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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?
It is a liability to disclose that information.
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.
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…:)@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?+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.Guys…take the money and run. Be happy.
BIG ROME said:
I recently had an argument with a site…
‘Nuff said about why.
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.)