I was listening to 'Shaun of the Dead' commentary and on it Simon Pegg says they had to pay a band (I think it was Chicago, but I've forgotten exactly) £10,000 for literally a few seconds of a song (It comes on the juke box to aid a joke.)

That seems like an enormous amount of money to me for maybe 10 seconds at most of music.

How does it work? Do you simply haggle a price with the songwriter/publishing company until you can both agree a price? Are there standard fees? Or is there a formula for working out how much you pay (like radio)? What are the average prices paid for using a song in a TV programme or film?

From what I understand, they essentially set the price themselves. If you want to cover a song, you only have to pay a nominal fee based on a fixed system, but to use the actual song, it's totally determined by the owner of the rights.

That's why nobody uses Beatles songs, but lots have Beatles covers.

i know that one factor in cancelling "freaks & geeks" was that each episode's budget for royalties was exorbitant. i've also heard some people grouse about the rolling stones' royalty fees. they're apparently insane.

It often comes down to haggling (especially with the indies), though you're gonna pay big if you want a song on a major label. They've got set rates, and they're bullies about it - though they often make deals with major release films (ie: you can have this song by the Flaming Lips, but only if you put this Nickelback tune on the soundtrack as well*).

My wife had to license a Sparklehorse song for a documentary on Guy Maddin (he directed a Sparklehorse video), and Mark Linkous was 100% accomodating but Capitol Records were total cocksuckers and blocked it at every turn. I think Maddin and/or Linkous had to directly complain to the Capitol suits before they finally caved.



* probably not on the same label, but I'm speakin' hypothetically here.

Linkous was cool with it because he has the ability to approve Synchronization license through his publishing company.

You have to get a Mechanical license from the label because they own the physical record, not the song (Synch license), and they usually ask a substantial fee.