150 CDS AND 150 DIGITAL DOWNLOADS

hey my little cherry pies---

I realized I never told you- in my post about the mechanical licenses- how many CDs and Digital downloads I ordered mechanical licenses FOR.

This blog budget for $1000 allows for 150 CDs to be reproduced with a beautiful 6 panel book in color designed by the brilliant Robbie Rozelle. This means that I can afford mechanical licenses for 150 CDs to be made and 150 digital files to be downloaded.

So that's how it breaks down my darlin's.

150 CDs.

150 digital downloads.

that's all this budget can take along with the other expenses.

*Honestly, I would have been thrilled to just get 25 CDs made and give them out as Christmas Presents. I never dreamed I'd actually NEED 150 CDs just to fulfill my pre-orders but...

life sometimes is kinda fucking wicked awesome like that.

whee!

Now I could have afforded more CDs if I'd gone with cheaper packaging-

less panels, black and white instead of color, etc-

but Robbie did such beautiful work it would be an absolute shame to not allow it to be enjoyed to the fullest.

So as a result-

for the extra panels and color-

i had to go with less actual CDs.

the price you pay for quality art, dolls.

and gladly.

more soon---

xo

dl

*full disclosure: I have used most of the Donation PR fund to order more than 150 actual CDs (which of course jacks up the prices of.....everything, basically). But I also really wanted to show that indeed, it was possible to do all of this for $1000, hence my 'Blog Budget'. The extra CDs are for 'promotional purpose' (to send for free to critics, radio stations, etc)- so it fits within the guidelines of PR.

MECHANICAL LICENSES- DONE AND DONE!

Today was mechanical license day, my petit chou chous.

And, yes- it was about as interesting and artistically satisfying as it sounds.

But.

It needs to be done.

People need to be credited and paid for their work so, momma spent the day working the VISA over at the Harry Fox website and writing personal checks for the rest.

The deal at Harry Fox is pretty self-explanatory.

You register, sign in, and find the songs you want to license.

You fill out the forms, pay,  they send you a receipt and then later the actual licenses are put into your HARRY FOX account.

The only drag again, with HARRY FOX is if you want to pay for CDs and digital downloads, you have to go through the whole process twice, and pay an additional $15 for each one (both CD and digital per song). While dealing with the Harry Fox site is on the one hand, very civilized and easy...on the other hand that $15 per license is an obvious racket and totally stinks. For 5 licenses, times two (for CD and digital) I was out an extra $150 just in 'Harry Fox Processing Fees'. On a $1000 budget that really puts my balls in a vice.

But....

what can ya do.

For the songs I needed licenses for that weren't at Harry Fox, I got in touch with all the composers personally the past few days, settled up the amount due, got their addresses, etc and mocked up my own Mechanical License just so I've got some sort of receipt.

FYI-

my personal Mechanical License looks like this:

PARTING GLASS PRODUCTIONS

dlc@donnalynnechamplin.com

MECHANICAL LICENSE AGREEMENT

LICENSE INFORMATION:

License request date:

Song title:

Artist:

Album Title:

Label Name:

Song play-time (length of track):    ____minutes and ___seconds

Number of recordings in this pressing:

Release Date:

Configuration (CD, DVD, Digital, etc)

LICENSEE CONTACT INFORMATION:

Contact Name:

Contact Address:

Contact Phone number:

Fax Number:

Email address:

COMPOSER CONTACT INFORMATION:

Composer’s Name:

Composer’s Manager, agent, lawyer, ect:

Contact Phone Number:

Fax Number:

Email Address:

 

AMOUNT DUE: ___$_________________

AGREE AND ACCEPTED:

By: _____________  By: ______________

                      Date                   Licensee                 Date

 *******************************************

I then enclosed two copies of this mechanical license all filled out and signed, with a check for the proper amount, and a self addressed stamped envelope so they could sign both copies and then send one back to me for my records.

And that's pretty much it babies.

I'm sending out the personal check/non Harry Fox stuff out tomorrow and then...with the exception of one composer who's in the middle of changing representation, I will be officially paid up license-wise. As soon as the remaining composer gets me information of her new representation, I'll send her stuff out and be 100% done with all that.

Actually, while book keeping for me is by far the least 'fun' part of this whole thing- there is a certain satisfaction in knowing that all the composers and lyricists have been properly compensated for their awesome music. 

Ok darlins'

Will get back to a nice musical post next. But...figured I needed to give you a nuts n' bolts update as well- since the nuts n' bolts is really the stuff that us artists kinda know nothing about and should.

More soon!!!

xoxo

dl