Music Clearances: Master / Publishing Rights Question

Hi there,

I am currently trying to clear music rights for a film I am directing/producing...

The majority of the tracks are controlled by indie labels who own both the publishing and master rights for the requested tracks.

However, some tracks are owned by majors and in at least one case the publishing and master rights are split across two different entities.

The publisher for one of these majors provided a quote, however, I am not sure if the price the publisher quoted is the total price I will pay for the tracks (i.e. they split this figure with the master rights owner), or if I need to pay both the publisher and the master rights owner the amount quoted? The publisher said they could do it for this rate, as long as it is MFN with the master owners and if they agree to the same deal.

Any clarification would be hugely appreciated.

Thanks!
 
Why do you think the best course of action would be to ask strangers on a forum rather than asking the publisher you are already in contact with?

1) If I'm able to understand how master/publishing rights splits work it will help before moving forward.

2) There seems to be no information about this online (at least I can't find any, as well as in the filmmaking books I own) so it may help others.
 
The publisher for one of these majors provided a quote, however, I am not sure if the price the publisher quoted is the total price I will pay for the tracks (i.e. they split this figure with the master rights owner), or if I need to pay both the publisher and the master rights owner the amount quoted?
I think the best course of action in this case would be to ask
the publisher you got the quote from to clarify. In some cases
the quoted price is for everything. I can't know for sure what
your specific situation is.
 
If I'm able to understand how master/publishing rights splits work it will help before moving forward.
They're the same as every other right. If you need one right, you need one right. If you need two, you need two. It might help if you stop thinking they're connected, even though they may be intertwined....

Much like driving a car. You need a license to drive the car, but you also need permission from the owner to drive the car. While they're intertwined (as in you need both), since one party can give you one of those rights, the other isn't necessarily part of that transaction. You may need to clarify and if necessary source permission from the other entity.

So to answer your original question, it'll depend on what you had quoted.
 
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