DACS claim

[Reimar]

 

I'm a Canadian resident.  In Canada copyright royalties are distributed by Access Copyright (accesscopyright.ca). They only allow Canadian citizen or a permanent resident (not residing in Quebec -- there's a separate Quebec organization) to be a member.  

 

I've been collecting from Access Copyright for at least 4 years now.  It is similar to the DACS process (except that they don't accept the Alamy spreadsheet but initially require a couple real ISBNs and some proof that you've actually been published).  As I understand it, DACS and other national organizations pass some of their royalties around to sister organizations in other countries and if you collect from your local society, you can't (shouldn't??) collect from the foreign ones.  It is interesting that DACS doesn't seem to have restrictions on residency (or being a member of another copyright collection society.  I wouldn't be surprised to see that they respond to applicants from Canada by saying that you should join your local since they already send a chunk of their UK money to Access Copyright and it would seem that they'd be paying twice.  If you can get around that by hiring a local agent (like Alamy) then they have a flaw in their process.

 

 

On the Access Copyright site it states (my emphasis):

Who can become an affiliate of Access Copyright?

If you are a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident, outside the province of Quebec, you can register with Access Copyright provided that you meet the following requirements:

 

-You own reproduction rights to at least one work published in a print format such as a book, magazine, newspaper or scholarly journal and is also commercially available.

-You are not already affiliated with any other reproduction rights organization (such as COPIBEC in Quebec). 

-You are a writer, editor, translator and/or visual artist (i.e. illustrator, photographer, designer). 

   - See more at: http://www.accesscopyright.ca/creators/faqs-for-creator-affiliates/

 

I guess that technically it is saying that if I was already a member of DACS then I couldn't join Access Copyright, but I could always join DACS later... 

Canadian creators may be missing out on some Canadian-only revenue by not registering with Access Copyright since it would make sense that more of their revenue would come from Canadian sources than a typical Brit.

 

 

That is useful info, thanks.  Do you know if the book/magazine etc. has to be Canadian?  If so, any tips on how to find Canadian usage?

Most of the stuff I find is published in the USA.  Now I'm wondering if I should sign up with a US outfit.

[John Mitchell]

 

 

I'm a Canadian resident.  In Canada copyright royalties are distributed by Access Copyright (accesscopyright.ca). They only allow Canadian citizen or a permanent resident (not residing in Quebec -- there's a separate Quebec organization) to be a member.  

 

I've been collecting from Access Copyright for at least 4 years now.  It is similar to the DACS process (except that they don't accept the Alamy spreadsheet but initially require a couple real ISBNs and some proof that you've actually been published).  As I understand it, DACS and other national organizations pass some of their royalties around to sister organizations in other countries and if you collect from your local society, you can't (shouldn't??) collect from the foreign ones.  It is interesting that DACS doesn't seem to have restrictions on residency (or being a member of another copyright collection society.  I wouldn't be surprised to see that they respond to applicants from Canada by saying that you should join your local since they already send a chunk of their UK money to Access Copyright and it would seem that they'd be paying twice.  If you can get around that by hiring a local agent (like Alamy) then they have a flaw in their process.

 

 

On the Access Copyright site it states (my emphasis):

Who can become an affiliate of Access Copyright?

If you are a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident, outside the province of Quebec, you can register with Access Copyright provided that you meet the following requirements:

 

-You own reproduction rights to at least one work published in a print format such as a book, magazine, newspaper or scholarly journal and is also commercially available.

-You are not already affiliated with any other reproduction rights organization (such as COPIBEC in Quebec). 

-You are a writer, editor, translator and/or visual artist (i.e. illustrator, photographer, designer). 

   - See more at: http://www.accesscopyright.ca/creators/faqs-for-creator-affiliates/

 

I guess that technically it is saying that if I was already a member of DACS then I couldn't join Access Copyright, but I could always join DACS later... 

Canadian creators may be missing out on some Canadian-only revenue by not registering with Access Copyright since it would make sense that more of their revenue would come from Canadian sources than a typical Brit.

 

 

That is useful info, thanks.  Do you know if the book/magazine etc. has to be Canadian?  If so, any tips on how to find Canadian usage?

