Have you heard the latest news?
Apparently you are now required to pay up to $200 per song if you wish to “show video or photo montages accompanied by popular love songs” at your wedding.
See article (here).
To quote:
“MediaCorp has learnt that the Composers and Authors Society of Singapore (Compass) – which represents over 1,000 composers and lyricists in Singapore, including JJ Lin and Taufik Batisah, and at least one million more members worldwide – is clamping down on the illegal use of copyrighted music for weddings.
It has sent letters to wedding photographers and videographers asking them to buy the licences for songs they wish to use – on their corporate websites and in their works – while stopping short of suggesting active enforcement.”
How about that!!!
(Lucky for those who’ve already had their weddings.)
But seriously, what gives?
I understand that you need to pay royalties if you use a song in a commercial.
After all, you are using the song to promote your own product, so royalties are warranted.
I understand that you need to pay royalties if you cover a song in a commercial album.
After all, you are selling your album using someone else’s copyrighted song, so royalties are warranted.
But using a song for a photo montage at a wedding?!?
Seriously…why should royalties be warranted?
You are not using the song to make money for yourself…you are merely using the song as an accompaniment to your slideshow.
What next?
Paying royalties every time I sing “Poker Face” in the shower?
One more reason to write your own songs, folks!
(P.S. For those who are not yet married, better start writing and recording those original songs now. Get to work, pronto!!!)
hmm…actually I think the target penalty is at hired photographers & videographers who are indeed using the music commercially.
The target is not the wedding couple, although the cost might be passed on to them.
but yeah, originals!
Yup you’re right about that. Upon further reading they’re mainly targetting the photogs and videographers who are paid a sum to compile the photo montages.
So I guess if we DIY, then it should be ok? Or no?
hmm…not sure about that; can’t recall. Got to the review copyright law.
I think it’s alright as long as it is considered “fair dealing”
http://www.ipos.gov.sg/leftNav/cop/Specific+Copyright+Issues.htm#exceptions
Forget about getting into trouble with MPS, COMPASS or RIPS over the use of copyrighted music. Forget about paying by the hundreds or thousands!
There is a better and cheaper way. Use royalty-free material
available for less than $20.
Take a look at http://bit.ly/ac8XEH