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Research Guides@Tufts

EE-31 Junior Design

Special Considerations When Using Images, Audio, and Video

Using creative media (like images, audio, or videos) made by other people is different from using other people's research. Here are some things to consider when choosing what you include in your video:

1. Go ahead and use images, audio, and video that have a Creative Commons (CC) license. Creative Commons licenses are a way for authors to allow people to re-use their works without the restrictions of traditional Copyright.

2. Go ahead and use images, music, and video that are in the public domain. Public domain means that these documents are no longer restricted by copyright. Most works produced by the US government are also in the public domain.

3. If something does not have a CC license/is not in the public domain, it should be assumed to be protected under Copyright and you must either:

  • Ask permission before using it, OR 
  • Determine whether your use is considered a "fair use

Finding Images

 

When looking for images to include in a multimedia project, it is important to be aware of how resolution and compression can impact the aesthetic of your piece.  Resolution is the number of pixels running horizontally and vertically in your image.

The standard resolution for a project that combines video, image and audio elements is HD (1920x1080).  If you don't want your image to have artifacts, make sure the files you download are at least 1920 pixels x 1080 pixels.  Using Advanced Search functions typically allow you to narrow your results by resolution. 

Finding Audio

When looking for audio to include in a multimedia project, it is important to be aware of how format and sample rate can impact the quality of your audio.   Mp3 files compress sound files while .wav files are uncompressed and can store higher quality audio. 

The standard sample for a project that combines video, image and audio elements is 48kHz.  It is important that you make sure all of the files you download and record are the sample sample rate.  You can check your files resolution by opening in a media player or video application and checking the properties of the audio file.

Finding Video

When looking for video to include in a multimedia project, it is important to be aware of how resolution and compression can impact the aesthetic of your piece.  Resolution is the number of pixels running horizontally and vertically in your image.

The standard resolution for a project that combines video, image and audio elements is HD (1920x1080).  If you don't want your video to have artifacts, make sure the files you download are at least 1920 pixels x 1080 pixels.  You can check your files resolution by opening in a media player or video application and checking the properties of the video.  

Some websites that allow download of videos also give the option for different formats.  Since these files are usually heavily compressed, downloading the larger file type typically (not always) means it will be less compressed.