Assign 100% Publisher's Share

[k o star]

What does it mean by "Composer Assigning 100% Publisher's Share to the Library"?Also, if the Library has the right to re-title my tracks... do I still own the tracks and earn from them being used?Should I give them the rights to record, edit, arrange, orchestrate and synchronize my compositions? Is that a standard practice?Is it a good thing to have license fee split 50/50 with Composer?Anyone... Pls Advice?-Kel

[Casey H]

Jul 3, 2009, 8:32pm, reasondemon wrote:What does it mean by "Composer Assigning 100% Publisher's Share to the Library"?Also, if the Library has the right to re-title my tracks... do I still own the tracks and earn from them being used?Should I give them the rights to record, edit, arrange, orchestrate and synchronize my compositions? Is that a standard practice?Is it a good thing to have license fee split 50/50 with Composer?Anyone... Pls Advice?-KelThis sounds like a very standard non-exclusive music library deal. Basically, you and the library split all revenue related to THEIR placement of your music-- 50% each of license fees and 50% each of PRO (ASCAP, BMI, SOCAN, APRA, etc) royalties. The "publisher's share" is only half the PRO pie, so by assigning that to the library, they get their half and you, by getting the "writer's share", get the other. By re-titling, and registering with PROs under alternate titles, they can separate their usages from others- providing that non-exclusivity for you.As far as giving them "the rights to record, edit, arrange, orchestrate and synchronize my compositions", that is also very standard-- they need the freedom to make your track work with respect to the video application (e.g. film, TV, etc). Some contracts will add the phrase "but not alter the fundamental character of the composition". That is a "nice to have" but it's absence is not worth worrying about. The overwhelming majority of libraries are not interested in altering your composition other than to edit the length, cut and paste sections, and sync to video. Without seeing the agreement and knowing the party involved, it looks like a very standard and fair deal. More important is the quality of the company-- reputation, track record, etc.Good luck! Casey

[k o star]

Yey!! Sounds good enough for me then =)Thank U so much Casey & for sharing this info...-Kel

[slideboardouts]

100% of the publishers share is one half of the total royalties to be collected. You, as the writer, would get 100% of the writers share (but make sure it specifies that in the contract). So, basically it is a 50/50 split on performance royalties when you assign the library 100% of the publishers share. This is a very common arrangement with libraries. They have to take publishing or else they won't make any money.If they re-title the tracks you still collect anything that is made off of the cues/songs. The library or publisher will register the new titles with your pro and they will show up in your catalog. It sometimes takes a while for them to register, and sometimes the publisher/library won't register them until they think there is a good chance of the song being used.Regarding whether you still own the tracks depends on the individual contracts. At 1:00 a.m. I am too lazy to pull out and look through one of my library contracts but from what I can remember, you don't surrender the copyrights to the music (there are times you do this, but I think it is very rare). It is still your music and you can do what you want with it as long as its not something prohibited in the contract. You are granting the library some rights to exploit your music as they see fit though. You'd have to look through your contract for specifics. Each one is going to be a little different.Giving them the rights to record, edit, arrange, and synchronize seems to be pretty standard. From what I can tell, this is just them covering their bases so that they can provide the client with :30, :60 second edits or whatever else they need to do to make money with your music. I don't think its something that they are putting in there so that they can change your cue and then say that since its changed slightly it is a different composition and therefor don't have to give you a cut of the money. 50/50 sync split is plenty good. Some companies give you less of a split, and some don't give you any of the sync money at all. And sometimes there is no sync money *to* split.HTH-Steve

[slideboardouts]

Casey beat me to it Sorry to be redundant.-Steve

[k o star]

Repetition is still good info for me... Thanks Steve =)-Kel

[deantaylor]

Yep, I agree with Casey and Steve.