Does music license prices go down per the budget of film?`

[ChimpPhobiaFilms]

you dont know me i have a funded film. you guys must really be indie. you cant answer me

Indie = Independent.

in·de·pend·ent
ˌindəˈpendənt/
adjective

1.free from outside control; not depending on another's authority.
2. Not depending on another for livelihood or subsistence.

Huh. Strange.

Michele Gondry, Sofia Coppola, and Spike Jonze are indie filmmakers.
6 year olds who saved up for a cheap camcorders and makes short films with their friends are also technically indie.

Such a broad term if you ask me.

We have award winning feature film makers, professional production/post workers, amateur screenwriters, beginning filmmakers of all different ages, from all over the world, and of different levels of professionalism and intelligence. Putting a label on what we are is pointless.

Anyway....

If you don't take proper legal precautions, there are possible ramifications for stealing intellectual property. By using music you do not have the rights to, you are endangering your chance of distribution. Distributers, especially if they are not incredibly well known and rich, are not going to pay for a song for your film if it means lots of $$$, which if it is a well known song (like the one mentioned, China Girl) is going to cost insane amounts of money and result in a lost distribution deal. I recommend you find an unknown (or up and coming, which could gain positive publicity for the film if they go big) indie band that makes similar music. It's not as hard as you think. Go to forums, go to concerts, go to music get-togethers + meetings. I assure you that someone makes the style of music you are looking for. Or hire a composer to make similar music. I recently contacted a composer. I asked him : Halloween Score by John Carpenter + Fantasy Elements + Less Repetition + Slightly more modern vibe, but with a hint of 70's. I got exactly what I wanted. If you find a competent composer that has the ability to make something similar to a past song you want your film to have (but can put their own spin on it), you will be happy. I also recommend you not be deadset on the idea that we are useless for giving you info, that you HAVE to have a song, and that there are no consequences for using music without permission.

IF YOU MAKE A GREAT FILM, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF DISTRIBUTORS WILL HAVE TO PAY MORE MONEY THEN THEY WANT, THEY WILL KEEP IN THAT ONE THING YOU ARE DEADSET UPON HAVING.

lies

So...
Indie band or composer is the way I recommend you go.

Good luck.

 

[aarondavid10]

Indie = Independent.

in·de·pend·ent
ˌindəˈpendənt/
adjective

1.free from outside control; not depending on another's authority.
2. Not depending on another for livelihood or subsistence.

Huh. Strange.

Michele Gondry, Sofia Coppola, and Spike Jonze are indie filmmakers.
6 year olds who saved up for a cheap camcorders and makes short films with their friends are also technically indie.

Such a broad term if you ask me.

We have award winning feature film makers, professional production/post workers, amateur screenwriters, beginning filmmakers of all different ages, from all over the world, and of different levels of professionalism and intelligence. Putting a label on what we are is pointless.

Anyway....

If you don't take proper legal precautions, there are possible ramifications for stealing intellectual property. By using music you do not have the rights to, you are endangering your chance of distribution. Distributers, especially if they are not incredibly well known and rich, are not going to pay for a song for your film if it means lots of $$$, which if it is a well known song (like the one mentioned, China Girl) is going to cost insane amounts of money and result in a lost distribution deal. I recommend you find an unknown (or up and coming, which could gain positive publicity for the film if they go big) indie band that makes similar music. It's not as hard as you think. Go to forums, go to concerts, go to music get-togethers + meetings. I assure you that someone makes the style of music you are looking for. Or hire a composer to make similar music. I recently contacted a composer. I asked him : Halloween Score by John Carpenter + Fantasy Elements + Less Repetition + Slightly more modern vibe, but with a hint of 70's. I got exactly what I wanted. If you find a competent composer that has the ability to make something similar to a past song you want your film to have (but can put their own spin on it), you will be happy. I also recommend you not be deadset on the idea that we are useless for giving you info, that you HAVE to have a song, and that there are no consequences for using music without permission.

IF YOU MAKE A GREAT FILM, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF DISTRIBUTORS WILL HAVE TO PAY MORE MONEY THEN THEY WANT, THEY WILL KEEP IN THAT ONE THING YOU ARE DEADSET UPON HAVING.

lies

So...
Indie band or composer is the way I recommend you go.

Good luck.

THEY WILL KEEP IN THAT ONE THING YOU ARE DEADSET UPON HAVING. what did you mean here?

