Many artists know the ins and outs of the music business, but many times we find that even the most established artists are missing out on much needed revenue streams (royalties) because they haven’t properly set up their business and/or wouldn’t know where to start or don’t have the time to set up these lucrative systems…and that’s where we come into play, we handle the burden for you.
Copyright Resources
• U.S. Copyright Office
• U.S. Patent & Trademark Office
• Copyright Society of the U.S.A.
Music Performing Rights Societies
• ASCAP (U.S.)
• BMI (U.S.)
• SESAC (U.S.)
Cue sheets are the primary means by which performing rights organizations track the use of music in films and TV. Without cue sheets, it would be nearly impossible for such composers and publishers to be compensated for their work.
An accurately filled out cue sheet is a log of all the music used in a production. This information includes:
- Series/Film Title
- Series/Film Title AKA
- Episode Title
- Episode Title AKA
- Episode Number
- Air Date
- Show Length
- Music Length
- Production Company Information
- Song/Cue Title
- Composer
- Publisher
- Performing rights society
- Timing
- Usage
If there is more than one composer for an individual piece of music, or if the writer and publisher split their royalties on other than a 50/50 basis, this must also be indicated on the cue sheet, and these become important factors in your PRO’s (BMI, ASCAP, SESAC) payment calculations.
With the increase in independent producers and cable operations, the filing of accurate cue sheets has become even more crucial to tracking the use of music in film and television productions. These newcomers to the industry are sometimes unfamiliar with, or unaware of, the legal and professional responsibilities involved in using the music of composers and publishers whose rights are represented by performing rights societies.
Since PRO calculation of royalties depends upon a detailed and accurate cue sheet, it is in composers’ and publishers’ best interests to make sure that cue sheets are properly prepared and submitted by the production company. It is not uncommon and is often helpful for a composer to prepare a cue sheet him/herself for comparison purposes or ask to see those filled out by the production company before it is submitted to the publisher and/or the performing rights organization. Below you will find a CUE sheet along with instructions, feel free to download, complete and turn in to your PRO for processing and payment.
Digital Performance Royalties
• SoundExchange (U.S.)
Intellectual Property Rights Distribution Fund
• AFM & SAG-AFTRA
Mechanical Royalties
• Music Reports
• Harry Fox Agency
• MLC
Music Publisher Organizations
• National Music Publishers Association (U.S.)
• Music Publishers’ Association of the U.S. (U.S.)
• Nashville Publishers Network (NPN) (U.S.)
Resources for the Arts
Music Resources By State