Use of music in an animation...

[scali]

As the application due-date nears, I'm getting a bit apprehensive. I found the perfect piece of music for about 50% of the animation (yea, yea, I know, it's only 15 seconds... but it's PERFECT!). I sent an email to the band's publisher, asking permission to use one of their songs. Now, I don't know if it's just because they're from Europe (y'know, time differences and such), but after a week, I still have no response. What am I to do? The music is perfect... it'd be a shame to be forced to set it aside.

[jgannon]

Rules are rules. You can't do something beyond the bounds of fair use just because it would be really really cool. (My views of fair use vary a great deal from those of the government, but that's not the point.) If the work is public domain, then it shouldn't be a problem. IANAL, but if the work is copyrighted, then my understanding is that FIRST requires written permission from the copyright holder for you to use the music in your production. If you are unable to get permission, then you can't use it. I'm sure you're really excited about this music, so I hope you'll get the permission you need, but if you can't, bummer.

[scali]

If I were to get permission, but in email form... would that suffice? I doubt I can get a written letter from Finland to New Hampshire in 3 days...

[Tim Arnold]

I haven't read the rules section for this, but isn't up to 30 seconds/10% (whichever is less) of a song fair use? That's how most pay online music services let you know what music your about to get...

I'm probably just an idiot though, and FIRST says that your not allowed to, under any circumstances use it without explicit permission.