JPF Home Page Forums Thread Like Summary - Movie placements

I received a phone call about placing two of my Gospel songs in a movie, I received the contracts yesterday.

Congratulations, Everett. Wishing you the best.

I hate the business end but finding a publisher who is worth their salt is not easy. I had a few bad experiences with bottom feeder publishers early on which turned me from them. I know there are good publishers out there but most of them won't accept accept material until you proved yourself first. I'm doing fairly well with CCLI, they came to me asking for material, I owned most all my songs out right, it made it easier on them and me that there was no third party involved. To each his own I guess.

Thanks John. They found the songs on the net and contacted me directly without going through an agency, no middle men.Where I owned the sync and publishing rights helped both them and me.

Not released yet. Four figures.

Good luck for your new step. I must say that bad experiences are part of life.

Any Syncrhonization License gives you a 'credential' to refer other companies or Music Supervisors (a.k.a. Broadcast Producers) to as samples of your work.
Other 'sources' where they can hear product are also of value too. They're looking for product. They're always in a hurry with deadlines of their own. Success breeds success.
Owning your Copyright and Master Recording enables you to go 'All In', able to contract for a 'use' of your product without complications from co-writers or Producers who claim ownership of the Master.
These legal formalities are simple when all depends on your signature alone. Consultation with a lawyer is always advisable when signing your name.
Ideally the contract will specify the duration of the 'use'. It is only a 'use', usually for a specified period, at which time you are free to market your Intellectual Property for other 'uses'. Some may specify that you're free to market it for other uses, as long as it's not something competitive with the first 'users' market.
Movie 'uses' may be different, intending a permanent 'use' if the movie's a hit. Depending on what the contract specifies your ability to market that composition for other 'uses' may be limited or wide open. I recommend getting the contract to say what you want it to say. They'll get it to say what they want it to say. Somewhere in the middle should be a reasonable compromise satisfactory to both parties.
Don't...Do not...interrupt a process already in motion. Nothing gets you a worse reputation than complicating things after the person you've been dealing with has gone to her boss, his boss, and told them everything's a 'Go!'
Getting the 'credential' of a 'use' now is more valuable than getting the contract just right. It's a learning experience for the next contract.