[composer]

I would send a reel of your best work, regardless of whether the tracks are signed or unsigned. Just let them know whether the tracks are available.

I send unsigned tracks if I have them and they are just strong and suitable for the pitch as my signed tracks, and I have had tracks signed from the demo.

[composer]

bump

[composer]

Thanks, Art.

Also, a related question… What’s the estimated dollar threshold for following up. If a primetime network placement cue sheet is not filed, I would certainly follow up. If a cable placement that will pay $5 is missed, I would let it go. Where is the line?

I’ve been at this long enough to have a pretty good sense (at least a general range) of what a placement will pay.

By the way, in my experience the good network placement cue sheets always get filed and usually on time. It tends to be the low paying placements that get missed.

[composer]

My “artist” tracks (music that plays on Pandora, sells on iTunes, et. al.) are registered with Soundexchange.
I have never registered my production music tracks with Soundexchange. Am I missing out on royalties for these tracks? (I know BMI pays for Hulu and Netflix.)
Thanks for any information.

[composer]

So, if the files are identical, Tunesat won’t be able to tell you which library placed the track.

[composer]

You do not need to upload the track to Tunesat twice. It detects the track, not the title.

[composer]

Why would you resign from your PRO? What’s the upside? It doesn’t make any sense to me.

[composer]

http://www.bmi.com/distribution/letter/569791

The policy is explained briefly in the third paragraph of this letter from BMI.

It seems to me (and I could be wrong, please let me know) that they are redistributing the wealth: greater payments to shows with better ratings, smaller payments to shows with poorer ratings. I don’t see any evidence that the total pool of money has changed. Has anyone has seen that information?

[composer]

$500-1000 per minute is a range that I hear from my friends in the video game industry.

For indie films, I don’t know if there’s an answer.

At the PMA conference last fall, Jeff Beal said that one option when the music budget is not adequate is to negotiate to keep all rights to your music. You can then try to exploit the music in other ways – use it in other projects, pitch it to libraries, sell downloads, etc.

[composer]

So, is the same pool of money being distributed differently? Or is there a change in the overall amount of money distributed for TV placements?

Or, in other words, will our royalties increase for shows with more viewers and decrease for shows with fewer viewers?

Thanks for sharing this information.

[composer]

You should be paid every time it airs.

[composer]

My experience:
I’m waiting on Fuse News 2013Q3 as well.
History Channel is usually on time.
Telemundo royalties are low.
Scripps, ugh.

[composer]

Thanks for this information, especially information about LicenseQuote.

I’m curious to know if composers with tens or hundreds (not thousands) of tracks on LicenseQuote are having enough success there to justify their time setting it up, and the expense.

[composer]

I agree completely with Advice. If you can get placements yourself, by all means do it! But I’ve decided my time is better spent producing music, researching which companies would be best equipped to represent it, and working toward signing music with these companies. That’s already a big job.

I do consider whether I’d be wise to devote a certain portion of my time (10 hours a week) to working toward licensing my music directly. Open question. So far, I’ve not decided to do this. Only so many hours in a week.

[composer]

Thanks for this information, Art. I have recent Tunesat promo detections on a different network. If they don’t appear on my statement, I’ll contact BMI and follow up on this.

[Author]

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