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Then do the above suggestion with Imagem production music…
http://www.imagempm.com/UK/libraries/Here’s a quick tip:
Go to APM’s site, or similar, and look at all of their labels (on APM they call them ‘libraries’). Pick the ones which you think your music would fit. Go through them all until you find a contact – not all of them will have a contact, but some of them will. I got started like this myself. Some of them will be labels of other big libraries, e.g. KPM is actually under EMI. But you will find some this way.
Can you clarify – do you mean they want to ‘own’ the copyright and you will not have your writer’s share in either broadcast or mechanicals?
Although both broadcast and mechanicals are unlikely in this instance (which makes it even more ridiculous if that’s what they’re asking) it’s absolutely absurd to grant that to anyone, any entity, ever, unless you’re flat out desperate for some cash. Never give up the writer’s share.
But maybe this isn’t what they mean by owning the copyright so I’ll hold fire.
Also, you say they are a government department so their budget is low? Everybody says their budget is low. Let me repeat this.
Everybody says their budget is low.
And the government’s budget is low? Didn’t they just borrow another 4 hundred million million million billion? 😉 I’m kidding but you know.
On the other hand, $1000 for a first gig is excellent – I got $0 on my first gig and my name spelled wrong in the credits. But it’s only excellent if you don’t have to ‘give up the copyright’.
As Mark says a license in perpeuity is better – and normal. If they want exclusivity on that and you’re willing to give it to them for $1000 then that’s fine too. But not giving up your interest in the work. You should always at a minimum retain your writer’s share 50% of total royalties, EVEN with an exclusive license in perpetuity!
Glad to help energyflow. That’s one of the things that makes this place so great. I wish you the best with other deals.
Also – one thing: a positive to take away from this is that someone out there thinks they can make some money with your music… that’s a good sign even if their deal sucks and you walk away!
There are hundreds of libraries on this site that will promote your music domestically and internationally and offer you 50/50 on all income. Ditch these people and get a better deal with a better library. That is my advice.
Never get hung up on a library just because they are talking to you. There are so many better ones.
Also, ANY deal where you get 0% of a synch if it’s over or under a certain amount is INSANITY! Like FMS said on his blog, just think how that incentivizes them!
Never thought I’d say this a few years back but DI is right on the money. That’s excellent advice.
And also, all these deals are negotiable – it’s not a US hostage situation, it’s just a library of WAV files.
Good luck and let us know what happens. I would ask for a) the terms I want and think are reasonable and b) more clarity in the contract wording.
This is really cool! Thanks also for sharing. I am really impressed with the sample libraries as well. I’d never heard of the company and am now checking them out.
This isn’t just unfair in my view, I find it insulting. 0% sync fee and they’re looking at big placements, as you say, with Nike, Apple etc. That could be $2k on one sync of which you get nothing.
I would never sign a deal like this with any library. You should always retain some % of sync and your 100% writer’s performing share.
Hell I’m starting to think about starting my own library and offering double what they have – with a synch fee % – just to stop them getting away with this.
As for opening up doors. Everytime I was told that in my career I got a raw deal in the end. The times people treated me decently were the ones that turned into successes. The only doors that get opened with this kind of deal – in my experience – are the bank’s doors for the library owner.
Just hold on and think about this:
1. You write the album.
2. You get paid let’s say 10 x $100 = $1,000
3. The library – do you expect them to sit around and not try to make that back and then some?
4. What if just one track, just one track gets picked just once, for a Nike spot – $2k…
5. Over 5 years 6 of the tracks are licensed at an average of $2k each…No way.
Haha, fair enough. Yea, best to get advice from a trustworthy accountant. Maybe we should have put that and closed the thread hahaha!
Just going on the advice of two accountants who told me the above.
The PRS even has a special line about being VAT registered, which they say is due on UK income only.
Also on contracts with KPM and the like they have a pre formatted page for arranging VAT with them if you are VAT registered. If you receive royalties or synch fees in excess of £81k from KPM in a year you need to be VAT registered. That’s what I heard..
Denis / Mark,
I’m not sure if you’ve spoken to an accountant but that is incorrect advice for the UK.
In the UK, any individual making over £81,000 in revenue in a tax year must legally register for VAT: https://www.gov.uk/vat-registration
This is not just for businesses, this is for individuals as well. The accountants I spoke to confirmed this. There are exemptions however.
Since it is very complicated my advice is to speak to an accountant for your respective countries in the EU.
This side of VAT is nothing to do with the business making the sales on your behalf – it’s on your income regardless of VAT being paid by the business. Get an accountant if you’re worried. Mine told me that anyone from an individual to a business must become VAT registered if they make over x revenue per year, provided that that revenue is from within the EU. Again, ask an accountant.
No, I absolutely wouldn’t accept that deal. I’d rather take my time writing cues for a library which gets me good results and I keep my full PRO share.
I mean, admittedly, I’m sure there are some circumstances under which I’d give up my PRO share… like if they had my family hostage and were threatening to kill them, or if I had to get my pregnant wife to hospital and it would clear the traffic on the way (though I’d only go down to 35% in this case).
It is absolutely unacceptable to give up any part of the writer’s share in my view. No compromises for anyone or anything.
I have quite a lot of royalties that come from the US to my PRS distributions. It takes about 6 months from the date of the US distribution to get mine from the PRS.
Which US PRO are your tracks registered with?
I personally wouldn’t recommend signing up to an intermediary. Everyone wants a cut.