The College of Motion Picture Arts pays an annual fee to Universal Production Music for the licenses to the library music they provide on their site. No additional releases need to be signed for the use of this music, as long as you remain in accordance with this licensing agreement.
A synchronization license is the right to reproduce a specific musical composition in your film. It must be obtained from the copyright owner of the composition, which is usually the publisher.
You can find out who the publisher is by searching by song title at either ASCAP or BMI. Almost every song is represented by one of these two companies. Songs that are not represented by ASCAP or BMI might be found at the National Music Publishers’ Association “Songfile” website (www.nmpa.org). You will be provided with a contact at the publisher’s Business Affairs or Licensing Department.
Getting the rights could be as simple as sending letters to the publisher and record label, having them sign and return them. However, you may be required to complete their licensing agreements instead. If this is the case, make sure you have the Head of Production review the agreement before you sign it, to ensure we have the proper releases.
You must get each license for at least:
Note that you will need to get a synchronization license from the publisher, even if you are making your own sound recording of that song. For example, if you have your actor sing or recite lyrics, whistle or hum the tune, play the song on a musical instrument, or in any way make your own sound recording of the song, you will need to get the synchronization license from the publisher.
The Producer should use this contract agreement with the Owner (or authorized agent) of a musical composition that will be used in the film.
The Producer is responsible for working with the Owner to determine the screen credit in the finished film. All other clauses in the agreement must remain unchanged, unless the Producer is authorized in advance by the Head of Production to make specific amendments to the contract.
Note: F1 and M1 projects are not permitted license music in this manner. Those project must use the Universal Production Music library for any music needs.
The Music Cue sheet lists each song that is used in the final cut of the film.
| # | Sequential numbering of each song used |
| TC Start | The timecode of when the song starts |
| TC End | The timecode of when the song ends |
| Cue Title | The name of the song |
| Usage | How the song is used:
|
| Licensor | Include an abbreviation for the type of licensor and the name of the licensor:
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| Society (%) | If applicable, the music rights society that manages the rights to the song and the percentage of their stake in the song. In the U.S., there are 2 main music rights societies: ASCAP & BMI.
|
| Rights Acquired | Indicate what rights you have acquired for the song:
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A master use license is the right to synchronize a sound recording with your visual image. You clear this right with the record label who owns the sound recording you would like to use.
Check the liner notes of the recording to find out which company this is. Alternatively, you can get contact information for record labels by contacting either ASCAP or BMI. You will be provided with a contact at the record label’s Business Affairs Department.
Getting the rights could be as simple as sending letters to the publisher and record label, having them sign and return them. However, you may be required to complete their licensing agreements instead. If this is the case, make sure you have the Head of Production review the agreement before you sign it, to ensure we have the proper releases.
You must get each license for at least:
Note that if you do not plan to use the original sound recording, but rather plan to reproduce a specific musical composition in your film, you need to acquire a Synchronization License instead.
The Producer should use this contract agreement with a Composer who is writing the musical score for a production. It should be used regardless of whether or not the composer is being paid for their services.
The Producer is responsible for working with the Composer to determine the due date, the compensation structure, and the screen credit in the finished film.
It is advisable to make the delivery date of the score (in Section 1 of the contract) as early as is feasible, in order to provide some padding. It is not uncommon for composers on student films to miss their deadline, so it’s better to assume that that might happen than to hope for the best. Most ideal would be setting delivery of the score for a date during the sound editing phase, so that you have a better sense of how everything’s coming together. If that’s not viable, set delivery for as many days before the mix date as your composer’s schedule will allow.
All other clauses in the agreement must remain unchanged, unless the Producer is authorized in advance by the Head of Production to make specific amendments to the contract.
