PDA

View Full Version : Licensing music for videos

Hell Puppy
10-05-2003, 04:28 AM
I'm working on something where I want to use some popular music by the orignal artists. I do like to stay legal, so I've been researching how to license the tunes.

Has anyone paid the BMI vultures?

This looks like an enormous pain in the ass.

It's not so much their prices, but their stock agreement wants to base everything off revenues and usage. Problem there is you end up with an ongoing pain in the ass of having to supply these guys quarterly reports not only on usage but on your revenues. And they give themselves audit rights, so they can show up and explore your books if they so desire.

For something like an online radio station where your business is the music, this may be a necessary evil. But it seems like complete and total overkill just to work some music into background of videos. I'd gladly pay a onetime fee that is much more than they'd ever get percentage wise just to avoid the reporting pains.

Anyone been down this path already and care to share some experiences?
Jim_Gunn
10-05-2003, 05:59 AM
If you are talking about adding popular music to a porn video, forget it. It's extremely unlikely they will license you if they know the intended use. And it's likely to be far too expensive anyway even if they did license you by some miracle. Not to mention the enormous pain in the ass of reporting and potential legal ramifications despite your best efforts to do everything above board. Just license some unknown royalty-free music tracks or loops from a small company online that doesn't specifically restrict such usage or write up a contract and pay some musicians on a work-for-hire basis or compose it yourself with software.
Mike AI
10-05-2003, 12:37 PM
Excellent advice Jim.

We bought 6 CDs worth of music, good stuff.... about $500 or so...

Well worth it. We have been looking for some local musicians who can make so original music.
Bishop
10-05-2003, 04:22 PM
Mike - do you remember where you got the cds?
Mike AI
10-05-2003, 05:06 PM
Originally posted by Bishop@Oct 5 2003, 03:30 PM
Mike - do you remember where you got the cds?


Smartsound from sonic desktop.
Hell Puppy
10-05-2003, 05:23 PM
Thanks for the feedback guys.

That's unfortunately the same conclusion I was drawing on my own after researching it.
Bishop
10-05-2003, 05:28 PM
Mike thanks for the info.. I just went and checked out the site.. good price on royalty free music and a heck of a lot less headache that dealing with the record companys. Very cool..
Mike AI
10-05-2003, 05:30 PM
NP glad I could help!
DerekM
10-06-2003, 01:16 AM
Might wanna try www.partnersinrhyme.com (spelling?) or Q-music.net

Or do a search on Royalty Free Music.
Carrie
10-06-2003, 01:29 AM
If you're stuck on licensing popular music, be sure to check the RIAA web site. They have options for online/website licensing.
gonzo
10-06-2003, 09:27 AM
Originally posted by Carrie@Oct 5 2003, 09:37 PM
If you're stuck on licensing popular music, be sure to check the RIAA web site. They have options for online/website licensing.
FUCK THE RIAA!!!