Jerrie:

This BMI representative does not know what he is talking about.  I am an
independent distributor for my film "Judy Chicago & the California Girls",
and have done quite a bit of research about licensing, at least where films
are concerned.  Independents like myself sell the license with the physical
DVD, thus the higher cost for it than DVD's you would buy in a store.
 Retail DVD's are a lot cheaper, but then require an umbrella license to
protect the institution.

If the artist (local musician, etc) is not repped by BMI and his/her music
is not owned by them, than any DVD you buy from the artist is not going to
be covered by BMI's license anyway.   The Motion Picture Licensing Corp.
handles umbrella licensing for large studios, and can probably explain this
better than I can, as well as tell you how to handle the BMI guy who is
clearly doing something fraudulent.    If you want to play the local
musician's work in your museum, just make sure you get something from them
that says you have the license for public performance rights.  They may
charge you for it or may not.  Perhaps you can strike a deal, offering to
sell their DVD's in your gift shop.

Hope this helps.

Judith Dancoff
California Girl Productions
http://www.judychicagoandthecaliforniagirls.com
Tel. 323-225-5633

On Wed, Feb 3, 2010 at 1:46 PM, Jerrie Clarke <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Hello all,
>
> A few weeks when I was very busy a representative from BMI called and asked
> if we ever played music in the museum.  I told him that we do a monthly
> recital featuring local musicians.  I can't remember if I told him anything
> else.  I received a bill for a license but recalled the discussion last
> spring and didn't respond because we don't play music with our exhibits or
> special events.  This morning he called to remind me that I had to pay.  He
> also said that even though we allow local musicians for whom music is a
> hobby not a livelihood, we have to buy a license whose minimum fee is $327.
>
>
> I looked in the Archive to see all that had been discussed last spring.
> Dave Harvey was trying to put together a panel for AAM.  Did it happen?
> Were any solutions to the harassement or making it affordable for small
> budgeted local museums?
>
> I understand the need for copyright and protection of musicians, writers,
> filmmakers, etc.  However, if a local musician comes to the museum and plays
> for 1/2 hour for about 20 people, $327 or more seems a bit much.  I asked
> him if he was going to send my musician who is singing his own songs a check
> and he ignored the question.
>
> Any new news?
> Jerrie
>
>
>
> Jerrie Clarke
> Director
> Sheldon Museum
> PO Box 269
> Haines, AK 99827
> (907) 766-2366
> fax: (907) 766-2368
> www.sheldonmuseum.org
>
>
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