why I will not renew my membership

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onomatope
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why I will not renew my membership

Post by onomatope » Mon Feb 23, 2009 10:33 am

I've been a taxi-member for two years, including a dispatch membership, and now that it's time to renew for a third year I decided not to do that but to end my membership. Here's why: In two years I've had 66 forwards. I'm not sure if this is a good score or not, I guess it's about 50% of what I submitted, but it seems a pretty decent score. I took a potshot every now and then, and only one time something was rejected which to me was incomprehensible because it was right on target, which probably means that the target was not described properly. More than half of these forwards were submitted more than a year ago. All together I signed two contracts, one exclusive. Of 4 forwards I received notice that they were rejected, of the other ones I never heard anything at all, i.e. the great majority of my forwards didn't make it. Until now I made zero money, and spent about a thousand dollars. Even though my main business is a niche, I compose mainly worldmusic and instrumental/orchestral things (I do not write popsongs), I consider the return too low to go on investing more money..and, as I wrote before, "congratulations, your song...was forwarded" does indeed seem a bit premature.Onno Krijnwww.onnokrijn.com

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Re: why I will not renew my membership

Post by orest » Mon Feb 23, 2009 11:00 am

The one thing I have learned is that it can take years and years before you hear anything. I have not been a member a year yet, and I have had some forwards (28) and heard back from 1 of those. Not anything that has given me any money yet, but who knows? I wonder, how many members do earn their living from Taxi? Have you spent many many years here if so?

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Re: why I will not renew my membership

Post by andreh » Mon Feb 23, 2009 11:01 am

Valid points Onno, but just to make a comparison...how much would you have spent on materials, postage, gas, airfare, long distance phone bills, business lunches, and other costs to get your tracks in the hands of 66 potential clients (if you could achieve that on your own at all)? Much more than a grand, I'd wager.Hey, if Taxi's not for you, that's your call. But if I were in your shoes I'd at least be asking what the alternatives will be. There ARE alternatives, but will they work for your situation?André
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Re: why I will not renew my membership

Post by slideboardouts » Mon Feb 23, 2009 11:17 am

Congrats on the deals. If you've been a member for 2 years and have landed 2 deals, thats actually quite good. Averaging a deal a year is great.It takes a long time to build a career out of music. If I was you, I would work hard to build a good relationship with the companies you've already signed deals with. Try to get 20 or so cues in with them. More if you can. Its a numbers game...it takes hundreds of cues to make a living, not just a few dozen. At the same time, use TAXI to make more contacts and go to the Rally if possible. You can work up good working relationships there too.Thats what I'm doing...but its up to you.However you go about a career in music, you have to remember that its more like starting a business than getting a "job." It takes years to build things up to where you are making good money.Good Luck-Steve

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Re: why I will not renew my membership

Post by guscave » Mon Feb 23, 2009 11:36 am

Feb 23, 2009, 12:33pm, onomatope wrote:In two years I've had 66 forwards. More than half of these forwards were submitted more than a year ago. All together I signed two contracts, one exclusive. Congrats, these numbers seem pretty good considering that most folks don't start seeing deals from their forwards until much later. If you feel Taxi is not for you, that's understandable, however I think you're on the right track here.Best to ya,

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Re: why I will not renew my membership

Post by heinsite » Mon Feb 23, 2009 1:38 pm

hello Onno--everything is relative. if i had achieved what you have in the two years, i'd not be letting that renewal envelope sit in my drawer--you are SUCCESSFUL in my eyes, and i'd give it another year to see if anything else developes...hell, it aint that much money actually, is it? we do write different stuff, and my situation is one helluva long shot, so i too am thinking about my future...but as i said, trying to be positive as possible (from a guy with 4 forwards in as many years), what you've accomplished is damned well done in my eyes, and i'm not saying that i'm a person that oftens "settles"--as my goal is to hear ONE of my tunes on the radio someday,...a very hard thing i'm finding, regardless of how damned good i KNOW i am! LOL but true.whatever you decide, all the best,warren

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Re: why I will not renew my membership

Post by cameron » Mon Feb 23, 2009 2:41 pm

Of course it possibly gets back to my assertion that the screener may have different tastes than the client anyway, so the screener is often just another roadblock. Always better to go direct to the client when you can and use Taxi when you can't imho.Cam

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Re: why I will not renew my membership

Post by Casey H » Mon Feb 23, 2009 3:08 pm

OnnoGood luck whatever you do. Ultimately only you can decide what's in your best interests.66 forwards is amazing. You do often hear of people getting deals even 2-3 years later. It's a long process. From the time you sign a given track with a library to the time it gets placed can be from 0 to infinity years. It doesn't take a lot of deals for a lot of value. Once you have a deal (better yet, a placement), you have a direct line to that company. You can send them material directly and often it gets in the front of the line. A direct line (e.g. personal relationship) to even 2-3 good libraries can be worth it's weight in gold. So, 66 forwards over 1 year (your music must be great, BTW!) can expand almost geometrically. Of course, there is no guarantee of results, but the potential is pretty darn good.Regardless of how you get there, I hope to, whether I know it or not, hear your music in film or TV one day soon...Best of luck, Casey

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Re: why I will not renew my membership

Post by squids » Mon Feb 23, 2009 4:26 pm

Hi Onno!!Wow, we have a lot in common, including our tastes in music. I had around 60 forwards in my time with Taxi, two deals, no placements although I was on the desk when the the strike happened so the show was canceled, grrr. Anyway, I jes kept at it. I shopped outside of taxi directly to libraries that I'd heard of, followed up the places I'd been forwarded to after a decently longish wait (a couple of months) and made a lot of really great friends and we shared sources. Taxi is an excellent tool but it can't be the only one in your toolbox if you wanna be successful soona than you talkin about.That said, you should know I jes landed a deal with a very nice library from a forward I got 1-1/2 years ago. It does happen like that and it happened ta me. I'm not a memba currently, am payin surgical bills which I knew were incomin when I was due to re-up, but if I have the cash layin around, I will probably re-up again.I only say these things so you can hopefully get a solid 360-degree pool of information befo you make yo decision. I wish you much good fortune and all the success you desire. You've got a clearly positive track record but as the vets will say, it takes time. And I know fo a fact it takes a very very long time ta grow a good musician so it makes sense that this would too. betta days ahead!Squids

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Re: why I will not renew my membership

Post by Casey H » Mon Feb 23, 2009 6:28 pm

Feb 23, 2009, 6:26pm, squids wrote:That said, you should know I jes landed a deal with a very nice library from a forward I got 1-1/2 years ago. It does happen like that and it happened ta me. That's great! Congrats Squids!! And it shows, with a little patience, you never know... Casey

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