iTunes store and royalties?

[MacTrek]

What is the name of your state? Michigan

I wish to use popular music as soundtracks in video projects. An example would be a graduation video combining stills and home movie video of a single graduate or a group of graduates. Several copies of this completed video would be made and sold for $5 each. If I purchase the music from Apple's iTunes store, have I paid royalties sufficient to allow this usage? Apple's explanation is somewhat vague. They do state that purchasing music from the iTunes store grants permission to use it in an iMovie project. What I don't know is if I can produce mutiple copies of the video with these songs as sound tracks. I want to do this the right way and am not sure where to go for permission to use music this way. Does anyone know how much royalties for such a project might be? (Under 100 copies)
Thanks!
Mike

 

[hexeliebe]

The Apple sites stipulates that you can use the music in iMovie projects for PERSONAL use, not to charge money or market the completed project.

If you want to be safe, contact Apple for a release of the music and give them exact details of your intended usage. And be prepared if they say no, this is not fair use.

Also, if this is popular music and not music that was generated by Apple for download, then Apple does not own (possibly) the copyright and you will have to contact BMI or ASCAP for release to use the music in your video.

 

[MacTrek]

Exactly how do I contact these agencies to get permission or to arrange to pay the royalties? Any idea how much royalties cost? I have no idea. Are we talking pennies per copy, dollars per copy, or more?

 

[hexeliebe]

Do a search at google or yahoo for the two agencies. They are both located in Los Angeles and New York.

As for the cost of the royalties, it depends on the music. That's something that I can't answer.