Q: I would like to use a short audio sample(~2s) from a tv show in a song and am wondering who to contact to obtain permiss
(permission) The sample does not contain any soundtrack (just a clip of dialogue) and is neither a consequential part of the source work or my composition
A: There may be a few layers of copyright rights to evaluate. If you are just using lyrics from a song, then the copyright owner of the lyrics would be one person to contact. It is not clear what you mean by a "clip of dialogue." If what you want to copy is actual sound from the TV show, you may also need to get clearance from the show's producer. In any case, it would be best to work with copyright counsel to see if there are other issues to be addressed and how best to proceed to obtain the licenses.
A: Sample clearance typically requires that you obtain permission from the publisher/song writers as well as the owner of the audio that you want to use (this could be the show's producers/owners). Additionally, you may also need to consider rights of publicity if the dialogue clip you are using features a well-known person(s). If your song is being used in a commercial manner, it could create the perception that the person in the clip endorses your product. I recommend you speak with a copyright attorney to determine what you need to do and to assist you with drafting/reviewing the agreement.
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