Author Topic: Standard Royalty Free licence for CD cover? (Read 8026 times)

nicemonkey · « **on:** May 27, 2009, 02:05 »

Is there any restrictions on using Standard Royalty Free licence for CD cover? The reason I ask is that an musician has contacted me about using one of my images for the cover of the CD. It will be a small first run.

MichaelJay · « **Reply #1 on:** May 27, 2009, 02:19 »

Quote from: nicemonkey on May 27, 2009, 02:05

Is there any restrictions on using Standard Royalty Free licence for CD cover? The reason I ask is that an musician has contacted me about using one of my images for the cover of the CD. It will be a small first run.

There is no "standard royalty free license", each company has their own restrictions. You have to check with the agency that the license is being bought at.

Though, in general, as it's only part of a "packaging" and not part of the actual product, it should be fine with most sites.

madelaide · « **Reply #2 on:** May 27, 2009, 15:42 »

I have an image used for a CD cover and I was never able to know if this is legal in any standard license, but I believe it is the same as a book cover - what means, yes, it's allowed.

Although it's not the cover of a CD or of a book that makes a best-seller, both are important for marketing, and both CD and book producers give special attention to the covers. I think any site should require a EL for that usage.

ShadySue · « **Reply #3 on:** May 27, 2009, 17:49 »

Quote from: madelaide on May 27, 2009, 15:42

I have an image used for a CD cover and I was never able to know if this is legal in any standard license, but I believe it is the same as a book cover - what means, yes, it's allowed.

Although it's not the cover of a CD or of a book that makes a best-seller, both are important for marketing, and both CD and book producers give special attention to the covers. I think any site should require a EL for that usage.

I can confirm that iStock for one does not require an EL for a book cover.

goldenangel · « **Reply #4 on:** May 27, 2009, 19:56 »

Quote from: madelaide on May 27, 2009, 15:42

I think any site should require a EL for that usage.

I agree. This is really sad.

KB · « **Reply #5 on:** May 27, 2009, 21:09 »

Quote from: ShadySue on May 27, 2009, 17:49

I can confirm that iStock for one does not require an EL for a book cover.

Nor is an EL required for an image used in a syndicated web article (one that is picked up by 100s of different news agencies and therefore duplicated on 100s of different web sites -- all with no watermark, of course).

One of the downsides of RF.

Old Hippy · « **Reply #6 on:** May 28, 2009, 02:31 »

that's the foolishness of selling RF !

not only your client is allowed to use your pic as a cd cover, but being RF he can use it even for the cover
of Time Magazine, books, funzines, t-shirts, mousepads, whatever he wants, worldwide, no restrictions, and FOREVER.

and all this for few bucks.

leaf · « **Reply #7 on:** May 28, 2009, 02:35 »

yes but they are also sharing the image with 1000 other people.

It they want to use an image that EVERYONE has access too, they shouldn't have to pay a fortune.

MichaelJay · « **Reply #8 on:** May 28, 2009, 02:41 »

Quote from: Old Hippy on May 28, 2009, 02:31

not only your client is allowed to use your pic as a cd cover, but being RF he can use it even for the cover
of Time Magazine, books, funzines, t-shirts, mousepads, whatever he wants, worldwide, no restrictions, and FOREVER.

Actually about half of the uses you mention would require and Extended License because they are out of average design use. I can't tell about other sites but at iStock three of those five uses would cost around $125. I've seen images on Getty selling for less.

But yes, it's mostly all for a few bucks. You give away images to use by a huge company like IBM for $5. But for each of those uses you get hundreds and thousands of licenses sold that would not be able at a higher price point. Simple as that.

Old Hippy · « **Reply #9 on:** May 28, 2009, 02:50 »

right, he would have to shell 125$ for an EL but still it's cheaper than RM and it's still RF.

better than nothing, but you must admit it's not the right price to pay.

let's face it, this pricing is good for people living in India, not in the west.