The most fundamental part of the music placement process is obtaining a copyright and master recording license for each song. Giant Step has the knowledge and experience to efficiently and affordably research and license music in any genre for any type of production budget. Giant Step offers an easy-to-use on-line clearance request form, hands-on personalized support and cost-effective clearance rates. Through our closely maintained relationships with record labels, publishers and managers, we will save you the most money and time on music licensing without cost to creativity.
In order to send a valid licensing request, we will need the name of the song, the name of the artist and/or writer, a description of the song's usage, timing of the song's usage, a brief synopsis of the project and the approximate total budget. Once you have submitted this information to us, we can begin our research and clearance process. If you have limited information on the song you are interested in, contact us and we will work with you to fill in your missing information. Once we have fully researched the song, we will then negotiate a fee with the copyright holders of the song. Upon receipt of their quotes, we will deliver them to you and await your further instructions.
Should you wish to proceed in licensing the song based on the quote you have received, we can review and process a formal license on your behalf. Once the license has been executed and the licensing fee paid, the rights for your use of the song have been cleared.
Email: musicsupervision@giantstep.net
Phone: 212-219-3567 x227
Clearance Form: Download (Word Document)
Q: How long does it take to license a song?
A: Depending on what the song is and what sort of rights are being requested, it can take anywhere from a few days to several months to fully license a song. With larger publishers that administer for many writers, it is often the case that the publisher must contact the writer's estate for approval. With the more obscure songs, often simply finding the copyright owners will take some time.
Q: How come I can't use a song?
A: While generally most songs are available to be licensed for a film, there are few different sets of circumstances that can make a song unavailable for use:
- The usage is denied. This may happen because the artist disapproves of how the song is being used or the project it is being requested for. A few artists simply do not allow their songs to be licensed for commercial media. In other instances, a record company may refuse to license a song to prevent it from competing with release of the artist's album or for other marketing reasons.
- Cost-prohibitive fee. There are several ways to put together a licensing deal to make an expensive quote more manageable, and we will always work to the fullest extent to make a song affordable. Sometimes , however, despite best efforts a quote will come back that is prohibitively high.
- Copyright owners do not respond in a timely manner or not at all. Record labels and publishers are not required to respond to a licensing request and no response constitutes a denial of the use. In some situations a label or publisher may simply not respond within the amount of time available to clear the music.
- Copyright owners cannot be found. If the copyright owners cannot be found through best efforts, the rights cannot be properly cleared and the song is unavailable for use.
Q: Why use Giant Step for my music clearance needs?
A: Giant Step is dedicated to providing reliable clearance services at an affordable rate. With our multi-faceted experience in the music industry and our strong contacts with record labels, publishers, managers and attorneys, we are able to streamline the licensing process to get you the best possible results quickly and efficiently. Because music rights issues can often be complex, we are always available to answer questions and advise you about your licensed music.
Q: How often is the site update?
A: We recommend that you visit the site weekly as we are constantly updating and adding new artists and tracks. Our goal is to start small and grow accordingly. "Quality not quantity" is our mantra.
