Potentially "no synch fee" for a national TV spot

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  • #14478
    More Advice
    Guest

    Hey all,

    I just want everyone to know that I am in a situation where, the initial statement is “Unfortunately there were no Sync Fees attached to those placements.” from an inquiry I made to a library for a national Target TV spot featuring Sean White, Olympic snowboarder, as the celebrity. I have actual proof of the spot recorded off of TV containing my music. I also have the Competitrack codes for the spots as further proof.

    I want to bring this up now to increase awareness of an on-going, and increasingly problematic situation with music publishers. We’ve now seen many coming forward talking about “lowest synch fees ever paid”, “we paid you too much, so now you owe us” type of synch fees. I encourage established and successful writers with hundreds of tracks on the market to write to their publishers (at least once every 8 weeks) to inquire about up front synch fees into projects outside of background cues into TV shows.

    I often feel as though that if we don’t ask….they won’t tell, and the fact that they can pick any number they want off the top of their head is also very problematic. I feel as though we should be entitled to a copy of the license granted when our music is used in spots to keep things transparent.

    Of course, as is typically and increasingly the case, my e-mail inquiries were initially met with silence. I’d write, “Hi, I saw this attached commercial on the air with my music recently and it’s still airing, can you please tell me what the synch fee is for this project?” That question was met with silence several times and then eventually a reply came in stating “that one isn’t paying anything out”.

    I do not accept that statement and have escalated the inquiry. Why do we continually have to get put through this stress? How can a national spot be made where the voice over was paid, the editor who cut the spot together was paid, the celebrity, Sean White was paid, and NBC is getting paid by Target to sell the media time and sponsorship. Everyone gets paid…everyone but the composer?…really? is this where we are at?

    When does this insanity stop?

    #14481
    Desire_Inspires
    Participant

    If making money is truly this hard for full-time, I feel bad. These situations are not right. But I am not going to protest. I am a part-timer and I do not want to spend my time begging for money.

    The full-time guys should definitely beg whoever they have to in order to make money. Keep putting pressure on companies until you get what you want. Good luck guys.

    #14482
    More Advice
    Guest

    The response from 5 minutes ago:

    “Heard back from NBC — it was done via their inhouse promo dept and there is no sync fee. There will be backend as we get a list from NBC quarterly on all promo uses and register them with ASCAP/BMI — actually quite good backend usually if it airs enough. If you’d like to have your music removed from promo blankets, let us know and we’ll start that process.”

    So libraries can collect annual blanket fees, they’re happy to get that fee…they are not going to share any of that with contributing composers. Target buys media time with NBC and Sponsors the Olympics and has there name mentioned on the TV ad several times, and their logo appears several time in the advertisement. NBC makes money from selling the sponsorship to Taget. NBC uses my music to create the advertisement. They pay the salary of their in-house editor to cut the spots for Target. The guy who voiced the copy will get a $500 VO session fee and perhaps “residuals” kind of like royalties…each time the spot airs. I get $0….just that chance to wait for those back end royalties from ASCAP in October of 2014.

    This business has officially reached a level of insanity that can not be explained. We are all being exploited in this “new digital music” era. This business is pathetically dead, worthless, and a complete waste of time.

    #14483
    The Dude
    Guest

    But I am not going to protest. I am a part-timer and I do not want to spend my time begging for money.

    Then you’re a sucker. If your boss at your regular job worked you 80 hours a week, but only paid you for 40, I’m betting you’d rationalize all the live long day.

    You crack me up, man. On one hand, I’ve seen you post about skipping the middleman and monetizing your music yourself, then you say you can’t be bothered with getting your money. Sounds like a lot of posturing.

    #14484
    More Advice
    Guest

    This does not need to turn into a war of words amongst us composers. I am sticking my neck out to bring to the forefront what is going on in this sick business….live…as it is happening. It’s total exploitation.

    There is no respect for copyrights and intellectual property. Everyone has collectively decided that music is a useless worthless commodity.

    #14485
    Desire_Inspires
    Participant

    Then you’re a sucker. If your boss at your regular job worked you 80 hours a week, but only paid you for 40, I’m betting you’d rationalize all the live long day.

    Sounds good. Thanks.

