So what, another FWD...

[jakechec]

I have been with TAXI about 7 months and over this time I had about 16 forwards. This is great and I am super excited, BUT when do I make some money? How long does it take for the clients to call if they ever do?

[hummingbird]

Jan 6, 2009, 9:55am, jakechec wrote:I have been with TAXI about 7 months and over this time I had about 16 forwards. This is great and I am super excited, BUT when do I make some money? How long does it take for the clients to call if they ever do?No one can tell you when or if you will be contacted... for example...In one case, I was forwarded Dec 2006, was contacted in Dec 2007 (1 year later), and signed the deal in March 2008 (15 months later).In another case, forwarded in March 2007, was contacted in April 2007 (1 month later), and signed the deal in June 2007 (4 months later).I've heard of people getting deals the next week... and of people getting deals two years after a forward.As to when you will start making money... after deals are signed, and music is placed, and synch fees are paid, and royalties start coming in... probably within a year or two of signing a deal. This industry requires patience and perserverence. I'm working on growing my cataloque, signing multi-song deals, and I trust this will pay off within the next 3 to 7 years.H PS - just thought I'd mention, that being forwarded may be a "so what" to you, but many members of this forum have been striving to reach that level for a long time... forwards aren't easy to get. Forwards mean your music IS commercially viable, and IS getting over the bar. You keep working on it, you keep submitting, it's obvious you have the goods, and that has got to pay off. This is also a relationship business, so network, connect with other people, and get to the Road Rally if you can.

[mazz]

Congrats on the forwards. That's a good accomplishment and a sign that your music is on track for the listings you submitted to and that's nothing to sneeze at!If the clients call, which they may or may not, and they are a production music library, your piece(s) may not make it into the library for circulation for some time due to their production schedules (assembling CDs, manufacturing, distribution, etc.). With publishers the time that the piece can be presented to their market (supervisors, editors, etc.) is usually pretty immediate, providing there's a project that your piece is appropriate for. Otherwise, they will have it in their catalog until a need comes up. There's on time frame on that, its subject to external needs.Assuming that your piece gets placed in a TV show, if it gets in one of the later episodes, it could be several months before it airs. If they paid an upfront licensing fee (which can vary from 0 dollars on up), they are probably paying 30 to 90 days out, so expect a check in that time frame.Once the show airs, it's usually 6 months before the PRO will pick it up and pay. So if you signed with a publisher that had an immediate need and if your piece got picked and placed in a show, it would be 1 to 3 months to get a check for licensing and 6 to 9 months for any backend royalties to show up.Depending on the type of music you write, you will need a significant number of placeable pieces of music out there in the marketplace (in libraries and with publishers and catalogs) to be able to quit your day job. One of the most successful members here has well over 300 pieces of music published and is possibly pushing 500. Some libraries will commission composers to write a number of pieces in a certain style. Usually you have to have a proven track record and a good reputation to score a gig like that. That takes time as well.It's probably a 5 to 10 year journey to start making significant money, again depending on what type of music you write and how prolific and aggressive in marketing you are.As Hummingbird suggests, keep writing and submitting. If you music is good, the money will follow, but probably not very quickly.HTH,Mazz

[jakechec]

I c...thanks for the replies this really helps me a lot. Now you mention that some deals came a year later, what if I am no longer a member of Taxi? Can I still be contacted?

[mazz]

Once it's in the hands of the client, TAXI is out of the loop.

[jakechec]

Jan 6, 2009, 12:07pm, mazz wrote:Once it's in the hands of the client, TAXI is out of the loop.by this you are referring to a FWD correct?

[mazz]

Yes.