Legal Question in Entertainment Law in California

Re: Pilot/Music question

It depends upon what you mean by "make fun of." If you mean you want to make critical reference to the song and a few lyrics, that would probably be considered fair comment and criticism.

However, if you mean the song would be performed, then the producer would need to obtain the same rights as any other person who wants to perform the song. If your pilot depends heavily on the song, you should make preliminary inquiries about the cost of licensing the portions you need. Some songs are more expensive than others, so you should be prepared to be flexible about the song choice.