Information about Streaming and Video for BOA Events

[principalagent]

Here's an email I got from the CEO of Music For All:

 

Dear Supporter and Valued Customer:

 

 

 

This communication is intended to update and provide you with the latest information concerning the provision and delivery of Bands of America commemorative videos. First, the latest change…

 

 

 

Music for All Video (On-line streaming video subscriptions)

 

 

 

• Effective August 11, 2015 the Music for All subscription online video program is discontinued. New subscriptions will not be offered or sold until further notice. We are working to determine appropriate actions/next steps concerning unexpired subscriptions. Next steps will depend, in part, on the results of ongoing discussions with copyright holders to resolve past and present licensing issues and the negotiated terms and conditions for providing future video commemoratives/services. Persons who have time remaining on existing annual subscriptions (as of August 11th) will be contacted when MFA finalizes its plan and procedures.

 

 

 

Unshipped Fall 2014 DVD Products

 

 

 

• Music for All (through its licensee Mr. Video) has not shipped orders for videos of some events occurring on or after October 18, 2014. We have and continue to be in negotiations with certain music rights holders for licensing necessary to complete Fall 2014 videos. Keeping in mind that the majority of music is licensed, efforts to license remaining titles continue. We have not been able to obtain some agreements for licenses that are economically feasible, suitable or sustainable in our current DVD and streaming product models. Persons with existing pre-paid orders will have their DVDs shipped with all unlicensed music muted. Email communication will be sent when your DVD has been shipped. Mr. Video expects to start shipping by the end of August. If and when we complete negotiations with rights holders to license the remaining music, we will ship replacement DVDs with this music un-muted.

 

 

 

Fall 2015 Offerings

 

 

 

We continue to seek agreements and a structure by which we can continue to offer video commemoratives of Bands of America events. To date, we can report:

 

 

 

• Music for All will record and provide a high camera video recording of each performance at Bands of America events and deliver it to the respective director on-site (for evaluation and use in future instruction).

 

 

 

• Music for All is working and expects (as in the past) to offer live, multi-camera streams of its Super Regional and Grand Nationals performances. At this time, we expect to offer such performances on an individual and/or season subscription basis for live viewing only. Please stay tuned for future announcements concerning this offering.

 

 

 

• Music for All will continue to pursue strategies and terms that will allow us to record and offer to parents, students and fans video commemoratives consistent and in compliance with U.S. copyright laws and the requirements of music rights holders. We are working to provide such services in 2015 in collaboration with Tresona Music to create a platform that will, at a minimum allow Music for All/Bands of America to offer properly licensed post event streaming and downloads of performances at Bands of America events. Please stay tuned for future announcements concerning this potential offering.

 

 

 

Background/Overview

 

 

 

Music for All has consistently sought to operate in compliance with U.S. Copyright laws and the rights and wishes of composers and rights holders, to offer commemoratives in the best and most desirable formats available to participants, families and fans. It has done so using a model that offers this content at the lowest possible costs to those we serve with little to no residual direct, net economic return to MFA. It is a service we provide and have provided to further our mission to “create, provide and expand positively life-changing experiences through music for all.”

 

 

 

We are now aware that some of our current and recent past initiatives are not acceptable to or consistent with the understanding and expectations of certain rights holders. It is our duty in practice and by law to reconcile our practices with these expectations. Our mission and core values require it.

 

 

 

The remaining work necessary to recreate a working model for delivery of commemorative products is not and will not be simple. Please know that Music for All, and all the parties involved are working diligently and in good faith to reconcile differences and develop suitable, sustainable, and legally and contractually compliant solutions for offer commemorative recordings of performances.

 

 

 

 

 

Questions/More Information

 

 

 

Should you have unanswered questions or concerns, please contact us at 800.636.2263 or info@musicforall.org.

 

 

 

 

 

--

Eric L. Martin, Esq./CFEE

President & Chief Executive Officer

Music for All, Inc.

and its operating divisions:

Bands of America and Orchestra America

39 W. Jackson Place, Suite 150

Indianapolis, IN 46225

317.636.2263

800.848.2263 (Toll Free)

317.538.8142 (Mobile)

317.218.4901 (Fax)

 

Music for All's MISSION is to create, provide and expand positively life-changing experiences through music for all. Our VISION is to be a catalyst to ensure that every child across America has access and opportunity to engage in active music making in his or her scholastic environment.

[Parkwoodmom]

It would be nice if they tried to stream all of the regionals, since we won't be able to see them in any shape or form after the fact!!

[Xenon]

DCI, WGI, and BOA are the big fish, and Tresona (Treason?) has been hitting each of them super hard on the mechanical licensing front.

