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Copyright Free Music

Music is the hardest thing to find when making a film. Most film festivals including Red Carpet, require legal music with permission from the artist(s) to accompany your entry. We have some helpful information to get you started researching the rights to your music and/or alternative music sources for your short film.

Music You Can Use

  • Original music that you create yourself.
    (Copyright laws still apply if you use an instrument to play someone else’s music.)
  • Music someone else has created for you.
  • Find an independent band that does not have a record label, and get their permission.
  • You can use any music as long as you get the permission of the artist, publisher, and/or editor.
    When getting permission, you may want to mention:
    • Title of the song and album.
    • Name of the musician/group.
    • What part of the song you plan on using.
    • How much of the song are you going to be using.
    • What is the movie about and what will be happening in the movie while the song is playing.
    • When, where, and how many times it will be broadcast.
    • Contact information.

Public Domain

Public Domain is music that is free to use without permission or paying any royalties to any one person or organization.

Some criteria that qualify as public domain are:

  • In Canada, about 50 years after the death of the author.
  • Generally 70 years (US) after the death of the author.
    (If the editor makes changes to a composer’s music; the edition he creates is a 'derived work'. The editor then has the right to restrict the reproduction of this editor as well as the composer. Both must be dead for 70 years.)
  • Foreign works published before 1909.
  • Foreign works published 1909-1923 with copyright notices.
  • Everything published in the US before 1923.
  • Classical composers: such as; Bach, Mozart Beethoven, Lizst, Chopin, etc.
The only way to confidently identify a public domain version is to find a copy of the song with a copyright date old enough for public domain status. You must obtain proof from a legitimate source to ensure that the music is in fact public domain; otherwise you can't be entirely sure.

Copyright Clearance

You should only go for copyright clearance if you have gone through every other option. It is a lot of work and very time consuming to secure copyright permission. It could take anywhere from 1 to 8 months, (the average being 3).

When getting copyright permission you need to get both the publishing and the recording rights. The publisher owns the right to lyrics and composition; this is known as the synchronization license. The record label owns the rights to the recording; this is known as the master use license. Be aware that if there are several versions of the song you will need to find which record label owns the rights to the version you are using. You may want to get permission from the publisher first, because when you approach the record label you can fax them copy and it usually opens the door for you.

When trying to obtain permission you might want to consider the following:

  • Be polite! The record or publishing company gets hundreds of requests each week.
  • Keep in mind this is usually how the artist makes their money.
  • Remember the band members/musicians have little to no say because they have sold the right to the publisher and record company.
  • Finding the needed information is difficult and different for each one you do.

Websites for Music and Copyright Laws

Grants and Scholarships

There are plenty of scholarships and grants available for filmmakers, but you have to do your research. It is important to read each application to find out which will fit your project best.

Canadian Council Grants

The Canadian Council supports projects or programs of work that involve innovation and artistic expression. Emerging, mid-career and established artist are eligible for these grants. An emerging artist is someone who has less than three years of practice of is applying for support on there first independent film. A mid-career artist is someone who has been practicing at least three years and has created and released at least one independent film. An established artist is someone who has been practicing at least seven years and has created and released a body of independent films or video works. Most of this information can be found on the internet here.

Eligibility:

  • Must be a Canadian citizen.
  • Does not need to be living in Canada.
  • Individuals or a group of up to three may apply.
  • Full-time undergraduate at a school, college or university are not eligible.
  • The artist must maintain full creative and editorial control over the whole project.
Research/Creation Grants:
  • Applicant may apply for $3,000.00 to $16,000.00 if they are emerging artists.
  • Applicant may request $3,000.00 to $60,000.00 if they are established or mid-career artists.
Eligible Expenses:
  • Subsistence costs for the time spent working on the project.
  • Equipment and space costs.
  • Cost of experimentation or technique development.
  • Travel expenses and production costs.
Production Grants:
  • Applicant may request up to $16,000.00 for emerging artists.
  • Applicants may request up to $60,000.00 established and mid-career artists only.
  • Canadian Council will not contribute to over budgeted projects. Films $100,000.00 and over for emerging artist films and films $250,000.00 and over by mid-career or established artist will be denied.
Eligible Expenses:
  • Subsistence cost for the time spent working on production.
  • Fees for actors, performers, technicians and other participants.
  • Rental cost for equipment, studios and other facilities.
  • Travel costs.
  • Post-production costs.
  • The cost of promoting, launching, reproducing and copying work.
  • Contingency funds.
There are Scriptwriting Grants but only for mid-career and established artists.

Millennium Bursary

These bursaries are awarded to post-secondary students who demonstrate merit and have the greatest financial need. There is no separate application process. When students apply for student financial assistance from their province or territory of residence, they are automatically considered for the Foundation's millennium bursaries. A student may however have to indicate on your application form that you wish to be considered for the millennium bursary. The bursary is then paid directly to your loan provider, reducing the size of the loan a student may have to repay at the end of their studies. Additional information can be found here.

Eligibility:

  • Must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
  • Must be eligible for student financial assistance in your province or territory.
  • Must be enrolled as a full-time student in a admissible program at an eligible Canadian post-secondary institution.
  • Must be pursuing an undergraduate study that leads to a degree, certificate or diploma from the institute in which you are enrolled.
  • Must demonstrate a need for financial assistance.
  • Have successfully completed 60% of a full year of post-secondary education.
  • May receive up to $22,500.00.

Millennium Excellence Award

Over 900 millennium excellence awards are given out each year to students entering their first year of post-secondary studies. These awards are given in three different categories: local, provincial and national. Winner will be chosen on their leadership skills, community involvement, innovation and academic achievements. To apply a student can pick up an application at their high school or download the file here.

Eligibility:

  • Must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
  • Be entering his or her first year of full-time undergraduate studies leading to a first post-secondary degree, diploma or certificate.
  • Must be enrolled in a Canadian post-secondary institution recognized in the student's provincial student loan program.
  • Must be enrolled in a program lasting at least eight months and leading to an undergraduate degree, diploma or certificate.
  • National or provincial winners must be enrolled for at least two years.

Albert Gaetz Scholarship

A total of three of these scholarships will be awarded per calendar year. The value of the scholarship is applied against the tuition fees of the program.

Eligibility:

  • Must be registered in a film or media program.
  • Meet all program pre- requisites by the specific deadline.
  • Provide a written explanation as to why they feel Canadian College should award them the scholarship.
  • Must be approved for the whole program by the Director of Educational Programs.
  • The winner will be awarded $1,000.00.

Summer Visions Film Institute Grant

Summer Visions Film Institute offers digital media production programs for youth aged 14 to 19. Over two weeks, video makers work in production teams to write, shoot, edit and screen a short digital video, learning video making skills as they create. Summer Vision is held in Vancouver. To apply for a scholarship you must fill out an application. Applications can be found on the Summer Visions website.

Gulf Islands Film & Television School

  • Four scholarships at the end of each week-long course are available.
  • Scholarship is worth half of the amount of the week-long course ($340.00).
  • Additional information and applications can be found at www.giftsfilms.com.
  • Deadline is six weeks prior to the session date.

Centre for Arts and Technology Okanagan Grant

  • Must start June of their grade 12 year.
  • Grant is for $2,500.00.
  • Must apply by April to the admissions office.

Check out your local university for scholarships in any field.

© 2007 Red Carpet Film Festival