sampling / copyrights / obtaining clearance

[futurepet]

Hello.

My quesiton is, what do I need to know about using film samples -- that is, dialog or sound FX samples taken directly from DVD's of things like science fiction films -- and then mixing them into industrial / electro music.

a) is there a good resource online for up-to-date info about how to go about getting permission from the relevant film companies for use of samples from their movies?

b) advice from anyone based on your own experiences doing this?

I've heard some bands (e.g. Skinny Puppy) say that sampling laws regarding films have changed a lot, are much stricter, and as such it is often just best avoided altogether these days...but I'd very much like to learn the specifics of this.

thanks!
-Michael

 

[Rokket]

What you need to do is contact a lawyer familiar with copyright laws and consult with them. There are certain things that you can do with soundbites from films and such that don't require permission (especially if you are using it for you and not public display), but it sounds like you want to use it for public performance, in which case, you are going to need to contact that lawyer. Keep in mind that you may have to pay some sort of royalty fee to use this stuff. And that could get expensive because you have to compensate the production studio, the producer, the director, and the actor who spoke the lines, and if it's sound effects and such off the soundtrack, those people as well. And it gets into a whole other can of worms if you are sampling MUSIC from the soundtrack. I don't want to scare you off the prospect, but you are right, the laws are stricter. All you can do is ask, and all they can say is no...