LEGAL STUFF...
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- dewilde
2 part question: I am doing some cd packaging for a band in Alaska. Right now they are on a small label with limited distribution. I haven't done much in the music industry and I need to know what i should put in the contract to make sure I get some sort of royalties if they are "the next big band", i know people get screwed in the music biz alot by the labels. Also, what is the going rate for a standard cd package design? Thanks for your help.
- Nairn0
lol. You're just a designer, man.
Set a distinct price, get paid and wish them well - you've got nothing to justify cashing in on them.
- Jaline0
^ yup
- morilla0
yeah, royalties are a very touchy subject.
95% of sales is gonna go to the label, after that its split between the band members so don't think you are gonna slip in and try to take a % from their royalties. They will eat your face.
- dibec0
well said. if you do a good job they will come back on their next album and you get to put that on you portfolio. ;)
- fortified0
yeah the band will either succeed or fail based on their music, touring and hard work, not yours.
I work with a few small labels doing design, there is no such precedent for any designer being paid royalties based on album sales.
- morilla0
I have only seen it a couple of times... But it was with Tool and Alex Grey, the ones Mckean has done. Generally the very large artists.
Other than that , it's one check and later.
- fortified0
My friend Meats Meier does the Tool album art too, in fact he won a grammy this year for his work on the 10,000 days album. The 3-d images etc are all his. Even here, even with a grammy they don't pay royalties. In fact I have gotten to know adam and maynard a little and am working with maynard and meats on some Puscifer stuff, so I'll double check with them, but I dont think Alex Grey gets paid any royalties either. They just hook him up bit for his work up front.
- morilla0
yeah, I heard it was a up front payout
- morilla0
you need some help with the Puscifer stuff fort? :)
- fortified0
right, designers/album artists get paid purely upfront.
just don't take it in the rear.
- fortified0
puscifer is controlling my life! the video is going to be fucking amazing, but damn if it isn't a lot of work.
We had Maynard fully 3-d scanned with this huge MRI type machine, and now with a high res 3-d image of his body, we're able to motion capture on professional dancers then attach their dance moves to Maynards body. So the video is this giant chess game where after one player makes a move, the camera zooms in on the chess piece, which is Maynard and the litte guy busts out all these amazing dance moves. The technology is fucking amazing, I've never worked with it before which is why I was so stoked to help out.
Most of what I do is just background animation, my friend Meats does all the real character modeling and animation. But I do get to make a small cameo appearance in the vid. I'll post it up here when we get done, till then lots of late nights and weekends.
- Jaline0
that sounds cool, fortified :)
- dewilde0
Cool guys, thanks alot. I guess I was just curious if there was some sort of precident on this stuff. Thanks.
- tank020
there is no money in the music industry, i do it purely for fun and the the artists give me care blanche...
its great portfolio work...so forget about royalites and stuff...
- Mimio0
If you're still interested there's some licensing templates in the GAG handbook on album art with photos or graphics.