Finding the copyright holders for movie audio (non music)

[stromkraft]

Are there some databases out there that makes it easier to find the actual representative/department for the copyright holders of movie audio? The production company seems like the best starting point and I've tried that. I've found that the effectiveness of getting a response to a request varies.

Getting a response
In your experience/knowledge is it best to first address the legal department at the production company? Or just start at the desk and work with who they suggest? I've ended up in some dead ends there myself. What strategies may one employ in order to secure a reply on sample clearance request? Is there a legal form of sample clearance letters one could adopt to increase chances?

Copyright holders
Could it be that a singular film could have different copyright holders in different prints out there? What do you need to look at in movie meta data in order to find the proper party?

Paying percentages
Maybe most importantly what strategies would potentially be the best to be able to pay a percentage on sales rather than a flat fee on the samples you want to use?

Dialogue copyright
What if you recreate dialogue? Do you commonly need to clear the dialogue even if it's not clearly belonging to a specific movie? In your experience does the dialogue typically belong to the company behind the script, if that's another one?

I feel pretty naive about these things, so my questions probably reflects this.

[jancivil]

As to dialogue, it's typically a screenwriter's registration (and properly registered copyright in the US federally) via the SWG, beyond that ad-libbed or improvised dialogue a grey area, maybe belonging to the film production.

[stromkraft]

As to dialogue, it's typically a screenwriter's registration (and properly registered copyright in the US federally) via the SWG, beyond that ad-libbed or improvised dialogue a grey area, maybe belonging to the film production.

Thanks @jancivil! It looks as if there is no SWG though, rather there are the "Writers Guild of America East" (WGAE) and "Writers Guild of America West" (WGAW). Both are associated with "The Author's Guild" (AG). That's a good start I suppose, as some may dialogue may be from US productions. These days productions can be very international though.

Or did I misunderstand what you mean with "SWG" here?

I know that some record labels have streamlined issues like this one, but I'm not aware of the same within the movie business.

[jancivil]

I'm using the old name
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screen_Writers_Guild


I joined in 2008 to protect a screenplay, and paid the 25 bucks or whatever to properly copyright it thru the Feds.

[jancivil]

IE: before you start to take a work out to have it read and considered, you need to register with the guild. Or be an idiot, because people will steal what's not locked down. I still have it in my head, like SAG, SWG.
Kind of archaic usage.

Point being, the writer owns the rights if the usual steps are taken, this much is simple.