Your film is locked, the festival list is set, and the submission form is open. Before you hit submit, there’s one question worth answering honestly: do you actually have the rights to every piece of music in the cut?
Most festivals won’t ask to see your music licenses at submission. But the submission terms make you promise you hold them, and the question comes back hard if the film gets selected, picked up by a distributor or posted online. Music that was never cleared can mean pulling the film, re-cutting and re-mixing under deadline, or paying a rights holder far more than a license would have cost.
This guide covers what festivals expect, the two rights inside every recording, what “festival rights” do and don’t cover, your music options, and a checklist to run before you submit.
Do film festivals require music licenses?
Almost always, though by promise rather than paperwork. Festivals rarely ask for copies of your music licensing agreements at festival submission. Instead, the submission terms make you, the filmmaker, responsible for every right in the film, and they let the festival drop your film if that turns out to be untrue.
Sundance is a good example. Its submission rules for the 2027 festival make it the applicant’s sole responsibility to get permission from the copyright owners of all material in the project. The rules also put indemnification on the applicant and let the festival disqualify a film without a refund. The Sundance terms on FilmFreeway go further: you warrant the film doesn’t infringe any copyright and that all license and clearance fees are paid in full.
Smaller festivals on FilmFreeway post their own rules, and many use similar language. Read the terms of each festival you enter. Ticking the box means you’re stating that your music is cleared, not that you plan to clear it later.
Two rights in every song: sync and master use
Every recorded song carries two separate copyrights, and music licensing for film means clearing the music rights to both. The U.S. Copyright Office treats the composition and the recording as distinct works with their own owners.
- Sync license (the composition). The melody and lyrics, usually owned by the songwriter or a music publisher. A sync license grants sync rights: permission to put the composition in timed relation with your picture.
- Master use license (the recording). The specific recorded performance, usually owned by the artist or the record label. A master use license, often just called a master license, lets you use that recording in your film.
If you use an existing commercial recording, you generally need both: a sync license from whoever controls the composition (usually a publisher) and a master use license from whoever controls the recording (usually a label). Re-recording the song yourself avoids the master use license but still needs the sync license.
Where ASCAP, BMI and other PROs fit
Performance Rights Organizations (PROs) such as ASCAP, BMI and SESAC manage performance rights and collect performance royalties. They don’t grant sync. BMI’s own copyright FAQ says synchronization licenses come from the copyright holder, usually the publisher, and you can find that publisher through its PRO database. Public performance is usually licensed by the festival, venue or broadcaster, but confirm it with the festival rather than assume. Your main task is clearing the composition and the recording for use in your film. Our guide on what a PRO is covers the rest.
What film festival rights actually cover
A festival license is a cheaper, narrower license that typically covers festival screenings only, on the terms its agreement sets. Publishers and labels often grant one for a flat fee, according to entertainment attorney Steven Beer in Documentary magazine. It runs for a limited term and is useful for getting a short or a feature onto the circuit without paying for full rights upfront.
The catch is what it doesn’t cover. Streaming, broadcast and theatrical release usually fall outside it, and so can online posting, trailers and sales screenings, depending on the wording. The festival fee also usually can’t be credited toward a later distribution license, so you may pay twice if the film gets picked up.
Distributors check music clearance early. The WIPO Magazine notes they typically ask for a music cue sheet and errors and omissions (E&O) insurance, which covers rights problems. Missing music clearances can delay that coverage and the deal behind it.
Plan for distribution before the festival run
If you take a festival license, negotiate the next step at the same time. Ask the rights holder for a step deal or an option: pre-agreed fees for streaming, broadcast or theatrical rights, paid only if and when the film gets that distribution. Get the numbers in writing. Once a buyer is interested, you have less leverage and less time to negotiate.
Your music options compared
Each source of music clears differently. Here’s what each one takes, and the trap to watch for.
| Option | What you clear | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial songs | Sync from the publisher and master use from the label | Slow replies, high fees, festival-only terms |
| Original score | A composer agreement covering ownership and use | Who owns the score and which uses are allowed |
| Public domain | The composition is free; the recording usually isn’t | Using a modern recording of an old song |
| Creative Commons | The license terms on that track | NonCommercial and NoDerivatives restrictions |
| Royalty-free libraries | The library’s license for your project | Whether your tier covers festivals and distribution |
Commercial songs. The most recognizable option and the hardest to clear. You need both rights, and independent films are often offered festival-only terms. On a feature film with several songs, a music supervisor can handle the requests and negotiate fees.
Original score. A composer writes music that fits your film exactly. Ownership depends on the contract: in a work-for-hire deal the production usually owns the score, while other deals let the composer keep the copyright and license it to you. Either way, the agreement should spell out the composition and recording rights, the media and territories covered, and any third-party material in the score. Our guide to hiring a film composer walks through the agreement.
