could pay around $100 a year and that gave them the official right to use music on their vids.
Now that was a complete crock to me because they never asked you how many song you wanted to use, which ones or artists or anything else that would remotely be useful in directing the funds charged to the people who's work you were using. They go on endlessly about these music artists loosing millions but then when you see they are charging money with no actual way of repatriating the artists, you know it's a crock.
Now the soft of heart and head will bleat what about if your work got ripped off?
Well the music industry is notorious for ripping of photographers images and shafting people so what's good for the goose is good for the gander in my no doubt soon to be flamed opinion.
I think if you're worried about maintaining the letter of the law and you don't have the time nor money to jump through all the stupid hoops just to play a song, then you best write and play something yourself just to be on the safe side. Of course then you'll probably have to join some music association or you will leave yourself open there as well!
Seems to me they will bitch about anything they can however in reality, who is going to be the least bit concerned about you playing a song on a video at a county fair in your booth? Use it on a national advertising Campaign and things would and should be different but in this respect, it's rubbish.
Anyway, up to you but I personaly don't worry myself needlessly and unlike the pedantic fearmongers whom are scared of their own shadow, I do not have any fears or concerns about being sued and loosing my house or any of that always parroted but never actually seen to happen first hand FUD that forumites dream up.
Good luck with your fair.
BTW, did you ever do that hair salon or Ipad promo?
I think you were going to do something with a pet store at one stage too. I did one ( got roped into it ) about a month ago and MUCH to my astonishment, did very well out of it.
Not the result I would have imagined in a million years![/QUOTE]
I posted this on a few forums to get varied opinions, and someone pointed out how noisy the fair is, no one will probably hear the music, so Ill probably just skip that part.
The booth is 8 feet wide by probably 10 feet tall, with about 10 feet in length. I want to show a wide range of subjects and pictures, which is why I decided to go with the 15 11x14's. 5 columns of 3 rows. Each column would be a subject, family, senior, assortment, senior and beauty/glamour. The assorted center one will be a cheerleader picture at top, my business name and with a bit of info for those that want to take the time to read it in the center and a dog portrait on the bottom.
Last year I used rope to put all this together, but it didnt look to professional, so this year im going to use chains, with one running across the length and 5 running down from it, and frame hooks wired to the chain. I am hoping this is going to work and not collapse.
There is no actual wall, its in the center of the room, they have a pipe frame setup with a curtain between the two parts, with a vender on the other side of the curtain.
So the bracket idea wont work to well. but I appreciate it. could you take a picture of yours? Im not sure im picturing what you did right.
I dont plan to be at the booth most of the time, I was there every hour the fair was open last year and I spent 50% of the time doing nothing. So this year im only going when the rides are open, between 6 and 10pm, probably leaving around 9 when things get quiet in the vendor building.
I am trying to decide if I should offer mini portrait sessions at the fair, it will mean leaving my laptop/monitor unattended, but if my neighbor vendors are there again this year, the police booth should be right next to me.
When im not there, I plan to leave a long table in front of the pictures with my August and September advertisements and some business cards, so people can walk up to the pictures to take a closer look if they like.
When I am there, I plan to move the table out a bit leaving room for myself, and setup another table to put my laptop and monitor on. That way theres a bit of a buffer.
Im also going to offer free sampler CD's of some singers we know.
I forgot to respond to this.
Ive been so focused on getting the senior portraits going this year, I havent spent as much time with my other ideas. I have approached a few hair salons about doing the portraits, out of 5, one seemed interested but hasnt gotten back to me yet.
I also havent approached the pet stores yet. I got some new business cards made up with an offer on them, with the intention to go around to the pet stores, pet salons and veterinarians to see if I can leave them there and try to build a business relationship, but I havent had the time. I do have a spreadsheet of about 40 local places that I can approach, so theres no shortage.