Hi there,
I am producing a documentary about an obscure musician and have made a licensing deal with an independent label who owns most of the music rights (the deal was concessional and fair/feasible for the project).
However, some of the other tracks are owned by a major label (the tracks were not recorded for this major but the rights have been passed onto them through their buying up of smaller companies' catalogues). I have tried contacting them and have not received any response.
The tracks are absolutely vital to the project and I am not sure what to do at this stage. Should I keep bugging them hoping that they will eventually respond? If they do respond is it likely that they will charge their full rates that will most likely be entirely unfeasible for the project? If they do not respond is that a sign that they simply don't care and won't sue?
It is unlikely that the film will be picked up by a major distributor, but we have already been accepted into some pretty big festivals and TV broadcast is very possible. I understand that I will need to provide forms in the event of broadcast; though talking with a filmmaker acquaintance who has sold for broadcast, he did not acquire relevant rights for a clip that I asked him about (actually out of ignorance) so I am wondering if this is actually a problem, particularly if I have made every effort to try to acquire the licenses?
Any thoughts are hugely appreciated...
I am producing a documentary about an obscure musician and have made a licensing deal with an independent label who owns most of the music rights (the deal was concessional and fair/feasible for the project).
However, some of the other tracks are owned by a major label (the tracks were not recorded for this major but the rights have been passed onto them through their buying up of smaller companies' catalogues). I have tried contacting them and have not received any response.
The tracks are absolutely vital to the project and I am not sure what to do at this stage. Should I keep bugging them hoping that they will eventually respond? If they do respond is it likely that they will charge their full rates that will most likely be entirely unfeasible for the project? If they do not respond is that a sign that they simply don't care and won't sue?
It is unlikely that the film will be picked up by a major distributor, but we have already been accepted into some pretty big festivals and TV broadcast is very possible. I understand that I will need to provide forms in the event of broadcast; though talking with a filmmaker acquaintance who has sold for broadcast, he did not acquire relevant rights for a clip that I asked him about (actually out of ignorance) so I am wondering if this is actually a problem, particularly if I have made every effort to try to acquire the licenses?
Any thoughts are hugely appreciated...
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