Various side swipes and metallic crashes; fire or steam
These are high-quality copies of Hollywood original optical and mag effects from the 1930s through the '60s, transferred to full-track tape by USC Cinema. I have digitized them for preservation, but they have not all been restored and may have some noise.
Type
Wave (.wav)
Duration
0:44.539
File size
6.1 MB
Sample rate
48000.0 Hz
Bit depth
24 bit
Channels
Mono
Comments
8 months, 1 week ago
Responding to Plummet's comment below:
Okay, so who do these sounds belong to? The studios? Are they orphans?
Each studio originally maintained its own library. Eventually, television forced studios to tighten their overhead. Sound editors were forced off the lot and into independent contracting. Those editors took copies of sound effects rolls with them, on film and tape, to help them in freelance work. Thus the distinct divisions between “Warner Bros” and ”Paramount” sound effects became blurred.
I have found no instances where a studio protected or pursued “copyright” to their libraries. They just didn’t care. To the studios, effects were no more intellectual property than the boxes they were stored in.
Eventually the major studios all lost, neglected, and/or destroyed their collections.
The last to go was Paramount, who lost their library around 2009 when their vaults were cleared out and replaced with office supplies. So historically the studios never exerted ownership.
I’m not a lawyer, but I (and others including Ben Burtt) consider Hollywood sound effects recorded between 1927 and 2000 as Public Domain. At this point, there is no one at any studio who could officially link any sound to a legal basis for ownership. Even if they wanted to, there simply isn’t enough monetary reward to make it worthwhile.
I gave a talk on this at the Library of Congress last year, and there was absolutely no pushback.
But there should be exceptions....
For example, the well known and recognized sounds created for “Star Wars” in the mid-70s still have great value to Disney, because they are actively used in the unique branding all Star Wars film and television products.
An aside: Some effects from the first Star Wars film included elements of vintage Hollywood effects including Universal Thunder, Warners’ Wilhelm Scream, and a Hanna-Barbera Rocket By (which probably came from MGM.)
In addition to current use, there are effects companies that sell vintage sound effects that they have restored in some way. These are new products that deserve compensation.
If you're nervous about using the raw elements from Star Trek or Batman, both pre-2000, just skip them. But I can tell you that they get used all the time as sweetners in creating new effects.
I'm on the road right now, but I'm looking forward to watching your video.
Hope this helps.
--Craig
8 months, 1 week ago
Great recordings! But are they royalty free to use considering they were made in Hollywood albeit long time ago?
