Learn how music is licensed for film, television, advertising, video games, social media, user-generated content, and other visual media, including master and synchronization licenses.

Outcome. Explain what a sync deal actually grants, and price one against media, term and territory.

If someone wants to put a musical work into an audiovisual work, they need a synchronization licence for the composition. The recording needs its own licence, usually called a master use licence. Two copyrights, two licences, often two owners who must both say yes.

There is no statutory rate and no compulsory licence for sync. Every fee is negotiated directly in the open market, which is why quoting from a rate card leaves money on the table in one direction or loses the placement in the other.

A fee is a function of what the use is, where it runs, for how long, and how prominent the music is. Usage type changes the number several fold: visual vocal, visual instrumental, background vocal, background instrumental, a theme and a logo are not the same product. Performance type, number of plays and duration all move it again.

Micro sync covers social platforms and user generated content, where volume replaces negotiation and the money arrives through platform systems rather than a signed agreement per use.

What you will produce

A quoting worksheet with your own multipliers for usage, performance, plays and duration, and a worked quote for one real brief.