Start with the real cue, not a vague song title.
Give every use of music a unique cue ID. A track repeated in three scenes may have a different edit, duration or purpose in each. The source version matters: radio edit, live recording, instrumental, alternate mix and re-recording can follow different recording ownership paths.
- Record the project, episode and scene, plus accurate in/out timecodes and duration.
- Identify the exact recording and performer. Include the ISRC if available, but do not guess one.
- Identify the underlying composition and writers/publishers, including uncertain shares requiring research.
- List all music that is incorporated into the final cue, including samples, interpolations or stock elements that may add further rights lines.
Split the release plan into the uses that matter.
A festival screening, television broadcast, SVOD launch and paid trailer campaign may require differently worded permissions. Do not assume one grant silently expands to all media.
| Planned use | Production detail to check | Possible clearance boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Festival or limited screenings | Event, markets, dates and duration | Festival-only permission may not extend to streaming |
| Broadcast / catch-up | Network, territory, on-demand catch-up windows | Linear broadcast and on-demand rights may differ |
| Subscription / ad-supported streaming | Platforms, countries, term, version and visibility | Check service models and international exploitation |
| Trailers, teasers and paid promotion | Ad media, cutdowns, campaign date and brand contexts | Promotional placements are not necessarily covered by programme rights |
| Re-edits, localisation and future seasons | Alternate cuts, territory versions and extensions | Check derivative uses, renewals and updated cue reporting |
Scope by the actual planned use. When a future distribution deal is uncertain, record the proposed option and confirm what any negotiated licence allows.
Keep master and composition approval separate.
Master recording
Identify who can authorise use of the chosen recording. Confirm the specific master, edits, media, territory, licence term, fee and any performer or label conditions. A new recording can change the master question without resolving the publishing question.
Underlying composition
Identify each necessary controller of the musical work and any required co-owner approval. A quote or positive response from one party does not automatically bind another rights holder. Separate rights lines make missing approvals visible.
Changes during post-production
Maintain a version log when scenes move, music durations change, edits are replaced or trailers are created. Compare the signed agreement against the actual use, rather than the first pitch cut.
Do not sign off the cue until the evidence matches.
Before treating a cue as cleared, verify and store the applicable executed grants from all necessary controllers. Record the permitted recording, production, scene or use, platforms, geographic scope, term, approved edits and any conditions that must be met.
- Each necessary master and composition permission is marked documented, not merely contacted or quoted.
- Signed agreement references and responsible reviewers are recorded in the cue log.
- Scope matches the delivered picture, distribution and marketing requirements.
- Any fees, restrictions, reporting duties or renewal dates are assigned for follow-up.
- The final cue sheet and master/composition metadata are checked against the delivered soundtrack.
Contacted is not cleared. AMM's clearance workflow requires documentary evidence and human sign-off. This worksheet is a preparation aid, not an automated clearance decision.
Example: a documentary grows beyond its festival brief.
Imagine a film that first screens at two festivals. The producer later receives a worldwide streaming offer and wants a 20-second paid trailer. There is no automatic rule that its initial festival music grant covers the new deal.
- First: review the original licences for permitted media, territory and duration.
- Next: identify each affected cue and whether its recording version and edit remain the same.
- Then: seek amendments or additional approvals where the intended exploitation sits outside the documented grant.
- Finally: document the new scope before the release and update delivery records.
The example describes a clearance decision process, not a real AMM client case or a guarantee that rights will be obtainable.
One cue log. Fewer handover surprises.
The blank CSV has fields for track identity, rights controllers, master and composition approval status, media, territory, licence term, promotional scope, deadlines, signed agreements and cue-sheet notes. Open it in Excel, Google Sheets or Numbers. It contains no client data.
The template is operational support, not a replacement for licences, legal review or the rights holders' own documentation.
Have a cue that needs a rights answer?
Send AMM the project type, intended release path, song or recording details, approximate budget, deadline and the rights questions you already know. We can review the route for research and clearance coordination.