Our music to be in a movie! What paperwork do we need?

[Kronos]

I got some good news! We're going to be in a small budget horror/revenge film. It's not going to have a theater release or anything, nor are we going to be paid for it. We agreed that it would be just for cross publicity (we'd promote the DVD, they'd promote the music).

This is all well and good, but what kind of paperwork do we need to draft so that we're protected?

[DougP]

this is a good question and i will be waiting for further input on this also. we have had our stuff in 2 local movies as well. We usually opt to let them use one of our covers to ease any paperwork (our covers are actually so old that their copyrights have expired).

everyone tells us that our music is very soundtrack-y, so we kind of lean that way for exposure and any further input and wisdom in this area would be fantastic.

[IanStephenson]

YOU don't need paperwork - you're not doing anything...

THEY need you to sign a copyright "right to use". Nothing complicated - just a 1 page thingy you can write yourself that says that you grant them permission to use the specified song, in the specified way, with the specified credit.

You don't "give them copyright" or anything like that - as long as the form says "right to use" then you can't really go too far wrong.

Ian

edit: I just found this which I've used to request permission to use printed material. I got it from the publishers, so if it's good enough got them... I'm sure you can adapt it:

PERMISSION FORM



TO:





I am preparing a book entitled :

to be published by :

I am requesting permission to use the material described below, in the original and subsequent editions and/or translations.

1. Author(s)/Editors:
2. Book title:
Article title:

3. Material to be used:
4. Page(s):
5. Publisher:
6. Year of Publication:

Unless we hear otherwise from you, our credit line will show the author(s)' name(s) and the reference as indicated above.

If you will kindly grant permission please sign below and return one form. The duplicate is for your files. Thank you.

Date: Requested by:
Address:

__________________________________________________ ________________¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬_________________


Permission granted:




Date:

[Music Attorney]

Kronos: You still need help?

[Crazyeelboy]

Kronos: Talk to a lawyer. If they know anything about copyright, this stuff won't be hard for them to work through and you should try to pass any lawyer's fees on to the production company.

[Woodchuck]

If you're part of ASCAP or BMI, they have sections on their sites about this very thing.