Film Scoring, Music Licensing Terms / Glossary ( update A, B, C, D )

Hey everyone, when working on a film or short, the fundamental question is often to understand what the person in front wants.

I think a little glossary of film music terms can help us all, so there's a starting point :

(the Theorical side)

To put in the list:

2 pop : A short audio cue (typically a 1kHz sine wave) placed exactly 2 seconds before the start of the first frame of picture. It helps synchronize audio with the visual track.

Administrative Publishing: A contractual arrangement in which a designated music publisher manages publishing duties and rights on behalf of the original publisher, who retains ownership of the music. These duties may include: Promotion, Registration, Royalty collection and distribution, Other publishing-related tasks.

ADR (Automated Dialogue Replacement): The process of re-recording dialogue by actors or performers after the initial filming or recording. This technique is employed when: The original dialogue audio (production sound) is of poor quality, Changes to the dialogue are needed, Environmental factors interfered with the original recording.

Advance : A payment made before income is actually earned, typically in the music industry. There are two main types: Recoupable: Essentially a loan, repaid from future income. The recipient is responsible for full repayment. Non-Recoupable: May be repaid from future income, but the recipient isn't obligated to repay the full amount if income falls short. Common uses: Advances are frequently given to writers, artists, composers, publishers, or others who expect to earn future royalties but need upfront payment.

Agent : a professional representative who represents another person for the purposes of seeking work,negotiating contracts, and handling other financial and logistical tasks.

All-In (in music licensing): Scope: Covers all possible media formats > Current media, Any future media developments. Duration: Often includes "life of copyright" or "in perpetuity" clause.This term ensures comprehensive rights coverage across all media platforms, present and future.

ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Arrangers, and Publishers): A U.S.-based performing rights organization that administers performing rights for its members, including publishers, songwriters, and composers. ASCAP collects performance royalties from various sources such as radio and TV stations, nightclubs, and live concerts. These royalties are then distributed to members based on how often and where their compositions are performed. The royalties are equally divided into two categories: Writer Royalties and Publishing Royalties.

Arranger: A music professional who adapts existing musical compositions for different contexts. Their role involves: > Customizing music for specific ensemble sizes or type, > Translating pieces between musical genres or styles, Adapting orchestrations, such as reducing a full orchestral score for a smaller ensemble, > Creating contemporary versions of traditional music

Assignment: The temporary transfer of copyright ownership from one party to another for a specified period. This process is typically governed by a written agreement that outlines the terms of the transfer, including any limitations on the use of the copyrighted material. The agreement also specifies the conditions for the copyright's return to the original owner. This arrangement allows for flexible management of intellectual property rights while ensuring the original creator retains long-term ownership. Assignments enable copyright holders to capitalize on their work through limited transfers without permanently relinquishing their rights.

At-Source: In music royalty payments, this refers to the full amount paid by the original income source, before any intermediaries deduct fees or commissions. It represents the total sum generated by the music, ensuring maximum payment to rights holders by bypassing potential reductions in the distribution chain.

Back-End: Income generated after a production's release. This includes broadcast performance royalties and contractual payments triggered by specific events like distribution deals or box office milestones. It allows stakeholders to benefit from a production's long-term success beyond initial compensation.

Bed: A subtle background music track designed to provide atmosphere without distracting from primary audio elements or adding dramatic emphasis.

Blanket License (performing rights): An annual agreement between a music user (usually a broadcaster or public performer) and a performance rights organization. It allows unlimited use of the organization's entire music catalog for a fixed yearly fee, simplifying the licensing process for frequent music users.

Blanket License (from a music library) : allows users to access and use any music in the library's catalog for a fixed fee. This agreement simplifies licensing for frequent users, providing cost-effective access to a wide range of music without requiring individual track permissions.

Black : A period of complete darkness in a film or video, usually placed before or after a scene or reel.

BMI : or Broadcast Music Incorporated, is a U.S.-based performing rights organization that manages the performance rights of its member publishers, songwriters, and composers. BMI collects royalties from sources like radio, TV stations, nightclubs, and live performances, and then distributes these earnings to its members. The royalties are split into two equal parts: Writer Royalties and Publishing Royalties.

Bumper music : Short musical cues used to transition in and out of commercials or segments within a TV show or radio program.

A Buyout : refers to an agreement where a single lump-sum payment is made at the time of the deal instead of ongoing residual payments or royalties for specific music rights. This type of arrangement is often used for particular rights, such as a musician's performance rights during a recording session, but can also apply to broader rights, like the purchase of a copyright.

Click track : A metronome track used during recording sessions to help musicians keep time with the film.

A Copyist, or music preparer : is responsible for music preparation, which involves taking the printed scores created by a composer or orchestrator and producing individual sheet music for each musician in the ensemble. The copyist ensures that these parts are clear, accurate, and match the original score. They often attend recording sessions to distribute the music to the musicians and handle any last-minute changes to the score or parts that arise during the session.

