What are the rules for using voices from other media such as television shows or movies in a retail product? Voice clips less than a second in length.

Just don't do it? What good would clips less than one second be anyway?

Really just a plan to counteract mute characters without searching for voice talent. I figured it was a bad idea but I've been surprised before.

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Quote: Original post by AntiGuy
What are the rules for using voices from other media such as television shows or movies in a retail product?

They are creative works protected by copyright and as such you will need the copyright owners permission to use any part in a commercial product. That will almost certainly mean paying them a license fee - which would need to be substantial to make it worth their while having their expensive lawyers draw up a contract.

It would be far cheaper to just get a bunch of friends together and record some muffled "blah blah blah" noises.

Quote: Original post by Obscure

Quote: Original post by AntiGuy
What are the rules for using voices from other media such as television shows or movies in a retail product?

They are creative works protected by copyright and as such you will need the copyright owners permission to use any part in a commercial product. That will almost certainly mean paying them a license fee - which would need to be substantial to make it worth their while having their expensive lawyers draw up a contract.

It would be far cheaper to just get a bunch of friends together and record some muffled "blah blah blah" noises.

There's also the whole "name and likeness" thing. While voice work on a CD or video typically falls under the copyright of that sound recording or audiovisual work, the people who produce those sound recordings and videos generally also obtain clearence for name and likeness rights for the very purpose of avoiding being sued on name and likeness rights claims.