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

[Pete]

Mark,

A lot of people disagree with you and think the
royalty system is adequate the way it is. You often
complain that nobody is lining up behind you to fight
this "injustice". That doesn't mean we're all "pals"
with ASCAP.

I have a national ad running for Depends adult
diapers. I have a vocal song featured on Dawson's
Creek. I was a "score" composer for 3 TLC shows. I
wrote a theme for one of those shows. I can see how
each of those usages has a different value. I can see
all sides of the coin. It's hard to make a living from
any angle in the music biz.

I make 95% of my income from instrumental music.
Lately, I've been concentrating on writing songs
because I may have a possible staff-writing position
at a major publisher (fingers crossed). Although,
financially I'd probably be better off continuing to
write instrumental music. Creatively, I'd like to give
songwriting a shot.

That said, I just got a call while I was writing this
email about possibly writing instrumental music for a
spinoff of a very popular primetime cartoon. So the
songwriting might go back on the back burner (the
other fingers crossed).

Best,
P e t e
S u r d o v a l

--- Mark Northam <mark at gmdgroup.com> wrote:

> 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
> 
> 
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