Defining Buyouts and Other Copyright Transactions

At last year’s conference of the International Council of Music Creators (CIAM) a screen composers’ working group was formed and tasked with creating a document to define the most common contractual deals in today’s marketplace. With the term “buyout” being liberally used, but with different connotations throughout the world, the goal was to provide standards and parameters that would survive translation globally. After almost six months of research and discussion, Music Creators North America (MCNA), of which SCL president Ashley Irwin is the current co-chair, along with Screen Composers’ Guild of Canada (SCGC) in consultation with the European Composer and Songwriter Alliance (ECSA) and Songwriters’ Guild of America (SGA) general counsel, Charles Sanders, have accomplished that task.

The resultant “Defining Buyouts and Other Copyright Transactions” document contains thorough explanations of contractual models, with supporting references, and it is hoped it will serve to clarify any conflation or misinterpretation for music creators and their representatives, worldwide.