Clearing Sync Rights For Markets Outside of Public Television

You will need to clear sync rights for all other markets outside of public television. These markets include educational, theatrical, commercial broadcast and home video. The Harry Fox Agency no longer offers sync licensing services, but there are a number of other agencies that still clear sync rights - SESAC, Bug Music, EMG (Even M. Greenspan) and MCS. These agencies have forms you can download from their websites and search engines for you to use when clearing sync rights for a particular song. They often require information such as type of usage, writer, publisher, summary of your production, a description of the scene where the music is used, air date, markets, territory, term, estimated number of copies to be sold, etc. in order to begin the process of clearing sync rights. In some cases the arranger/composer may control the synch rights themselves and may not be connected to any company. If this is the case, you have to contact them directly. ASCAP and BMI will forward mail regarding rights clearances to musicians that are registered with them.

Any large company will likely have its own License Agreement, and they will provide you with this agreement to outline your specific requests. In some cases, when obtaining synch licenses from smaller independent musicians, you may have to prepare the synchronization license agreement yourself.

If none of the aforementioned companies represent the publisher you are seeking, try calling the index departments of BMI, (212) 586-2000, or ASCAP, (212) 621-6000. Neither agency clears sync rights, but they may be able to provide information about whom to contact. If you cannot
locate the owner after going through these searches, contact the production department.