Am I competing against myself?

[JD]

Hi folks,

I’m in the process of submitting tracks to a NE library that is new to me. I notice on their ‘previous placements’ page that I have some tracks in some of the same productions but placed by another NE library I already have songs signed to.

Obviously they are both NE so there is no contractual conflict but my question is whether submitting the same songs to the new library could bring about a situation where I am effectively competing against myself?
If both libraries pitch the same songs of mine to a production company etc, the producer will naturally go for the one with the lowest license fee therefore I would lose out.

To the new library, I am submitting songs that have been placed multiple times by the first library as they represent proven successful ‘earners ‘

Though these libraries overlap in a few examples they seem to operate in different arenas in other TV genres.
I also have tracks that were rejected by the first (very selective) library which I will submit to the new library but I am not prolific enough to have a whole separate catalogue of equally successful, but different tracks as those signed to the first library.

I am sure many of you have faced this question, was it a mistake to begin submitting some of the same material to the new library?

There seem to be so few NE libraries that aren’t royalty free around, at the moment I don’t want to sign tracks exclusively for reasons mentioned above, so I feel like my options are limited.
Any thoughts would be much appreciated.
Thanks. JD

[Michael Nickolas]

While true that a track could be pitched by both libraries to the same opportunity, it is also possible that a production may shop for music at the new to you library, but not at your previous library. Can’ predict the future.

You say you at the moment don’t want to sign tracks exclusively but you basically are making your tracks exclusive with the first library if you don’t spread them around.

[LAwriter]

There are obvious potential conflicts that you have accurately noted, but IMO, I think the positives outweigh the negatives. Good luck.

[JD]

Hi Michael Nicholas and LA writer thanks for your responses.
You are right Nicholas, if I don’t submit to the new library then, as you say, I am effectively treating the first library as exclusive.
Who knows how each library will do, not good to have all my eggs in one basket. I think part of my procrastination is because the first library has got me some really good placements making it hard to imagine any other library doing better or as well for me with the same material in the same range of TV genres.
I think I have put myself in this situation by overlooking the overlap of tv genres supplied by both libraries’. This I think is made worse by the fact that there seem to be so few NE libraries that aren’t RF to choose from.
I can learn from this in the future and do more research before submitting to any new libraries.
Also, as I become more prolific and my catalog increases in size and range, I may feel happier to submit to exclusives.

On the positive side, the new library seems very responsive and fast in screening and accepting tracks, the first one can take up to 3 months to approve a track and only allow a maximum of 3 tracks
awaiting review, but once signed they are very active and professional in their pitch activity.
Thanks so much for your comments.
JD

[JD]

Apologies Michael Nicholas, I used your surname as your first name!
Jd

[Michael Nickolas]

No problem. Good luck with everything, it seems you are on the right track…

[Author]

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