On this page
How to use it
- Add a row for every track in every film you deliver, cutdowns included.
- Copy the license ID, uses, territory and term from the license itself.
- Write where the cue sits in the film, so anyone can find it.
- Check the Uses covered column before a client runs a film somewhere new.
- Download the CSV and keep it with your licenses.
Why a log beats a folder of PDFs
The license PDF says what you bought. The log says which film it is in and what that film is doing now. The question is rarely "do we have a license?" It is usually "does the license we have cover what the client wants next?"
| The client asks | The column that answers |
|---|---|
| "Can we run it as a paid ad?" | Uses covered |
| "Can our office in Canada use it?" | Territory |
| "Can we keep it on the website next year?" | Term ends |
| "Why did Instagram mute the reel?" | License ID, to send to the library |
| "Which song is that at 1:12?" | Cue in film |
Licenses, in plain words
A stock music library license usually covers a set of uses, such as web and social, and a bigger tier covers broadcast or paid advertising. Read the license for each library, because the words differ. A popular commercial song is another matter: it needs permission for the recording and for the composition, often from several owners, and it is often not available at a price a small production can pay. Wedding filmmakers meet this most, which is why the wedding contract sets expectations about songs. This is general information. Ask the library, or a lawyer, about your license.
Worked example
On the sample, one track licensed for web, social and email covers the 2-minute film and its 30-second cutdowns, because the library's license allows edits of the same track in the same project. When the client asks six months later to run a cutdown as a paid ad, the log shows "Paid ads need an upgrade", the producer buys the upgrade, adds the new license ID and invoices the cost on a change order.
How Cutvey does this
Cutvey has a music license register in the workspace's settings, so your licenses sit with the rest of the business instead of in a downloads folder. Run the business shows the rest of the office.
Frequently asked
Do I need to log free or included music?
Yes. "Free" tracks often have conditions, such as a credit line or no use in ads. Log the source and the conditions.
Who keeps the license, the studio or the client?
Usually the studio holds the license and the client's use is covered through it. Some clients ask to be named on the license, so ask the library before you buy.
Goes with this stage of a job: Run the business. More free paperwork on the templates page, and free tools that work in your browser.