How Do Composers Get Paid?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.ค. 2018
- Many thanks to Trevor Morris, Paul Thomson and Dru Masters for their valid and vital contributions.
Links below:
ALL YOU NEED IS 1,000 “TRUE FANS”: kk.org/thetechnium/1000-true-f...
The Secret DJ: www.roughtrade.com/gb/books/t...
Hot Ones!: • Charlize Theron Takes ...
Those abysmal Paul brothers:
/ jakepaulproductions
/ @loganpaulvlogs
…and a good youtuber who pushes merch heavily: / sxephil - เพลง
From a business standpoint one of the key components is control.
I want control over licensing, music and streaming sales, but also my brand. In a changing landscape control is the leverage that is going to allow you to pivot and readjust. Without the rights to your work, you can't do that. So for me, whatever I do, I need to hold on to that so that when things and times change, and they always do, I can be in the right place doing the right thing. This is why selling licenses to the usage of my music seems like one of the few models that make holistic sense.
I’m in the US and I’ve actually made more royalties when the docs I scored played in India and Scandinavia than in US!
A video about your entrepreneurial spirit, or 'how and why a stressed composer decided to start a profitable industry-leading sample library company' would be fascinating to watch from you, Christian.
I 2nd that.
I feel like this could become a podcast series in and of itself, separate from the vlog!
Absolutely. And it points to the idea that probably most composers have to diversify as much as possible -whatever that might mean to you..
Genius. Enough said.
Except one more thing: I was fortunate to be part of a “semi-successful” group in the past. Last year our songs were streamed about 33,000 times on Spotify. Not much, but while in the past, that meant about $6,000 to our publishing company through radio royalties, those streams didn’t even meet the $50 minimum payout to our PayPal account.
I weep for the future of career musicians everywhere.
Wow....that is f’d up!
Also worth adding, in light of the highly competitive nature of the industry you describe, it shouldn't go unnoticed how generous it is of you to describe to others (in one perspective, your fellow competitors) how to maximise their income - in doing so, you are of course aware that you're enabling them to directly compete with you personally. I guess one would hope that the pot is large enough so as to not create such overlap and competition, but I can't judge that, not being in this industry myself. But informing upcoming composers which sorts of advertisements will earn them the most, when you yourself may well currently be doing likewise, is a particularly selfless act, that deserves recognition and appreciation.
True in a way but you just have to consider the benefits of being generous. Many people will follow the channel, look at Spitfire even more seriously, be aware enough to ask for more and educate others, and be more willing to be part of this discussion. It actually does way more good than bad even just for Christian himself. It is at the very least solid modern marketing. His "merch" is more than a t shirt for sure. The fact that it is more than that is important though because otherwise the videos wouldn't be this good. So it's a win win for all of us for sure. That is why I love the channel and I'm sure others agree.
Anders Link I can’t agree more. I’ve always seen Spitfire as just one of the “high-priced” options out there. But these great videos have broadened my awareness of Spitfire, which has led me to explore their LABS offerings, and I’ve now even purchased some of their lower-priced libraries. (Money that, in the past, would have gone to Heavyocity or some other popular sample maker.) Sharing is good for business.
Christian! This is a wonderfully generous thing you’ve got going with these videos. To draw back the curtain on topics that were generally kept under covers in the past is extremely enlightening, especially to those just starting out. Thank you!
THIS WAS SO GOOD, AND SO SPOT ON!!
Great vid thanks for taking the time to put it out there, and all valid points ! Thanks again !
Great video Christian! Thanks for this!
So good!!! Inspiring and lots to consider for the future. Thanks Christian.
I may never get to meet or work with you but I am glad and thankful that you were willing to make this video, not to mention Dru and Trevor. Nevertheless, having a small map of the current landscape helps to make changes and provides the means to pivot and carve out a small niche. Thank you to all.
Wow, Christian, so informative and timely. Chock full of wisdom. Thanks so much.
Great insight! thanks for sharing
Yet another fantastic down to earth video.
Great video on such a vast issue.. good job!
I absolutely agree with that closing statememt, we all need to look at our own brand and think like musical entrepreneurs.
The music industry peddles the illusion that it has been of, for, and by musicians and artists, when that just plain isn't the "simple" truth. Those that are successful to any degree are those that have (whether they are conscious of this or not) wielded entrepreneurship to some degree and kept their mind on both facets of their career: working in the business, and working ON their business.
There is a great podcast put out by Brian Hood and Chris Graham that discusses a lot of business strategies and acumen and even just life skills for developing entrepreneurial mindset.
The Six Figure Home Studio Podcast. Worth a listen.
Thank you so much for this video Christian, personally I think this is the most valuable content we can ask for especially because this is rarely discussed among composers (even less between experienced composers and newcomers).
