[Fmpro] FMPRO Digest, Vol 26, Issue 6 Re: ##'s ?? ASCAP and Foreign Royalty Fee Disclosure

[Jeff H Kaufman]

My response is to all of you who have problems with any calculations from
any of the Performing Rights Organization are to stop beating a dead horse
by complaining. If the way the societies manipulate the numbers and disperse
the money is not to your liking, tell them that you want to resign from them
collecting in territories outside the United States and join one or more of
the foreign performing rights societies for foreign collection. The reverse
occurs with foreign composers who never see any money from Performing Rights
Societies in America when they belong to SACEM etc, join the American
societies, and have them collect your royalties here in the United States.
The decision requires more work on your part but the money trail will not be
a mystery. No society is perfect and I am not trying to defend any of them.
If you want to receive something from someone, it requires more than blind
faith in the system. These are businesses whether for profit or non-profit.
They collect money and weigh calculations and dispersions based on those
mandates given to them by a board and rules created by lawyers and
accountants. It is not fair to you since they are not themselves creative
except in the bookkeeping department. Right now, they are the only game you
have and the only one looking after your best interest is you. Jump on a
bandwagon and stop their foreign collection. Film music is a business first
and an art form second. Change can only occur if you make it happen. 

When I hear from composers who proudly state they have won numerous awards
from the societies, I am unimpressed except from a business point of view.
When these societies hand out awards, the awards are not merit awards.
Societies base the awards with the exception of the awards acknowledging the
nominees of the major film and television society awards on box office
earned / ratings earned, how much your program brought in financially to
these Performing Rights Organizations, and how successful you were
financially to the Performing Rights Organization. The more you make for
these societies regardless of substance, the higher degree you are perceived
by them. It is a business and nothing more. They hide behind closed doors
because they do not care about the average Joe or Jane complaint because one
voice while it matters is not an action to consider. Your only choice to
better yourself and your colleagues is to resign in mass and join another
society. Shows the new society the money as an organized unit and it might
(key word) make a difference. They have a bean counter mentality and many
numbers speak louder than just a few. When it affects their bottom line,
they will listen. Until you organize a revolt, your complaints while valid
will always have unanswered questions and "the revolution will not be
televised". Organize yourselves as a "Film Music Network Group" that has a
plan to free yourself from domestic emasculation and in mass resign then you
may see a change. 

 

Best,

 

Jeff H Kaufman