COMPASS License

[Giggles]

Have anyone got married recently or is getting married? I need some help here.

How do we go about this COMPASS license if we are having our express highlight on the day itself? I mean, no point doing it if without music right? What should I do?

[BubblyGal]

today news got talk about this.

Check out tomorrow newspaper.

-_-" 1 song played during wedding might caused up to $300

[BubblyGal]

Copyright issues with music used in Wedding slideshows
By Red Dot on Mar 29, 2010 in Featured, Latest News

http://blog.reddotphoto.com.sg/?p=1061

*The writer of this content is not responsibile for any usage of this content resulting to any consequences, all readers are recommended to consult the relavant parties for further information*

Considering putting up music with the photomontage or video highlights which you’ve prepared for a friend, client or for yourself? Beware of the consequences if the music is copyrighted. Heavy fines, criminal and civil suits can be brought against those who violate copyright.

Targetted at Wedding Videographers, Recording Industry Performance Singapore Pte Ltd (or RIPS for short) and MPS Music Publishers (Singapore) Ltd held a dialogue today at the Red Dot Traffic Building to discuss the issues facing the industries.

Babara Wong from RIPS explained the basic structure of what RIPS represents. RIPS is empowered to exercise the rights of the 14 record companies till date, including your favour labels from Sony, Warner, Rock Records etc. A licence from RIPs is needed for reproduction of most music today. A yearly licence will cost a company or an individual S$2000.

Sharon from Music Publishers (Singapore ) Ltd (MPS) was on hand to explain their representation of 13 record publishers. Majority of record publishers reside in Malaysia, and hence getting licences for certain songs are not straight forward. Formally, to get licence to copyright songs, one will need to approach individual record companies. MPS has teamed up with 13 record publishers till date to licence the content/lyrics to the songs under these record publishers.

Scenarios which licensing is needed include the following:

Scenario 1:
A copyrighted song is to be played at a wedding dinner together with a wedding video highlights/express in the SAME medium, ie: the song is tracked together with the video footage. Medium can be DVD/mp4/flv/mpeg/Blu-Ray/mts …etc. The creator of this wedding video highlights needs to apply for RIPs licence, AND MPS licence as RIPs covers the music/audio recording, while MPS covers the lyrics/content of the music.

Scenario 1A:
The video created in scenario 1 doesn’t come with sound. Another music playing device owned by the hotel or premises such as a CD player is ‘played’ simultaneously as the video is played. No licence here needed as the hotel or premises will be reponsible to get a blanket licence from the relavant authorities.

Scenario 2:
Uploading of videos with copyrighted audio files. TWO extra licenses will be needed, one from RIPS (for the music) and another from Composers and Authors Society of Singapore (COMPASS) for content/lyrics.

Selected Q&A (rephased):

1) What can photographers do now as the rules are still vague and blur?

If the photographer wants to reproduce video with copyrighted music. Pay for RIPS licence ($2000/yr), and wait for MPS to reply in the meanwhile for apply for MPS licence
If photography wants to upload video with copyrighted music onto the internet. Pay for RIPS licence (this is different from the above point, pricing and licence details unknown at the moment). Pay for Compass licence.
Opt for loyalty free music
Opt for no music
2) Should there be a pay-per-song or grouped licence to aid freelancers or wedding couples, such as certain plans in Australia and England?

Currently RIPS thinks that it’s difficult to implement and enforce this, but RIPS will take this into consideration.
3) If company ABC hires a freelancer XYZ and XYZ is the one who makes the express highlights, who is liable for the licence?

RIPS’s answer was that in principle, both will need to pay. In practical, the creator of the express highlights, who is the freelancer, will be liable.
4) If a foreign videographer comes to Singapore, shoots a wedding here and creates a wedding highlights in foreign land but shows the wedding slideshow back in Singapore with copyrighted music, how are the proceedings?

The author’s interpretation: It doesn’t matter, the videographer will need to apply for the local licence, as copyright law is territorial. Even if during the actual creation of the music was not done here, playing of that work was shown here, and hence by that virture, licensing is needed.
5) If company ABC is a consortium and owns a subsidary DEF company which does wedding videography, how does the licensing work?

The parent company can apply for the licence and it’ll apply to the subsidary.
6) Can I record a song with a freelance singer, and the song is accompanied in a video slideshow and will that infringe copyright?

Yes, this will infringe the content/lyrics portion, which is under the MPS.

[sunkisstiffy]

i am not really happy with this license fee.. what about playing the song from original album? i have seen so many DIY video clips (not just wedding) with songs playing, i doubt my friends pay for the license when making the videos!

[BubblyGal]

exactly... now i have to think of another way to make my montage all thanks to these people now.

Why start now? If we had to pay now.. what about others who had been using for years...

[jewel81]

personally, I was appalled when I saw the news last evening and I think it's abit absurd. wedding is meant to be an enjoyable event especially for the bride and groom. there's so much things that couples gott'a plan & pay even b4 the AD itself.

Now, there's a fee payable for it, considering the rate is abit steep

[kind devil]

everything also must pay. when my SO highlighted this new rule to me in Jan i was still telling him that the license should have already been paid by the venue like what shopping malls always do since they have to play music for events.

but looking at the situation now, they must be earning big bucks from each couple / photo & videographers! yes, this is a huge headache especially those among us who intended to DIY the montage.

i suppose it is ok to play the march-in songs from original CDs?

[sunkisstiffy]

kind devil: exactly, then shouldn't those departmental stores, small shops or boutiques pay for the license as well! they tend to play from MP3 brought in by their staff, who knows if those MP3 are downloaded!

this is really a crappy rule!

[citrella]

I am actually quite confused over this.

Do they mean that the photographers and videographers have to pay and not the bride and groom?

I think they are not being clear.

It is absurd that we have to pay for every song. What if I use live band for my banquet? I have to pay for every song the musicians play? Doesn't make sense.

[BubblyGal]

from what is being stated, those PG will have to pay for their company. For us who are using own songs ( diy couple) we have to pay for the copyriight as well... be it live band or from CD

sigh they are smiling all the way to the bank...

[troides]

Yup, it seems that if we are doing our own montage with the songs, we also need to pay. It doesn't make sense, I'm not selling my own montage or using it for commercial purpose. It's for private and domestic enjoyment.

http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore...face-the-music

[citrella]

I am really so depress now -_-

I think the montage and video highlights just doesn't look good without music/songs.

Arghh...

And I have to cancel my musicians as well. Sad.

[BubblyGal]

I just called my PG about the morning express highlight, he said we have to pay for the songs we be using chosen from their paid copyright songs.

BUT we if want our own songs to be used, we have to pay even more to bought the copyright.

[citrella]

Can we just give them credit in our photo montage at the end? Then it's not stealing their music/songs.

Does that work?

[shinystar]

how about songs played in other functions like birthday parties etc? also need to pay???