I would love to see this evolve into a some kind of "series" where more profesional composers also share their thoughts and their experiences. If possible it will be awesome to include profesionals in different areas (like library work or video games) and also from different regions! (like Asia or Latin America).
Again, we can't thank you enough for starting these discussions or rather keep them going. Thanks!
So glad I found this channel.
great and thought provoking.
Great video, thank you.
Awesome video,thanks.
I've recorded a load of my orchestral music at Abbey Road with the best musicians in the world, am just starting to get my feet under the table, and everyone I know says "oh wow you must be doing really well", but I approach royalty pay-day with crossed fingers just praying that it will be ok. It's brutal.
Despite all my spreadsheets, book-keeping and general good business practices, I still have no idea how much I'm going to earn each quarter due to upfront fees being so scandalously small (especially for a new guy like me) and royalties being a bit of a lottery. I do wonder sometimes if that is a life I want to live, or if I'd just be better off going back to a career with a salary, pension, healthcare. Will keep fighting the good fight for fair remuneration!
Yes. Keep fighting Rob. I have been fighting for over 30 years in all shapes of audio, music and post audio for film. And I will say too, that in the past 10 years or so, I have realized one major advantage to those dry royalty months. I have a great wife with a steady, well paying gig. :-)
Amen to that. When I first met my girlfriend she said "Do music, I'll earn the money, you can be my kept man." Fairly sure it was meant to be a bit of flirty banter but I've held her to it and we just got engaged ;) Certainly helps that she's a fabulous musician who appreciates what I do!
Congrats. ❤️
It is an outrage IMHO. I long for those days were The Beatles would just lock themselves into Abbey Road for five years and live off the music.
there not the best in the world lol
Christian, this is great...thank you. One thing I'd like to humbly point out though is that there are many of us down here in the minor leagues who are struggling just to get decent project fees for jobs that don't even pay royalties...i.e. regional commercials, podcasts, industrials, small documentaries, etc. Fees are drying up more and more with a proclivity toward cheap/free library music. In addition, I'm hearing more and more library music placement by editors, directors, etc. in the industry who don't know jack about the synergy of music & story. Therefore mediocrity is becoming more and more the accepted norm by many (not all by any means) in mediums like commercials, youtube ads, political ads, etc.
I had a radio show where I talked about this consistently as well as having given presentations on the benefits of using a composer. Honestly though, it's been an uphill battle.
It'd be nice if you could do a video that addresses this more in depth for us little people as I think we are probably the majority of your viewers (and Spitfire customers :).
Cheers! DW
very important!
Excellent video Christian!
Here here Drew Masters (Christian & Paul)! The nail on the head.. we cannot allow these big companies like Apple, YT, Spotify, Netflix etc.. to dictate our future income. PRS, ASCAP, BMI these mediators are absolutely REQUIRED in this industry atm. Otherwise.. you may as well hire your own firing quad and buy the bullets! I agree Christian.. we need better ownership of our outlets with more emphasis on our art and more value on our products and hard work. If that involves better branding and merch "which is interesting" then it's probably.. the future!
This is very generous. I hope you will directly address Spitfire's success and explain it relative to the challenges of a working composer.
"Where progress lies is opportunity" Great quote
Wow this was amazing, I thought it was just me. This was very informative as well.
Thank you, Christian.
One of the things I love about your vlog is that as a non-composer, or just a hobbyist at least, is that insights can be extrapolated so readily to other walks of life, certainly to mine. Of course I don't have the issues with the changing landscape of royalty fees you describe, but I have direct parallels in my line of work and entirely share the paranoia of the fragility of the value of one's experience disappearing overnight, and the angst that sitting on the beach for the 5th day creates. Your vlog on whether, at mid-life to branch out into a media career was so insightful, for composers certainly, but the observations were universal, and similarly I got this sense watching Hans Zimmer's masterclass; this one is very much along these lines, and I'm really grateful for your fascinating and often sobering perspective that I enjoy applying your insights to, outside of music. Keep it up Christian, and thank you.
2 of the most satisfying things in this awesome video are: 1-the perfect horizontal horizon at the begining of the video; 2- the perfect horizontal horizon at the end of the video. It had to be said. Thank you for this.
Phil Rey Gibbons thanks for noticing, one of the pluses of 4K is you can rotate and scale without it looking crappy. I try to resist but whenever possible my inner Wes does tend to infiltrate. C x
Christian. I totally get it. I think if had been in the Titanic with my iPhone back then (!), I would have had at heart to keep this horizon perfectly horizontal sitting on my iceberg (or sinking) in the middle of the chaos.. Hard to explain.. Thank you for NOT resisting btw ;)
thank you.
🎉🎉🎉
14:23 Sweet tie!!
