What is a licence?
Whoever uses an intellectual work must obtain a licence to do so. This user licence safeguards the work of the composers, publishers, producers and the performing artists for their contribution to the recording.
The user must pay for copyright and related fees.
The copyright safeguards the work of music and is paid to the author (of the music and/or lyrics) and the publisher of the track. It covers performance and reproduction rights.
Other fees related to copyright concern the recording phase and are paid to the phonographic producer and to the performers of the recording. They cover synchronization and master-copy rights.
Performance Rights
Performance rights are managed by Authors and Publishers Societies, in Italy SIAE, to which Opensound has entrusted the protection of its repertoire. Whoever intends to play or broadcast a piece of music publicly must fill out the so-called cue sheet with all the relevant information requested by SIAE which will then ensure that the copyright owners are paid according to the law. In this case a copy of the cue sheet must be forwarded to Opensound by post, fax or email.
Reproduction Rights
SIAE also manages reproduction rights. Whoever prints multimedia or audiovisual products which contain music must also pay phono-mechanical rights for each printed copy as well as a flat fee for the anti-counterfeiting stamp. This stamp serves as a guarantee to protect the consumer and distinguishes between a legitimate product and a pirate copy. Contact us to receive our advice, free of charge, on how to calculate this sum.
Synchronization Rights
Synchronization rights apply when a piece of recorded music is synchronized to a film. For Italian productions Opensound is a member of SIAEs Production Music service which guarantees simple procedures and transparent rates for obtaining synchronization rights.
Once you have chosen the tracks you want to use, you will be required to fill out a form ("Modello PM"). The completed form must then be delivered to the nearest SIAE office (see list) or certified branch (in Bolzano, Catania, Perugia, Pescara and Reggio Calabria). A cost (which can easily be estimated by consulting the "Tariffe PM" document) will then be calculated according to the context in which the track will be used and its length. The payment can be made directly to SIAE. SIAEs receipt immediately entitles you to use the track. Further information about the Production Music services is available on the relevant pages of the SIAE. website.
For non-Italian productions the licence must be released directly by Opensound
Master-copy Rights
It is necessary to ensure that you have obtained the authorization of the phonographic producers and performing artists involved in the recording you intend to use. This applies every time you want to play a piece of recorded music in public, whether on the radio, TV, satellite, Internet, CDs, or databases of files available on a server for use in shops. Opensound has signed an agreement with SCF Societ Consortile Fonografici (Syndicated Company of Phonographic Professionals) which authorizes the latter to collect this fee.
How to Obtain the Licences
The user licence must be requested directly from SIAE (Production Music Service) if music and images are to be used exclusively on
- audiovisual: DVD and VHS
- multimedia: DVD-Rom and CD-Rom
A licence must be requested from Opensound for the synchronization of music in
- advertisements
- documentaries, shorts and feature-length films
- television series and programmes
- internet sites
- exhibitions, trade fairs, museums, and other events held in public places
- promotional CDs
