One of my bands songs will be used in a movie - what do I do!?

Weststarx

Hi All,

One of my bands songs has been picked up by a movie director that is working on a movie over in LA which is set to be released next year. Quite shocked it is happening and we have absolutely no idea what we are supposed to do/say or what we need to make sure happens as none of us have had anywhere near this sort of success before.

Has anyone else had their music used in a film or tv that can share some advice?

antifash

You a member of the MU? 

stickyfiddle

I had a song in a film once. A Philip Pullman adaptation, but it never got picked up for distribution. 

When you say "a movie director in LA", is it 2 guys with an iphone and no money, or is it a studio who should be paying you...?

merlin

Get registered with PRS/MCPS now. It used to be free but there may be a joining fee now. With them you can register all your tracks and they will keep tabs on all the royalties owed. Do it today if you're anywhere near getting a deal like this. Then negotiate a fee with the company. 

Weststarx

antifash said:

You a member of the MU? 

No...joining is something I have always thought about but never done - is it time?

stickyfiddle said:

I had a song in a film once. A Philip Pullman adaptation, but it never got picked up for distribution. 

When you say "a movie director in LA", is it 2 guys with an iphone and no money, or is it a studio who should be paying you...?

No it's a studio that I believe should be paying us, but thats where we fall short because we dont know how the money side of it works - we are not really expecting to get anything at all but at the same time dont want to give anything away for free!

Weststarx

merlin said:

Get registered with PRS/MCPS now. It used to be free but there may be a joining fee now. With them you can register all your tracks and they will keep tabs on all the royalties owed. Do it today if you're anywhere near getting a deal like this. Then negotiate a fee with the company.

Already with PRS and PPL but will do MCPS as well now - thanks!

Jimbro66

How do you know this OP? Did the movie studio contact you? If so, did they ask to use the song?

Alto

Hi @Weststarx this area is called synchronisation. Essentially the company wanting to use your song need to license it from you. They need to license both ‘sides’. This means the rights to the song (publishing) and the master rights (the recording). Fees can vary hugely depending on what sort of film it is from a few hundred £ to thousands. They should be able to send you terms which should include fee per side (split 50/50 master/publishing), length of agreement and the territories you are licensing in amongst other things. Aside from the fee, there may be royalties generated as well. You can join the US collecting societies but at this stage it may be easiest to stick with PRS (publishing side) and PPL (masters) and making sure you tick the ‘collect my international royalties’ box. If in doubt do seek legal advice, MU or a firm. Hope this helps a bit and good luck!

Jalapeno

Read up about Madonna's use of Ray of Light - previously sold a few hundred copies on the folk circuit in the 1960s (if that) until Madge and William Orbit got hold of it - made the original writer a huge amount

axisus

The bad news is that it's The Room 2

WildWayz

I'll ask my son-in-law. His old band (The Blueskins) had a song used in the Dukes of Hazard movie. His solo stuff, he had used on urm BBC's Down on the Farm kids thing.
Every few months he gets a cheque for a couple of grand.

JD50

How did the song get picked up in the first place?

WildWayz

JD50 said:

How did the song get picked up in the first place?

I'm not 100% sure - never really asked him... 

His original band The Blueskins had this as their big single:


Then when they split up, he signed as a solo singer/songwriter/guitarist with Candyrat Records


Without sounding bigheaded, his voice is like that live too. 

I've asked him how he got his music out there - just waiting for his reply. I imagine his record label sorted all the boring stuff - he's quite the chilled out kinda person to do it himself (even when I got him a contact in the BBC who wanted to promote his solo stuff - he never replied lol)