Public domain. In the U.S., compositions published in 1930 or earlier are now in the public domain, and so are sound recordings published in 1925 or earlier, as Katten’s 2026 public domain roundup explains. A free composition doesn’t make a recent recording of it free. Use an old recording or record it yourself. These are U.S. rules, and terms differ in other countries.
Creative Commons. Two clauses trip up filmmakers. NonCommercial rules out uses “primarily intended for or directed towards commercial advantage,” which may conflict with a film you plan to sell. And the CC 4.0 license text says syncing music to moving images always creates an adaptation, and NoDerivatives licenses don’t allow sharing adaptations. A film using a NoDerivatives track generally needs separate permission to be screened or shared.
Royalty-free music for short films. A music library licenses tracks for a one-time fee, and subscription libraries for a monthly or annual fee, with no per-play royalties. Read the license agreement, because the tier is what matters: many basic tiers cover online video but not festivals or distribution.
How TuneReel licenses cover festival runs
At TuneReel, a festival run is covered by the Extended license, for shorts and features alike, as long as the film has no distribution and a budget of up to $100,000. That includes in-person and online festival screenings, as set out in the license agreement. You get Extended with a Pro plan or as a single-track license. The Standard license on Basic plans doesn’t cover festival screenings.
- One license per production. Each license is tied to the project title you enter at checkout, so every film has its own license record. Keep it with your cue sheet: it’s part of the clearance paperwork a distributor or insurer may ask to see.
- A perpetual license for that project. The license doesn’t expire when the festival run ends, but it covers only the uses within its scope.
- Universal for distribution. Streaming, broadcast, theatrical release (a commercial run in movie theaters, not festival screenings), or a budget over $100,000 needs a Universal license, priced by custom quote. Posting the film free on your own YouTube or Vimeo channel and festival market screenings don’t count as distribution, but ad-supported services like Tubi do. Before you post online, though, check your target festivals’ rules: many with premiere requirements won’t accept a film that’s already public. If a distributor is interested, confirm the rights and cost before you sign.
Film students can use the free Academic Plan, which includes the Extended license and covers student films and festivals. A student ID is required, and so is the credit “Music courtesy of TuneReel” in your film or, if it’s online, “Music courtesy of https://tunereel.com”.
If you’re making a feature headed for distribution, a custom score is the other route. TuneReel’s composers score to picture, and indie features typically receive worldwide, perpetual sync clearance for festival, theatrical and streaming use, with chain-of-title documentation for the music.
Pre-submission music checklist
Run through this before you pay a single entry fee.
- Build a cue sheet. List every cue: title, composer, publisher, timecode in and out, duration and how it’s used (background, featured, main title). Note the total cue count. The cue sheet records what you used; your licenses prove it’s cleared.
- Confirm every cue is covered. For each song, file the sync and master use licenses, or the single library or composer license that covers both. Check that each one names your film and the exact recording you used. Keep licenses, receipts and emails with rights holders in one folder.
- Confirm the scope. Make sure each license covers festival screenings. Note any term limits or territories.
- Check temp tracks. Swap out any placeholder music that never got cleared.
- Write the credits. Add the credit lines your licenses require to the end crawl.
- Plan the upgrade. Note what each cue needs for streaming, broadcast or theatrical release, and what it costs, so you can answer a distributor quickly.
FAQ
Can you submit a film to festivals with copyrighted music?
Only if you’ve licensed it. Festival terms make you warrant that every right is cleared, and uncleared music can get the film disqualified and expose you to an infringement claim under copyright law.
Do I need both a sync license and a master use license?
For an existing recording of a song, yes: sync for the composition and master use for the recording. A library or composer license usually covers both in one agreement.
Does a festival license cover a streaming release?
No. Festival rights cover festival screenings only. Streaming, broadcast and theatrical release need a broader license, which you can pre-negotiate as a step deal.
How much does it cost to license music for a film?
It ranges from nothing for public domain recordings to negotiated fees for well-known songs, set by each publisher and label based on how prominently and how long the song plays, the media, territory and term. Library tracks cost a one-time fee or a subscription, and the license tier sets what’s covered.
Who owns the film score?
The contract decides. In a work-for-hire agreement the production usually owns it; otherwise the composer may keep the copyright and license the score to you.
Do I need ASCAP or BMI licenses for a festival screening?
Usually not. ASCAP and BMI license public performance, which festivals, venues and broadcasters typically arrange; check with the festival if you’re unsure. Your job is clearing sync and master use rights with the owners.
This article is general information, not legal advice. For a specific project, talk to an entertainment attorney. Festival rules, copyright dates and TuneReel license terms checked in October 2026.
For more on how licenses work, see our guide to licensing and royalties.
