CSS Music, considered a leader in royalty free background music and sound effects, has announced its intention to help filmmakers save time and money, considering that many new filmmakers struggle with the cost of producing their art, by crafting a business model to provide a low cost, straightforward method for producers and filmmakers to acquire music for their works. CSS Music’s cost cutting model allows filmmakers to lessen the burden of production often experienced. With the money saved on production music, many filmmakers are given the option to shoot on film instead of using digital cameras.
One of the biggest misconceptions about the use of music in audio visual projects is that buying a CD or downloading a piece of music from iTunes gives the end user the right to use it in timed relationship to a picture. This is inaccurate. The mere purchase of a piece of commercially available music only conveys the right to listen to it, nothing more. To utilize music in an audio visual production three rights must be obtained: Master Use, Synchronization and Public Performance.
While it is theoretically possible to license any piece of music, cost is often a common problem in addition to having to deal with multiple publishers and even the rights of the artists themselves. This is essentially the reason production music libraries exist–to provide a convenient process for clearing music with one license agreement covering all required rights in an “all in one package”. This method saves time and money for the end users.
Not all music licenses are created equal. End users should match their needs with the license that is best suited for the task at hand. Some research is necessary and when it comes to the actual purchase (especially online) it is important to carefully read the terms and conditions put forth and ask the licensor all questions prior to accepting. Many libraries market themselves as “royalty free” when they are actually selling needle drops.
CSS Music urges consumers to be mindful of any “royalty free” subscription plan that has a time limit or requires multiple downloads for subsequent productions. These sellers are in reality production blanket libraries or at best annual blanket libraries. One major setback with needle drops is that they are limited to one specified production and cannot be used in subsequent productions. Often if any change is made to a production in the future, all needle drops must be re-paid.
CSS Music provides royalty free licenses that are much less expensive and allow for the music to be used in an unlimited number of productions, an unlimited number of times. If a show changes, there is no up charge.
“My best advice to someone just getting started working with music for a film or other audio visual, is to do your due diligence. Ask as many questions as you can from as many libraries as you can. And read your license before you sign,” said CSS Music marketing director Mike Fuller. With an exclusive royalty free library like ours, when you buy a tune and begin building a personal library, you’re investing in yourself because generally the tunes you buy can be used over and over in an unlimited number of productions. When you buy a needle drop on the other hand, you’ve only created an expense. Non-exclusive libraries have tunes in them that may appear in multiple libraries under different titles. When you’re clearing your film and putting your deliverables together for a buyer or distributor, this could be a factor.”
Established in 1982 in Los Angeles, CA, CSS Music is a royalty-free music company with a library of more than 12,000 tracks. CSS Music provides royalty free music and sound FX for film, video and television producers.