 

A performing group pays licensing rights for Arranging and Performing copyrighted music, but there is also Mechanical licensing which is required for making non-live copies of a performance available to the public and/or paying customers; classically, groups like DCI, WGI, BOA, Mr Video, etc have been shouldering the costs of these mechanical licenses. The problem is that license owners like Tresona have been cracking down extremely hard and increasing their prices enormously, playing a game of chicken and threatening lawsuits.

 

As such, DCI, WGI, BOA, and likely many others are having to essentially stop all of their non-live video services.

[azn]

  On 8/14/2015 at 12:29 AM, Xenon said:

DCI, WGI, and BOA are the big fish, and Tresona (Treason?) has been hitting each of them super hard on the mechanical licensing front.

 

A performing group pays licensing rights for Arranging and Performing copyrighted music, but there is also Mechanical licensing which is required for making non-live copies of a performance available to the public and/or paying customers; classically, groups like DCI, WGI, BOA, Mr Video, etc have been shouldering the costs of these mechanical licenses. The problem is that license owners like Tresona have been cracking down extremely hard and increasing their prices enormously, playing a game of chicken and threatening lawsuits.

 

As such, DCI, WGI, BOA, and likely many others are having to essentially stop all of their non-live video services.

Maybe they can all smack Tresona back for possible anti-trust lawsuit maybe? 

[northtexasbandfan]

Update today:

http://www.musicforall.org/blog/news/live-webcasts-announcement

 

From the President and CEO, Eric L. Martin

We are pleased to be able to offer Live Streaming Webcasts of 2015 Bands of
America Super Regional (St. Louis, Atlanta, Indianapolis, and San Antonio) and
Grand National Championships.

Many of you are aware of the changing environment concerning the production
and offering of commemorative videos of student performances and Music for
All/Bands of America events.

We are happy to be able to offer this service and opportunity for parents and
boosters who cannot make the trip to still be part of the experience.

Live Webcast Pricing and Order Information

Prices and package options for BOA live streams are below. Pricing offered
has been established to make the offering feasible and as affordable as
possible. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we try to develop
methods to create ways to extend and make available the experience.

All Live Webcasts are available live, as they happen only. It is an
“in-stadium” experience, but on your screen.

How to Order: Music for All is working to finalize the
online ordering system, to be available this week in time to order for the St.
Louis Super Regional Live Webcast. An announcement will be made on this blog and
on Facebook and Twitter when ordering is live. You can plan your purchase using
the pricing below.

Individual Super Regionals

St. Louis Super Regional (Includes Prelims and Finals) –
$24.95
Friday-Saturday, October 16-17, Live from the Edward Jones
Dome

Indianapolis Super Regional (Includes Prelims and Finals) –
$24.95
Friday-Saturday, October 23-24, Live from Lucas Oil
Stadium

Atlanta Super Regional (Includes Prelims and Finals) –
$24.95
Friday-Saturday, October 30-31, Live from the Georgia
Dome

San Antonio Super Regional (Includes Prelims and Finals) –
$24.95
Friday-Saturday, October 30-31, Live from the Alamodome

Grand National Championships

Grand National Thursday Prelims – $24.95
Grand National Friday Prelims –
$24.95
Grand National Semifinals – $34.95
Grand National Finals –
$49.95

Grand National "All Access" Webcast Pass (Prelims, Semis, and Finals Bundle)
–$68.95

2015 Live Webcast Season Pass

"All Access" Webcast Season Pass (St. Louis, Indianapolis, Atlanta, and San
Antonio Super Regionals, plus all of Grand Nationals – Prelims, Semi-Finals, and
Finals) –$98.95

Note: Only Super Regionals and Grand Nationals will be Live
Webcast.

More About Capturing and Providing Recordings

In hopes of making video recordings of 2015 BOA performances available in
some format (e.g. streaming video on demand and/or digital downloads) at some
point in the future, Music for All has invested in and retained the ongoing
services of Mr. Video, our past videographer to capture and edit high and
multi-camera versions of all 2015 Bands of America fall performances. We are
delivering a copy to each director for archival and teaching purposes, but
cannot legally release additional copies at this time.

Please know that offering traditional DVDs, post-event steaming video on
demand, or digital downloads in a legally compliant, timely and affordable
fashion to students, teachers, students, fans and supporters is and remains a
priority for us and others involved and engaged in presenting and supporting the
pageantry arts.

Requirements and processes established in the past are no longer feasible or
acceptable to rights holders. To date, we have not found common ground that will
allow recording, licensing, and distribution in cost or time effective manners
acceptable to rights holders, or affordable to Music for All or you – our
participants and fans.

DVD Products Discontinued

We do not expect to offer DVD products as we have in the past. We are hopeful
(late season or early next year) we will have processes that will allow
licensing of streaming and/or downloadable commemorative videos of individual
shows. If and when a system allowing them exists, we will inform you.

Music for All is working to prepare communications to past online video
customers with these details; if you are a past customer, we appreciate your
patience as we prepare those communications.