Permissions from artists

[MentalVortex]

Just wondering... if you have a signed artist who has agreed to let you use their music in your film is it enough to simply have them sign the contract or is there any other body that needs to sign off on it?

[ClockworkNinja]

Probably not, but you could always get a Notary to take a look at it if you want everything to be on the up and up.

[Alcove Audio]

That depends upon the artist. The song may not have been written by the artist in the first place, so you would need permission from the composer(s) plus whoever holds the mechanical rights (the actual recorded version). And just be aware that not all artists own the copyrights to their own material, or may need permission from their record company to do anything. These are just a few of the things you need to be sure of so that your sync license is legitimate.

For instance, Joe Cockers estate (probably still) owns the mechanical rights to his cover of "A Little Help From My Friends." However, the copyright to the composition itself currently belongs to one of Paul McCartneys business entities (I believe). (FYI, believe it or not, Michael Jackson used to own most of the Beatles catalog.) So you would need permission from McCartney as the owner of the composition and from the Joe Cocker estate to use the specific recording.

These are the things that a Music Supervisor sorts out and then negotiates with all the parties concerned.

[MentalVortex]

Thanks for the replies. The artists in question own their own copyrights & the songs are also their own original compositions. Do I still need to send out a music cue sheet even though the artists in question have agreed to offer their music for terms other than royalties?

[Alcove Audio]

You should. I'm one of those types who believes that, if at all possible, you follow protocols all the time - even if they are not required - so that they become a habit.

As an example; you're submitting to Festival X which does not require any paperwork. Someone from Festival Y sees your project at Festival X and asks if you would like to screen it at Festival Y. However, Festival Y requires the detailed paperwork. Now, because you are always following proper protocols, it's not a big deal; you make your copies, put them in with your press kit and the project in the format required and you're all set to go, no frantic running around to fulfill requirements.

The another reason is that you aspire to be a professional. This is one of the numerous things you need to do to be professional. It also gives you a professional image, which is another asset.

[MentalVortex]

Thanks so much for the advice. I'll go down the route you advise, Alcove... best to aim for protocol regardless.

Cheers,
mv

[MetalRenard]

They own their own copyrights, yet are signed? Which copyrights do they own? There are many. Do they own the actual recording? Are they allowed to reproduce the recording themselves or allow others to reproduce the recording? Are they allowed to sync the recording to video or allowed to give that permission to others?

Find out, you don't want to get burnt.