Beat makers... contracts and royalties

dnkygirl

dnkygirl

M42 Entertainment
Hi,

I have a question for the beat makers. I see alot of people now a days with production companies on the web. Question is it profitable? What type of contracts are you creating for leasing beats? How do you setup your copyrights? I am wanting to start to focus the business aspect of music and need to be pushed in the right direction. My focus is on music for everything...movies, commericials, tv, radio...whatever. Has anyone gone down this path and if so how are you structuring your contracts for these purposes? I have been lumping my copyrights into collections.. is this a good idea?


Demi
 
So far your good

Your gonna need a logo to associate your company with a brand. As far as copyrights go yes the more you can lump together to get done at the same time the cheaper it is for you in the long run. dont forget you also have to get codes for all your music and register your music with BMI and neilson to get those hits.

just a lil something to get started
 
I agree totally with lumping up all of your product as tight as possible for copyrights. Use forms from www.copyright.gov (for example use Form SR for sound recordings) and make each CD that you use as a "volume", that way you're getting more for your money. Most contracts that I've seen and used are pretty much your one stop shop contract. Suits all purposes. Flat fee plus royalties per unit sold (based on the size of the project).

As for leasing, which I'm seeing on again off again, if you do that make sure that you figure out what time periods that the lease is good for 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, you get it. Also make sure that it's well understood because I have leased beats before only to have the person I leased them to get pissed off when the lease expired (or when they realized that the same beat can be leased out to different parties at the same time). They think it's a forever type deal which is when I tell them that's what buying the beat outright is for.

But the first step in writing up a solid contract is to think about what the strongest parts of the contract are. No need for a bunch of legalese just to make it sound more professional than it needs to be, just make it a written agreement that can be well understood and can be seen that way in court if need be.

Fiev.
 
Thanks guys! I think I need to write up a business plan first... this will allow me to define my goals and really focus on what it is I plan to do with my music. I found a ton of sites on the web that offer up sample contracts for a million and one scenarios. I think my biggest hurdle will be marketing. There are a ton of cats out there advertising beats. I'm not sure I want to go that direction... writting music for video games and other odd ball stuff sounds more fun to me. I do still like creating for artists as well, but I'm finding it really difficult to find quality people to work with here in Dallas. Unfortunately Dallas is really not a music hub...like Atlanta or LA. Most of the people I meet can barely sing.


Demi
 
Thanks guys! I think I need to write up a business plan first... this will allow me to define my goals and really focus on what it is I plan to do with my music. I found a ton of sites on the web that offer up sample contracts for a million and one scenarios. I think my biggest hurdle will be marketing. There are a ton of cats out there advertising beats. I'm not sure I want to go that direction... writting music for video games and other odd ball stuff sounds more fun to me. I do still like creating for artists as well, but I'm finding it really difficult to find quality people to work with here in Dallas. Unfortunately Dallas is really not a music hub...like Atlanta or LA. Most of the people I meet can barely sing.


Demi
 
you do know that at the end if you copyright in a lump, that you'll end up paying more. you pay for the copyright of a product with 5 songs on it. Sony wants to buy 1 out of the 5. but that 1 song is NOT copyrighted the 5 songs are. The good thing about lumping though, is that your material in general is protected. Once you remove a piece of material from it's original location, you need to copyright again. Or the client will need to copyright the material.

Because you want to do audio production other than just music, you need specified contracts. Not every contract has Sync language in it. Whats your email? Bknot & I got contracts for days for just about everything you'll run across.

Business plan+

If your marketing to companies, you shouldn't worry about the 'production' companies on the internet or on the streets as most people don't have a business license to operate anyways. You being legit, will score.

Dallas isn't a music scene. BUT it does do a lot in damn near every other scene. From follies for films to their soundtracks. DFW got next in SOUND lol.

Sound will make you money - from corporate events to commercial music to elevator music.

music could make you money - if your selling multi-platinum, or song-writing.



Hey on leasing, it's always better to state Exclusive Rights to Lease and leasing. Never sell off your exclusive rights to anything unless it's a lot of $$
 
I agree with Mindset on the copyright problems. Its good to protect yourself but once you sell one of your tracks out of that collection you have to re file the track when its sold.

contracts are dime a dozen on the net.. but if you going to do a legit production company.. do your trademark research to make sure no other company has your name that you want to use.. its good the consult a entertainment lawyer for your contracts and agreement.

most companies will have their own contracts and agreement for production work you will provide you just have to make sure the terms are agreed on and in writing.. anything you dont understand you have a entertainment lawyer to help you understand the terms.

I don't lease beats.. so i dont license tracks to more then one client at a time. for some its a good business but in the end its a headache.

ie if you lease the track to save 10 people.. and then you get 1 serious buyer you will have to the send everyone a ceist and desist agreement so that serious buyer can use it.

but if you need any agreements or contracts like mindset said we got alot of them
 
Mindset said:
Because you want to do audio production other than just music, you need specified contracts. Not every contract has Sync language in it. Whats your email? Bknot & I got contracts for days for just about everything you'll run across.

$$
Click to expand...

My email address: dnkygirl@hotmail.com

I appreciate the information!!! I have alot of research to do on this... I want to make sure I have all my bases covered...


Demi
 
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