Tuesday, January 3, 2012

iTunes and Shorts International Royalty Report… What’s the deal?


Reprinted by Permission of the author.

Note: This article demonstrates the problem with having agents and other middlemen and then using a distributor to share streaming and other revenue..

Mitchell Block

by on December 2, 2011 in Distribution, Gone Fishing

iTunes and Shorts International Royalty Report… What’s the deal?

I thought I would share the recent sales report I got from iTunes via Network Ireland for my short Gone Fishing. The report landed on my desk around the same time as VFX expert Russ Wharton emailed me from his iPhone commenting that Gone Fishing is still charting VERY highly on iTunes shorts – when he took this frame grab we were at 14. I have occasionally checked in and we are usually toward the top of the charts, which is great news.

So how do the figures correspond?

Well this figures are for woldwide sales for one year, ending 30th June 2011 (reported to me late November).

Total sales = £1,480 from which iTunes take a 30% cut.

Then Shorts International take a 20% programming fee.

From that balance Shorts International take a 50% commission.

From that balance, Network Ireland (my sales agents who are really great I have to say) take a 30% fee.

The remaining balance then comes to me. So from that £1,480, I get £290.26.

I did a lovely chart to make the point even clearer.

I have no problem with Apple, I think 30% is fair.

I have no problem with Network Ireland, I think 30% is fair.

But Shorts International taking a 20% programming fee (what is that?) and then a 50% cut is rather unfair.

Apple will not deal with Network Ireland, they only distribute shorts through Shorts International. So it seems I do have a problem with Apple after all.

Why won’t Apple even consider opening up their platform for creative people to sell their work? They are soooo happy to sell us the tools. They own the best distribution tool right now. But they won’t even entertain the conversation.

I you want to read the whole royalty report, you can download it here…see below

If you want to know how I made Gne Fishing, there is a full two day workshop online here…
www.GoneFishingSeminar.com

And you can buy the DVD, BluRay or watch online here…
www.BuyGoneFishing.com

Onwards and upwards!

Chris Jones, Film Maker and Author

www.livingspiritgroup.com
www.ProductionOffice.org

e: mail@livingspirit.com



Sample Royalty Report: