MUSIC RIGHTS IN YOUR FILM - HIRING A COMPOSER

Film producers frequently ask about how to obtain rights to music for their film and whether it’s more cost effective to license music or hire a composer?

Most independent filmmakers are interested in using pre-existing music, so in this video I will focus on those rights and the costs.

If you are using a pre-recorded song or another pre-recorded piece of music in your film, there are two rights you need to clear – composition and recording rights which means you need to get two different licenses to use the music.

Synchronization or synch licenses cover composition rights and gives the filmmaker the right to synchronize a piece of music with the visual imagery. It must be obtained from the copyright owner of the music, which is usually the publisher.

Recording rights are covered by the Master Use License which is the right to reproduce a specific recording in your film. This right must be cleared with the record label who owns that recording.

If you record your OWN version of that music for use in your project, then you don’t need the master use license but still need a synch license for the composition rights and a mechanical license to create and record the “cover song”.

This is typically the least expensive option as the cost for the rights to a specific recording, particularly to a popular song, can be tens of thousands of dollars.

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