    Anyway, composers can always find alternatives to traditional libraries. The royalty-free companies get a lot of mention on MLR. That may be the best option to earn upfront money. Unfortunately, the backend is likely to be missed. Some buyers don’t worry about filling out cue sheets.

    Hang in there, guys.

    #14486
    Tbone
    Participant

    Can you PM me the name of the library? Or better still, can you post it here so we can avoid?

    #14488
    SempreLegato
    Participant

    Even better yet, can you post a summary of this in the page for that library?

    Also, a question, does your contract with this library give them the rights to offer your music in blanket deals with no compensation for you?

    #14489
    Art Munson
    Keymaster

    Or better still, can you post it here so we can avoid?

    Not here but on the library’s listing.

    #14490
    More advice
    Guest

    Art knows the name of the library just PM him for the information. This company is responsible for generating a lot of royalties and some synch fees for many of us over the last 4 years. However, what I find to be completely insane is not getting a synch fee for the type of project that it is.

    I’ll receive several $200 to $500 synch fees (Licenses) for projects such as a non-broadcast corporate video or radio ad for a regional company.

    But when Sean White, Olympic Champion Snowboarder, Target, Sochi, and NBC are all getting cozy together for a national spot broadcast throughout the country “sponsored by Target” , and I see it on the air…then get paid nothing but back end royalties (maybe…),

    There is something seriously wrong with this business. There no longer is a business at that point because the content has been devalued to $0. I have requested some payment from this library, even if they did not collect one, they still collect a juicy blanket license fee from NBC, so they should pay composers a synch fee out of that pool.

    Basically, NBC is selling my music to Target indirectly. Target was sold on promoting the new Ski event in Sochi called “Slope Style” by NBC, NBC cut the spot together (using my track that they pay an annual license fee to for access to the entire catalog), Sean White is sponsoring Target on his helmet (for big bucks)…NBC mentions Target 3 or 4 times in the ad, and show the Target logo 2 or 3 times EVERYONE IS MAKING MONEY….everyone but me!

    Guys, our music is worthless!

    #14491
    Desire_Inspires
    Participant

    Things will work out in the end.

    #14542
    Denbo17
    Participant

    I’ve always hoped for a spot like that and now I think, wow years of learning and perfecting the craft and I’ll have no real return for that effort. A fair share is all any of us could ask for… I hope my goal of doing this full time is not thwarted in the coming years…

    #14543
    MichaelL
    Participant

    The royalty-free companies get a lot of mention on MLR. That may be the best option to earn upfront money. Unfortunately, the backend is likely to be missed. Some buyers don’t worry about filling out cue sheets.

    DI…that’s because a huge chunk of RF business is not in broadcast productions. There is no backend. It’s a different world.
    Do you just say what ever pops into your head for kicks?

    Denbo a spot like that (promo) isn’t a big deal. I had an ABC Christmas a few years back. I think the backend was a few hundred dollars.

    Yes, More Advice…that sucks. It may be that they charge “good” dollars for the non-braodcast and radio stuff precisely because there is no backend. So, the only money that they, and you, make is the sync fee. I guess the rationale is that money is money, no matter which end you get it from.

    #14544
    The Dude
    Guest

    I’ve seen low fees for ads (mostly because the fee is divided amongst the fat cats, and I’m the last guy to get paid), but haven’t seen $0 yet. Just been lucky, I guess. I’ve tried to get in more with the boutique (they love that word) companies, and tend to stay away from the non-exclusives that I know do a lot of the “gratis” stuff, when I work with straight-up music libraries. I suppose I’m suggesting a selective approach when dealing with libraries or music houses to work with.

    Off-topic: I remember a guy named Yadgyu from a few years back on this board. He had a very… unique… point of view, and a singular way of expressing himself. Green, but overly confident. I wonder why I’m reminded of him…

    #14551
    MichaelL
    Participant

    Dude..do your boutique exclusives pay upfront fees? The exclusives that
    I write for do. So….I was not paid a sync fee for the ABC Christmas Promo (an arrangement of Jingle Bells, no less). But the backend, which ASCAP did pay was around $200.

    The only exclusive that I’ve been with that paid sync fees was NFL, back in the day. So, sync fees aren’t something I’m used too. One other exclusive offered to split sync fees, but for a lower upfront fee. I declined.

    Yeah, a remember Yadgyu. Definitely echoes of him around here lately.

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 26 total)
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