IAC MUSIC LICENCE

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Howard-Smith
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IAC MUSIC LICENCE

Post by Howard-Smith »

I have a question relating to the IAC music licence which allows us amateur filmmakers to use copyright music on condition that it is only for use in amateur non-profitmaking productions.
There are extensive music libraries online which appear mainly to be for professional use. Would the IAC licence cover me to record their music and use it in my films without having to pay them for permission?
Last edited by Howard-Smith on Tue Dec 31, 2019 1:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Howard-Smith
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Re: IAC MUSIC LICENCE

Post by Howard-Smith »

Well now, I'm actually going to answer my own question myself. I should have delved more into the information given on the IAC website before posing the question, as the answer lies therein:

IAC has negotiated special arrangements with the various licensing bodies allowing the use of both Library music and Commercial recordings in members’ sound tracks for their video, film, and audio visual presentations.

This is absolutely fantastic. A particular library I've found contains 203,000 tracks available for streaming. A simple search for, say, tracks in the genre 'film noir' narrows it down to 1601 tracks, and this can be narrowed down further into sub-categories. Just about any kind of music can be found here in any genre.
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TimStannard
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Re: IAC MUSIC LICENCE

Post by TimStannard »

Indeed you can.

This is just as well as the IAC manages to obtain sponors prizes of CDs of production music for various events including BIAFF (and I've been fortunate enough to receive some). This does not come with any licence so unless you have the IAC (or other) licence, it's of no practical use.

Are you going to spill the beans on the library you've found, or will yuou keep that to yourself in the spirit of friendly competition :)

Tangentally, does anyone else think it's strange that amateur competitions preclude paying actors or technical crew, yet allow professionally produced music, effects and foley. Perhaps it's just as well. Imagine some of the film we might have if people were forced to produce their own music! Alternatively imagine how few films we might end up with.

The line has to be drawn somewhere and I think it's probably right, but I always feel I'm cheating a bit when I drop in any professionally written and recorded music and always admire people who compose and record their own music and sound FX.
Tim
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Howard-Smith
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Re: IAC MUSIC LICENCE

Post by Howard-Smith »

I've sent you a private email, Tim, explaining my reason for not naming the music library in question on this forum.
In the past I've sometimes created my own music using Magix Music Maker software, eg. for DARK HORSE, and also I've asked musician friends to create scores for me for no payment, eg. for CARA, GOOSE SAUCE and ALEX(A).
But the BIAFF judges hardly ever commented on the music I'd used. It would have been encouraging sometimes to receive such comments as, for example, "we thought that the original score was effective..."
I began to notice that many top award winning films contain library music and commercial music, so I've tended to go along that route with my recent films.
Roy1
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Re: IAC MUSIC LICENCE

Post by Roy1 »

HI. First of all I would like to wish all posters on this IAC forum, the very best wishes for a happy prosperous and healthy new year, Now can anyone tell me if the IAC music licence covers videos placed on You Tube without financial reward in mind. Thanks for an expert answer please.
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Re: IAC MUSIC LICENCE

Post by Howard-Smith »

I’ll leave it to someone else to give you the definitive expert answer Roy, but what I understand is this. The IAC Licence totally covers us for most instances such as screenings of our films in private and in public such as in clubs, film competitions and festivals. However, uploading our films to YouTube and Vimeo is, I understand, a bit of a grey area. I believe there is the possibility, however remote, that the copyright holder of a piece of music used in a film could insist that the film be removed.
Eight years ago I made a short film called DAWN and made a one minute trailer for it, using in the trailer part of Miles Davis’s score for ELEVATOR TO THE GALLOWS. The trailer was posted onto YouTube by the leading actress of the film. She told me shortly afterwards that she had been contacted by someone who had recognised the music and had instructed her to take the video down. I didn’t bother trying to play the ‘Licence’ card.
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TimStannard
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Re: IAC MUSIC LICENCE

Post by TimStannard »

It absolutely does not cover internet use, Roy, as stated in red in the middle of this page https://www.theiac.org.uk/iac/copyright ... cheme.html

You Tube is generally not a problem as they have deals with various publishers allowing its use in return for some revnue from advertising (I presume). I have many videos on YouTube where commercial music has been identified and this is stated.

However this is not always the case. For example, you won't get far with any Beatles music. Similarly, rules are applied differently in different countries. Germany, for example, is particularly prone to "blocking" videos.

If you are intending to use commercial music and put it on YouTube, it's probably best to create a random video with that music an upload it for a few days and see what happens.

I do not believe Vimeo has any such similar agreement, but i'd be happy to learn that they have.
Tim
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Roy1
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Re: IAC MUSIC LICENCE

Post by Roy1 »

Thanks Tim for your prompt answer. I have 28 or more videos on You Tube all with professional music and only once had a video blocked in Germany whilst all other countries played the video OK. As an experiment I withdrew the Video and re uploaded it with the sam music a few weerks later and it then played okay in Germany. We are in a strange world at the moment. Your suggestion of putting a random video with commercial music onto You tube for a few weeks to test the water is a very good idea indeed. Thanks again.
Richard Scarsbrook
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Re: IAC MUSIC LICENCE

Post by Richard Scarsbrook »

There's a search function at https://www.youtube.com/music_policies?nv=1 on YouTube where you can search for the music policy (allow, place adverts, mute, take down, etc) that will be applied to anything you upload containing a particular piece of music.
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TimStannard
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Re: IAC MUSIC LICENCE

Post by TimStannard »

Thanks Richard!
Tim
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TimStannard
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Re: IAC MUSIC LICENCE

Post by TimStannard »

Howard-Smith wrote: Wed Jan 01, 2020 2:13 am But the BIAFF judges hardly ever commented on the music I'd used.
I try Howard, I try. No-one has ever mentioned the music when I've created it either - whether that's from scratch (eg Tudor Rap) or using downloaded MIDI files as a basis (as Greece is the Word) - although in those cases they do mention the lyrics. Possibly part ofteh problem is I don't credit myself for the music as I hate those credits where the same name appears again and again. I work on the basis that specific credits go to people performing specific roles (eg actors, cameramen, editors) for the specialists, where used, and everything else goes to the "director". In other words I do not need to specify "lighting by Tim Stannard" if it's "my" film and I haven't credited someone else with lighting.

Music is a bit of an oddity as we are not supposed to credit commercial recordings it under the IAC licence, therefore no-one knows from the credits whether the opening song in my film "Miracle on the Mantlepice" is Shakin' Stevens or was written and performed by me (clue: it wasn't me!)
Tim
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Howard-Smith
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Re: IAC MUSIC LICENCE

Post by Howard-Smith »

Ah! I’ve usually been crediting the music I’ve used on end credits. Must stop doing that unless it’s specially composed or copyright-free anyway.
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