A quick question to those who value Photographers rights and also who respect perfomers intellectual property?

Last year My Girlfriend and I went to the Ohio Renaissance Festival. and we had a blast.

We posted some video and photos on here.

HERE!. HERE!!. Somewhere around in HERE somewhere. and finally, HERE!!!!

Now the point of this post is not to "pimp" out our content. I will get to the point in just a moment.

I didn't get to upload all of my content to Gather, what I didn't upload of the renn fest I uploaded the clips to youtube, My You Tube Acct. What I want to focus on here in my clips from the 08' Ohio Ren Fest.

Now Last year was our first year going, in none of the literature on their website, at the front gate, posted anywhere on the grounds, on our tickets, or verbally from the performers and showman was or is photography/videography discouraged or banned.  in fact it seemed like it was actually encouraged, all the rennies posed for pictures and the like from all the "common" normal dressed people.  about 90% of the people I saw last year had a camera of some sort (and we went back this past sunday and that number seemed to ring true then also.)

I also found out this past Sunday from a Co-Worker of mine away from the faire, who goes to the faire and dresses as a performer/employee of the festival that when they work there they have to sign a wavier that says if someone photographs/videos them they have no rights to the content and that person can do as they wish with the content that has been created.

Now the point of this is that I videoed lenghty portions of some performances, and later uploaded them on the internet on youtube and some here on gather, all of it is my own personal original content that I created with my digital camera and later in the editing phase with Windows Movie Maker.

I was at a festival, the land I believe is private yes, but it was open to the public, I purchased my ticket for admission like any other person. Again there was no signs or literature or verbal decree limitings or banning photos and videos being taken.

in some of these instances I "tipped" the performers either monetarily or by buying some of their stuff.

I don't feel I did anything wrong as I was in a public setting, in a place open to the public, and tons and tons of people had camera's and such, I don't feel the performers had a "reasonable" expectation that photos and videos wouldn't be used, especially if my co-worker who also works at the faire during the season says they have to sign a waiver.

anyway, so Sunday when I was at the festival after one of the shows I told one of the people performing that "hey, did you know that you are a youtube star, I believe I have some of your stuff from last year uploaded."  they replied to the effect that "Yeah we saw that, we were going to ask you to take it down...because you have almost all of our performance on there....but...we Didn't."  (Now if you google the Ohio Ren Faire, and look on you tube you can see that tons and tons of people have uploaded content.) and as such I didn't think that the performer was talking about my content. (and Maybe they weren't but then again they could have been if they were searching for their content since  I did upload content, so its a 50%-50% chance.) But I responded "I didn't upload the whole showing." (Because well I didn't I have gaps missing between clips, so really I don't have the whole thing.) and they responded "Oh, well..nevermind then." and I just kinda shrugged and walked away.

The exchanged kinda left me bummed out the rest of the day, because I figured the performer would have liked the free publicity (Heather told me that due to us posting our content that she had people on and off Gather covey wishes to go to the festival just to see the performances live and in person.) So I would think that if our content got one extra person to go see them and got the word out that it was a positive thing.

but despite being bummed out, after a few alcoholic drinks in me I was back to my jovial self enjoying the festivities, I'm an adult so I shouldn't have a childrens hero worship mentality, but that is what happened last year I built these performers up as being awesome, funny, nice people. and this year my perception of them got brought down a peg or two, and they are just normal people performing to get a laugh or two and maybe a couple bucks thrown their way and to have their merchandise bought.

So am I over reacting, letting this performer get under my skin, because they pushed a button that set off a chain reaction in me, that of people being allowed to video/photograph whatever they wish in a public setting such as a festival (as in this case.) and to share it with whomever they want including the internet community?

or, at a festival with 50,000+ people coming through every week, and no restrictions on photos and videos, do the performers have a certain expectation that their shows won't be filmed and shared?

and if there isn't a problem with a few minute clips what is the difference between 5, 6, 7, 8, or even 10 minute clips?

at the time I was bummed, but I'm over it now, and am Just curious on the thoughts and opinions from the fine members of the Gather community.