Music Licenses

BrianJK wrote on 5/26/2008, 2:25 PM

Here I am again. Climbing another learning curve. I thought I could license a Tina Turner song for a small corporate video that I'm doing. The customer requested "Simply the best" - not a very original choice but some of the lyrics are spot on for this application. Probably explains why its been used in so many corporate videos. How much could it cost ? I'm only using a few seconds of the song. Surprise Surprise - it's unaffordable. Very unafordable!

I can't imagine a Cinescore substitute so I'm now negotiating for the rights to use a cover band. Those arrangements are not speeding along so I'm open to other suggestions. SmartSound doesn't have a Tina Turner setting does it?

Thanks in advance.

Comments

farss wrote on 5/26/2008, 2:48 PM

Having another band perform the same song will not ease your grief one little bit. You still need the permission of whoever owns the copyright to the song to sync to vision. I know of only one time it's been licenced and it was to a client I almost landed. Didn't stop to think through just who they were before I went into Copyright Nazi mode, major egg on face when I realised they do own rights to Simply The Best, good grief Bob, she's even sung the thing at their events.

Bob.

BrianJK wrote on 5/26/2008, 7:12 PM

Well my client doesn't own the rights & I sure can't afford the sync license. I've previewed half a dozen SonicFire cuts. Something in there may work but I'd love to have another alternative.

Thanks for your speedy reply.

Brian

DrLumen wrote on 5/26/2008, 7:27 PM

While I'm not sure of what steps you took or tried but according to ascap it was also recorded by Bonnie Tyler and a Irma Thomas. Maybe licensing of one of those versions may not be so costly?

http://www.ascap.com/ace/search.cfm?mode=search

I know ascap wont license it for the use you intend but I included the link for more possible info.