'Other' Music

What do we have to do to beable to use 'other' music in films, you know not star wars? Maybe if I wanted to put a Limp Bizkit track over a saber fight would I just have to credit them or get some sorta proper permission from the record company?

 

Usually as long as you're not making a profit you can get away with it. Just be sure to give credit in the credits.

 

And don't use Limp Bizkit.

 

Just go for it, credit them, and wait and see if the cease and desist letter comes. You probably can't afford real licensing fees unless you personally know the band members.

I haven't received any such letters for my film (yet).

-Spiff

 

OK thanks guys! and Im not going with Limp Bizkit, it was just an example! But they do rock when there live! :::smug look at all the fans that havnt seen them:::

 

Try getting some stock music. That's what I'm using for my feature, Paraside.

 

And don't use Limp Bizkit.

Seconded for anyone else thinking about it

 

smug look at all the fans that havnt seen them

They don't have any, unless you count twelve year old girls I suppose.

On to the music front, I am a great believer in using good music in films and not just sountracks.

So if you pick some good tracks that fit well, then that would be great.

But no Limp Bizkit, even if it is all about "the he said, she said, bulls***"

 

I don't mean to be a jerk here or anything but...

Get free-to-use (as in freeplaymusic.com) music or get a license. I have written music for film, both commercially and for fanfilms and even though I _have_ a "Fanfilms license" that means that I don't get paid, I still wouldn't want MY music to end up in films that I HAVEN'T written it for.

So - using other peoples work without asking is stealing. Much like using other peoples video of fighting and what not in your film.

Get a license, or use license-free music.

BTW all music where the composer has been dead for 50 years is license free too. It doesn't mean the RECORDINGS are (the orchestra would still like to be paid...) but it is fair play to make your own recording of - say - "Carmina Burana" and use in your film.

Just MY view. YMMV.

 

You know, there are so many talented musicians out there, just do what I do for my films, just ask them. For my Avatar Series, I just emailed a bunch of folks after previewing the music online at certain sites. Some said no, some wanted money, but there are always a few who like the film and offer to do it for nothing except credit in the film (or sometimes a small percentage of deferred payment).

How do people get effects? They ask. Same goes for the music.

 

if you are looking for original music, hit the Star Wars and Film Music forum. there are usually quite a few musicians hanging out in there, so you could always see if someone is willing to collaborate with you on the project, soundwise.

EDIT: i agree with the Limp Bizkit remark, avoid it. but avoid Britney and the Backstreet Boys too, even more so than the Biz...

 

Fo-shizzle! - Avoid Snoop Dogg too

 

how about that cool track red light, green light that was limpbizkit with snoop dog

 

...but there are always a few who like the film and offer to do it for nothing except credit in the film (or sometimes a small percentage of deferred payment).

...which is how I have worked this far...

I need the training and learning experience and I have been happy to help out when I was approached.

Just beacause Lucas is cool about Copyright on HIS stuff, doesn't necessarily mean everyone else is. You CAN get a quite serious slap on the wrist if you make RIAA and the like your enemies...

 

"how about that cool track red light, green light that was limpbizkit with snoop dog"


In this case, a double negative doesn't make it any more positive.

=)

I would say that's a big NO chief. Rap and lightsabers = oil and water. They just don't mix.
Reminds me of PWNN. Loved the movie, hated the music in it. It just didn't flow. It wasn't rap.. but "Kryptonite"? ::

Think of music as a character. Would you want a character to stick out like a sore thumb, or would you want him to fit in with the rest of the cast?
Just something to ponder over...

-Vaportrail

 

Meh. When you include indentifyable music you have to expect certain people will be offended. I knew before I released PwNN that this would be the case and observed it afterwards. Some people hated all the music. Few people loved all the music. However, each chapter got approximately equal acclaim from different sources. I even recorded a full score for the movie and used some of it... So it wasn't a question of lack of talent or resources. It all comes back to production choices. All of which I'm happy with 'cause it worked for me.

Bottom line: if he wants to use pop music in his film, he will very likely NOT be able to afford the licensing. Yes - using copyrighted music is stealing... no doubt about it. Using the words "Jedi" "Sith" "Star Wars" "lightsaber" authentic SW music... that's all illegal too. I'm not sure there's much point getting worked up about it though.

[Homer]If I can't see it, it's not illegal![/Homer]

-Spiff

 

You can make rock music work with saber fights. If you use the aggression of the rock in your fighting, It won?t work with a obi-wan vs Vader episode IV style fight, its to slow. But if you use it on a duel of fates style fight it CAN work!

 

Agreed, rock can work.
Rap.. I don't see it.

It's just... Kryptonite? Sorry Spiff, I just wasn't feelin' it. =)
I like the triple-saber.. thing though. Very cool.

 

I agree VaporTrail. That was about the part that I hit the fast forward botton.

Rusty

 

I liked all the music in TPWNN

 

regardless of weather or not you "liked" the music in the movie, that doesn't change the fact that it wasn't necessarily appropriate for the scene.

In regards to PWNN- of course, i loved the film, really innovative and cool blah blah. But i felt that the music didn't fit well with it and consequently not only destracted from the film itself but made it seem like the filmakers were stretching to put it into the movie.