Getting Placements

[BenG]

Hey all,

Recently completely a ‘Trailer’ music album with a well-known label and just had a question regarding how placements work in the industry,

Once the album goes live, how do you know if your music has been licensed for a campaign? Does the music library tell you somehow?

[Michael Nickolas]

A smaller boutique type of library may keep in touch with you concerning placements. The bigger companies won’t keep you in the loop. If placed, you’ll learn about it by getting a check if you are sharing in license fees. Or from your PRO statement if not sharing.

[BEATSLINGER]

It’s so weird these days..

Just a few years back it seemed like “companies couldn’t WAIT to tell you that you were getting placements, the actual counts for Blanket Licenses & Needle Drops; and as well getting a Little sync Check. Now, it’s seems more hidden, no transparency of Cue/Song activity; and random (if any) sync fees”…

Also, congratulations on “scoring an album BenG!!”

[BenG]

Thanks for the replies, guys! Also, thank you @beatslinger for the kind words!

I really appreciate your input and it is interesting to hear that there is no real standard for finding out. This is my first time licensing any type of music publicly, so I’m just really excited/hopeful to see the first placement(s). Would be really cool to know if my music was in a national campaign which I can watch on television, in theaters or online. Perhaps I can ask the company to keep me in the loop!

[LAwriter]

Normally I never find out until years later when placements show up on my BMI statement. But if you’re in the US, that probably won’t happen for you as theatrical trailers do not pay out. If you’re sharing in the sync fee’s, you’ll get a check eventually. That’s how you know.

[Composer Of Notes]

They are not required to do so. However they are required to pay you as to your contract.
So the answer is NO.
That doesn’t mean that they won’t contact you because some libraries do. Most don’t. I don’t work in the trailer end (ha-ha..trailer end) but I don’t expect libraries to contact me on each placement. It would be too cumbersome for them.
You’re might be new to the biz so as long as you have your rights covered then just keep keepin’ on. HTH

cOn

[Author]

Posts