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

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

cheero — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 11:08:32 -0800

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.

By: jozxyqk

jozxyqk — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 11:19:28 -0800

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

By: bcwinters

bcwinters — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 11:44:14 -0800

There are some Sample Film & TV Music Contracts and Agreements on the Film Music Magazine site that might be helpful.

By: Bugbread

Bugbread — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 12:11:11 -0800

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

"a low budget (indie) film"

By: dendrite

dendrite — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 14:25:17 -0800

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