Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Does the rest of the world pay "Performing Rights" ?

This is topic Does the rest of the world pay "Performing Rights" ? in forum Ground Level at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Kevin Markwick (Member # 2698) on 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.

Posted by Floyd Justin Newton (Member # 1316) on 03-19-2005, 08:43 AM:

Kevin--

You may have answered your question... [Confused]

Posted by Kevin Markwick (Member # 2698) on 03-19-2005, 11:10 AM:

How?

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 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

Posted by Kevin Baglow (Member # 721) on 03-24-2005, 05:37 PM:

Check out a previous thread on this topic. Percentage of filmhire paid for music copyright

Posted by Alexander Smith (Member # 1769) on 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.

Posted by Dustin Mitchell (Member # 372) on 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.

Posted by Jon Morgan (Member # 3059) on 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

Posted by Kevin Markwick (Member # 2698) on 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.

Posted by Kevin Orman (Member # 3076) on 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..