The Composer Agreement

The following agreement was drafted to be used in situations involving entry level composers or small production companies. They are substantially shortened versions of the longer agreements used by major production companies, yet have most of the crucial deal points.

The intent is for composers to have a short form, written in plain language, that they could supply to the producer that would be “user friendly” and not require substantial negotiation by either party. However, be advised that most of the points contained in these agreement have a number of variations that potentially could be negotiated if the parties so desire. These are only sample agreements to be used as a basis for final agreements between the parties.

Again, these are supplied only as samples. The Society of Composers & Lyricists assumes no responsibility for actions taken based upon these agreements. Caution should be used in applying any material contained in these agreements to your specific circumstance and you are encouraged to seek the advice of an attorney.

This composer agreement follows the convention of the production company owning the score, with the composer entitled to collect performing rights income from their society, share in any licensing income generated and provides for good faith negotiation for soundtrack royalties.

by Steve Winogradsky