Music & Clip Clearance Binder
Every song in your film requires legal permission to use. Synchronization rights from publishers, master use rights from record labels, mechanical licenses, cue sheets for broadcast and streaming. We assemble and verify the complete music clearance binder before delivery.
What Music Clearance Means for Delivery
Music clearance is the process of obtaining legal rights to use a song in your film. "Clearance" means you have written proof from the rights holders that you can use the music. Without it, your distributor won't accept the film. Without it, you expose yourself to copyright infringement claims. Without it, you can't collect royalties when music is broadcast or streamed.
Each song involves multiple rights holders: the publisher (who owns the composition), the record label (who owns the sound recording), and performing rights organizations (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC) that collect performance royalties. Clearing one song can involve coordinating with three or more parties. Clearing a film with a dozen songs means managing dozens of rights-holder relationships and collecting dozens of signed agreements.
Distributors require a complete clearance binder before they'll accept your delivery. They need proof that every musical cue has been cleared for theatrical release, broadcast, and streaming. Missing clearances delay payment. Incomplete clearances trigger delivery holds.
IFTA-Compliant Music Clearance Standards
International Film & Television Alliance (IFTA) standards establish best practices for music clearance documentation and licensing scope. IFTA-compliant delivery documentation requires comprehensive clearance records that cover all distribution channels: theatrical, broadcast, streaming (SVOD, TVOD), and ancillary. We verify that every music license you obtain aligns with IFTA requirements for complete territorial and platform coverage.
Three Core Components of Music Clearance
1. Synchronization License
The right to combine the song composition with your film's visuals. Published by the music publisher (the entity that owns the rights to the musical composition itself, separate from recordings).
Scope: Theatrical release, all broadcast platforms, streaming on specified services, theatrical trailers, promotional clips.
2. Master Use License
The right to use the specific recording (the sound file) of the song in your film. Issued by the record label (the entity that owns the copyright to the specific recording of the song).
Scope: Theatrical, broadcast, streaming; often specifies which territories and for how long.
3. Cue Sheets & Performance Royalties
When a song is broadcast on television or streamed on platforms like Netflix or Spotify, performing rights organizations (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC) collect royalties on behalf of songwriters and publishers. You must file a cue sheet - a document listing every song in your film, its duration, who wrote it, and which rights organization administers it. Without cue sheets, composers and publishers don't get paid for broadcast and streaming.
Clip & Stock Footage Clearance
Beyond original music, your film may include footage from other films, TV shows, documentaries, or licensed stock footage. Each of these requires clearance. A 5-second clip from a famous film requires both a synchronization license (from the publisher of the music in that clip) and a rights agreement from the film's rights holder.
Stock footage libraries like Getty Images, Shutterstock, or Pond5 issue licenses for the duration and scope of your release. You must track which stock footage appears where and ensure your license covers theatrical, broadcast, and streaming. Some stock licenses don't allow theatrical use - only streaming. We verify all stock footage licenses match your intended distribution channels.
Similarly, if your film includes photographs, artwork, or archival images, those require clearances too. A public domain photograph used in your credits still needs documentation proving it's in the public domain.
Common Music Clearance Failures
1. Incomplete Licenses
A sync license covers theatrical and broadcast, but the distributor wants to stream on platforms not covered by the license. Or a master use license specifies only North America, but the distributor requires worldwide rights. Incomplete licenses must be renegotiated with rights holders, which costs time and money. We verify scope of each license against distributor requirements.
2. Orphan Works & Unclear Rights
A song appears to have one publisher, but investigation reveals two publishers sharing ownership. Or a record label is acquired by a larger company, and the original label no longer owns the master. Rights become unclear. We trace the chain of title for music - who owns what now and who owned it when the song was recorded - to ensure licenses are being obtained from the actual rights holders.
3. Missing Cue Sheets
The clearance licenses are signed, but no cue sheet is filed with ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC. When your film airs on broadcast TV or streams on Netflix, no one gets paid. Composers don't receive performance royalties. We prepare and file cue sheets on behalf of producers so that payments flow to the right people.
4. Territorial Conflicts
A song may have different rights holders in different territories. One publisher controls North America; another controls Europe. Your distributor wants worldwide rights, but the licenses only cover partial territories. We coordinate multi-territorial clearances and document which licenses cover which territories and platforms.
Our Process: Inventory to Submission
- Complete music cue list: We create a master list of every song in your film, including title, duration, composer, publisher, record label, and current usage (scene description).
- Rights research: For each song, we identify the current publisher and record label, verify ownership chain, and determine who holds sync and master use rights.
- License coordination: We coordinate acquisition of synchronization licenses from publishers and master use licenses from record labels, specifying scope (theatrical, broadcast, streaming, promotional materials, territories).
- License verification: We audit each signed license against distributor requirements. If a license is missing a territory or platform, we coordinate with the rights holder to resolve the gap.
- Cue sheet preparation: We prepare broadcast and streaming cue sheets for filing with ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC, ensuring composers and publishers receive performance royalties.
- Binder assembly: All licenses, cue sheets, and copyright registrations go into an organized binder submitted with your delivery package.
Attorney Review Available Through Our Legal Partner
Music licenses are contracts. They have terms, limitations, and exclusions. We coordinate with Kordestani Legal Partners to provide attorney review of complex clearance agreements on a case-by-case basis. If a license term is non-standard, if territory or platform scope is unclear, or if rights ownership is disputed, we connect you with qualified entertainment counsel.
Our role is operational coordination: we manage the clearance process, track licenses, organize documentation, and verify completeness before delivery. Legal counsel reviews the contracts. Together, we work to deliver music clearances that are thorough and comprehensive.
Why Music Clearance Binders Matter
Distributors require a complete clearance binder as part of delivery. They need proof that every music cue has been legally cleared and that you have the right to sublicense the music to them. Without the binder, they won't distribute your film. With it, they can confidently stream, broadcast, and monetize your content knowing they're protected against copyright infringement claims.
Beyond the distributor requirement, music clearance binders protect you. If a rights holder later claims their permission wasn't obtained, the binder is your documentation of due diligence. If your distributor is sued for copyright infringement due to music, the binder demonstrates you obtained proper clearances. Clear documentation prevents disputes and defends you if disputes arise.