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Music is free when the publishers with access to it decide for selfish reasons to give it away to companies like NBC and Target for Olympic Sponsorship. You see, no one gives a %#@& about the writer because well…they didn’t spend time writing it…They have access to a digital audio file that works perfectly for their TV spot. They have access to millions of of them!
In fact, NBC, because they pay a handsome annual “blanket License Fee” which means this: “for “x” amount of dollars you have complete access to our catalog for 1 year” is most likely selling my music to TARGET to sponsor an Olympic TV ad….without a doubt this is happening. That invoice to Target will contain production costs to edit the commercial together, the cost of the voice over talent, the cost of the music track is on that bill, and the costs to buy all that media time on NBC is on that invoice.
This is where we are at guys…it’s happening live as I write this note…complete disregard and disrespect for the intellectual property of music. The business is one step closer to being dead. Not only is my music being used for free, 2 other companies are actually making money off of it! NBC and (Ask Art for the name of the library)
Eventually they will find a way to make YOU, the composer, pay to have your music on a TV spot.
Oh, but wait….I’m gonna get back end royalties in 9 months if the spot magically turns up in the ASCAP survey…so let’s all stay positive..I may make $47 in 9 months when the Pro checks are released.
I think I’ll throw a party!Quantity is the key to getting paid. One Target commercial is only one part of the equation.
You know that your music is marketable. Get it in 100 Target commercials. The backend will pour in and you will be feeling great.
🙂
Quantity is the key to getting paid. One Target commercial is only one part of the equation.
DI, you are totally missing the point and you do not have a grasp of the business of music.
I for one would like to hear Art expand on this…aside from the DI bashing :).
Yes DI, I really don’t understand your comments at all. If you are in these discussions for personal entertainment please step aside for a bit. I am revealing important information so full time, serious composers can be armed with relevant information. My information also can education serious newcomers. I just don’t understand this attitude of “who cares anyway, I have my full time day job and don’t have time to protest or try and fight for fair pay, I just focus on volume and whatever happens, happens and all this other stuff is beyond my control.”
DI, The statement “Get your music in 100 target commercials” is really border line ignorant. Placing music into national Olympic spots sponsored by TARGET is very competitive and “Prime Time” (The Big Leagues IMHO). Just getting on 1 or 2 is a challenge. This is why when you have something on the national stage, it’s imperative that a composer get paid properly! DI, I’d like to speak out to serious full time guys putting in full time effort to this business, so unless you have something valid to say, maybe just step back and do some listening. I know you have every right to write what you want here, but write something that can be taken seriously and is relevant to the issue of total abuse of intellectual property.
If you don’t have respect for your own intellectual property, why are you even creating it?
Quantity is the key to getting paid. One Target commercial is only one part of the equation.
You know that your music is marketable. Get it in 100 Target commercials. The backend will pour in and you will be feeling great.
And that my friends is why people/producers, like Zoe, think that music should be free.
Technology has changed a profession that once required skill and specialized equipment into a trade that can be plied on some levels by unskilled labor and cheap tools.
The same thing is happening in other professions. A lot of “routine” legal work is being done by on-line providers, like Legal Zoom. More and more, medical care is being provided by nurse practitioners. Tax preparers are taking work from accountants.
The short answer: if you want to get paid more, work on a higher level.
DI, I’d like to speak out to serious full time guys putting in full time effort to this business, so unless you have something valid to say, maybe just step back and do some listening.
How many writers here do you think fall into the “serious full-time” category vs. the I have garage band and I just made $50 category?
You may be preaching to an empty room, at least here.As I just said, More Advice..
Technology has changed a profession that once required skill and specialized equipment into a trade that can be plied on some levels by unskilled labor and cheap tools.
High level? Target, Sean White (Snowboard Gold Medalist), NBC, The Olympics? This is not “high level” stuff?
What’s mind boggling and convoluted is that this company is supposedly going to send a check for $400 in Feb for some local or regional radio spot, yet National TV on NBC sponsored by TARGET pays back end only???
