my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Ground Level   » Does the rest of the world pay "Performing Rights" ?

Author Topic: Does the rest of the world pay "Performing Rights" ? Kevin Markwick Film Handler Posts: 43 From: Uckfield East Sussex England Registered: Sep 2004 posted 03-19-2005 07:39 AM                        I have just been saddled with another outrageous bill from the Performing Rights Society that I can ill afford. This is a complete scam and a finger in the till. Apparently this money is for music played in the film not for that which plays over the non synch. We pay PPL for that. My question is do cinemas in the rest of the world have to pay this? If so how much? We currently pay 1% of box office turnover!!!! or .04p per admission. What a con.  |  IP: Logged Floyd Justin Newton Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 559 From: Phoenix, Arizona, USA Registered: Jun 2002 posted 03-19-2005 08:43 AM                     Kevin-- You may have answered your question...  |  IP: Logged Kevin Markwick Film Handler Posts: 43 From: Uckfield East Sussex England Registered: Sep 2004 posted 03-19-2005 11:10 AM                        How?  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-19-2005 01:03 PM                     Under several music copyright agreements the music recorded on the film has to have rights payed by the exhibitor to the local performers rights organization that pays out based usually on the ratio of radio play time  |  IP: Logged Kevin Baglow Expert Film Handler Posts: 135 From: Yeppoon Qld, Australia Registered: Dec 2000 posted 03-24-2005 05:37 PM                        Check out a previous thread on this topic. Percentage of filmhire paid for music copyright  |  IP: Logged Alexander Smith Expert Film Handler Posts: 128 From: Walney Island, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. Registered: Jun 2003 posted 03-27-2005 09:29 AM                     Performing Rights Society: At least when Dick Turpin robbed you he had the courtesy to wear a mask! That's my opinion anyway. ;-) Given that a film production company will pay artists for using their music in a film, it seems alot like "double dipping" for cinemas to have to pay someone other than the owner of the film _just_ because it has music in it. Rhetorical question: What happens when the film is released on DVD? I haven't received a demand for money for loaning a few of my DVDs to my pals. Alex.  |  IP: Logged Dustin Mitchell Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1865 From: Mondovi, WI, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 03-27-2005 11:50 AM                     Other issues with this (to my mind): 1) What if the artists performing in the movie aren't represented by the local performing rights society? Not everyone has worldwide releases of their music. 2) What about when a film only has originaly scored music, say films like 'The Others' or even 'Star Wars.' The 'fee' to play this music should only be your film rent. I mean honestly, how much of this 1% do you think makes it back to the actual artists? Not much, if any, I can gaurantee that. AFAIK US theatres don't have to pay any 'performing rights' fee for the music in the movies we show. If I remember the other thread correctly there was some court case that settled the issue in favor of the theatres. Do you guys have an organization like NATO (National Association of Theatre Owners) to represent your industry? If you do I'd seriously consider bringing this issue to them. Robbery is all it is.  |  IP: Logged Jon Morgan Film Handler Posts: 60 From: Raleigh, NC Registered: Mar 2005 posted 03-27-2005 12:49 PM                     Yeah, I've never heard of something like this in America. If the distributors are paying out percentages to the musicians used in the soundtrack, that's great. They can take it into account when they're drawing up the contracts. I mean, I guess you end up paying for it one way or the other, but it's just kind of silly to start itemizing the booking contracts. 1% - music 5% - actors 3% - special effects .1% - sandwiches  |  IP: Logged Kevin Markwick Film Handler Posts: 43 From: Uckfield East Sussex England Registered: Sep 2004 posted 03-27-2005 02:00 PM                        In the UK we have the C.E.A (Cinema Exhibitors Association) although my mebership has lapsed. I know they have been trying to do something about it without much success it seems. This whole issue really makes my blood boil. Surely film hire should cover this. Perhaps we should ask for the option of prints without music. The whole thing makes me feel violated. But not in a nice way.  |  IP: Logged Kevin Orman Film Handler Posts: 24 From: Sompting, Lancing, UK Registered: Mar 2005 posted 04-13-2005 01:31 PM                     Kevin, it's worth re-joining the CEA (Cinema Exhibitors Association) as they have actually negotiated hard and managed to pursuade the PRS people to keep the present rate when PRS actually wanted to increase it to a still higher level! I often don't agree with the CEA but they do represent the cinemas interests, so..  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

Printer-friendly view of this topic

Hop To: Select a Forum: Category: Operations -------------------- Digital Cinema Forum Film Handlers' Forum Large Format Forum Ground Level Feature Info, Trailer Attachments & REAL Credit Offsets Category: Community -------------------- Film-Yak Film Handlers' Movie Reviews The Afterlife Bob Maar's Joke-A-Thon Category: Classified -------------------- Equipment and Supplies Wanted/For Sale Help Wanted/Seeking Employment Category: System -------------------- Software Beta Testing Forum

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.