Large number of my clips have been pulled down, why?

I understand your frustration but there is no personal vendetta against you or anyone.
The clips were taken down while we investigate an issue with those clip and it just coincided with the Memorial Day holiday.
We will be in touch with you today.

Thank you to the admins at pond5...the issue has been resolved.
THE CAUSATION: 99% of NASA content (images, video clips,etc) is completely Public Domain, except for a tiny slice of content that they sometimes purchase or contract through third party vendors (they are very clear about this on their IMAGE USE pages).

I had used several seconds of NASA animations in a montage compilation. Before downloading the content I had checked on the source of the material, and it said that it originated with NASA, not a third party, therefore I used it in my derivative work.

NASA was incorrect on the page, and had forgotten to attribute the content to a third party, leading to the confusion (the page specifically stated that IF the content was third party that it would be noted below...and it was not noted below).

Pond5 was asked about that one clip by NASA, which p5 pulled down immediately (and rightly so). The Curator who was working this issue then went on to review my entire portfolio...looking for other possible third party content from NASA in any of my other clips. They identified about 100 "NASA"-ish clips that they wanted to exercise an abundance of caution on, and pulled them about 2 days ago.

They then spent the last 24 hours re-looking into my "100" clips and restored 90% of them to pond5. There are still about 13 clips in limbo. I guess I should feel "good" about those 13, because they thought the style and quality of the animation was probably more NASA third party contract work, but they actually are MY animation work using NASA photos.

I have since contacted pond5 about each of those 13 remaining "limbo" clips, and I am confident that they will be restored.

Sorry to write a book here, but perhaps this ordeal will help the organization as a whole, if for no other reason than to:
1. Remind us that p5 DOES TAKE infringement claims seriously (remember the "Olympics logo" purge last year???)
2. Remind us that, even when we do perform due diligence in ascertaining the status of material, the information could be improperly labeled.
3. Remind us that p5 does practice an abundance of caution, but will then PROPERLY take time to evaluate the claims and not automatically consider the producer as "guilty."

A thank you to all who were brave enough to read all this rambling,
Randy

Thanks MovingImages. It is absolutely positively fantastic information that you have provided and to see that P5 is doing a great job on their end as well. Doing derivative work such as what you do is all part of the "artistic" nature of compositing etc. Good to see that it is as valuable as other CG goodies. Congrats on the issue and also really clarifying the issues regarding NASA. The message I get is tread lightly and carefully when implementing government goods. Thanks again.

Thanks Andy. It's a great community here. A dysfunctional family, but a family nonetheless. :)

NASA stuff could be tricky for that usage. I remember I was asked by them for permission to use some my sounds for free :) I declined. But probably someone didn't. So material with that content surely isn't free for use by 3rd parties.