I got to know that we can buy rights for music we have downloaded on Envato for a documentary on Audiojungle. We thought it was royalty free on Envato Elements, but discovered it was not… We will buy the broadcast version, as we are going to show it on TV. But do we also need a separate licence for film festival use and a separate one if we are going to show the documentary in screenings we arrange in public places (not theatres, but churches, schools etc…) ? Or is all covered if we buy the broadcast licence?
Music on Elements has the same royalty-free status as on Audiojungle. However many people have misconceptions about what royalty-free means. It simply means that you don’t have to pay royalties each time the video is being played.
It has nothing to do with what types of use are permitted, which is entirely defined in the license terms. And indeed, the terms on Audiojungle offer more options than on Elements. Sorry for the unsolicited lecture, just wanted to clear things out.
Now, regarding your question, you do not need a new license for a same end-product distributed on different medium types. A single license is fine. You just need to make sure all your intended uses are covered. So, the broadcast license will also cover the film festival and public place screenings, which are covered from the Standard license level.
Please note that there are actually 3 broadcast licenses. The one you need will depend on the DMA of your broadcaster.
Also the license does not act as waiver for performance royalties. The venue owner may be subjected to paying those royalties, depending on your local PRO policies.
Thanks for your answer PurpleFog and for clarifying that I do not need a new license for the same end-product on different medium types.
I do not understand what you mean by the last sentence… Do you mean that if I have paid for a broadcast licence to Audiojungle with the right DMA depending on the channel, I still might have to pay performance royalties??? (I do not know what PRO policies are etc… )
And one more question; If I start with the cheapest - a standard licence for film festivals and online - can I upgrade by paying the in-between to the next level (broadcast etc) later when I need that? If so; how? In the credit in the end; what do I have to write with this kind of licence?
The broadcaster, ie the TV channel, is responsible for paying those royalties, not you as a producer. They know how to deal with PRO, as it’s an important part of their job. All you have to do is fill a cue sheet with the music author’s info, as is industry standard in broadcasting.
My last sentence was more regarding the public place screenings. Depending on the specifics of their setups, the venue owner or event organizers may be collectable. Something to think about, as sometime unseasoned or unaware event organizers may be caught off-guard. In any case, a valid license cannot be presented as a waiver for those PRO obligations.
You sure can. You simply contact Envato’s help center, and they will take care of it for you.
Crediting the music is not mandatory and is left to your discretion. Of course something like “music by author’s name” would always be appreciated, but it’s entirely up to you.