Your opinion on instructional videos

[Sara]

The question

Anyone who has ever searched for origami on YouTube will have found increasingly more instructional videos being posted there. Almost always these aren't created by the designer of the model, and I think mostly without the consent of the designer. I am opening this topic in the hope to hear from you what your opinion is on this development.

I'll add my own opinion on this, together with a bit of background as to why I'm opening the topic. But if you just want to comment on the summary given above, that's fine with me. Really, my post did get too long, but I feel I don't want to remove any of the thoughts I presented.

My story / opinion

About half a year ago I myself started creating videos on how to fold specific models. The first was on one of Toshikazu Kawasaki's roses. I'd seen a couple of videos online, and thought they were quite unclear, and - hey- I'd be able to do a better job than that. I uploaded a video without contacting Toshikazu before. The video proved to be quite successful, and I started making other videos. I was happy to see that I could make a difference - promote origami, show others its beauty.
However, with popularity increasing I started thinking about the implications of this project. I came to the conclusion that it was wrong of me to do instructional videos without asking the creators of the models first.
My project underwent some changes. I contacted designers, and asked for permission, also apologising for not having done before putting the videos online. Most designers gave me permission. I won't pretend there wasn't critisim in some of the responses, but that was much deserved. Within this process I also changed my videos slightly, trying to state as clearly as possible who the desinger was, and adding the prefered resource for diagrams.
I think now my procedure runs relatively smoothly in that I first contact the designer, and only if I receive permission I will create a video in the first place.

Because of this development, some of my videos aren't available anymore, though. I haven't been successful in contacting some designers. Unfortunately, Toshikazu Kawasaki is one of them.

However, there is also one case in which I successfully contacted the designer, and she disapproved of my vidoes. This concerned Valerie Vann and her much appreciated Magic Rose Cube. She has a quite strong view on not wanting any kind of instructions (diagrams, videos, etc) for her designs published on the Internet. I respect her opinion, and think I have an idea of what her reasons for this are.
However, there are quite a few videos showing how to fold her MRC on YouTube (and the such), and some online diagrams. When I leart of Valerie's feelings on this, I felt very bad about my video. I removed it immediately, and some time later decided to contact others who had been posting videos on her design. Most of these comments were ignored, though I think one or two users did remove their videos on her design.

So this gives us the following situation:
1. There ARE instructional videos available.
2. Many designers might not be aware of them.
3. Most designers will not have been asked permission for them.
4. Some designers do not agree with these videos.

While the first one is not necessarily bad, I do think the following three are not desirable. In September 2007 I visited my first convention, and feel that is when I joined the "origami community". Since then I have again and again experieced what a warm and welcoming lot you all are. It surprises me still now, and I am very grateful for what I have found through this. Indeed, by making my videos I want to give back some of what you have all given to me.
But this is in such a strong contrast to what seems to be going on with instructional videos. I don't think there are bad intentions in most cases, but I also think often the respect for the work that's involved in designing is missing, or not strong enough.
I do think that instructional videos can help to promote the designers, and actually motivate more people to buy their books etc. I do think it can help promote origami in general, and that in itself hopefully profits designers. But I don't think there is enough awareness of the "right way" to do this.

I still am not certain what the right way is. I am not sure what copyright says, especially in different contries. I am under the impression that in some countries these instructional videos, if created without permission, violate copyright law, and in others it doesn't. There is also a difference between commercial and noncommercial use. Most importantly, though, I think the ethical aspect should considered. No matter what law says, there is a "honour codex" that everyone should follow.

I'm not saying I'm perfect. After all, I told you my story and how I started in a way I now think was just wrong. This was mostly because I didn't think it through first, as you always should. But I did change my ways, and I guess that's at least something. While I don't expect everyone to agree with me in these points, you will probably have noticed that I have thought about this topic my fair bit. The painful length of this post might be the most obvious indication.

Summing up

So I just wanted to get it out there. Hear what you think. If you have hard facts on copyright, I'd love to hear them. But very much I'd also just like to get your opinion on this in general. Instructional videos, should they be created, what's the right way, and are they any good in your opinion anyways?

[HankSimon]

I think that you might be able to get help contacting Kawasaki, if you elicit help from some of the Japanese members of the Origami lists. No guarantee of what he will say.

