How much to charge for synch rights? at DVinfo.net

Rafal Krolik · June 4th, 2004, 04:05 PM

I have a friend who's a singer and lately has been getting more and more popular. I spoke with his manager and are now trying to figure out how to market some of his songs it to let's say Joe Videographer who wants to use it in a wedding video. What I want to do is sell sync rights for a specific ammount of copies and NOT an all out royalty free. If any of you have any experiance with this sort of dealings, I would appreciate some guidance.

Dylan Couper · June 5th, 2004, 12:27 AM

For what it's worth, I paid $50 for royalty free use of the last piece of no-name music I needed.

Law Tyler · June 5th, 2004, 02:02 PM

Hmm... I haven't thought of that... since most of us don't have friends who are getting more famous as singers.

But come to think of it, you can probably get rights to the specific recarding he/she is making, but not to the creator or composition rights w/o involving the big boys. The only way out of the latter would be if you or he write that particular song.

Hah! Another monopolistic scam, these lawyer/big corporation types using the law to oppress the masses. Gee, and we all thought we live in a democracy where government is a servant of the people.

I am not saying we should violate the composer's rights, but that the law should create reasonable avenue at the prevailing rate for somebody to obtain rights. If the composer or his company refused to create that avenue solely because of "being a jerk" and not because they objected to the way his composition will be used, then the government/courts should refused enforce that composer's copyright.

Chris Hurd · June 5th, 2004, 06:01 PM

Yes, the masses are heavily oppressed by attorneys. I should have complete access to your body of work to use for my own purposes. There should be a law that says whatever is yours, is mine as well to use however I see fit. There's a name for the economic system where I get to share whatever you own, but I forgot what it is. But I agree with you that the rights of creative individuals to oversee how their material is used by the masses is a gigantic monopolistic scam. After all, it's the same legal nonsense that keeps me from borrowing your car whenever I feel like it. We should be able to sue these creative jerks into letting us use their work however we see fit... but wait, we'll need a lawyer for that! And everybody knows that all attorneys are very bad people.

Getting back to Rafal's question, that's a type of sync rights called "needle drop" rights. A lot of the better licensed music is available that way and it should be a fairly clear cut process to do that; just a matter of marketing the work. Plenty of agencies specialize in this sort of representation.

Law Tyler · June 5th, 2004, 07:06 PM

Chris, did you miss the two conditions stated? #1 I will gladly pay the prevailing rate. #2 I can use it unless you object to it because of the way it would be used (like if you don't want it to be used in a political ad, or porno film, etc).

So, to answer your question, if you pay me the prevailing rate (set by me with economical influence from market), and I do not object to the way you will be using it, then, be my guest.

Now, would you and your big corporate pals kindly do the same? :-)

Rafal Krolik · June 7th, 2004, 08:29 AM

Thanks guys. I did some additional research on the topic and found few places which sell managed rights to use music, some of those even have calculators which will give you a quote based on the specific way in which you plan on ussing the composition. I guess that will be my starting model for now and if he gets BIG, well, maybe at that time the price will go so high that I can get a lawyer or an industry experienced guru to handle the best price.

June 5th, 2004, 06:01 PM	#4
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	Yes, the masses are heavily oppressed by attorneys. I should have complete access to your body of work to use for my own purposes. There should be a law that says whatever is yours, is mine as well to use however I see fit. There's a name for the economic system where I get to share whatever you own, but I forgot what it is. But I agree with you that the rights of creative individuals to oversee how their material is used by the masses is a gigantic monopolistic scam. After all, it's the same legal nonsense that keeps me from borrowing your car whenever I feel like it. We should be able to sue these creative jerks into letting us use their work however we see fit... but wait, we'll need a lawyer for that! And everybody knows that all attorneys are very bad people. Getting back to Rafal's question, that's a type of sync rights called "needle drop" rights. A lot of the better licensed music is available that way and it should be a fairly clear cut process to do that; just a matter of marketing the work. Plenty of agencies specialize in this sort of representation. __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

June 4th, 2004, 04:05 PM	#1
Rafal Krolik Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Milwaukee, Wi Posts: 160	How much to charge for synch rights? I have a friend who's a singer and lately has been getting more and more popular. I spoke with his manager and are now trying to figure out how to market some of his songs it to let's say Joe Videographer who wants to use it in a wedding video. What I want to do is sell sync rights for a specific ammount of copies and NOT an all out royalty free. If any of you have any experiance with this sort of dealings, I would appreciate some guidance.

June 5th, 2004, 12:27 AM	#2
Dylan Couper Wrangler Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia Posts: 8,314	For what it's worth, I paid $50 for royalty free use of the last piece of no-name music I needed. __________________ Need to rent camera gear in Vancouver BC? Check me out at camerarentalsvancouver.com

June 5th, 2004, 02:02 PM	#3
Law Tyler Major Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Plano, TX Posts: 204	Hmm... I haven't thought of that... since most of us don't have friends who are getting more famous as singers. But come to think of it, you can probably get rights to the specific recarding he/she is making, but not to the creator or composition rights w/o involving the big boys. The only way out of the latter would be if you or he write that particular song. Hah! Another monopolistic scam, these lawyer/big corporation types using the law to oppress the masses. Gee, and we all thought we live in a democracy where government is a servant of the people. I am not saying we should violate the composer's rights, but that the law should create reasonable avenue at the prevailing rate for somebody to obtain rights. If the composer or his company refused to create that avenue solely because of "being a jerk" and not because they objected to the way his composition will be used, then the government/courts should refused enforce that composer's copyright.

June 5th, 2004, 07:06 PM	#5
Law Tyler Major Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Plano, TX Posts: 204	Chris, did you miss the two conditions stated? #1 I will gladly pay the prevailing rate. #2 I can use it unless you object to it because of the way it would be used (like if you don't want it to be used in a political ad, or porno film, etc). So, to answer your question, if you pay me the prevailing rate (set by me with economical influence from market), and I do not object to the way you will be using it, then, be my guest. Now, would you and your big corporate pals kindly do the same? :-)

June 7th, 2004, 08:29 AM	#6
Rafal Krolik Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Milwaukee, Wi Posts: 160	Thanks guys. I did some additional research on the topic and found few places which sell managed rights to use music, some of those even have calculators which will give you a quote based on the specific way in which you plan on ussing the composition. I guess that will be my starting model for now and if he gets BIG, well, maybe at that time the price will go so high that I can get a lawyer or an industry experienced guru to handle the best price.