Damn I need a “washing powder” gig! 😂
For me a government video about CO2 was my biggest earner!
Great point about income being offloaded onto backend (PRO's). And it makes me wonder, with every production entity under the sun offloading the cost of music onto ASCAP, BMI & PRS, at what point does the same amount of PRO money being divided up amongst millions more cues diminish the royalty rate going to composers/publishers, and is there a point where networks just have to pay much more in PRO blanket fees upfront to help prop up the system, or do we soon reach a point of unsustainability. Basically, is there a rescue on the horizon in the form of PRO's charging much higher blanket fees to broadcasters to remedy the fact that broadcasters are dropping their music budget line into the laps of the PRO's.
Best channel ever!
21:09: "...the suspicion of samples and how that's going to impact on live musicians, and it did, but in ways that are very surprising" - would love to hear a future vlog in which you expand on this Christian - you are uniquely positioned to do so.
I kind of tackle it here: th-cam.com/video/SexWUNbawpM/w-d-xo.html but if there is a headline "but in ways that are very surprising" sampling added a new income stream for many musicians and that was Spitfire sampling sessions and the royalties they earn from them!
Very interesting. Thanks for all the info from all your videos. By the way, what is the new lav mic are you using?
Absolutely fascinating video, Christian, and also (in my view anyway) an inspiring call-to-arms. As creators of IP in an industry where the 'product' is intangible, yet part of the very essence of what it means to be human, we are at a tipping point - if we don't want to find ourselves in the musical post-apocalypse that Dru described, we need to become a truly collaborative tribe as well as entrepreneurs.
I agree, I have noticed in our elders an inability to accept that there are other composers of any worth out there, its like they're in direct competition, possibly born of a time when say in the UK we'd make half a dozen films a year and that was it. I think the more we come together as a community the better chance we'll have.
Oh, and thanks for the book tip; just bought it. DJing is my background (since the early '90s) - I can't believe I didn't already know about that one!
Completely off topic: Christian your new years resolution is paying off. Granted I don't think you looked bad before but you look well for it! Keep up the healthy life and keep up creating great content!
I 100% agree with you. To clarify though most of Hot Ones! music is as you described. But once in a blue moon they do ask for original music for a scene to be scored... once in a blue moon =(
Ratings of the show, in the USA, also affects the payout. i have had 2 tracks used a highlight music on Football Night In America (NBC) for over a decade. High ratings ( means higher advert rates) means that the 3 or 4 minutes they play per week during the season pays much higher than some other tracks i have also had on NBC that do not get the same ratings. 3 or 4 times higher.
Yes in America our upfront fees use to be way more in the 90’s and early 2000’s. Our royalties use to be the icing on the cake and now in most cases we rely on our loyalties to pick up the slack of the low upfront fees.
This always scares the crap out of me. Only just got my feet under the table in the last few years; and now wondering how long it can last.
jayandgem haha, thats pretty much the plan!
You all did a great job of covering the big points of this in a clear and approachable way. One of the biggest shocks to the system will likely be how we see royalties diminish as everything moves to a streaming format. It's just a completely different reality than traditional broadcast, and it's hard to tell if it simply isn't quite rationalized yet or if this is just a much more accurate, 1:1 way of equating royalties to actual views. I personally think the rates aren't where they should be yet for streaming, and certainly not for something like TH-cam.
Ever more, those who survive and thrive will have additional skill sets, and will be extraordinarily entrepreneurial. Possibly, collaborative environments, where many contribute to a creative product (vs. one creative force) will be required to produce quality at volume, while adding to brain trust. Otherwise, we're in a position where having to wear so many hats naturally takes it's toll on creativity/craftsmanship/mastery.
The mixed farming analogy is very important. There's the great story about Schwarzenegger, who built up wealth in construction and real estate before he ever had success as an actor. This allowed him tremendous freedom to go after the work he wanted, and be much more strategic in his career. As creative people, we need to figure out multiple income streams so that we can enjoy some averaged-out stability, even if it is just a reasonable buffer. The upside to this is that if you can manage this, then you'll have greater creative freedom, can be more strategic and choosy, and get out of the reactionary, employee mindset.
I expect you to do a documentary. Great style.
This video is as relevant as ever and I wonder if there is a more recent update? (Feb 6-2023) P.S. how’s everyone’s tshirt business doing??🙂
Timely video. I'm about to go into 3rd year as a composition undergrad and it's taken me until last night to come to terms with the fact that I haven't failed if I don't manage to make money when I graduate.
I would say it will take 10 years to make money purely off composition so create a business career plan that is not only a means of covering living expenses but an end to the means, assisting composers is great because you earn, you learn, and it can lead to you becoming a fully fledged composer.
That would be way of making a living whilst still getting some education - thanks for the advice!
