After listing
some sources for royalty-free music, we got feedback from another site called Musinc (www.musinc.co.uk), whose rep Craig
Puller wanted us to know about the many dimensions of “royalty free,” and the advantages
his site offers consumers. What he has
to say is informative wherever you shop, and filmmakers need this information. How many horror stories have we heard about
films—especially independent ones with limited resources—losing big money or
being shelved due to preventable music rights problems?
Craig urges
filmmakers to know what “royalty-free music” means. Referring to a handy article
on the subject, he says that this does not necessarily mean “free,” or public
domain, or canned stock music. Instead,
the term refers to “a type of music licensing that allows the purchaser to pay
for the music license only once and to use the music as long as desired” and
regardless of how many people it reaches or where or how often. This is in contrast to getting something for nothing
as well as “rights-managed” licensing, where the purchaser pays royalties
“according to the number of times it will be used as well as the size of the
territory.”
While
“royalty free” may have a specific technical meaning, consumers should know
that each music provider actually has its own combination of terms, conditions,
and fees for accessing and using its music.
At Musinc, for example, “All of our music has full clearance, and our
licenses work in perpetuity. (Once purchased,
a license is valid for up to a year; once incorporated into a project, it then
works in perpetuity.) We offer generous
commissions to our composers and offer both exclusive and non-exclusive ranges
and various edits to suit all production requirements.” These are some—but not
the only—factors to consider when seeking royalty-free music.
Another
factor involves whether or how a music provider distinguishes between types of
consumers. Some simply treat everyone
the same. In contrast, Musinc accommodates
student as well as independent filmmakers working with budgets under £500,000 (all
prices are currently in GBP ((1 GBP = 1.55 USD)); Musinc will have USD prices on
its site soon). Students can license
single tracks for £50, or an unlimited number of tracks for about £79, all on a
per-year basis. Indie filmmakers pay £149
for unlimited tracks for a full year.
Students and indie filmmakers can freely choose from Musinc’s entire database
of over 1,000 (and rapidly growing) original tracks representing over 100
composers worldwide, including several who are high profile. Filmmakers also can screen at any and all festivals
without added expense. If a low-budget
film demonstrates financial promise, Musinc enables filmmakers to upgrade their
licenses to any combination of distribution platforms—theatrical, DVD,
streaming.
Some sites
behave as though “royalty free” means “they keep the royalties rather than pass
them on to the people who made the music.”
Some music providers or publishers have gotten bad reputations for not fairly
paying the musicians their royalties, instead taking a percentage (sometimes
high) of those royalties for themselves.
Other sites, like Musinc, pay proper royalties to composers through PROs
(Performing Rights Organizations) such as ASCAP. These organizations collect the royalties and
distribute them appropriately to writers, performers, and publishers. Musinc
only takes the publisher share, treating musicians ethically, which benefits
everyone.
Another
way to get “royalty free” music is to create it with a composer who works for a
flat fee. Some sites only provide
pre-recorded music, but Musinc enables filmmakers to connect with composers to
create new custom-made scores / compositions, made to the exact specifications
of filmmakers. Composers write,
record, and mix original compositions for productions, at costs that depend on
the requirements of individual films. Once
the music is made, you own the rights to use it in accordance with the original
contractual agreement.
Who knew “royalty
free” music had so many dimensions?
Well, now we do. Thanks to Craig
for shedding some light on this important aspect of filmmaking, one that can be
crucial in determining a film’s success or even survival. For more info, feel free to contact him
anytime via the Musinc website.
----
By James
Latham
VFF 2013
is confirmed for November 13-17 at the Laemmle NoHo 7. For more information, visit our website or Facebook page.
Interested
in volunteering? Contact us at info@valleyfilmfest.com.
