music copyright

[ickle_jim]

just what exactly is the law on music copyright? for example: say im filming a documentry and i film an interview in a bar and theres a pop song playing in the background is that breaking the law if i make money from that film?

or take it another step foward, say i wrote a fictional scene and had them listening to music, where its meant to be coming out of the stereo in the scene but you added it post production and filtered it to make it sound like its coming from a stereo... is that breaking the law?

and does the law extend to any length of music? like if i had one second of a song in a scene, then had a man turn his stereo off, and carry on without music, is that breaking the law?

[SoulJacker]

Frankly, I don't care. However, change your picture OR YOU'RE BANNED. PERIOD.

[img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img]

[ickle_jim]

urm why?

[Actor]

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say im filming a documentry and i film an interview in a bar and theres a pop song playing in the background is that breaking the law if i make money from that film?
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U.S. Law -- If it's a documentary you're OK. As long as you did not intentionally put the music in the background you are not required to take extraordinary measures to remove it.
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say i wrote a fictional scene and had them listening to music, where its meant to be coming out of the stereo in the scene but you added it post production and filtered it to make it sound like its coming from a stereo... is that breaking the law?
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Yes. You have to clear the music in order to use it. And you have to clear it with both the composer and the artist performing it. You can avoid having to clear it with the performer if, after clearing it with the composer, you hire your own performer and get him/her to sign a "work for hire" contract.
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and does the law extend to any length of music?
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If you include enough notes to make the music recognizable, even if it takes an expert, you have to clear it.

By the way, the law in this case is civil law, meaning that you answer to the copyright holder in civil court. This is different from piracy which is a criminal offense for which you can do jail time.

[ickle_jim]

thanx