I'm late to the party, but I agree 100% with this whole video. I'm not even a composer, but I've been around the media industry for a long while. It seems like as things move forward, people are relying more and more on luck than anything. Luck isn't a way to make a living.
I think perhaps we've been trying to create a sense of value for our product at the wrong people. The people looking to fund a movie or game are people who look at potential public interest. They hire Tom Cruise because he draws in a crowd. So the value of his product isn't his acting, it's how well he can get an audience to look at him. For us composers, this means we have to master the art of drawing in a crowd as well. That way we're not trying to please distributors or other big money, they're trying to please us because we bring in the crowd.
Bringing in that crowd may not even come from our music at all. It might be our personalities, our brand, our merch, or anything else you can think of really. Probably a combination of everything. Bring the crowd and the people looking to invest in the next movie/game/show will come to you. That's a much better position to negotiate from.
Like Guy Mitchelmore. It's his personality and the way he does his show that draws me in more than the content as such. As a subscriber I watch more of the episodes with content I am not interested in because of his delivery.
My solution to TH-camrs not using composers has been to write my own music/score for my own videos... Thank god I have a full time job because so far it's proven itself to be a terrible financial solution considering the views I get! :P
How much should we get paid for a 2 min TV advertisement composition ?
Relevant topic, to maximize royalties the cue sheet is critical for film and TV composers....... set up a publishing entity with your PRO and best case scenario do a sync license and own or split publishing with production company.....I have been scoring indie films part time for about 8 years and I agree I made more upfront pay in the beginning as my films got bigger it gets harder as I bump up against the industry trends the OP mentioned.....I thought with netflix and the big surge of original content with new media programming that composers would be more in demand and better pay but the market is saturated with libraries and people doing music , etc, it’s a strange time......I know that in the USA , Hollywood the most recent trend in indie low to mid budget is not only low no pay upfront but some composers are investing in the film as well to get the job.....if an A list name is attached the return is formula driven so doesn’t matter if the film is good or bad the royalties will flow....back to original point backend is more important than ever
Great video Christian. My opinion is simple and true. It's simply a music supply and demand issue all across the world especially in the US and Europe. We all love music but the reality is there is just too much of it floating around in all shapes and forms. Now in 2019, directors and producers can go online or on a cellphone and review all kinds of FREE music which of course, will get them to think 'why do I need to pay a composer when I can just chop this piece up for free?'. So, what do we as composer's and music producers do? Sure, we can strike, yup, all 657,546,890 of us film composer's in the world could strike but it's not gonna mean a darn thing if Zimmer, Elfman, Williams, Newman, Jackman and the other 10-15 top dogs don't join in. Let's say all composer's unite and the strike is on. Hmm, I wonder though, would the top 10-15 be willing to share some of their wealth with the lower tier earning composer's to keep them from accepting all the ridiculously low paying gigs that directors will be throwing at them during the strike? I think not, at least not on planet earth, maybe planet Nowhere, but not earth. So if the strike is not an option, then what is? What I suggest to all film composer's seeking big budget projects, streams of cash for doing fun work for a living, and fame from press notoriety is this: 1. Come to grips with the understanding that while we may want to make music for a living, the reality is it needs to be considered a 'hobby' that MIGHT be able to bring in a little cash here and there. 2. DON'T QUIT YOUR DAY JOB. 3. DONT QUIT YOUR DAY JOB. 4. As a composer, I get extremely frustrated at times while working in an office for someone else all while feeling like a Lion trapped in a cage at a Zoo, yes, in an office 8 hours a day rather than ruling my creative canvas like a Lion ruling the plains, but when I leave work, I'm able to drive a CAR, to my HOUSE, and EAT DINNER with my FAMILY who has BEDS to sleep on, then go downstairs to my STUDIO with EQUIPMENT that allows me to actively engage in my HOBBY of film composing, all paid for with income from the Zoo, I mean Job, not income from film composing. 5. So, DONT QUIT YOUR DAY JOB. Take it from me, and look at the alternative to my points: you may be married or in a relationship, you quit your day job thinking you're going to get a number of PAYING projects a year, that quickly proves wrong, now your broke, now your stressed beyond belief, now your taking it out on your family, now your no longer married or in that relationship, now your job hunting in the same field you quit from, but you still wanna create music, then you get that day job, your praising God, your promising yourself not to make this mistake again, you change your mindset to Jamie's first point of coming to grips with film composing being a hobby not something I can plan to live off of, She takes you back, your not stressed about it anymore, your now paying it forward by offering fist hand advice to others. Too much music in the world is never a bad thing except for when you want to be paid for it, plain and simple.
OMG. Wow. That is one of the most refreshingly blunt, honest and sobering assessments of the current state of the composing world from the mind of a serious practitioner. Mega-thanks.
