Copyrighted Demo reel music?

Out of context: Reply #4

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  • shellie0

    First, if you use the track without doing too much mixing/splicing/manipulation sonically to throw off recognition algorithms, the artist gets publishing royalties for YouTube plays. This applies to an artist I manage. YouTube reports spins outside of our channel to our online aggregator that distributes to stores. That is still a check (although fractions of a penny per spin) that will add up to sizable royalties for notable acts of varying degrees of fame. This change has relaxed labels on video takedowns bc they can now see those spins as additional streams of revenue from previously untapped market. If the artist ever sees a dime of that transaction is a whole other publishing matter, but imo you've done your part as part of the royalty generating distribution machine.

    That aside, if not in the video itself, I've seen credit displayed in the description with a disclaimer that they don't own the copyright of the song. You can look up how it's been commonly done on YouTube I the past.

    From a music business standpoint (I manage an artist), as long as the clip is long enough to count for a stream and it's credited in the description with some thoughtfulness so that fans can find the full length or official channel, I'm not gong to trip on the usage. Fans show their fandom in different ways. What kinda asshole is gunna stop that? It becomes problematic when music isn't cleared for monetary gain (reselling, selling tickets with music featuring, tv or movie placements, sampling for resale, unauthorised exploitation of master recordings in regards to making money).

    If someone reached out to you or you got a YouTube generated notice to take down, would it be so bad to just upload with a different but similar song? I am not a lawyer. So take this as only educated opinions on the matter. I think you know what to do.

    • I'm reaching out to the folks as we speak - I was interested in thoughts from folks here and these are all great points for sure... Thanks for taking your time.antimotion
    • Shellie, if you don't mind me asking - what artist do you manage? And is it for bookings or more like promo/visual type stuff...?antimotion
    • Reason I ask - I'm possibly meeting a music artist and am thinking about how to approach as far as what I can do...I'm an art director/animator, but have...antimotion
    • a marketing background with a possible connection to help with social plan, etc...antimotion
    • I'm a manager for one. A tour manager for some. Once a corporate label lackey. So I'm familiar with the ins and outs of master and publishing expoitation.shellie
    • I personally don't see the need for any musical artist to put a visual art director on a permenant payroll or ever give up a %.shellie
    • u are not a connected publicist which is what they'd expect if ur providing "marketing" so I wouldn't pretend u are that. Publicists will handle social strategyshellie
    • Per project you can pitch on visuals with treatments and a budget. They can buy it or not. If you haven't worked on a successful music launch b4, do not chargeshellie
    • ...Ppl for you to figure it out.shellie
    • Again, great advice - I used work in mktg entertainment for a pretty cool disto company in nyc, but way diff now.antimotion
    • Definitely have to collab with someone more familiar for sure. I absolutely appreciate the feedback for real! Thanks!antimotion

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