Most of the stuff I find is published in the USA.  Now I'm wondering if I should sign up with a US outfit.

 

 

That's an interesting point. I hardly ever sell anything in Canada.

[NYCat]

After reading that info about Canada I decided to contact the two places that are supposed to be for the USA. I sent emails on Friday so I'll let you know what responses I get. I've been afraid to look at my DACS application to see if my birthdate and lack of UK residence have stayed put.

 

Paulette

[NYCat]

I crossed my fingers and looked at my DACS claim. My birthday was only off by one month and I was willing to accept that but it once again had reverted to the default of having me a resident of the UK for tax purposes. So I tried the suggestion of trying another browser. I did it with Firefox and that reverted immediately to my birth date being 01 January 1901 and, alas, it had me claiming again to being a resident of the UK. Since no one else seems to be having this problem I must be doing something wrong. I haven't heard back yet from the USA groups and I'm leaving for a big trip in a couple of weeks so I will probably just let things sit as they are and try again in September. No point contacting DACS until I'm sure I won't be claiming here in the USA.

 

Paulette

[CLSI]

Paulette,

 

It's not just you! I checked my birthday, and it had reverted to 14 January 1901 (my actual birthday is on the 14th of one of those non-January months, so at least the day part stuck). My US residency was still accurate, though. For what it's worth, I use Firefox. I submitted my claim last Tuesday, and when I checked less than 24 hours later, my birthday was still correct. I suspect the reason no one else has confirmed this problem is that very few people have bothered to check more than a couple of days after submitting their forms.

 

David

[John Mitchell]

Paulette,

 

It's not just you! I checked my birthday, and it had reverted to 14 January 1901 (my actual birthday is on the 14th of one of those non-January months, so at least the day part stuck). My US residency was still accurate, though. For what it's worth, I use Firefox. I submitted my claim last Tuesday, and when I checked less than 24 hours later, my birthday was still correct. I suspect the reason no one else has confirmed this problem is that very few people have bothered to check more than a couple of days after submitting their forms.

 

David

 

Just checked my claim, which I submitted last week, and everything looks OK -- i.e. nothing has changed. I'm also using Firefox.

[Reimar]

Just checked my claim, which I submitted last week, and everything looks OK -- i.e. nothing has changed. I'm also using Firefox.

 

Same here.

[NYCat]

Maybe just USA applicants???? Now I am being paranoid.

 

Paulette

[IkonographyCollection]

 

Thanks for this info. I haven't joined Access Copyright, but I'm aware of them. Can you clarify what you mean by "Canadian-only revenue"?

 

Sorry for the slow response -- I've been off in the wilds of Quebec (well only about 90km north of Ottawa) with out running water, let alone phone or internet coverage...

 

As I understand it, libraries, schools and Universities (until they all started opting out over the last year), contributed to the copying fund in Canada.  Access Copyright is charged with getting these fees back to the content creators in a roughly fair way.  Since some of the creators are from the UK or the Netherlands, etc a portion of the Canadian fund goes to these "sister" organizations, but the assumption is that schools and libraries here in Canada have a bias toward Canadian content!  So the majority of the money goes to the people registered with Access Copyright.  

[IkonographyCollection]

 

That is useful info, thanks.  Do you know if the book/magazine etc. has to be Canadian?  If so, any tips on how to find Canadian usage?

Most of the stuff I find is published in the USA.  Now I'm wondering if I should sign up with a US outfit.

 

It only has to be available in Canada.  Thus world-wide distribution counts for Canada (and part of funds collected in the UK or Europe does find its way back to the Canadian Copyright fund).  When I signed up with Access Copyright they needed a book or perhaps two that has included your work.  I used google books to find them.  I think that they were both American books -- one a Psych textbook, another a Fodor's travel guide. Amazon.ca sold them and it had a valid ISBN so it counted.

[John Mitchell]

 

 

Thanks for this info. I haven't joined Access Copyright, but I'm aware of them. Can you clarify what you mean by "Canadian-only revenue"?

 

Sorry for the slow response -- I've been off in the wilds of Quebec (well only about 90km north of Ottawa) with out running water, let alone phone or internet coverage...