Regardless of the widely varied musical content and stylistic worlds in which one may feel comfortable, the hard reality is that the business aspect of music has rarely been terribly secure or satisfying for the vast majority of musicians with a need or talent to compose.
With your permission, may I copy this (your reply above), with your attribution, for my composition students? It is very powerfully stated and rings with the voice of experience. (If yes, would you object were I to change a few "your" to "you're" where necessary?)
Warm regards!
@@emersongeorge4560 Thanks Emerson (i'm replying from my wife's computer). Yes, you're welcome to use my take for your class (and please do change those yours to you're as my English major wife always corrects me on that). Also, I created a little video series with a somewhat humorous take about being a film composer and the frustrations of a film composer and you're welcome to use those videos for your class as well. Here is the 1st episode th-cam.com/video/60_iJ7IMKes/w-d-xo.html and you can find the rest of the episode from links at the end of each episode.
Thank you for the uplifting sermon my good man
You want a constant income stream? Become a zumba instructor. That fitness fad will never die. You have to hire your own hall, have your own sound & lighting equipment but once you have grown a certain number of loyal zumba attendees you are pretty much set.
(Having only just found this video) I'm interested in knowing how things gave moved on now it's August 2020?
I've been making a very modest income from music (mostly performing but some trickling royalties from songwriting and composing) for about 15 years.
Ive got say, and I know you've skimmed the surface of this before, I'd welcome any number of videos shedding light on the processes surrounding the minefield that is PRS & PPL. I manage and check my accounts myself and I constantly feel like Im shooting in the dark trying to make sure I have the correct bases covered for possible future distribution. If there are any tips you can offer the small time composer that doesn't get much published by major companies, then they would be grateful received!
Fantastic and honest video, thank you. However... Not one note of music in the production eh? ;)
Those of us who write our own songs and use companies such as Distrokid, etc. to distribute our music for streaming ... well ... a song needs about 1/4 million streams in a month to make a mere $1,200. This means the royalties are only a fraction of a cent/penny per stream, while Apple, Spotify, etc scoop up large percentages of the income. Basically, the musician is making SOMEONE ELSE rich. Not many can become a “Hans Zimmer”, who I’m sure is doing well. Is there any way for musicians and composers to regain financial ground? What is the answer to receiving a just recompense? What if this trend happened to Hollywood actors? Perhaps it’s simply the way the music industry is being controlled by greed, and it’s now a pessimistic lost cause for composers. This video provokes the question: how do we remain optimistic and fight back?
Elias Antonas
The “new model” that was supposed to make us all rich by cutting the evil middleman (the record companies) as turned into the worst deal. You get a tiny percentage of the monthly advertising revenue these companies earn ... but the pie no longer gets bigger, yet the number of participants keeps getting bigger and bigger ... and on a month where Taylor Swift releases a single and increase plays by millions, your share got that much smaller.
One would not ask a plumber or cook to work for free and get a second job making T-Shirts, mugs, or videos to stay in business. Yet, it has become a reality for a lot of musicians. Tragic.
Do composers have agents? How are they faring in these competitive times?
PlugInGuru is doing exactly the same thing you mentioned. He creates small sound packages with a price tag of USD 30 - 50 and sell them to his fans.
I wonder how many composers would still want to be composers, if they simply got paid by the hour, like, well, just about everyone else? As a designer, I can work for months on a movie, and it makes no financial difference to me whether it ends up a blockbuster hit, a sleeper hit, or a gelatinous bomb. At least composers have a ticket in the lottery game. Library, TV, syndication, smash hit... at least there's a CHANCE they'll benefit.
AND, you even have a union that chases your money for you.
Fantastic point. My wife is an interior architect and she says the same...slogs her guts out for a weekly wage and hands over plans for multi-million dollar projects...yet still gets paid the same. I am living off royalties at the moment so don't even have to get out of bed while she burns the midnight oil. In the composers defence though...this situation is extremely rare...and includes a large amount of luck. Mostly its busting a gut for peanuts. Cheers.
Thanks for the feedback and agreement. But I fear those, like dear Christian, on the MC side of the line will be feeling uncomfortable at the very suggestion. FWIW I've successfully scored five movies and collaborated on many Hollywood "blockbusters". No more. I'm a failed MC, surrounded by a heady mix of fantastically successful and (in contrast) suicidal (literally) MCs. So this is no giggle matter. Some of us have to pull back from following our bliss, out of sheer BS pragmatism. And it hurts so BAD.
Playing BDT and Tundra, with no client in sight,
It could be worse always. I’m disabled unable to work and am out of money. But it could still be worse.
Really interesting to hear your thoughts on royalties and revenue streams in general, and Trevor, Paul, and Dru's. You mentioned TH-camrs pushing merch, but the thing I've seen people pushing more than that is Patreon. Dru alluded to the old system of artist patronage, what are your thoughts on its new, distributed form?
