Why are screen composer royalties lower in the streaming world?

Story by SOCAN | Thursday January 27th, 2022

Audiences shifting from cable and TV to streaming video on-demand has had a huge effect on Canadian screen composers, most significantly by lowering the royalties paid for each view of their work. If you’re one of SOCAN’s #ComposersWhoScore dealing with this new reality, and want to understand how and why it’s happening, check out our “explainer” video below.

Click on the image to watch the video

Click on the image to watch the video

SOCAN is making progress on this issue, along with efforts by our colleagues in the Screen Composers Guild of Canada (SCGC) and La Société professionnelle des auteurs et des compositeurs du Québec (SPACQ). We’re currently advocating  with the federal government to modify the Broadcasting Act so that it mandates Canadian Content quotas for streaming video-on-demand services, and the promotion and discoverability of it. We’re also pursuing the collection of streaming reproduction rights royalties from those services; copyright retention, and participation in publisher’s share of performing rights and reproduction rights, for screen composers; and incentivizing the use of Canadian screen composers in foreign productions which shoot in Canada.

SOCAN Foundation to announce winners of $5,000 Her Music Awards

Story by SOCAN Foundation / Fondation SOCAN | Tuesday February 1st, 2022

The SOCAN Foundation will announce the two $5,000 winners of the 2022 Her Music Awards in an online gala on Feb. 25, 2022. The Her Music Awards are designed to celebrate and support mid-career, female-identifying Canadian music creators, on the verge of taking their creative careers to the next level. The SOCAN Foundation, part of the SOCAN Group of companies, will present the 2022 awards in partnership with the website builder Bandzoogle.

“Even before the pandemic, women in music were underpaid, under-represented, and faced additional barriers and harassment,” said Charlie Wall-Andrews, Executive Director of SOCAN Foundation. “The Her Music Awards create an opportunity to help overcome the obstacles, and to celebrate and empower female-identified music creators that are building momentum in their career trajectory.”

Renowned Canadian artist and jury committee chair Shakura S’Aida will host the award show through the virtual world meeting space Aire Ouverte, via the SOCAN Foundation office. Award recipients will be selected to receive two Grand Prizes of $5,000 each; new this year are five honourable mentions of $1,000 each. In addition, the Songwriters Association of Canada (SAC) and Société professionnelle des auteurs et des compositeurs du Québec (SPACQ) are offering a one-year complimentary membership to their organization for each of the Grand Prize winners.

“One of our goals as a company is to help raise the voices of the many talented women in music,” says Stacey Bedford, Bandzoogle’s CEO. “And as a Canadian music company, we’re especially proud to partner with the SOCAN Foundation on this great initiative to help support Canadian female-identified music creators.”

As the needs of musicians have evolved, so has Bandzoogle’s mission to help them succeed online by empowering artists to build effective websites for their music careers. As the proud presenting sponsor of the Her Music Awards, Bandzoogle encourages SOCAN members to redeem their exclusive six-month free trial (plus 15% off any subscription) of the website building software here.

Apply now for RBC Launchpad Music Entrepreneurship program

Story by Howard Druckman | Thursday January 27th, 2022

Young Canadian artists, music creators, and music entrepreneurs are invited to apply now for the RBC Launchpad Music Entrepreneurship program, which is dedicated to supporting and empowering them. The objective of the program is to strengthen participants through an educational and networking platform that equips them with the kind of entrepreneurial tools required to establish and accelerate a thriving music project or initiative.

The program will include:

  • A vibrant, collaborative community of fellow emerging creators, artists, music-makers, and industry professionals.
  • Up to 20 workshops topics such as grant writing, creative direction, marketing strategies, legal literacy, and more.
  • One-on-one mentorship with music industry leaders and professionals.
  • Coaching and assessment on your own personal projects.
  • Artscape Daniels Launchpad membership, and credits toward professional studio use.

To be eligible to apply for the RBC Launchpad Music Entrepreneurship program, applicants must be:

  • between the ages of 18 and 35.
  • an emerging and/or practicing artist, music creator, or entrepreneur.
  • based in Canada, as either a citizen, or legal resident.

The selection criteria are:

  • Leadership potential and entrepreneurial vision.
  • Resilience and growth.
  • Ability to collaborate.
  • Desire to participate in a cohort experience.

Through the program, participants will gain:

  • Increased capacity to achieve their financial and professional goals.
  • A community of seasoned practitioners and mentors for ongoing support.
  • Opportunities to collaborate with peers in music, and other creative sectors.
  • Meaningful projects structured for rapid learning and feedback.
  • A supportive environment to test ideas and assess revenue-generation strategies.
  • Access to a professional recording studio.
  • Industry connections.

To apply for the RBC Launchpad Music Entrepreneurship program, please click here to complete and submit application by the deadline of Friday, Feb. 4, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. ET.