I want to use music from another movie.

[NatalieOshea]

Okay, so i just recently got finished watching the 2006 film Crossover, and in that movie, when they show random various shots to transition from scene-to-scene, there is this fascinating music being played! It sounds so cool and i so wanna use that for my movie! BTW Crossover is on YouTube in case anyone wants to see what i'm talking about.

Legal speaking how would i or my music department go about migrating that music for those shots in my film? I mean, i.can just extract the sound from the film as luckily there are no sounds over it but it should be done legally.

 

[AudioPostExpert]

It's unlikely that what you want to do will be a simple process. There is the composer's copyright to consider, the rights holder of the recording (which could also be held by the composer/prod co/distributor) and any licensing agreements which maybe in place with the production and/or distribution company. Your first port of call should probably be the composer. I doubt you will be given permission to use the music without paying a fairly considerable fee but it's worth a try, the worst they can say is "no".

A more practical approach might be to get your composer to create a piece of music in a similar style to the piece you want to use.

G

 

[NatalieOshea]

Thanks for your response.

Do you suppose it'd be cheeper and easier to have my composer create the piece of music in a way that is almost exactly llike the piece i would like to use? I do agree when you said going the route i wanted to go wouldn't be an easy route, but then again, the fact that they sound the same but somewhat different will hold up in court, especially if the version for my film was produced in 2013, whereas the one from the other movie was made when that movie was produced.

Natalie O'Shea

 

[Alcove Audio]

Don't get your mind locked on using that music. Just tell your composer that you want something in that general style.

You have to keep in mind that scores are written for a specific film. Even though you may really like a particular score, that score has not been written for your film, so pickups, pacing, etc. from a previously written/recorded score may not work with the edits and pacing - even the mood - of your film.

BTW, composers hate doing copycat scores. They always believe that they can compose something better, and, if they are a competent composer, they are usually right. Let your composer do her/his own score.

 

[AudioPostExpert]

Do you suppose it'd be cheeper and easier to have my composer create the piece of music in a way that is almost exactly llike the piece i would like to use?

I said in a "similar style", NOT "almost exactly like". Almost exactly like might be cheaper as you would not have to deal with the rights holder of the original recording but you would still need to get a license from the composer to use your recording of what would still be his composition, assuming he is even able to grant you a license. When the other movie was produced relative to when yours is made is irrelevant as far as copyright is concerned because generally copyright lasts for the duration of the composer's life plus 70 years. Time might be a factor in as much as the license to use the music in Crossover might have expired and therefore the composer might be free to sell a license for it's use to someone else.

G