What kind of a contract does a band need to sign in case their music is used in a low budget (indie) film?

August 28, 2006 11:08 AM

What kind of a contract does a band need to sign in case their music is used in a low budget (indie) film?

What kind of a contract does a band need to sign in case their music is used in a low budget (indie) film? Just recently, a friend of mine completed his first film and he has to write up a contract for a band that gave their music for the film. How does one go about completing such a task?

Thanks in advance.

posted by cheero to media & arts (4 comments total)

Is there any reason your friend can't hire a lawyer to help him?
posted by jozxyqk at 11:19 AM on August 28, 2006

There are some Sample Film & TV Music Contracts and Agreements on the Film Music Magazine site that might be helpful.
posted by bcwinters at 11:44 AM on August 28, 2006

jozxyqk : "Is there any reason your friend can't hire a lawyer to help him?"

"a low budget (indie) film"
posted by Bugbread at 12:11 PM on August 28, 2006

In my extremely limited understanding of copyright, the band will have to sign a contract which licenses their music for the following: "Synchronization" which permits the filmmakers to synchronize the band's creation with the dialogue and images chosen by the filmmaker. However, this license doesn't give the right to use a specific recording. For that you need a "Master Use" license on a specific work by the band.

Usually these are negotiated between the publisher, record company, and music studios. It sounds like this is a much smaller scale though as the writers/performers/distributors of the music are probably the same entitity (i.e. the band) as is the filmmakers/directors/studio
posted by dendrite at 2:25 PM on August 28, 2006