Let's talk about licensing images and whatnot

[dennyschmickle]

Somebody was asking me about this sort of stuff and it made me realize that I don't really know that much about it.

For example:

An illustrator friend of mine was asked to do some t-shirts. He is convinced that if he does these shirts for cheap, the band will get huge and sell a million shirts with his art on it while he's begging for change on the street.

Isn't it possible for him to devise some sort of contract where he gets paid a percentage of their future merch that carries his art? Something like that? And isn't the same true for designers?
Like, couldn't Gregg retire off of that Maroon 5 cd package?


kthxbai

[Dusty!]

Somebody was asking me about this sort of stuff and it made me realize that I don't really know that much about it.

For example:

An illustrator friend of mine was asked to do some t-shirts. He is convinced that if he does these shirts for cheap, the band will get huge and sell a million shirts with his art on it while he's begging for change on the street.

Isn't it possible for him to devise some sort of contract where he gets paid a percentage of their future merch that carries his art? Something like that? And isn't the same true for designers?
Like, couldn't Gregg retire off of that Maroon 5 cd package?


kthxbai

Royalties on shirts is prolly doable.
Royalties on designs not so much, especially for a large band on a large label. You're also risking money up front vs. the hope that the bands sells a jillion copies. Also, i doubt any label would give much of a % of sales.

[scrojo]

if he thinks it's going to be worth something...... hold tuff. x% of all profits on everything or..... no go.

problem with that " rich and famous" scheme is that most bands, once they sign with a major label, will be forced to drop all " open-ended " agreements like that.

[RichieGoodtimes]

Never works.

[Dusty!]

im just saying if you opt to go $5000 + .05% royalties vs. $10000 cash you are liable to not make as much money. You're betting on teh band selling a boat load of copies.

Also, you arent the producer, the label is going to give you any % of the sales so its a pipe dream anyway.

[dennyschmickle]

Also, you arent the producer, the label is going to give you any % of the sales so its a pipe dream anyway.

Exactly. I mean, that's what I figured anyway. I don't know where I heard that, but I think it's come up on here before.

[scrojo]

the one that has worked nice for me is $X.00 for a 2year lease. free to do whatever they want with the design for 2 years then all rights revert back to me. in a few cases they have done nothing for over a year then spent the last year re-negotiating an extention before investing in merch.

[hypo]

Oh Rutru.

Sony was so much more entertaining.

[DenisMutter]

there was once an artist whose name was Wen Tong.

WTF is that all about?

[Dusty!]

the one that has worked nice for me is $X.00 for a 2year lease. free to do whatever they want with the design for 2 years then all rights revert back to me. in a few cases they have done nothing for over a year then spent the last year re-negotiating an extention before investing in merch.

This is pretty normal throughout the illustration industry.

You can license on any specific term, 1 year america, 1 year printed worldwide etc, then they would have to license it again for any futher use.