Copyright/sample/permission question

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x2000
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2008/05/17 10:13:39 (permalink)

Copyright/sample/permission question

I know something about recording cover songs (though I've never done it). But how would you go about getting permission to use bits of dialog from movies/tv shows? Think Pink Floyd-ian style stuff here, e.g., the tv in the background during The Wall album.
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    Spaceduck
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    RE: Copyright/sample/permission question 2008/05/17 17:48:57 (permalink)
    I guess the first question is: how commercial is your project (meaning how much $$$ do you think you're going to make off your song)? One comfort of being a small time musician is you can generally get away with anything because even if you get sued, there are no profits for them to go after! Hence they leave you alone.

    I've used a ton of soundbites. Here's what I usually do.
    1) Try like hell to get in touch with the original owner of the work you're sampling. Make sure you document all the emails, letters and calls you've made.
    2) Sometimes you get lucky, and you'll get outright permission. Other times you'll get some auto-generated response that says they'll get in touch with you (though they never do). Most of the time you'll never hear a thing. Once I got a snotty email from a 'manager' who basically said he doesn't have time for people like me.

    But if you keep records of your correspondences and *IF* you end up in court, then you're reasonably covered. I mean, what more can they expect you to do? Stalk them?
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    Guitarhacker
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    RE: Copyright/sample/permission question 2008/05/18 13:43:29 (permalink)
    All shows run credits at the end.....they list the music publisher of the music...if it's not in the music...the copyright owner of the show....contact them.

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    x2000
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    RE: Copyright/sample/permission question 2008/05/18 14:32:39 (permalink)
    I'm thinking along the lines of the Cool Hand Luke snippet Guns 'n' Roses used at the beginning of Civil War ("What we've got here is failure to communicate..."). I'm not sure how to go about getting permission to use something like that, or whether there's a system in place for that sort of thing like there is for cover songs.
    post edited by x2000 - 2008/05/18 14:52:21
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    Roflcopter
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    RE: Copyright/sample/permission question 2008/05/24 01:17:54 (permalink)

    I'm a perfectionist, and perfect is a skinned knee.
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    Fog
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    RE: Copyright/sample/permission question 2008/05/25 13:28:56 (permalink)
    I try to avoid using samples if I can get away by recreating things, so people can't claim I've used a sample without clearance. Yep it's more time consuming BUT you don't owe anyone anything then.. unless it's blatantly / obviously plagiarised

    theres a new industry that grew up regarding clearence . Even for ONE second , people can reverse things back to their original state to prove it's lifted from elsewhere.. Ask moby, someone well known lifted a 1 second sample of one of his song, and got caught out.

    I've had my voice sampled without my permission and used in a tune, one of the people in that band I have a lot of time for, if it was just the other guy on his own, I'd have taken it further.. but the way it was used in the tune itself was creative. I find it funnier he doesn't that he sampled me talking without my permission and thinks I've never sussed out he did it.

    If you can't re-create it and it's not obviously plagiarised, then approach the people behind it. production company or whatever.

    it depends on how much of a sample you want to use, is part of it.. a lot will come to a % deal , since you obviously can't tell how much a tune will sell. Very few will go for a total buy out fee if they have any sense.

    I avoid sample cd's which have small print basically saying "if you get sued for using are sample cd, your on your own".. you assume the sample makers have checked 100% that their sources are legit.



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