Hey guys,

Got a client wanting to do some video game music for a marching show next season, and is having trouble finding copyright permission. I primarily do original works and haven't had to do that process for a while. Who do you guys use? CopyCat? BMI?

Thanks!

you guys are so smart! I love you all. go percussion!

[quote author=Jim Casella link=topic=2989.msg15971#msg15971 date=1238011762]

Keith Rawlins would be a good resource as well. He's super smart, and understands the needs of music educators. His contact information is available on the [url=http://www.egbertlawoffices.com/attorneys.html]Egbert Law Offices website[/url].
[/quote]


Keith also set up this email to keep his traffic separate from his company business.

krawlinsentertainmentservices@gmail.com

Quick question. Say a certain composer detests drum corps/marching band and doesn't want their music arranged for it, is it  his/her decision or the company that publishes the music?

And along those same lines, who ";owns"; the music? The composer or publisher?

Futhermore, if you get permission or arrange a piece for a marching season then decide that you want to sell your arrangement, does the original permission allow this or does that take a different type of licence? Possibly to include royalties?

I currently teach math and our schools have been really cracking down on various copyright issues. Most notably around the time certain companies *ahemdisneyahem* started sueing schools for showing their vidoes.  I suppose in this age if you can be sued you will be.

From what I understand...

Once you agree to allow a company to publish and sell/ distribute your music, it's up to them what happens to it. I think most companies try to ";honor the composers"; wishes, but yeah they can pretty much allow or deny whoever they want.

If you get permission to arrange it is just for that season, if you get another school wanting to buy it from you they will have to turn around and get permission as well.

I'm sure those lawsuits will go away eventually the same as the Napster lawsuits did. At least let's hope... nothing better than a Pixar flick to occupy the last day before a break:)

We are currently not allowed to show any movie of any kind without subitting a written statement to the principal stating how it relates to the exact thing we're studying.

If someone can burn themselves with coffee while driving with it inbewteen their legs and sue McDonalds, we all had better watch our backs.

I'm really nervous being a male teacher in this day in age as well. I've heard some pretty nasty horror stories. In many places simply having a female student accuse you of something is enough to get you fired, even if it's PROVED to be false. Cause if it makes it to the local papers they'll fire ya for bad publicity.....

Yay lawyers.....

Well, what can you do? Just have to do the best you can and hope the bad luck doesn't find you.

I think we feel bad about lawyers because we don't know the code we hire them to deal with.