You also mentioned about how while YT videos are scored, and that composers aren't part of that yet. I think that will change but as most video creators are figuring out production from first principles, it'll take time. The production values are only increasing, and from looking at the job postings for animators for videos, creators are realising that while they *can* do everything themselves, they will get a much better result if they pay a professional to it. The wealth of free-to-use library music means that it hasn't come around to composers yet but I think it'll only be a matter of time.
Oh, and enjoy your break!
Moray Macdonald I find this fascinating I have noticed a lot of Patreon pledge requests in the you tube music synth and modular gear review community
and I don’t agree with the premise that if you want to see more videos support me on patreon as the vloggers are going to vlog anyhow so it’s really just a way to market your self and do exclusives and try to make some extra money as we all know google pays very little for views....that’s a whole topic within itself
With technology now making all forms of creativeness so accessible I think only a tiny minority will make a living from any form of the arts in the future, not just music. A long way down the line if we follow the universal income model creatives may produce purely for recognition, perhaps.
I also did the same reflexion, i agree with you on the fact of a tiny minority will make money with their art
Cellist Tina Guo has some good videos on making money as a musician. She claimed she is a millionaire. So yes, not a composer but she has some useful ideas nonetheless.
Sounds like producers have pushed the risk (costs) onto people making the film. Not necessarily bad -- although IMHO it is -- but if risk goes up, reward should go up, so royalty rate should increase.
The paranoia affects all self entrepreneurs.
Join and use Adrev,upload your tracks to their site and they will track ALL uses of your music in any form on youtube with thei algorythm they are able to detrmine your songs and yu will gte paid.Tey are great and they pay by paypal direct deposit.
why did you re-upload the video? is something different? should I watch it again?
Lazeil I changed the last shot and added a text card.
Great insights, depressing and yet a very motivating talk - at least to me. On a completely different note (pun intended) why not take your family holiday in Vietnam next time? Amazingly cheap luxury resorts and if I’m in town I can give you a tour of the craziness that is Hanoi.
Would love to see a video on Article 13 from a musician's standpoint from Christian. Everything feels quite one-sided, only people crying about "their memes becoming illegal", but it'd really like to get a better idea of what it actually means for people like composers. Anyone have some articles or videos?
I’m looking for somebody to check my work I have good work
I am a composer based in Ireland is it worth signing up with PRS for a european PRO and also sign up with BMI to have a PRO in America?
In the USA the way it works is that BMI and ASCAP collect directly from the foreign PRO's and distribute the money to you. It might work that way in Ireland. Check your native PRO!
yes. If you have work that airs in both territories. The US PRO will collect faster than PRS for the US and vice versa.
Absolutely. Royalties are your rights. Just as much as copyrights on your work. You own these and you are the publisher. It's all we can say is ours when the music is released to the world.
IMRO can collect but it takes up to 9 months or longer sometimes! Sign up with BMI, and as far as I'm aware you can link your BMI number to IMRO and make their job collecting easier/quicker :)
Here's a picture: A farmer in a small village is making a good living out of his crops. Everyone's happy. One day a young farmer comes to the village. Talented but with less experience saying he will do the same at half the price. He won't break even but want to become a farmer and the villagers are all happy reducing their cost.
I'm not a music professional and make a proper income in my business, but I have very similar reality as you do. There's always a newcomer who wants your share and willing to dump the price.
So I guess, yes the buyers always wants the same quality for less, but you also have this internal competition... I might be wrong about how things work in the composing business?
Oh yes... and particularly after the collapse of the music (as in Pop / Rock / EDM) industry in the sense of record sales and revenue media composition has become all glam where it used to be the domain of the nerds and failed or recovering rock stars?
Damn those rock stars. I just made a superb slide very sound with lots of guts that should appeal a lot of those free-sound-surfing-television-producers. I'll probably make 1 euro out of it on the stock sound library.
By the way, I sat all video through thinking how interesting it can be: composers in tv and film seems to be dependent on copyright (?) but there's a lot of musicians (rock stars wannabes) that go crazy about the Ed Sheeran lawsuit (Marvin Gaye song). Going wild because about the lawsuit because even though the song is 99% identical the rock stars wannabes seem to think its more than ok because the lyrics/song melody is new. Such a contrast I mean. Not many defenders of copyright in that topic.
Which leads to another question: You rarely/never hear about copyright law infringements in film and tv music?
One should be able to be a musician and live off it. One should NOT have to become an actor, a garment designer or video maker to play and write music. Arguing otherwise is ludicrous and the death of music as a profession.
Your music is literally worthless if you give it away for free, or give it free along a paid T-shirt; and your making garment as a way to live, you are not living off your music.
