Film Cue Sheet questions

[soundspot]

Hey gang… Although I’m not a newbie here I figured this is the appropriate forum for this question since it involves film and I’ve been working mostly in TV and library music up until now.

I was recently contacted to do a 30 minute short indie. There is discussion of attempting to push the film into TV at some point in the future. I’m drafting final terms for the contract, and I want to include language in there requiring cue sheet registration just to cross all my t’s and dot all my i’s. So being that I normally work in TV I’m a little in the dark about how cue sheets are typically handled in a film…

Is it standard procedure for the film company to register the titles with my PRO like many libraries typically do, and submit the cue sheet themselves?

Or would I register the titles myself and send over a spreadsheet with the registered cue names to them?

Assuming it’s the latter, how do you guys generally ensure there’s no error on the cue sheet? I.E. have them send over a draft for final approval? etc…

And any links you think might be useful would be certainly be appreciated.

Hope everyone is having a fantastic year so far!

[Mark_Petrie]

With ultra low budget indies, you’re going to be the one filing the cue sheet. In fact, unless you’re getting a handsome fee, you should be keeping ownership of the music (the agreement would be a ‘license in perpetuity’), so you should be the publisher as well.

If it’s a bigger budget indie, then it’s possible they have their act together and might insist on filing the cue sheet, but you’d be the one filling it out for them, unless there’s a music editor. Even if you aren’t the one filling out the cue sheet, be sure to check that all the details are ok.

Bigger budget indie films often involve producers and lawyers who irrationally insist on ‘owning all the assets’ including music. Again – unless you’re getting paid well (at least $1500 per minute of music), consider how much potential money you and your family will lose out on by giving your music to a ‘publisher’ who has no intention of exploiting it commercially beyond distribution of the film.

[soundspot]

The music budget is small but there’s a decent buzz. The film seems to have garnered attention from a few significant places so despite the budget, I’m considering the bigger picture as a worthwhile tradeoff…

Agreed, retaining ownership is essential on small budget projects. I will push for a license in perpetuity in the terms and thanks for clarifying…

Since the budget is small I’m assuming I’ll have to handle to cue list. They’re still finalizing some of the production team so I’ll also ask if there will be a music editor, and if they will handle the cue sheet if so (and require final approval by myself to ensure all titles and times are correct.)

Thanks so much Mark, much appreciated!

[Author]

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