Hi there,

I'm looking for some advice on a tricky situation. I've just written some title music for a program which is being broadcast in the near future. I was employed directly by the production company. A separate company did the graphics for the title sequence. As far as I know we have both signed away our rights to the music and titles sequence to the production comapny (I will still get 50% prs - but they have effectively published my track).

In passing I politely asked the company who did the graphics if they would mind if I put it on my website/showreel. They replied that they a have a policy to not allow their work on third party websites as they have suffered from plagiarism of their work in the past, so they have this policy in place to limit this. They of course still want to show my work on their website.

I wasn't aware of this policy when I began work on this project (like I say, I was employed by the production company) and neither have I signed anything to say that I would abide by this policy. Also it seems that they no longer own the rights to the title sequence.

I have explained to them that I rely on my showreel to get further work and have offered to sign something to say I will not pass it on to anyone else, but they still say that I can't put it on my showreel. They will permit me to put a link on my website to the title sequence hosted on their website, but as I explained to them my website isn't setup to accommodate this - it would look unprofessional and inconsistent with the rest of the site. I also argued that if people were really looking to rip of a title sequence they would go to their website and not mine.

So what should I do? They have vaguely hinted that they hope they can work with me again - meaning if I don't abide by their policy they certainly won't be working with me again. However I got the work from the production company and not them in the first place. I really don't want to risk being on bad terms with anyone/ruin any potential business relationships, but what really gets me is the fact that they think it's fine to go ahead and used my music on their website but I can't use their title sequence.

So should I suck it up and do as they ask; should I politely continue to argue my point at the risk of alienating them as a potential client; or should I agree for now and then just put it on my showreel in a month or two when they will have forgotten about it all?

Any advice greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Edited by Kolky (10/11/11 01:43 PM)

Hi kolky

Should you suck it up?

Absolutely not! composers who are starting out completely rely on beefing up their showreels. They have no reason not to allow you to include this work on your site (unless there is sensitive or confidential material)

At best: They won't even realise you have put it up

At worst: They will take legal action which they will lose because you went through a 3rd party, who gave you no contract or forewarning of this limitation.

If they ask you to take it off, then tell them to take your music off. (but they won't do this trust me)

Quote Kolky:

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As far as I know we have both signed away our rights to the music and titles sequence to the production company...it seems that they no longer own the rights to the title sequence.

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If that's so, is there any mileage in asking the production company instead...? If you're both contracted under the same terms there's no logic in their stance.

How does one plagarise a title sequence? Do you copy the names down?

Anyway I second the comment that you should approach the production company as the product is in effect theirs now.

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http://soundcloud.com/richie-royale
http://www.mixcrate.com/richieroyale

tell them to stop being silly.

It's a showreel (but do remember you can't hold showreels online).

Secondly - just put a holding card up with your music for online showreel use.

Thanks for the replys so far.

Re: asking the production company I don't doubt that they will be okay about it. I guess my main concern is the thought of annoying any client, even one who already hasn't directly employed me, so that I might lose out on future work. They have subtly suggested that they won't work with me again if I were to go ahead and put it on my showreel...

Quote Richie Royale:

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How does one plagarise a title sequence?

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Maybe plagiarise is not quite the right word. What they mean is other people ripping off their work and showing it as their own.

Quote narcoman:

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It's a showreel (but do remember you can't hold showreels online).

Secondly - just put a holding card up with your music for online showreel use.

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narcoman - Are you saying you can't put it online? Can you clarify why you say this please?

They have offered to give me stills of the title sequence. But the point is that this won't show off the work to its full potential. The point is, the music is good/works because it was written to these particular visuals, and I want to be able to show that.

Quote Kolky:

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What they mean is other people ripping off their work and showing it as their own.

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That makes more sense.

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http://soundcloud.com/richie-royale
http://www.mixcrate.com/richieroyale

Quote Kolky:

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narcoman - Are you saying you can't put it online? Can you clarify why you say this please?

They have offered to give me stills of the title sequence. But the point is that this won't show off the work to its full potential. The point is, the music is good/works because it was written to these particular visuals, and I want to be able to show that.

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Showreels are private things. You give someone a list of things you've done and say "email for a showreel". No one in the world can stop you doing that. BUT they can insist it's not readily available online. There are many things I've mixed that I cannot put on my website so I point them towards the relative label, film or game etc.

Quote narcoman:

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they can insist it's not readily available online. There are many things I've mixed that I cannot put on my website so I point them towards the relative label, film or game etc.

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In this particular case they don't own the rights to their visuals anymore, so I'm not sure they can insist that. TBH I'm really not sure of the legality here, but we have both given up our rights to the respective piece of the project. But they seem to think they can deny me putting their visuals on my website, whilst it not even entering their consideration that they can use my music on their website.

The main question here was supposed to be should I put it on my showreel and risk spoiling a potential business relationship or should I just bend to their will, for an easy life and a less good showreel...

I have come across similar situations in the past and those much higher up the ladder than me have suggested that you "just put it up", "use the sample" etc until they tell you to take it down. I think your mistake was that you asked them politely. In this case, I would just use the link, and in future, just put things up without asking anyone.

Quote balvenie:

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I have come across similar situations in the past and those much higher up the ladder than me have suggested that you "just put it up", "use the sample" etc until they tell you to take it down. I think your mistake was that you asked them politely. In this case, I would just use the link, and in future, just put things up without asking anyone.

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Yep! Normally I do, but it just sort of came out in conversation. Never again...