The first principal of economics is “scarcity drives value”. The over abundance of music, and music distribution channels have diminished the need of consumers to value the products. $0.99 to listen to Spotify for three months, unlimited access. Guess who’s not eating tonight?
We have thousands of TV/Internet channels and 99% of them are unwatchable. Most don’t have the resources to create quality work, because everything is a quantity game.
Who cares if you have one great song or one great show, that pays nothing, so you need 10,000 crappy ones, because that pays. That’s how old music labels survive: old catalogs.
What the business plan? Volume!
I already long for the next thing.
Copyright laws are very important, looks to me like you were in favor of the chapter 13 that was part of the recently rejected European directive. You are right that defending the copyright is critical, but chapter 13 would not do that, would probably hit Google and Facebook but leave exposed a whole system of independent composers and musicians, publishers and even the software developers who work on Free software (Free, not gratis!). There must be a better way to reconcile the copyright with the real needs of performing artists.
I don't see how composers and musicians would have been negatively impacted by the adoption of article 13 - could you explain what you mean? It's encouraging that the directive isn't dead - it's just going to go through a bureaucratic process in EU parliament which will hopefully allow for the likes of BASCA and PRS, GEMA etc to put forward a string and cohesive case on behalf of songwriters and composers.
In June the article 13 was amended, I think the changes proposed ruined an otherwise decent proposal. But I'll try to get it by quoting the words on somebody else that I feel explain the problem better than I can: "A root cause of many of the problems with British and European legislation regarding the Internet is a failure to recognise that, in the meshed society it creates, the citizen can play roles previously reserved for the corporation. I can create published works, I can directly fund new ventures, I can build global-scale applications and so on." Here is the reference to the original article: webmink.com/2018/06/23/root-causing-regulatory-failure/ and here is a bit more of this discussion: meshedinsights.com/2018/06/25/article-13-an-existential-threat/ We can of course speak more about this, I honestly don't have a perfect solution, I agree that we need to protect the artists, but we need to realise that changes to the copyright regulations have impact outside this realm, so they need to be defined with a broader view of the issues. Btw, just to be clear, I'm not at all saying that Google and Facebook should not pay royalties.
Really interesting video, but actually dougs take on blockchain is very wrong. The tech makes it possible to fix a lot of the issues mentioned. I’m building something and in due time I’m sure Doug will come around when he sees it’s not only cash grabbers in that industry x
I don't get the Dru Masters 'screaming racist' line?
Our traditional London "black taxi cab" drivers tend to be white and incredibly right wing racists, very anti immigration and pro-Brexit. Whereas Uber drivers often tend to be from ethnic minorities.
How about this. How about ALL and I mean ALL composers & musicians stop making music for ALL those outlets like TV, FILM and video games,
and everything else in between.
I wonder what those outlets would do when they actually realize, they no longer have any more music for their products, TV, Show, Film and Video Games. and everything else in between.
Then and only then, we can actually fight for new laws to protect musicians & make sure they earn a decent living without being stiffeld out of money.
But hey, I guess that will never happen, so here we are continued to e abused as usual while the companies rake in the dough off musicians backs..
It's going the way of photography unfortunately...
Hi Christian, I seriously need help and would love your, and other composers, opinion. I have worked on a well known tv show for the past 11 years. This show now has its own TH-cam Channel which has attracted a total of over 1.1 billion views (!) The company responsible for managing the channel is making millions from advertising revenue (they bragged about it in an industry mag!). But I have been told to maybe expect nothing as the channel is 'managed'...despite the fact my music is wall-to-wall on every single episode. I can get no straight answers from anyone...even my collection society gives conflicting advice. And yet then I hear about some pop artist making $900K from 900 million views...and I have 1.1 billion views. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks. (PS The music is published...I get the usual 50%...but my publishers also don't seem to want to give a definitive answer...)
Ok this is something I'm seriously investigating.... see next vid.... HOWEVER! from my very basic research my presumption is 1m monetised views earns about $ 2-3k. This is to a channel owner, NOT, performance royalties to rights owners. So with very very basic math this channel has probably made 20-30k from ad revenue from their 1.1b views of this content, regardless of what they're bragging. Now if you take the fee that you were paid for this show vs the total budget, this may give you an idea of what you may be being screwed out of.... I reckon music budgets AT BEST are 1% of total budget (and when I say at best, most of these budgets go on sync) so by my fag packet reckoning you're owed about $200-$300 if you've not been paid anything from this revenue (which your collection agency should be paying you). THIS is why you're not getting the legal traction you feel you deserve... 1 billion on TH-cam is meagre. I would love to be corrected if I'm wrong.
Christian you are the first person to actually give me some kind of solid answer. Cheers mate.
Do you Need an Entertianment Attorney.. pros and cons.
