Germany

An Introduction to Music Rights for Film and Television Production

IRIS 2009-5:1/36

Francisco Javier Cabrera Blázquez

European Audiovisual Observatory

More often than one might expect, basic issues concerning music rights are unknown territory for producers of music works, film composers and musicians. Reading this IRIS plus is a first step towards understanding the complex legal matter. The article starts by explaining the legal position of the film composer, which comprises the questions of who holds copyrights, for how long and what kind. It thereafter focuses on issues around licensing and remuneration including the role of collecting societies. The article then looks at various aspects of piracy: a major concern for the audiovisual industry. Rightsholders are waging a war against a virtually invisible enemy who is paradoxically also their customer. In this battle, court rooms provide the battlefield and plaintiffs ask legislators to provide more efficient weapons and shields in the form of new legislative measures. The article ends with a look at recent legislative proposals of how to respond to piracy.