RE: [Harp-L] PFOS song writing contest contract

[J Compton <jofjltn4@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dangit!  Assuming this was done for all submissions, I missed out on a chance for my first sale of my music.  I could then tell everyone I was a professional musician and even sold the rights to one of my songs.  I'd probably have framed a copy of the check and put it on the wall in my office.  Oh well, maybe I'll jump in on the next big blues documentary where the lawyers get involved.
 
Don't you just hate it when art and law are combined.  Both sides have valid points, both sides have their reason for doing what they do, but there seem to be so few cases where both sides are truly happy with the results.  Someone's always getting screwed, or at least feeling like they are.  Anyone have any examples of where it worked out just right?
 
Oh well...back to my own internal struggle of trying to figure out how to stick it to the man now that I'm one of the mans.
 
Jonathan 



> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx> Date: Fri, 28 Sep 2007 14:14:27 -0400> From: captron100@xxxxxxx> Subject: [Harp-L] PFOS song writing contest contract> > ? As most of us know, there is a documentary on harmonica in the works, called "Pocket Full of Soul", and they have offered a song contest, the winner to have his/her song used in the film.? No monetary compensation was?offered.> ? After it stirred some debate on this list, the owners of the?film (who are said to be?nice people) had their lawyer?re-write the original contract to make it less unfavorable to the songwriters.?> ??After?PFOS?revealed on Harp-L?that some well known song writers submitted songs, i got inspired and?submitted my own.??They later?asked all submitters to send in their names and addresses again, so they could?"send everyone something".??> ? I rec'd my envelope?as i was leaving on a trip and didn't get to study it, but it didn't contain the PFOS T-shirt i had hoped for!? My envelope contained a check for $1 and forms to sign to enable me to?forfeit any claims i have to the song, either forever or for 5 years (i forget).??I assume every other songwriter received the same contract?> ? I wasn't looking for compensation if my song was chosen, but it seems?to me that the?PFOS people?want to own not just the rights to the song that wins the contest, but?the rights?to every song submitted.? So even if our song isn't chosen?to be in the movie, we cannot use it for our own commercial purposes?> ? Comments?> ron> ________________________________________________________________________> Email and AIM finally together. You've gotta check out free AOL Mail! - http://mail.aol.com> _______________________________________________> Harp-L is sponsored by SPAH, http://www.spah.org> Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx> http://harp-l.org/mailman/listinfo/harp-l