Why I won't enter your stupid contest and why nobody else should.
So I get an email from EMS (Eastern Mountain Sports) with their specials and there is a blurb about a video contest http://www.emscontest.com/ where “One lucky videographer will win Gear 4 a Year!” So far, so good, but then I read the rules: http://www.emscontest.com/rules.html. Now here’s where I get pissed off – and not just for me, but for EVERY poor slob that submits something for this contest because buried in the page of a million words is this:
3) Convey and transfer to Sponsor all copyright and other rights, title and ownership in and to your Video;
That’s right folks, EMS/YouTube will OWN YOUR WORK FOREVER – in fact YOU are PROHIBITED from even posting it to your own account FOREVER. Because once you enter it in the contest you relinquish ownership and it’s up to THEM to let you use your creation. Of course you’ll never EVER be able to profit from it:
“will not be published, publicly distributed or displayed, in any medium for any commercial purpose”
These conditions are in tiny print in the rules…Don’t you think they should be in BOLD?
No I might be persuaded to relinquish rights if I was selected the Winner. Fine, use my stuff, you’re giving me a whole $2,000 in merchandise over a year’s time, but for simply entering the contest??? Hell, no!
So EMS I say to you with all due respect, Go fuck yourself and stop poaching the public for free content for your promotions.
Gerald "Jay" Groccia
Principal Photographer
OnSite Studios™ ß Click to visit website
116 School Street
Boylston, MA 01505
508 869-6955
http://www.OnlinePropertyShowcase.com
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