How music rights clearance works for film and television
Two separate rights in every recording, held by different people. Clearing one and not the other is the classic expensive mistake.
Every commercially released track carries two distinct copyrights, and using it in picture requires permission for both.
The two rights
The **composition** — melody and lyrics — is typically controlled by the songwriters and their publishers. Permission to synchronise it with visual media is a **sync licence**.
The **master recording** — the specific recorded performance — is typically controlled by the label. Permission to use that recording is a **master licence**.
What a licence specifies
- **Media** — film, television, streaming, trailers, and whether all are included.
- **Territory** — worldwide or specified.
- **Term** — a defined period or in perpetuity.
- **Use** — background, featured, opening titles. Prominence changes price substantially.
- **Duration** of the excerpt.
A licence granted for festival exhibition only is common and cheap, and it stops the moment a distributor arrives. Renegotiating from that position is weak, because the picture is already cut to the track.
“Clear for the widest use you might plausibly need, or be prepared to change the edit.”
Alternatives
Production libraries and pre-cleared catalogues bundle both rights, which is why they dominate factual and unscripted work. Commissioning an original score avoids third-party rights entirely.
Practical points
- Start clearance before locking picture.
- Budget for the master, which is often the larger cost.
- Keep signed licences with the delivery materials; distributors will ask.
- Never assume a track is public domain because it is old — the recording rarely is.
