Journal · Field notes
Can you put a hit song on a listing video?
Only if it's licensed. We buy a licence for the track so the video can go on YouTube and social without being muted or claimed. That licence covers normal posting. Paid ads need a different kind of licence.
Carrington Drive, Karikari
We shot a Haze Exclusive on Carrington Drive on Friday 17th. The agent approved the first cut on Sunday, the music got locked on Monday, and the finished video was on Drive at 5pm Monday. So about three days from shoot to done.
The music took the most thought. The agent wanted a well known pop song. That's doable, but it has to be licensed, or YouTube flags it and the video either gets muted or the money goes to the record label.
So here's how we do it:
- License the track before the video goes anywhere public
- Clear the claim on YouTube if one pops up anyway
- Put the attribution in the description
We also picked a track with a steady four beat rhythm, so the cuts we'd already made still landed on the beat. Swapping music can mean re-cutting the whole thing, so that saved a lot of time.
The stills went out the same day with two small retouches. A pair of shoes left in shot, and someone's arm at the edge of a frame.
Organic and ads are different
This catches people out. A licence for a normal post isn't always good for a paid ad. If an agent wants to boost a listing video, we need to know before we pick the song.
Nancy Loane's debut reels
Thursday was a different kind of job. Nancy is new at Raine & Horne Mangonui and didn't have any listings yet, so we made three short reels about her instead. Interview led, with her coffee spot, the beach and the gym. We planned the day around high tide in Mangonui so the water looked its best. More on how they came out next week.
Quick answers
Will my listing video get blocked on YouTube because of the music?
Not if the track is licensed. We license the music, clear any copyright claim, and put the attribution in the video description.
Can I run a paid ad using my listing video's music?
Not always. The licence we use for listing videos covers organic posts. Ads need a different licence, so tell us up front if a video is going into paid ads.