Compensation for commissioned music

If you are a music creator

• You register the work with STIM as usual.
• You receive compensation from STIM as usual when the work is performed publicly.
• You can negotiate on your own about the synchronization fee while you negotiate your fee for the commission. (Exception for commissioned music for feature films – free negotiation applies only in special situations, for example low-budget feature films.)

If you represent a music publisher

• You register the work with STIM as usual.
• The music publisher and the creator receive compensation from STIM as usual when the work is performed publicly.
• The music publisher may, on behalf of the creator and with power of attorney, negotiate both the synchronization fee (the NCB fee) and the fee for the commission. (Exception: commissioned music for feature films. Here free negotiation applies only in special situations, for example low-budget feature films.)

The agreement with the commissioner – your client

The agreement for commissioned music (e.g. background music, jingles, program signatures, audio logos) that you make with film companies or production companies essentially consists of two parts:

• Your fee for the work performed, which you receive from the commissioner of the music according to your agreement.
• Your synchronization fee, which you also receive directly from the commissioner according to your agreement.

In both cases above, free negotiation applies between you and the commissioner.

If you want help invoicing your client for the synchronization fee, there is the option for STIM/NCB to do it for you. For this there is a special registration form that is completed jointly by the commissioner and the composer. The form must be signed and copied in multiple copies. One copy is sent to STIM/NCB — and both the composer and the commissioner keep one copy each.

If you cooperate with a music publisher, the publisher usually handles the agreement on synchronization fees.

Pre-existing music

What applies when licensing "pre-existing music" – that is, music that not is specifically commissioned for the production – you can read more about on NCB's website.