I think you have done the ethical thing by contacting designers. Here are a few copyright sites that I'm aware of:

Robert Lang - http://www.langorigami.com/info/copyright.php4

David Lister - http://www.britishorigami.info/academic ... ngland.htm

Joseph Wu - http://www.origami.as/copyright.html

David Petty - http://members.aol.com/ukpetd/copyright.htm

HTH,
- Hank Simon

[Fishgoth]

Hi Sara,

My view is that IF the diagrams are available for free on the web, then you can legitimately video yourself folding them without any breach of copyright, so long as you reference them. However if you use YouTube, etc, to broadcast the diagrams, or demonstrate models that are not available, then you would be on sticky ground.

Fishgoth aka Stephen O'Hanlon

[Fishgoth]

PS: We met at the BOS convention. If you want to use any of my material, you are more than welcome!

[ahudson]

First off, I know many designers (such as Robert Lang, Micheal LaFosse, and Chris Palmer) use their origami as a primary or secondary source of income, so they understandably want to receive compensation for their diagrams. Valerie Vann and others may also be in that situation, and as folders we must respect that.

Having said that, there's something that I think needs to be addressed. As I see it, instructional videos have a surprising number of similarities to teaching models in person, especially when teaching to a class. Now I know that with videos, a copy of the instructions still exist, but anybody with a good memory can remember the sequence of a model after they have folded it.

But I've never heard of anybody asking the creator/diagrammer before teaching a model...

******

Now, I also have reservations about videos as a medium-- they require a lot of bandwidth, and frankly a lot of people these days still have dial-up internet connection and can't spend their entire lives on the internet waiting for a video to download. Myself for example: with a 40.0kbps connection, it takes me at least half an hour for a five minute video, and that's on a fast day. So I generally avoid videos altogether.

[Sara]

Hank Simon:
I'll send a message to the O-list about contacting Toshikazu Kawasaki. We'll see whether it works.
Many thanks for posting the links. I was aware of at first three, but haven't found a satisfactory answer. I am much under the impression that a specific document is protected, but not necessarily the process itself. So if someone creates their own document (e.g. a self-recorded video), does this breach copyright?

Stephen:
I remember you well from the convention. This includes the pieces you brought, especially one of the dark silver dragons that totally baffled me. It was great meeting you there. Many thanks for giving me permission to demonstrate some of your models. I'll get in touch with you when I've picked out a specific model. Maybe a dinosaur?

adhudson:
True, there are strong similarities to teaching. And yes, I don't ask for permisson before teaching models at the Oxford Origami Society. For most I have been in contact with the designer, though, because of videos. More generally, I'm under the impression that many origami designers encourage teaching. Qutoing Robert Lang: "Permission is also expressly granted for academic use of the Content. Such use is limited to inclusion of the Content in assignments and classroom presentations prepared by students, and to duplication of the Content for distribution to students by instructors."
As you mentioned already, though, a video is much more permanent. Also, when I teach models in real life, there's usually no more than 15 people there. But if it's available online many more people will view it. Yes, the teaching aspect is still strong, but the reproducability is much higher. Only if you are an experienced folder will you be able to memorize a complex folding sequence after having seen it one time. If you've got a finished model, obviously you can reverse-engineer, and that helps. Indeed I have done this myself, because I didn't have diagrams, but people desperate to learn a model.

As to your bandwidth reservations: I think this is an issue that will become more irrelevant with every year. Yes, there are still people for whom online videos aren't the best medium. But I think it's always hard to find a way with which you can "reach everyone". I am under the impression, though, that with videos you will address a different part of the public than with previous methods. For example, I think a lot of people out there are actually interested in having someone teach them a model. But not everyone has a group in the area that meet regularly to share their passion.

[xaoslord]

Hi Sara,
In my experience, instructional videos fill a definite need within the hobby. Two-dimensional diagrams are often inadequate in explaining folding sequences for a three-dimensional model. Sometimes, the only way to understand what is happening is to see it done. The preferred method for this will normally be to have someone who knows how to fold this model to show you. As you pointed out, not everyone has access to an origami group (myself included) and so the videos are the next best thing.
Ultimately you have done the ethical thing by limiting your videos to models that the author has given permission for you to present. Copyright laws of course will vary from country to country, and their interpretation is equally varied.
I hope you continue to create instructional videos, as I have personally found them to be helpful. Good luck!