[Fmpro] an FMPro Wiki?

[JJB]

The FM Pro mailing list presents a tremendous amount of information that 
has to be filtered to extract useful knowledge. I was trying to figure 
out how we can take the enormous amount of information and distill it so 
that we can have a meaningful reference - something that searching the 
FmPro archives does not really provide. Lets take my question about 
"where can I find a document to hand to filmmakers so that they 
understand that they don't need to own the music to get distribution".

Clearly many filmmakers are under this illusion, so someone is spreading 
mis-information.

I propose the creation of an FmPro wiki where those who know can distill 
their knowledge. Wiki software such as MediaWiki is generally free. 
Being subscribed to the list would allow one access to edit a page 
(using their fmpro username and password). Documents can be fact-checked 
in discussions on the fmpro list or on the wiki discssion page. With the 
right software, the docs could be printed to a PDF and mailed to an 
uninformed filmmaker.

Another thing: I think the best way to improve the lot of film composers 
is to improve the education of film makers.

I would like to see a program of filmmaker education - or better still, 
a film school instructor education program to promote instrumental score 
as the primary musical art form to accompany film, to ensure filmmakers 
know what is ethical in dealing with composers, and to let them know 
they don't have to own everything if they want to get into festivals, or 
distribution, they just need a license.

  - Joel


> Demanding ownership of the music is a completely separate conversation, is
> absolutely unnecessary for film distribution, and should only be done if the
> filmmaker is willing to pay a high premium to have permanent (as in, your
> life + 70 years) ownership of the music and the publishing royalties that
> may be generated from the use of it.
>
> It's amazing how some film companies look at score music as a profit center.
> They retain ownership/copyright/publishing of the score, and then in a few
> years make back whatever they spent on the composer in publisher performance
> royalties. All royalties after that are a profit. Alternatively, they sell
> off the copyright to the score music to a larger/professional publisher for
> a handsome sum or do an administrative publishing deal.
>
> Best,
>
> Mark Northam
>
> --------------------------------------------
> Mark Northam, CEO  |  mark at gmocorp.com
> Global Media Online, Inc.
>
> http://www.FilmMusic.net - Film & TV Music Job Listings
>
> 1-888-910-7888 ext. 702 / 310-209-8263 ext. 702
> Yahoo/Skype: marknortham  /  AIM: mnortham
>
>
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