Copyright is the legal framework that determines the ownership of a piece of music or sound recording. It grants the owner exclusive rights, as defined by federal law, for a limited time period.

Co-publishing is an arrangement between two or more companies or individuals to share the publishing rights and often the ownership (copyright) of a musical work.

A cover, or cover song: is a re-recording of an existing musical work with no significant changes to the melody or lyrics. It is permitted under the Compulsory Mechanical Rule, requiring payment of mechanical license fees to the original work's publisher or copyright owner.

Cross-collateralization: is the practice of linking income from multiple musical works, albums, contracts, or projects so that profits from successful elements can offset losses from others. For example, if an artist’s three albums are cross-collateralized, and Album A is profitable while Albums B and C lose money, the label can use Album A's profits to cover the losses from Albums B and C, rather than paying those profits to the artist.

Cue : A specific piece of music that is timed to fit a particular scene or moment in a film.

Cue sheet ( performing rights Cue Sheet) : A document listing all the musical cues in a film, including timings, descriptions, and rights information.

Deferred deal is a contract or agreement where payments are scheduled to be made at future dates or contingent upon specific future events. Commonly, these events could include milestones like a film securing a distribution deal or reaching certain box office revenue targets.

Derivative work : a new creation that is based on or incorporates elements from an existing copyrighted work. This new work, which can include adaptations, modifications, or expansions of the original, requires permission from the original copyright holders for any content used. For instance, a film that features copyrighted songs or scores can be considered a derivative work and must obtain authorization from the original copyright owners.

Diegetic ( source music) : Music that originates from a source within the film's world, heard by the characters. Music on radio, a group plays on street.

Non diegetic : Music that is not part of the film's world and is intended only for the audience.

Distribution deal : an agreement with a distribution company to handle the release of a film, television show, or other media production across various platforms. This includes movie theaters, TV and cable networks, retail outlets (for CDs and DVDs), online streaming services, and other distribution channels.

Droit Moral, or moral rights : a legal concept primarily used in Europe that grants certain rights to the author of a musical work, independent of who holds the copyright. These rights allow the author to control how the work is used and prevent alterations or revisions. In the United States, moral rights are generally associated with visual art and give artists the right to prevent changes or distortions to their work, regardless of copyright ownership

Dry : Refers to a track of music on tape without reverb, delay, or echo of any kind.

Dubbing session, "the dub," : the final audio mix for a feature film or other program. During this session, the audio levels for dialogue, foley, sound effects, and music are adjusted and balanced to achieve the final sound mix.

Establishing shot : A wide shot at the beginning of a scene that sets up the context and location. So establishing music.

Frame rate : The number of frames displayed per second in a film or video. (Particularly useful for importing video files in the good frame rate)

Free timing : Recording music without a strict tempo to match the timing of the picture, allowing for a more flexible and organic flow.

GhostWriter : A composer who writes music anonymously for another composer.

Hits and markers : Specific points in a film where the music needs to accentuate or "hit" a moment, often marked in the score.

Leitmotif : A recurring musical theme associated with a particular character, place, or idea.

Mickey Mousing : A technique where the music closely mimics the actions on screen, often used in cartoons.

Mock up : A digital version of the score used to demonstrate how the music will sound before live recording and often the final version 😅.

Music libraries : Collections of pre-recorded music available for licensing and use in films, TV shows, commercials, and other media.

Orchestrator : A professional who arranges a composer's music for an orchestra, deciding which instruments will play which parts.

PRO Performing rights organization : An organization that collects and distributes royalties for the public performance of music.

Red Herring : A misleading clue or piece of music intended to distract or mislead the audience.

Rough Cut : An early version of a film with basic editing, used to get a sense of the structure and flow before final edits.

Scoring Stage : A specialized studio equipped for recording film scores, often with the capacity to host a full orchestra.

Spotting Session : A meeting where the director and composer discuss where music will be placed in the film and what it should convey.

Streamer and Flutter : Visual cues used during recording to help musicians synchronize with the film. Streamers are lines that move across the screen, and flutters are quick flashes.

Temp track : Temporary music tracks used during editing to convey the mood or pace before the final score is composed.

Theme, motif : A theme is a central musical idea associated with a film or character, while a motif is a short, recurring musical phrase.

Time code :sequence of numeric codes generated at regular intervals to label frames of a film or video, ensuring synchronization between audio and visual elements. 01:00:00:00

Underscore : Background music that supports the scene's mood without drawing attention away from the dialogue or action.

There's also the theoretical side of the terms and the way they're used.

The most important thing is to have the information we need to do our job 🤔. The clearer and more precise the better. so we don't have to do it over and over again because it wasn't clear in the first place ... even if corrections,, modifications, I think, are part of the job.

Any suggestion to add, corrections, advices ,or idea on the subject ?

4 comments