 

As I understand it, libraries, schools and Universities (until they all started opting out over the last year), contributed to the copying fund in Canada.  Access Copyright is charged with getting these fees back to the content creators in a roughly fair way.  Since some of the creators are from the UK or the Netherlands, etc a portion of the Canadian fund goes to these "sister" organizations, but the assumption is that schools and libraries here in Canada have a bias toward Canadian content!  So the majority of the money goes to the people registered with Access Copyright.  

 

 

Thanks very much. Shall keep this in mind. It's always good to know about a "made in Canada" option, but I think I shall see how my DACS claim goes for starters. Maniwaki perhaps?

[IkonographyCollection]

...Maniwaki perhaps?

 

A little closer.  A lake near the old German/Irish hamlet/village of Ladysmith:

[ann]

-- I wrote my (U.S.) bank, and it confirmed it does NOT have International Banking ID numbers, so how do I get past those blank boxes in the online process to next page at DACS?

 

-- Do you leave in the royalty $ amounts in Alamy spreadsheet?

 

- Ann

[NYCat]

Ann, I am surprised. I have Alamy deposit my money in my JPMorganChase account so those are the numbers I used. Is it really possible that a bank here has no way to move money internationally? By the way, I have still not received any replies to my email to the USA groups that might be able to claim for us.

 

Paulette

[spacecadet]

-- I wrote my (U.S.) bank, and it confirmed it does NOT have International Banking ID numbers, so how do I get past those blank boxes in the online process to next page at DACS?

 

-- Do you leave in the royalty $ amounts in Alamy spreadsheet?

 

- Ann

DACS isn't interested in the amounts. I snip them off the spreadsheet.

Surely a bank must have IBAN or SWIFT numbers. What about Canada?

[ann]

Thanks for feedback about leaving off amounts, Mark
 

My bank wrote me it doesn't have those numbers. I can include the routing # & account number, but I guess I'll have to write DACS to find out how to get past the blank boxes I need to leave for the international routing #s.

 

 

-- I wrote my (U.S.) bank, and it confirmed it does NOT have International Banking ID numbers, so how do I get past those blank boxes in the online process to next page at DACS?

-- Do you leave in the royalty $ amounts in Alamy spreadsheet?

- Ann

DACS isn't interested in the amounts. I snip them off the spreadsheet.

Surely a bank must have IBAN or SWIFT numbers. What about Canada?

 

[John Mitchell]

 

-- I wrote my (U.S.) bank, and it confirmed it does NOT have International Banking ID numbers, so how do I get past those blank boxes in the online process to next page at DACS?

 

-- Do you leave in the royalty $ amounts in Alamy spreadsheet?

 

- Ann

DACS isn't interested in the amounts. I snip them off the spreadsheet.

Surely a bank must have IBAN or SWIFT numbers. What about Canada?

 

 

Canadian banks have SWIFT numbers but not IBANs (at least mine doesn't).

 

I'm not sure what Ann means by "International Banking ID numbers." The US banking system is probably much more complicated.

[John Mitchell]

 

...Maniwaki perhaps?

 

A little closer.  A lake near the old German/Irish hamlet/village of Ladysmith:

 

 

Looks nice. I spent some time on a lake near Manawaki when I was a kid. Can't remember the name, though. It's a beautiful area when the black flies aren't biting.

[John Mitchell]

-- I wrote my (U.S.) bank, and it confirmed it does NOT have International Banking ID numbers, so how do I get past those blank boxes in the online process to next page at DACS?

 

-- Do you leave in the royalty $ amounts in Alamy spreadsheet?

 

- Ann

 

Ann, you might ask your bank if international wire transfers go to an intermediary bank first. If so, the  "middleman" bank might be able to supply a SWIFT code. I've heard this can happen in the USA.

[ann]

Thanks, John!

I was using "international banking id numbers" too loosely, at best. I meant that my bank told me it does not have IBAN and SWIFT #'s.

(This has gotten a bit complicated for what I suspect is an extremely modest reward, based on # of my relevant licenses.)

 

 

-- I wrote my (U.S.) bank, and it confirmed it does NOT have International Banking ID numbers, so how do I get past those blank boxes in the online process to next page at DACS?

