Why do companies not like telling info on placements

[BIG ROME]

I recently had an argument with a site, that I placed a song of mine , they will not tell who the placement is with. They never returned the email asking about specifics on the placement.

So I looked up their number and finally got someone, who basically said that’s the way we do business, deal with it.

Anybody else ever had this happen?

[Desire_Inspires]

It is a liability to disclose that information.

[ypb2857]

I don’t think it’s a liability, but there could be reasons.

A lot of times, placements are fickle. An editor chooses a piece of music, puts it in the project, it looks like it’s a done deal, and then a committee at the company for whom the project is for has to approve it, including spouses, mothers-in-laws, etc. At the last minute, if someone doesn’t like it, they’ll change it out for something else. In addition, even when it really is a completely done deal, the process of the editor’s company (or the target company) actually PAYING the library company is another process that can be instant or can drag on for months. Deep in the fine print of the contract you signed is a clause that probably states: if the library company doesn’t get paid, YOU the composer don’t get paid either. (In other words, the library company is responsible to cut you your share, but only of the monies received.)

All this makes for a mess of communication and I can understand why some companies would be hesitant to share information until the check is actually in hand. (Once it is, there is NO reason to withhold this information.)

A secondary — and perhaps more political reason — is that they may be afraid you’ll cut them out of the deal. For example, Target decides to use a cue from Blue Music Library, and Blue calls you up and says, “You got your music in a Target ad!” But then you spend hours sleuthing through the internet, find out the campaign, then the ad agency, contact them directly, and offer to cut them a cheaper deal to license the music yourself directly. (Your library contract probably prohibits this, but they’re worried about you finding a gray area.)

That’s not to say I agree with the practice of keeping it secret. In the majority of music libraries in which composers aren’t getting paid up front to write cues/songs, I think there has to be a mutual respect because both parties are dependent upon each other, and if a library company shows me disrespect, I don’t feel the need to work with them again. If I felt like a library company was being unfair to me in this way, I’d terminate the relationship.

I’ve actually had a phone call similar to this with at least 4 different library companies, and in each case, we’ve developed enough rapport to where they don’t mind telling me what the placement is for.

[Happy Ears]

Yes what ypb2857 said, but also add to that they might not want you bothering the client, Especially if it was 20 sec in a reality show as part of many cues that was placed. wasting their time when they have already paid. Would you wanna use the services of an auto shop if you find out that all the mechanics was also gonna get your contact info and might even call you?
Also wanting to know what all the details is such an ego thing for the composer and a shame if a client or library or even PRO have to waste money on paying the staff to answer such questions. If all the composers ask for this info it would definitely cost the library money. Look it’s production music nobody cares who trigger that SD2 sample with those strings.
Write another cue instead of worrying about this…:)

[Mark Lewis]

@big rome
The fact that you hunted down a phone number for the library you had the argument with to confront them about something that is simply their way of doing business means that you would probably not think twice about looking up the phone numbers of clients of that library and bothering them for more work or for more royalties.
Exactly what do expect to gain from contacting another company’s clients?

[guscave]

Big Rome, A LOT of companies don’t give this information out exactly because of what you did. They are afraid that you will in turn contact their client.

If the song was placed for broadcast, you’ll eventually see who it was from on your PRO statement, or you can get a Tunesat account. If it was a non-broadcast placement, simply take the money and keep writing more music. Like Mark Lewis said above, what can you expect to gain by knowing who bought the song?

[MichaelL]

+1 to Mark and Guscave.

Is professionalism completely dead???!!!

But, seriously, imagine if every composer called libraries, and their clients, for information about every placement. That would be a huge waste of everyone’s time and resources.
I can tell you, based upon conversations that I’ve had with the producers and editors, that I know, they don’t want to be bothered.
Pestering them can be the kiss of death.

[BIGG ROME]

You guys misunderstood what I am saying. I already got the money.
But I contacted the library, NOT THE CLIENT.

The library does not want to give information on what they paid me.

[Malcolm Payne]

This explains a lot. The same happened to me last year with Jingle Punks. I made over $1,000 for one placement (which of course means I made them over $1000 also . .). It showed up on my BMI check as “CBS promo” and i thought if I could somehow get a copy it might be suitable for a show reel. But I never got any kind of response from them.

[MichaelL]

Guys…take the money and run. Be happy.

[Bronxnomba]

I see where Bigg Rome is coming from. I’m assuming he wants to know for personal reasons like, building up your resume. Or being able to SHOP yourself around and have proof to say this is what my music has been placed in. However, like everyone suggest, the libraries don’t like to reveal the client or placement.

I’ve only managed to work around this with one library and that’s only because I developed a relationship with the Manager of the library. I only ask about the higher paying broadcast licenses. Forget the small ones. I tend to google my artist name or youtube my artist name every now and then. Thats how I find out where a fraction of my placements are coming from. And even still, I don’t contact the company or individual that used my music.

[Advice]

BIG ROME said:

I recently had an argument with a site…

‘Nuff said about why.

[BIGG ROME]

Now we are on the same page, This placement was an upfront sync.
I just want it for my reel. I don’t understand, if I got the money, I would like to know what the placement at least.

My concern is this library may not be telling the truth on the actual fee and pocketing more. cause there is no paper trail given to me.

[BIGG ROME]

Take the money and run, is not, how I like to run my copyrights.

Maybe some of you don’t value your worth as high as I do.

You music could be used on something and you will never know, while someone else is pocketing the money. Cause you took the money and ran.

I would never contact a client and the argument was simply asking why keep the placement paper trail confidential, if you paid me.

[ypb2857]

Bigg Rome, I sympathize. You basically have three options:

1) Play super-nice guy, be friends with the library company, and schmooze until, as friends, they can be more casual about letting you know placement details.

2) Audit them, as your contract certainly allows for.

3) Wait for the PRO statement to show up. As stated above, it may or may not provide the detail you’re looking for. You can also go into the ASCAP/BMI databases to see if that cue has been registered by the library company or the production company, HOWEVER, sometimes they get bundled into newly named collections of cues so you won’t necessarily find the details on the placement.

Speaking personally, a library company that is sketchy about providing reasonable details after the deal has closed, is a company I would think twice about working with in the future. After all, they can’t survive without composers like me. (I know, I’m only one, but still.)

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