An Interview With David Levy Of Levy Publishing
I recently had a chance to interview, via email, David Levy of Levy Music Publishing. In this interview David shares some great insights about the licensing industry from the perspective of a publisher. Some of Levy Music Publishing's recent credits include:
-"A Perfect Getaway" Directed by David Twohy Starring Mila Jovovich & Steve Zahn
-"Triple Dog" Starring Scout Taylor-Compton (Currently in Post-Production)
-"Tech Deck Live" The VideoGame
When and why did you start Levy Publishing?
Levy Music Publishing became incorporated on July 2, 2008; Along with our sister company Levy Entertainment Group.
It all began for me many years ago. I have always had a deep-rooted love for music. I had tried the band thing, been a session guitarist, written songs, composed for films, produced films & TV, and opened up my own recording studio. At the time it seemed like the only thing that I had yet to explore was music publishing.
I knew I was in for a ride, but I also saw the potential in working with music publishing. There will always be music in multimedia, and there will always be a need for the licenses to use it legally. I see music publishing as being one aspect of the entertainment industry that will be around for a very long time to come.
I have always aspired to bring a fresh new perspective to today's entertainment industry and create personal, long-lasting relationships with my clients, artists and colleagues. I have seen it all in this business. And I have learned the importance of running a respectable operation.
There were three main goals that I had placed in front of me when starting Levy Music Publishing. The first was to create a one-stop-shop for music. This meant being able to issue both a master and synch license, and being the exclusive publisher on all of our songs. The Second was to make a comfortable, safe and secure agreement for our artists to sign. This was a huge challenge. I had to acquire the rights needed in order to issue licenses, yet keep our artists comfortable when coming on board. The third was to create long-lasting personal relationships with all of our clients, and to maintain them. I believe that the above has been key to the success we have had. I truly believe in the value of the "personal touch".
What is your background? What did you do prior to forming Levy Music Publishing?
My background is definitely in music. However, I have worked as a producer in Film, TV and Broadway. Including many independent documentaries and short films as well as the hit TV show, "American Idol".
In August of 06`, I was a producer & music coordinator for the all time Broadway hit "Jesus Christ Superstar"; [featuring Jack Black & the Original Cast from the motion picture live in concert at the Ricardo Montalban Theatre in Hollywood.]
I have done work as a recording engineer and producer with artists such as, Yvonne Elliman & Matchbox 20 as well as numerous independent artists from around the globe.
I have also worked as a Music Supervisor in Movie Trailer Industry with Paul Wintner (CEO, Wintner Artist) on many of the most recognizable trailers of today. I still maintain an extremely close relationship with Paul, and currently Levy Music Publishing handles all of his company's music needs exclusively.
When you sign new artists/songs what are you looking for in general?
When we take a new song or cue into our catalog, first and foremost comes quality of production. If production quality is low its almost a guaranteed no go. Second thing we look for is talent; a vocalist that can sing, and a band that can play. There are many times where the music is great but the vocals are horrid, that is almost always a deal-breaker.
How much money can an artist expect to get paid from a typical feature film? An indie film?
Before the recession this question would have been much easier to answer. The #1 rule is that there are no rules. Since the recession, film budgets have dropped drastically; and many productions have left California all together because of rising production costs. It seems not as many films are actually in production as were this time last year. Where a film would have paid $10,000 for a license they are now trying to get it for 3 or 5 k. I have seen a bit of a bounce back over the past couple months but its still not anywhere near back to normal.
Typically, studio funded feature film placements range from around $1,500 to $5,000 for an unknown indie artist. The rates go up very quickly depending on several factors. The two main ones are the usage of the song and the popularity of the artist. I have had to license songs for several hundred thousand dollars before. Hence why it can be a very lucrative industry for those involved.
As for the Indie/low-budget Feature Film: Don't expect anything worthwhile as an upfront fee. Many publishers wont work with low-budgets. I have not adopted this policy. I believe that Indie films offer great exposure for artists; it helps them gain popularity with filmmakers. I have always been willing to work with any good quality production regardless of the budget. The same way we believe in the artists we work with, we believe in the films and filmmakers.
You typically sign exclusive agreements with the songwriters you work with, can you talk about why you choose this arrangement?
Non-Exclusive agreements are a newer practice of publishers; it lies in a huge gray area. The way most of them work is by registering a new and separate title with a performance rights organization and collecting and administering profits based on the earnings of that "re-titled song". For obvious reasons, this can really complicate things legally. (And in most cases, performance rights organizations despise the practice.) In my experience it has lead to nothing but a can of worms. I choose to be very straightforward with the way I work. Levy Music Publishing works on a song-by-song basis, and will only sign material that we feel confident we can derive profits from. We are a boutique style company working with quality rather than quantity. That way, we stay true to artists, our clients, and ourselves. Most of our artists can get a hold of me personally very easily, if need be. Like I said before I strongly value personal relationships.
How important is production when it comes to artists licensing their songs?
Production quality is by far one of the top factors of importance when it comes to licensing songs. As a music supervisor with a trusted publishing company, I would never risk my reputation and present anyone material that wasn't of the absolute highest quality. Like I said before, for me, its quality over quantity.
What advice do you have for artists who want to start licensing their music?
Try not to let yourself fall through the cracks. Find someone who you can work with hand in hand. There are many different types of people and businesses out there; most importantly you need to trust the people you work with. You may find yourself working better non-exclusively with many different companies, or, you may find yourself more comfortable in a smaller company with an exclusive arrangement. There are no rules, and you should probably try everything. Remember, a song is a song, and hopefully you will write many more even better ones in the days coming. Don't be too afraid to pass on good opportunities.
Any projects that you're working on that you can tell us about?
Currently there are several major motion pictures in the works, I would love to tell you more but it is confidential. We are also always working on Independent films gaining more exposure for our artists. And on the home-front, we just updated our website with some really great features such as a 24/7 Live music supervisor chat for filmmakers looking to license music. Check back after the New Year, hopefully we can fill you in on some new films at that time.
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