I want to include a 40-year-old song in a Youtube video...
May 26, 2009 9:07 PM   Subscribe

I'm trying to find out: a) is the song copyrighted? b) who owns it? c) will they let me use it? (is this a pipe dream?) The song is Ice Pick Mike by Lalo Schifrin, and it's on the soundtrack to Bullitt. Totally groovin', BTW. :)
posted by raising_arizona to Law & Government (5 answers total) 2 users marked this as a favorite
 
a) Unless it's in the public domain (which it's not, in this case), pretty much everything is copyrighted.

b) Not sure.

c) Maybe. It's up to them, really, and you won't know unless you ask.

Now whether you can get away with it without their permission is a whole other story.
posted by dhammond at 9:25 PM on May 26, 2009


Best answer: What you want is called a synchronization license. It used to be that the Harry Fox Agency served as a clearinghouse for synchronization rights (such that if you wanted sync rights, you just went to HFA and bought them), but they apparently discontinued this service in 2002. You will need to find the publisher or the copyright holder of the music and obtain a license from them directly. According to the BMI Web site, the publisher is Warner Tamerlane, 310-441-8600. Call 'em up and ask them how much it would cost you.
posted by kindall at 9:27 PM on May 26, 2009


Best answer: Also, it seems that in addition to the synchronization license, which gets you the right to the song itself, you will also need a separate license to use the specific recording of the performance of the song found on the soundtrack. (These are licensed separately. If you just got the synch license, you would need to provide your own performance of the song.) The performance license can be obtained from BMI, I believe. Either BMI or Warner-Tamerlane will probably be very glad to help you.
posted by kindall at 9:38 PM on May 26, 2009


I found this information from the search listed on the EMG site. They seem to have some good information and resources on obtaining song clearance rights.

ICE PICK MIKE (Legal Title)
BMI Work #699440
Songwriter/Composer SCHIFRIN LALO
Current Affiliation BMI
CAE/IPI # 27889439/185314175

Publishers
WARNER-TAMERLANE PUBLISHING CORP BMI
posted by sophist at 11:17 PM on May 26, 2009


Response by poster: Thanks for all the info! That is exactly what I need. I am also using a small clip (called Orange Light) from the Apocalypse Now soundtrack, and I found its information listed there as well. Now it's time to write the letters...
posted by raising_arizona at 6:07 AM on May 27, 2009


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