 

[Alcove Audio]

They want to "buy" the film "as is" - meaning that you have all of the proper licenses, actor/location releases, etc., etc., etc. There is no additional work to be done on the film. They DO NOT want to fork out more money to get the music (or whatever else) that you want in your film. So if you have "China Girl" as a part of the sound track you had better have the rights all sewn up and be able to prove it.

 

[aarondavid10]

They want to "buy" the film "as is" - meaning that you have all of the proper licenses, actor/location releases, etc., etc., etc. There is no additional work to be done on the film. They DO NOT want to fork out more money to get the music (or whatever else) that you want in your film. So if you have "China Girl" as a part of the sound track you had better have the rights all sewn up and be able to prove it.

well i'm quite sure it does with a modest film that could never reach masses. not all cases though

 

[jasmerrin]

Step Deals

I'm currently in post production for my first feature film, and I'm talking to record companies about licensing music. You can ask for a step deal, which basically amounts to "you pay less now, but more if your movie makes money". I think that's the best way to handle it... We were able to talk down a licensing fee from thousands of dollars to hundreds, as long as we pay them a lot more money if and when our movie makes money. As in, we give them a certain amount more every time we cross a certain threshold (maxing out I think at once we make $1 million). Overall, we'll be paying more money if our movie makes a lot of money than we would have if we'd paid the flat amount to start with - maybe twice as much. But because of the nature of the step deal, we'll only need to pay what we can afford.

That said, we're also talking to indie musicians about using their music, and we're having a lot less trouble. There's a lot less red tape and it's a lot cheaper - usually free - and there are a LOT of talented musicians out there looking to get discovered. Maybe by having their song featured in your movie! We might end up going with all indie music, just because it's so convenient. But, if you want it, the step deal is a possibility that at least two record companies we've spoken to are ready to negotiate.

Let me know if you have any more questions. We're currently Kickstarting post production for that movie I was talking about. Check it out here if you're interested: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jasmerrin/sleepwalkers-feature-film

 

[ChimpPhobiaFilms]

THEY WILL KEEP IN THAT ONE THING YOU ARE DEADSET UPON HAVING. what did you mean here?

Right below it, lies is written.

You seem to care very much about having this song. Distributors are not going to go out of their way and spend a large amount of money so that you can have a song you want in your film. I recommend you find an indie band or composer.

 

[AudioPostExpert]

i can afford festival prices. which is the showcase for distribution and production companies. if they like your film they will pay for the music.

What brings you to this conclusion??

Distribution companies distribute films and production companies produce films. Your film is already produced, so why would a production company be interested in it? And, your film is not distributable, so why would a distributor be interested in it?

If you are going to produce your own film with the aim of getting distribution then you had better make sure it's distributable. The only other alternative is producing an un-distributable film and hoping it's notice by someone who thinks it's genius enough to pump in the extra cash to make it distributable. But you should be aware that this has only happened a few times in the last 20 years or so and I don't personally know of any recently. In other words, your chances of this happening are pretty much zero! This last scenario is unfortunately quite common, there are many films made every year which could potentially make a profit but never get distribution due to certain legal or technical quality issues which make them un-distributable.

G

 

[aarondavid10]

What brings you to this conclusion??

Distribution companies distribute films and production companies produce films. Your film is already produced, so why would a production company be interested in it? And, your film is not distributable, so why would a distributor be interested in it?

If you are going to produce your own film with the aim of getting distribution then you had better make sure it's distributable. The only other alternative is producing an un-distributable film and hoping it's notice by someone who thinks it's genius enough to pump in the extra cash to make it distributable. But you should be aware that this has only happened a few times in the last 20 years or so and I don't personally know of any recently. In other words, your chances of this happening are pretty much zero! This last scenario is unfortunately quite common, there are many films made every year which could potentially make a profit but never get distribution due to certain legal or technical quality issues which make them un-distributable.

G

I"m pretty sure i'm making a distributable film. Or i'd just give up on myself and get indie artists

 

[AudioPostExpert]

I"m pretty sure i'm making a distributable film.

And I'd bet that's exactly what the makers of the films which never get distribution due to technical or legal omissions thought as well!!

If your film doesn't meet the technical requirements of distributors or doesn't unequivocally own all the appropriate legally binding licences and releases, then you are making an un-distributable film (!), regardless of whether you realise it or not and regardless of how good the film is in other respects!

G