if music is composed for a short film who is typically contracted to own the music? the production company who hired the composers? the composers? both? please explain if you have experience with these types of contracts?
-
Wondering which camera, gear, computer, or software to buy? Ask in our Gear Guide.
who owns the music?
- Thread starter itsastruggle
- Start date
That depends entirely on the contract. Usually for large films the production company will own the music. One of the reasons for this is they can sell the contract, the other reason is so they are able to re-use the melodies for any sequels etc even if they go with a different composer.
I do work for hire, exclusive licenses and non-exclusive licences depending on the budget of the project. Make sure you specify in a contract on what you are after, but don't expect to own the rights to the music unless you are paying a good amount.
I do work for hire, exclusive licenses and non-exclusive licences depending on the budget of the project. Make sure you specify in a contract on what you are after, but don't expect to own the rights to the music unless you are paying a good amount.
Typically the production company has majority of the rights but with a little research and a couple emails it normally isn't too hard to decipher.
Agree with all the above - it HAS to be detailed in the contract. While there are different practices (low budget productions vs. big companies etc.) but the important guideline to follow is - various licensing rights taken from the author, should be well reflected in the sum he gets. And please, do not confuse those, with performance royalties, which are paid by broadcast entities, and no matter what, the original composer is stated in the PRO registry (companies are usually written in as publishers of the music, so they get their split too).
-
-
Last edited:
Music is not one "thing". There is the copyright in the music itself and then the copyright in the sound recording. They are quite different. If you have a decent budget and pay the going rate for the music then you can expect to acquire both. If you are on a more limited budget then as has been suggested above a non-exclusive licence is all you need which allows you to use the music and sound recording in the context of the film and its promotion but leaves ownership with the composer. There can be separate copyrights in the arrangement, lyrics, performance even so you have to be clear what you are acquiring. The most obvious sign of a "made up" contract that I see as a composer is when people don't appreciate this distinction.