What's the advantage of moving to SESAC?

[girasoledonna]

Hey Guys. I am currently with ASCAP but the production library I am working with is talking about having us composers move to SESAC. I am not that familiar with PRO companies and there's pros ( non pun intended) and cons. So what is the general advantage of moving to SESAC? I am an artist and composer, so if SESAC favors composers more than songwriters that wouldn't necessarily be good for me. Let me know what you guys think!! Anj

[chriscarter]

I know a couple people with SESAC. It seems a mixed bag. On one hand you get way more individual attention, whereas at ASCAP or BMI you are just a number until you make some serious noise. The downside seems to be that they don't really have the same kind of clout as ASCAP or BMI. As well, getting royalties for TV shows by independent production houses (ie. not produced by NBC itself, but an outside production company not owned by NBC) can sometimes be problematic. Many of the production companies don't do cue sheets properly in the first place and while they have heard of ASCAP and BMI, they think SESAC is some kind of sack you take on a boat when you go out to sea.

[girasoledonna]

If they don't have the same clout, then why is it an invite only PRO? Do you think being a part of SESAC makes you stand out more, or seem to be higher up in the industry? Are there any other advantages to it besides getting more one-on-one attention, which I mean, doesn't seem worth not getting your royalites...

[anne]

If it is an outside production company, they may just have a preference to get everyone using the same PRO for administrative ease. Just my guess.

[claire]

I just moved from ASCAP to SESAC (Nashville). As someone else said, ASCAP is only interested in you when you're generating royalties. Otherwise you're "get outta here kid, you bother me". At least that was my experience. I have several friends who have also made the move recently. I don't think being a SESAC member gets you any higher in the industry than you're willing to get yourself. When I first started talking with the writer rep at SESAC he made it clear that they would be as helpful to me as I was willing to be for myself. The personal interest, the one-on-one, is unquestionably better at SESAC. You can set an appointment with a writer rep and not have to wait for three months before someone returns your phone call. You can get better mentoring than at ASCAP. SESAC membership used to be by referral only, through another SESAC member who would vouch for you, but I believe that has changed a bit over the past few years.For a writer in my position, someone who has not yet started collecting royalties, the most important thing for me is to be with a PRO where they will actually help you, make a phone call on your behalf, maybe set you up with other writers, generally believe in you. If SESAC accepts you as a writer, they believe in you. Whether you make it work is up to both you and SESAC. As far as royalties vs. ASCAP or BMI, they are the smallest of the three PROs but it seems that even with ASCAP and BMI, they both pretty much pay out the same royalties give or take. So for me it all came down to wanting to be somewhere where someone wanted me. My experiences at ASCAP were not very helpful. That being said, if ASCAP is working for you and if it's just this one library that wants you to move, I'd be sure it's something you want to do in the long run. You can be a writer member of only one PRO at a time.Claire

[matto]

Feb 10, 2009, 4:27pm, girasoledonna wrote:If they don't have the same clout, then why is it an invite only PRO?Because it is the only for profit corposration among the US PRO's, and they pride themselves in giving their affiliates more personal attention, they have to keep the number of affiliates relatively small in order to still be profitable. Quote:Do you think being a part of SESAC makes you stand out more, or seem to be higher up in the industry?No.Quote:Are there any other advantages to it besides getting more one-on-one attention, which I mean, doesn't seem worth not getting your royalites...They have, at the moment, the most technologically advanced BDS tracking system for their catalog, which can in some situations give them and advantage at finding some of the nickel and dime uses ASCAP and BMI may miss.

[claire]

Actually when I told my ex-ASCAP writer rep that basically I thought they were all the same (the PROs) he had a stroke. He said that both BMI and SESAC were private corporations and didn't have to divulge their finances whereas ASCAP was public and therefore more legit (in so many words). That was last June when he kept a copy of my CD and said he'd get back to me in a few days...Claire

[matto]

Feb 14, 2009, 6:03pm, claire wrote:He said that both BMI and SESAC were private corporations and didn't have to divulge their finances whereas ASCAP was public and therefore more legit.He was wrong then cause BMI is actually a non-profit corporation like ASCAP, although there are (other) differences between the two. SESAC is the only one that is for profit.

[cameron]

I've had a single song offer from a publisher on one of my songs. Do I have to be affiliated with a PRO before I sign with a publisher?Cam

[jwebbinspired]

Cam, You should affiliate with a PRO soon. Even with any forwards on TAXI, just because you weren't contacted doesn't mean it hasn't been used. Publishers might not always "remember" to tell you about a placement. Your PRO's job is to keep track of that. You'll definitely want to affiliate soon if you're considering a single song contract.Andy