Create Music Contracts Yourself

Entertainment Publishers introduces Jonathan Earp's "Automated Contracts for the Music Industry." This CD-ROM (for Windows and Macintosh) software program is accessed through an Internet web-browser without being on-line. The software allows bands, music producers, recording studios, independent music labels, and music publishing companies to create over 60 industry legal contracts at their desktop by simply answering some fill-in-the-blank questions. "With most music attorneys charging over $300 per hour, this product pays for itself the first time you generate a contract ," according to Lonny Kaufman, publisher of Jonathan Earp's "Automated Contracts for the Music Industry."

Veteran music attorney, Jonathan Earp, has represented major and independent record companies, music publishers, recording artists, producers, songwriters, webcasters, MP3 websites and authored 60 of the most widely used contracts in the music business for this software program. "Today's contracts are too complex to be left for handshake deals or cryptic notes scribbled on napkins. Unfortunately, the cost of drafting them can cost as much as the entire recording budget for some projects," said Earp. "Distributors, traditional record stores and the Internet sites won't take records unless they know that the rights are clear and all the contracts are in order. With independent record companies now accounting for over 1/6 of all U.S. records sales, this software makes it possible for the user to get his or her records into the distribution channels and earn some of that."

Completing easy to answer questions allows even the novice computer user to create comprehensive contracts covering areas such as recording and production agreements, master licenses, publishing and songwriting agreements, publishing licenses, band and artist agreements, distribution agreements, music video production agreements, copyright and trademark forms, and royalty calculators for computing artist, producer and songwriting royalties. The program can even project for an album's profit.

"One record producer who uses the program told us he saved over $2,500 in legal fees in a weekend when he helped a band complete the 'Partnership Agreement' and then recorded them using the 'Recording Agreement for Demo Masters'. Using the 'Mechanical Licenses' contract the producer also obtained the music rights from the band's songwriter. Not only did the producer save money but he was able to generate a contract on demand rather than waiting for someone to get back to him," Kaufman added.

James Phelps, of Host City, who developed this browser-based software product for Entertainment Publishers said, "Jonathan Earp's software is completely unique to this industry because the price is far below anything presently available. It offers the utmost in quality and capacity, and it evens the playing field for the independent labels, producers and bands who can not rely on in-house counsel to generate contracts."

The CD-ROM program is available through the Entertainment Publishers for $199.95 and will shortly be released in music stores across the country such as Guitar Center. "This program gives the user the arsenal of tools to navigate the shark-infested waters of the music industry," said Earp.

Entertainment Publishers publishes Mark Litwak's "Automated Contracts for the Film and TV Industry", "The Industry Labor Guide Rate Book", "Industry Labor Guide Electronic Book", and "Integrated Ratebook for Movie Magic Budgeting". Entertainment Publishers is one of the largest distributors in the entertainment industry of Screenplay Systems' products including Movie Magic Budgeting and Scheduling.