A coalition of back-end audio professionals, including sound designers, recordists, mixers, and sound effects libraries, has launched the Professional Sound Alliance (PSA) to seek fair licensing for sound effects used in film, television, games, and artificial intelligence (AI) training.
The group defines “professional sound” as everything heard in a media program that is not music or voices. It is focusing on two areas of unauthorized use.
- Data piracy: the unauthorized use of sound effects and other audio to train AI systems.
- Sync piracy: the use of sound effects in movies, TV, video games, and other media without permission.
Founding figures
Among those involved are Douglas Price, founder and CEO of Pro Sound Effects, and Karl Urban, an Emmy-nominated re-recording mixer and former president of the Cinema Audio Society.
Statements
Price said:
“It’s time professional sound received the same respect and protection every other audio field has earned, for the lifetimes of work our industry has collectively built. If you’ve helped to shape this craft, add your name and stand with us.”
In a separate statement, Mangini said:
“Sound effects are not a commodity. They are the product of human expertise, human experience, and human artistry. They deserve the same protection as any other creative work.”
