[Fmpro] From the Job Poster We've been Discussing

[Mark Northam]

Hi Pete,

First, let's define some terms.

Ghostwriting = Writing music and receiving no cue sheet credit.
Clearly this job does not involve this, so let's banish that term from the
discussion immediately.

Cue Sheet Fraud = Demanding cue sheet credit for music you didn't have any
hand in writing. Clearly there needs to be some clarification as that's not
the way I understood the Benghiat job posting or I would not have posted it.
I will contact him to clarify the exact role he will have in the writing
process and whether he's talking about splitting the upfront money (the $100
from the library) and/or more.

Pete, what makes me think you have "pals" at ASCAP or ought to is your
steadfast defense of their obviously unfair and injust treatment of
instrumental composers and your complete reluctance to fault them for this
treatment. I don't get it - are you a songwriter? What's so hard to
understand about 20 cents on the dollar for a one minute score cue compared
to a minute of song? Instead of seeing any injustice at all in that, you
constantly defend ASCAP as if score composers are lucky to be receiving even
that. Are you a songwriter perhaps?

I'll get back to you on the Benghiat split issues.

Best,

Mark N.


On 12/1/06 1:05 AM, "Pete" <musical411 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Mark,
> 
> It seems pretty clear according to your ad and his
> discussion, Michael Benghiat is planning to take 50%
> credit and money for music he didn't write. OK, he's
> not taking 100% credit. What do you wanna call that?
> Half-Ghost writing? Is there really a difference? It's
> still cuesheet fraud.
> 
> "We generally do 50/50 splits on jobs we contract to
> other composers" - Michael Benghiat
> 
> "Established composer seeking additional composers to
> work with to create theme and music for prime time
> television special... We split writers performance
> royalties; production company retains publishing." -
> Original Mark Northam / Michael Benghiat Ad
> 
> If you want to talk about false alligations, you want
> to back up your claims that I have "pals" at ASCAP?
> Who are my "pals"? Are you a journalist? Back up your
> false alligations with facts.
> 
> As I see it, this issue of you running ads for
> Employers who "split writers performance royalties"
> has absolutely nothing to do with ASCAP and everything
> to do with Mark Northam and Michael Benghiat.
> 
> P e t e
> S u r d o v a l

---------------------------------
Mark Northam - Publisher
Film Music Magazine
The Professional Voice of Music for Film & TV
http://www.filmmusicmag.com
1-800-774-3700 x702 / (310) 645-9000 x702