$218 Movie Costs $400,000 For Music Rights

from the hmm.... dept

John submits this fascinating article about a movie that's winning rave reviews at the Cannes film festival. It was made by one guy, basically over the past twenty years of his life just documenting his troubled life. It really sounds quite fascinating - but that has little to do with what we post about here. What's interesting in this story is that the cost of all the video tape used to make the movie was a whopping $218. However, in order to get the rights to the music he wants for the film, the cost of making the film is shooting up to $400,000. Seems just a bit out of proportion.
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  • identicon
    Ryan, 19 May 2004 @ 5:23am

    Why?

    You get the licenses to use music and video clips because they're going to add a lot of value to the movie and allow you to make money.
    Let's say I make a film of a bunch of music set to animation. If I use Rolling Stones music, my odds of getting something watchable are a lot higher, because the Stones tracks add value, and therefore, you gotta pay.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    David A. Kearns (profile), 19 May 2004 @ 8:49am

    $218 movie

    If music were a commodity, or creating a blank tape an excersize in creativity, then there might be some amusement in the price disparity. There is commodity music, which would be much cheaper to license, but evidently the filmmaker chose not to go that route. His choice, but his choice determines the price he'll have to pay.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    eeyore, 19 May 2004 @ 8:50am

    not a first

    Kevin Smith made "Clerks" for less than what the music rights cost, though it was a difference of $27,000 for the music vs. $26,800 for filming. Also "Clerks" was shot on film. Had high-definition video cameras been available then he probably could have made it for considerably less.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Chomper, 19 May 2004 @ 9:40am

    Interesting...

    how they don't tell you WHICH piece of music is going to cost $400,000.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    John Dowdell, 19 May 2004 @ 2:15pm

    check pricing

    If he wanted to wear certain clothes, or drive in a certain car, or eat in a certain restaurant, it could cost more than the tape, too.

    Fortunately it's easier to make your own music without buying the stuff they want to sell you, than it is to make your own fashion, automobiles, penthouse hotel rooms, and what-all....

    link to this | view in chronology ]


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