Lost in the mambo jumbo of this copyright thingy? Here is what I gathered after meeting everyone in the business. You need to know the few terms in the industry. Reading this will get you out of the muddy waters.
Synchronization Rights
The right to use the music as a soundtrack “synced” with visual images as part of your production.
Mechanical Rights
The right to duplicate and release the music as part of your production in whatever medium (mp4, film, CD ROM, DVD, BR etc.).
Public Performance Rights
The right to use the music as part of the public viewing or broadcast of your production
In short, anyone producing a video (Same day Edit, photo montage IS a video) requires the above rights.
Sync rights to make the video with music, Mech rights to deliver in it in medium for playback, Perf rights for playback in the hotel
RIPS is reponsible for collecting royalties for record companies (singers, etc)
MPS is responsible for collecting royalties for the composers and lyricists.
So these two combined gives you the Sync+Mech rights
COMPASS is responsible for collecting performance royalties.
So they give you the right to play your work in the hotel and online (seperate licences)
I guess that is as clear as it can be! As long as you use original songs you do the above. Bear in mind even royalty free songs might require clearance from COMPASS too. Read the licence agreement clearly.
Lastly, please fill in Cue sheets when asked. They ensure the people who deserve the $ gets it and not someone else.
Cue Sheet
A cue sheet is FOC. It tells the companies whose songs you are using so that the artist gets their share of the fees paid.
UPDATE 300910:
So I finally got educated in person by COMPASS today. They are inviting everyone who is confused to set up and appointment to see the responsible personal. Please look for Michelle. The good news is, COMPASS is charging $100 per event. So its either the videographer or couple who handles the licence of the nite. A blanket licence is available for videographers and as mentioned, $1800 is inclusive of 10 songs for web use and performance rights. Hotels would be asking for this.
Firewerkz Films Singapore 
Hi,
I’m a vidographer too. So how do you manage the MPS portion?
We have the fees for RIPS and COMPASS. But without MPS licence, the RIPS licence is as good as nothing.
Thanks.
Hi Fanny.
If u use u pay lor… from what I see, MPS should be paid like RIPS because they give us the rights to reproduce the video.
COMPASS is a different issue. Should the video company be responsible for handling performance rights? I think it can be handled by the couple OR the company. It is all up to individual companies. If I am charging $5000 per video i will absorb all cost. If I do it for $2000 i will charge the couple. After all it is $303 per licence. How much you want to charge would be benchmarked against your profitability and biz cost. It is a fine balance.
Good luck!
Hi Sean,
Actually I think the COMPASS licence should be borne by the couple or the Hotel. We should not be the one to pay the fees but couples will not understand this portion.
We are just reproducing the music to the video. 😦
I just have to add in the COMPASS pricing into my package. How do you get to know the pricing for the MPS licence? I email them for so many times but no reply.