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Update: Holy shit they actually answered!
Time to see whether they want 100% of a licensing fee, or 45% of fuck all ad money https://twitter.com/PhilosophyTube/status/1335271669477339136
Time to see whether they want 100% of a licensing fee, or 45% of fuck all ad money https://twitter.com/PhilosophyTube/status/1335271669477339136
the best part is the artist died an extremely wealthy person so I don't have to worry about screwing them over - it's just corporations arguing over the scraps
The plot thickens! Apparently Sony don't actually publish this song - the publishing rights belong to a personal friend and executor of the late artist's will, an old man whose company has no listed email and whose phone number is disconnected...
Just sent a letter like some kind of 14th Century monk, but get this - I looked it up and the old man's listed address is actually an accountancy firm? No clue if I'll hear back or what but I feel like it's worth reminding you all that I am trying to give these people money!
smash cut to me in 3 weeks wandering around a rural town looking for the accountant's office, I ask an old crone for directions and she's like "Nobody round here has ever heard that song! Pack yur bags and leave if ye knows whats good for ye!"
“Perhaps the song is closer than you think...” says a wise homeless man, who reveals himself to be the Artist! He faked his death to retire! “You followed the clues in my music to find me.”
“Can I use it in a YouTube video?”
“What? No, just... no, fuck off.”
“Can I use it in a YouTube video?”
“What? No, just... no, fuck off.”
I'm through via email to an entirely different company who apparently secretly liaise with the actual publisher. They say the publisher doesn't approve this particular song very often! No clue how the accountants fit into all this or what happened to my letter.
my agent is through to ANOTHER entirely different company who someone own part of the song and they say they want “north of $10k”
did a test where I uploaded the song to an unlisted video on a burner channel - it gets content ID’d and Sony takes the ad revenue (which isn’t much) but I can still publish it. So I was right: they can either give me the license cheap or take 55% of not much
The publisher say I need permission from Sony first; Sony say I need permission from the publisher first
I cc’d them both into the same email chain
my agent has hit a brick wall cause the rogue company "won't enter a further discussion unless we confirm the budget is more than $10,000." Sony, meanwhile, have gone on leave for Christmas
messages to my agent are getting increasingly frank lmao
Publisher: "Okay leave it with me, I'll get back to you by Friday."
Me, the following Monday:
Me, the following Monday:
Soon I may have to deploy my most powerful weapon: "I will continue writing until the matter is resolved." I WILL speak to the manager dammit!!!
The person who was my secret liaison with the publisher has apparently gone off sick - I'm now through to ANOTHER entirely different company who are taking over my secret liaison's emails. This is company four? Five? All because the old man is a notorious recluse
Every time I email a new person I have to fill out the same form explaining which bit of the song I want and exactly what I want it for. At this point presumably everyone in the music industry knows what this video is
I'd like to remind you all of two things:
1) I am trying to give these people money
2) This is the way you are officially "supposed" to do things
1) I am trying to give these people money
2) This is the way you are officially "supposed" to do things
okay my contact at Sony is considering my offer, but apparently they need approval from "the Americans." Which Americans? All of them?! I have no idea.
Apparently I might also have to pay some fees to the artist’s trade union. Not quite sure how they’re representing him since he’s dead but whatever, all power to the workers I guess
The Americans want more information.
"What is a video essay?" the Americans demand.
"Will this be on YouTube Red?" the Americans inquire.
YouTube Red has not existed since 2018.
"What is a video essay?" the Americans demand.
"Will this be on YouTube Red?" the Americans inquire.
YouTube Red has not existed since 2018.
“Let me know what Sony says, it will help me convince the old man!" The publisher says.
"Let me know what the publisher says, it will help me convince the Americans!" Sony says.
"Let me know what the publisher says, it will help me convince the Americans!" Sony says.
My secret liaison says the publisher is "checking."
Checking what? With who? Is it the old man? I'm a week away from filming and they're only checking NOW what the fuck have they been doing for the last month and a half then???
Checking what? With who? Is it the old man? I'm a week away from filming and they're only checking NOW what the fuck have they been doing for the last month and a half then???
