Ark Music Factory (formerly Ark Music Production) was a musical composition and production company based in Los Angeles, California. The company was co-founded in 2010 by Patrice Wilson, who partnered with producer/composer and multi-instrumentalist Clarence Jey. In May 2011, Jey left Ark Music Factory to focus on his own production company Music Intersection. Later in 2011, Patrice Wilson established his own enterprise, Pato Music World. History Patrice Wilson co-founded Ark Music Factory in 2010; Wilson was also the CEO of the company. Ark's business centered on the recruitment/discovery of new young singers. The artists paid a $2,000 to $4,000 fee to Ark, and Ark then wrote and produced music in collaboration with the artists, often producing music videos and promotion of the songs. The singer owned the master recording, while Ark retained the publishing rights to the songs and all the sales from the song. They stated that their main objectives were to bring aspiring acts to the musical fore: "We at Ark make it possible for an emerging artist to be discovered, defined and delivered, to advance in their chosen career and be successful." Ark was predominantly based in the US, although they claimed that artists they had supported have had success in different regions across the globe. Ark's Facebook page claimed to be creating a community where artists from all fields can come together to build connections and interact. Their website also claimed that their dedicated team had industry professionals who have worked with Miley Cyrus, the Backstreet Boys, and Ashley Tisdale. Wilson also rebuffed claims of exploitation, claiming that the company provided a relatively inexpensive entry into the pop market for artists: "I'm getting a lot of criticism saying I'm exploiting rich kids and their parents," says Wilson, "but find me another company that would do all this at a cost this low. I don't promise anyone fame. In fact, if someone approaches me with their only goal to ‘get famous,' I tell them they're not in this for the right reasons." The staff of Ark Music Factory included Patrice Wilson (also known with the name Pato for his various acts) who was the founder of the company, CEO and Sri Lankan / Australian record producer, songwriter and co-founder and producer, Clarence Jey. At Ark, Jey wrote the music and Wilson wrote the lyrics. Ian Hotchkiss and Chris Lowe were the video directors. Rebecca Black controversy In