The entire point of the discussion is how “high level” is suddenly free!
How can this happen? Why is it happening?@More Advice, lets hear some more details. Composers need to come together to protect ourselves from being exploited like this. Boycott those libraries that indulge in these practices. Tools cannot replace a skillful composer. If you browse through most RF sites, you will see that most of the stuff is not up to the mark for broadcast. I believe the market is slowly correcting itself and many guys who were part timers are moving on to other things. It is really unfortunate that composers do not have any union or coop or such. We are the most important part of the chain of supply. Without our work, neither the libraries nor the broadcasters can survive.
I agree with Musicmatters. I think there are some missing details.
Is this something that actually happened to your music More Advice, or is a hypothetical? It’s sort of hard to tell.
High level? Target, Sean White (Snowboard Gold Medalist), NBC, The Olympics? This is not “high level” stuff?
I don’t mean high level broadcast. I mean in terms of the client’s priorities.
If it was “high-level” from Target’s perspective, they would have paid someone like you 25K to compose the spot, or they would have spent 200K to license a well known pop song, etc. Instead, they found something “good enough” to accomplish what they want to accomplish with this particular ad, from a “library.”
I agree that it’s a crappy way of doing business. So, why put you’re music in that “library?” Why not stick to PMA exclusive libraries?
read the thread “potentially no synch fee” for the details. It’s offical, I will NOT be paid a synch fee. The owner of the library responded “Heard back from NBC — it was done via their inhouse promo dept and there is no sync fees. 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.”
My music was officially exploited and given away.Once music is used by a large Advertiser like Target, that is a game changer. They have Billions to pay for music …yet they get it free?…or perhaps NBC billed them for the track as they are selling the sponsorship?
While I probably will see royalties….sorry…this is not good enough.
Here is the spot from Competitrack’s database and I have seen it on the air too:
Advertiser: Target (TV-30 Seconds)
Ad Code: TARGRT-16571 (21 Occurrences) (?)
There are other versions of this ad available See all versions.Co-op Partner: NBC
Ad Title: Slopestyle
Lead Audio: THIS IS SLOPESTYLE FEATURINGProduct Name: Target Image
Subcategory: Department Store Image
Category: Department StoresFirst Run: (?) December 15, 2013 – NBC – Network
Last Run: January 20, 2014
Target: Consumer
Clearance: Local & NationalDescription: Male v/o- This is Slopestyle featuring Shaun White presented by Target. Imagine a downhill course filled with Rails, boxes and kickers, where boarders slide, grab, spin, flip. They’ll need to reach their full potential with tricks that are hard, high and rare to win the first Slopestyle Gold. NBC Sochi 2014 logo,Text – Februrary 6, 2014. Male v/o- Stay tuned for a look at another new olympic event. Halfpipe Skiing. Brought to you by Target. Olympics Reference.
Advertiser: Target (TV-30 Seconds)
Ad Code: TARGRT-16657 (10 Occurrences) (?) USA
This ad is recut from original. See all versions.
Co-op Partner: NBC
Ad Title: Slopestyle (Join Target)
Lead Audio: THIS IS SLOPESTYLE FEATURING
Celebrity: Shaun White
Product Name: Target Image
Subcategory: Department Store Image
Category: Department Stores
First Run: (?) December 21, 2013 – WCNC – Charlotte
Last Run: January 21, 2014
Target: Consumer
Clearance: Local & NationalDescription: Recut: Join Target & cheer on Shaun White when this new Olympic Event debuts in Sochi. Omits mention of Halfpipe Skiing.; Male v/o- This is Slopestyle featuring Shaun White presented by Target. Imagine a downhill course filled with Rails, boxes and kickers, where boarders slide, grab, spin, flip. They’ll need to reach their full potential with tricks that are hard, high and rare to win the first Slopestyle Gold. NBC Sochi 2014 logo,Text – Februrary 6, 2014. Brought to you by Target. Olympics Reference.
No. This does not pay 25K as it is not Worldwide “image” branding, however, it certainly should not go for $0!