16914 no and never, but happy to put this into a future ep... but in interim NEVER!
Christian Henson Music thanks I haven't so far but I am reading about contracts. I agree
The "get a thousand followers to pay you $100 a year" is called being an artist, not an MC. It's the old model of releasing albums and hoping people will buy them. The people I know who MAKE movies, generally want composers to start getting paid by the hour. Submit an estimate; do the work; submit an invoice. Just like the title designer, the set designer, the VFX team, the key grip, the sound guy, the lighting guy.
Somehow, music is considered sacrosanct and more important than the other creative aspects of a movie. Which sounds like bitterness on my part. And maybe it is. I've always been a designer. I moved sideways and scored five movies, but couldn't feed my family, so went back into the world of design. Same industry; different role. So here's my respectful question to you, Christian - who I hand-on-heart admire and follow and who represents a role model for me on so many levels - entrepreneur, artsist, presenter, giver of high-integrity value, hard worker, honest, funny, real -
"Why is the role of the musician held in higher esteem (ie. given the CHANCE to benefit from the SUCCESS of a project) than almost all the other hard-earned professions that craft the finished product?"
fiveshorts You make a really valid point about the musician (composers) being held in a different light to others. Not sure I'd use the words 'higher esteem' - it's just a different business model, and here's why IMO:
All the other roles in movie making you mentioned have an impact on the success of the movie, no doubt, but live only within the movie. That's to say, there is no revenue to be made outside of the movie. An audience can enjoy it during the movie, and then it's over. But the music can be a source of revenue due to airplay, streams etc. Think of the soundtrack to Greatest Showman currently smashing all records, consequently also generating more publicity to go see the movie, generating more box office revenue etc. Granted, it's a musical so it's going to be slightly weighted in favour of the music, but I think the general message is about the external contribution that the other professions can't give.
Studio Axent fair point with The Greatest Showman. But no one’s buying The Deadliest Catch soundtrack album. Or Great British Bake Off. Or the latest Toyota ad.
Yet the motion graphics, the branding, the cinematography, the editing on all of those, arguably contribute far more to their success as media product than the music.
I’ve done motion graphics and branding and editing for car commercials. I got paid $80/hr. The composer, I would imagine, is STILL receiving checks in the mail.
I know it sound like I’ve got a chip on my shoulder which would understandably generate some “well, then go be a composer then” responses. But that’s not my point. I think there’s a spectrum of relevancy of a score. But there’s never NO editing. Or no camera work.
Nor, btw, am I expecting the astounding Mr Henson to justify himself or his peers. I wanted to be a composer. I wanted that residual income for myself. I feel only sadness that I don't get to live the professional creative life he lives. I'm simply pointing out what I perceive to be an odd anomaly industry-wide. I still have to nurture relationships with directors and producers to win a job and be invited back. I'm still operating as an HoD. I have to spend huge amounts of money on gear and master it. I still have to meet crazy deadlines and action crazy notes. And I have to create something out of nothing that will make the piece work.
Where are my union residuals when I succeed in that?
As an internet entrepreneur and amateur composer I can say I very much respect composers' perspectives on Article 13, but this is something that was designed with Google and TH-cam in mind and would absolutely crush all small-company innovation on the internet. It is a good thing it was defeated. We need to work together to protect IP, in all its shapes, but also in a way that allows innovation on the web and social media to continue
I love the art of crafting music but this has made me feel really down. Seems the music industry is a horrible fucking mess full of greedy sharks. We are expected to pour our hearts and emotions into our product then just give it away. Well bend me over my fully weighted keyboard and fuck the seven bells of shit out of me, I’m not interested anymore I’ll do it just for my own personal love of music creation. The whole system needs a rethink by some youthful entrepreneurs to ensure composers get paid for their amazing creations. If I’m gonna get fucked, at least buy me lunch.
35 years making and recording music , never been paid once
The biggest problem in the rapidly-approaching future for pretty much everybody is going to be AI. Sounds ridiculous right? AI couldn't compose could it? AI will completely transform society in the next 20-30 years - in every sector. There's currently a global arms race to develop super-AI and bear in mind computers are currently a million times faster than they were in the 70s.The progress is exponential and it's not going to stop. To develop human-level AI they'd actually have to start dumbing systems down so think they won't create algorithms that can compose better than humans? Don't bet against it.
sonicindustries They’ve already developed robots playing piano, guitar, etc. Your comment caught my attention, in that, I’ve noticed increasingly lately the advancement of AI, which is both intriguing and yet depressing.
You're right Elias. Aiva Technologies have developed a deep learning algorithm that can (apparently) compose classic music as good as a human - challenging times ahead
@@sonicindustries227 Just checked out Aiva Technologies. Very interesting. Thanks for the tip!