QUICK TIP – Be sure you have MUSIC RIGHTS secured before your festival screening!  

If you plan on using any artist’s original song in your film you had better get a contract in place, granting you the right to use that music in the way that you are using it. Independent artists are going to be more affordable than going with a label but going through a music label doesn’t need to be costly or prohibitive. 

A film festival can get into legal trouble for playing a film that uses music without the proper rights, as it constitutes a public performance of copyrighted material without permission, which is considered copyright infringement and can result in legal action against the festival organizers, so these rights must be secured before your festival screening.

If you’re going with a signed artist / label, use databases like ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC to find the music publisher (for synchronization rights) and record label (for master use rights).

While getting these rights may seem intimidating at first, with some time, patience, creativity (and money) you will set your film up for success! ;)