licensing Question about licensing for non-monetary project

[D.Black]

I recently completed a 45 min hobby film which has a lot of downloaded YouTube sound, music and some footage content. Since the project was never meant to make money, I did not pursue licensing.

My question is if I want to be able to show the video as content on my website as a portfolio item or to be able to show publicly on YouTube, am I stuck removing all unlicensed content (or paying for it?).

Would appreciate recommendations. Thanks, David B.

 

[TheBragi]

Here's the hard truth. With few exceptions, you must get a license or otherwise obtain legal permission to use another party's content. Period. It doesn't matter whether or not you make money from it. It matters only that by using it you may be "causing harm" in an economic, or in some jurisdictions a moral, sense by preventing the content owner from controlling when, where and how their property is used. Legal penalties can be severe, especially when professional music tracks are involved, and if any of these property owners have deep pockets they won't hesitate to have their lawyers demand financial compensation in exchange for not taking you to court. In addition, using pirated materials in a portfolio is a sure way to get you branded as toxic by everyone in the industry.