Last month, I helped out with the Produced By ConferenceMusic Licensing Seminar sponsored by Audio Network.

The panel included:

Moderator, Carole Handler Partner, Wildman Harrold, LLP and Speakers …

Jody Dunitz Member, Tech Coast Angels; Partner, Los Angeles Social Venture Partners
Rolfe Kent Composer, Sideways, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, The Matador
Ryan Jorgenson, Music Researcher, Audio Network US
Tracy McKnight Vice President, Film Music, Lionsgate
Vasi Vangelos Founder/President, First Artists Management

This panel tried to talk about the entire licensing process, covering rights, fees, negotiations and legal requirements. It was more from the Producer’s point of view but I tried to look at it more from the artist’s. So here are the notes I was able to take.

In the editing phase of making a film, the director & editor will put in temp music. The temp music is usually their dream songs they would love to use, but realistically a lot of times those songs might be way out of the film’s budget range. That’s when they will either 1) bring in a composer as a work for hire or 2) look for similar songs elsewhere through music licensing companies.

When a composer is brought in as a work for hire, the director might want something similar to the temp music s/he has already put in. But you want to be careful not to get too close to that temp music as it can encroach on copyright infringement.

When the director instead decides to use pre-existing music, s/he must clear both the publishing rights (writer) and the master rights (band performance).

At one time, soundtracks used to supplement a film’s music budget so they could spend a bit more on music in their budget and make it up on the back end with the sale of the soundtrack. But as many of you know, with cd sales down so goes the soundtrack and a film’s music budget. Of course that doesn’t mean there still isn’t money to be made. And what kind of money the artist makes all depends on how the song is being used (in a montage, as underlying music, in the background, etc.) And if the film is to be viewed outside of the country then the music supposedly gets 1% of box office.

This is definitely just the tip of the iceberg about this subject, so here are some links I found to more information and a few companies who license music: out in L.A. and was fortunate enough to attend the and Speakers …

• A short-hand guide to music in film for the indie musician – PART 1
  
• ASCAP Music, Money, Success & The Movies
• ASCAP How To Acquire Music For Films
• BMI
• How Music Licensing Works
• BeatPick: Music Licensing for Film, TV, & Advertising
• Konsonant
• Rumblefish Music Licensing Store

I’m sure there is more info at there, so please feel free to leave a comment about what you know about this subject and links to any companies you like to use.