-- Do you leave in the royalty $ amounts in Alamy spreadsheet?

- Ann

 

Ann, you might ask your bank if international wire transfers go to an intermediary bank first. If so, the  "middleman" bank might be able to supply a SWIFT code. I've heard this can happen in the USA.

 

[Ed Endicott]

Ann, I use a credit union for my business banking and I had this discussion with them about a year ago - they suggested I would have to bank through Bank of America or Wells Fargo or a larger U.S. Bank that has a clearing house (John's suggestion of intermediary bank) if I needed an IBAN number.

 

The reason Alamy doesn't require it is because they use a U.S. based checking account so the fund transfer is from U.S. bank to U.S. bank in our instance.

[John Mitchell]

Ann, I use a credit union for my business banking and I had this discussion with them about a year ago - they suggested I would have to bank through Bank of America or Wells Fargo or a larger U.S. Bank that has a clearing house (John's suggestion of intermediary bank) if I needed an IBAN number.

 

The reason Alamy doesn't require it is because they use a U.S. based checking account so the fund transfer is from U.S. bank to U.S. bank in our instance.

 

Yes, I think that this might be the problem. The US has a plethora (love that word) of smaller banks and credit unions that aren't well plugged into the international banking system.

[ann]

Thanks Ed! it sounds like we're in a similar banking situation. Considering how few relevant licenses  I  have at this point, it makes sense to have Alamy handle this.

 

And thank you again to all the other helpful forum members for their advice.  - Ann

 

 

Ann, I use a credit union for my business banking and I had this discussion with them about a year ago - they suggested I would have to bank through Bank of America or Wells Fargo or a larger U.S. Bank that has a clearing house (John's suggestion of intermediary bank) if I needed an IBAN number.

 

The reason Alamy doesn't require it is because they use a U.S. based checking account so the fund transfer is from U.S. bank to U.S. bank in our instance.

[Casi]

Hello,

I've been trying to follow this thread (I may have missed some info, I admit) and also contacted Alamy and DACS but still have many questions as both Alamy and DACS did not respond to my emails.

 

Maybe someone can provide some information. I'm German located in Germany and have these questions:

 

1. Alamy informed me of 44 licenses that I could claim with DACS. I went through my entire sales report several times but I can only identify 20 RM sales that qualify (books, mgazines, UK territory).

 

2. I asked Alamy about the cut they are taking "to cover their costs" but haven't received an answer. Is that cut a flat, fixed amount or a percentage of the claimed commissions I should receive?

 

3. How much $ is one of these licenses worth (from past years' experience)?

 

Depending on the value of one license and the information about how much money Alamy is taking to cover their costs (+ taking the 50%) it would be easier for me to determine which route to go (claim myself 20 licenses or let Alamy claim all 44 licenses).

 

Thanks in advance.

[Mike@Meonshore]

Hello,

I've been trying to follow this thread (I may have missed some info, I admit) and also contacted Alamy and DACS but still have many questions as both Alamy and DACS did not respond to my emails.

 

Maybe someone can provide some information. I'm German located in Germany and have these questions:

 

1. Alamy informed me of 44 licenses that I could claim with DACS. I went through my entire sales report several times but I can only identify 20 RM sales that qualify (books, mgazines, UK territory).

 

2. I asked Alamy about the cut they are taking "to cover their costs" but haven't received an answer. Is that cut a flat, fixed amount or a percentage of the claimed commissions I should receive?

 

3. How much $ is one of these licenses worth (from past years' experience)?

 

Depending on the value of one license and the information about how much money Alamy is taking to cover their costs (+ taking the 50%) it would be easier for me to determine which route to go (claim myself 20 licenses or let Alamy claim all 44 licenses).

 

Thanks in advance.

 

In answer to your question it is a single fixed amount.

 

The amount is based upon 2 factors:

 

1) The "bucket" you sit in based on the number of publications and then images across the different media

 

2) How many people overall claim agains the total pot of money DACS has received this year 

 

As the pot is fixed if 2x the number of people claim this year (and the minimum payout for ANY qualifying person is £25) then you could only see 40% of last years amount for a similar volume of images.

 

I would expect Alamy to take 50% of your total amount.