Background Music

The most common question we receive is about music. And this is because it’s not always possible, or practical, to create your own music.  But you’re in luck.  Free Music Archive is a great site offering free music downloads.

Accessing and Using the Free Music Archive

1. Go to freemusicarchive.org

2. Sign up for an account

3. Search through the extensive list of free music

4. When you find something you like, make sure it is marked for Non Commercial Use (NC). You can tell this by clicking on the song you want, and looking to the right of the page. There you will find the how the song is licensed, and how you are able to use it. The image below is an example of what you’ll see. Click on the “licensed under” link, and you’ll find instructions for how to attribute the work in your film credits. Here is an example

5. For more information on Free Music Archive, please consult the About Page, Help Page, and the FAQ Page. You will find all the information you need on how to use the archive to make sure you have permission to use the music.

Where to Find Royalty-Free Music

10 Royalty-Free Music Sites Every Online Video Creator Should Know.

Try doing a search for royalty-free music, and you can find many songs available for a free and legal download to accompany your video.

Privacy and Digital Citizenship

For parents of kids under age 18, Common Sense Media is a great source of information on Internet Safety:

• Teens (age 13+)

• Tweens (age 10-12)

• Big Kids (age 8-9)

Should kids under age 13 start their own YouTube Channels? Here is some advice from Common Sense Media.

If under age 18, let a parent or teacher know before you publish online. Determine which visibility setting is right for you: public, unlisted, or private, and turn off or moderate comments to deter trolls and robots.

Basic Filmmaking Skills

From script writing to lighting to editing, learn all about how to make an environmental film from the Young Filmmakers Online Academy.

Images and Photos

For help finding images that are in the public domain and do not constitute any type of infringement, try starting at the Library of Congress: http://www.loc.gov/pictures.

These websites offer royalty-free photos, without charge:

1) Unsplash
2) Pexels
3) Pixabay

If you can’t find what you’re looking for, then you might consider paying $10 and up for an image on:

1) Shutterstock
2) iStock
3) Getty

Sustainability and Film

Film sets can be wasteful places. The Green Film School Alliance is helping filmmakers think about how to be sustainable from start to finish. We recommend you integrate these practices in your filmmaking, no matter your age.

A Green Production Guide Tool Kit is available free with a sustainability check list, carbon footprint calculator, and more.

Other Considerations

Note that it is the responsibility of the filmmaker(s) to ensure they have permission, and are lawfully using and material that they themselves did not create. Green Community Connections and The One Earth Film Festival reserve the right to disqualify any entrant that violates copyright laws.

By submitting a film for consideration in the One Earth Young Filmmakers Contest, filmmakers agree that the content they submit is 100% their own, and does not break any copyright laws. Most people understand that the actual film footage has to be their own. But it goes much further than that. All graphics, images, music etc., must be original work, or the filmmaker is required to have permission from the content owner.

Any film contest submission that violates these rules will not be considered for the contest.