# Mozart - Short Film?



## tmb (Sep 15, 2010)

Hi,

Do you think that Mozart works in this short film I made or should I have used a different song? The song starts about one minute into the short film.






Thank you.


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## HarpsichordConcerto (Jan 1, 2010)

No, not at all. Unconvincing.


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## Edward Elgar (Mar 22, 2006)

HarpsichordConcerto said:


> No, not at all. Unconvincing.


Harsh man. Harsh.

It depends what kind of atmosphere you want to create. I was getting a child-like / naive atmosphere which set me up for the surprise at the end. Maybe the same type of music, but played on a music box might be more effective. Music boxes have a more child-like quality and they also have connotations with the 'Jack in a Box' which is essentially what the cuddly toy is at a subconscious level (be it somewhat scarier!).


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## Delicious Manager (Jul 16, 2008)

tmb said:


> Hi,
> 
> Do you think that Mozart works in this short film I made or should I have used a different song? The song starts about one minute into the short film.
> 
> ...


Please don't refer to instrumental music as a 'song'. Songs are something very specific: a short piece with instrumental accompaniment which is sung by a singer and which (usually) has words. Anything else should be generically referred to as a 'piece', 'work' or 'composition'.

Like Edward Elgar said, it's not clear what mood you were trying to convey. Maybe that in itself suggests it didn't work as well as you had hoped.

Lastly, I presume you used a commercial recording for the Mozart extract. I hope you are aware of the strict copyright laws on recordings which would prohibit you from using a recording less than 50 years old with permission and without paying the necessary fees.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

I think a different piece would help also.


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## emiellucifuge (May 26, 2009)

Delicious Manager said:


> Lastly, I presume you used a commercial recording for the Mozart extract. I hope you are aware of the strict copyright laws on recordings which would prohibit you from using a recording less than 50 years old with permission and without paying the necessary fees.


Well I think this falls under Fair-use laws so should be fine


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## Delicious Manager (Jul 16, 2008)

emiellucifuge said:


> Well I think this falls under Fair-use laws so should be fine


It actually depends on the 'end-use' whether it is 'fair' or not.


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## emiellucifuge (May 26, 2009)

I think even if this film were sold commercially it wouldnt matter.

1. Its a tiny fragment
2. Its used in another piece of art not intended to 'supersede' the original
3. It doesnt in any way affect the market value or other value of the original recording.

But then im not a judge


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## Delicious Manager (Jul 16, 2008)

> 1. Its a tiny fragment


This would not be relevant if used commercially.



> 2. Its used in another piece of art not intended to 'supersede' the original


This is also irrelevant, I'm afraid.



> 3. It doesn't in any way affect the market value or other value of the original recording.
> But then im not a judge


Also not relevant. The performer and the recording company retain all rights on the performance and recording. While one might get away with up to 30 seconds for non-commercial use (one would still need the permission of the artist/recording company). Any commercial use automatically takes it into a different realm. It's the reproduction and distribution of the film/music that is relevant, not whether the original recording is 'affected' in any way.

I'm harping on about this a bit, I know, but 30 years dealing with such matters has made me perhaps oversensitive about such things.


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## emiellucifuge (May 26, 2009)

Those things are not irrelevant at all, and in fact make up the the criteria by which judges are required to evaluate a works use under US Fair-Use Law.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_use


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## Delicious Manager (Jul 16, 2008)

emiellucifuge said:


> Those things are not irrelevant at all, and in fact make up the the criteria by which judges are required to evaluate a works use under US Fair-Use Law.
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_use


Here we have the crux of our 'disagreement'. I am in the UK and our copyright laws are different to those in the USA. So, we're probably both right and both wrong at the same time. In the UK 'end-use' is the key and all the points I made would be of utmost importance here, even if irrelevant in the United States.

We don't know where tmb comes from and he/she might come from a country where such laws are different again.

What a pickle


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## emiellucifuge (May 26, 2009)

Indeed!

I am actually in the Netherlands, and our laws are probably far too lax.


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## Delicious Manager (Jul 16, 2008)

emiellucifuge said:


> Indeed!
> 
> I am actually in the Netherlands, and our laws are probably far too lax.


Well, I hope you have some musicians left to protect in the future. Your current government seems hell bent on destroying the Dutch musical scene. And I thought OUR government was bad.

Best wishes:tiphat:


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## emiellucifuge (May 26, 2009)

Its not the only thing theyre destroying


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## gr8gunz (Jan 19, 2011)

tmb said:


> Hi,
> 
> Do you think that Mozart works in this short film I made or should I have used a different song? The song starts about one minute into the short film.
> 
> ...


Nope. Doesn't work at all.


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## starry (Jun 2, 2009)

I think the music holds the suspense of the scene reasonably well, the rhythm of the music fitting the walking in the scene too. Some might prefer more suspense in the music and more ominous sound. But I think it's interesting that it is something different and in its laconic subdued nature it's sets up the surprise climax quite well. And then it drifts off appropriately just before the coup de grace of the film. I think the film is pretty well edited too with a nice end.


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