Cue Sheets
What is a cue sheet?
A Cue Sheet is a record of all songs and compositions used in a film, television, streaming or video game production.
The APRA AMCOS Cue Sheet Portal and Cue Sheet template have been created to comply with the CISAC (International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers) Cue Sheet best practices guidelines. This is a global standard developed in conjunction with the ICMP (International Confederation of Music Publishers) with the aim of assisting people who create and use Cue Sheets in providing all relevant and useful information for the identification of the musical works and the correct distribution of rights generated by audio visual productions.
Why Do I Have to Register Cue Sheets?
Find out how to access the new Cue Sheet Portal and get started on registering and submitting.
APRA AMCOS requires Cue Sheets are registered for every locally produced program available for broadcast or streaming across Australia and New Zealand to ensure music creators are fairly remunerated for the broadcast of their musical works. All music used in a production needs to be supplied regardless of how the music is sourced. This also applies to royalty free music.
Register the works on the cue sheet to ensure you get paid on time
Just because a Cue Sheet has been registered, it does not mean the works inside the Cue Sheet have been registered.
If you are an APRA AMCOS publisher or writer member, please make sure you have also registered the works accurately to make sure you will be paid on time.
How Does APRA AMCOS Use Cue Sheets?
1.
We license a broadcaster, streaming service or video game company.
2.
They submit data to us reporting all programs they have broadcast or made available for streaming or purchase.
3.
We match that data to Cue Sheets in our database, the Cue Sheets you have helped submit.
4.
We calculate royalties according to our distribution rules and practices.
5.
We pay royalties to our members and overseas affiliated societies.
When Should Cue Sheets Be Supplied To APRA AMCOS?
APRA AMCOS makes best endeavours to source cue sheets for all domestic productions that are payable in the next distribution. Where cue sheets are difficult to obtain from production companies or networks, APRA AMCOS can accept authorised and complete versions from our members (writers and publishers).
What Are Video Game Cue Sheets?
A Video Game Cue Sheet is a list of all musical works that appears in a video game release.
The works listed in a video game Cue Sheet should include any works that are specifically commissioned, atmospheric or commercially available separate from the game, and works that are used as background, featured and theme usage.
What If I Don't Know All of the Music Used in a Production?
We understand that on some occasions you are not able to provide the complete list of musical works present in a production or video game. In these instances, you can still submit a Cue Sheet to us however you will need to identify that the Cue Sheet is incomplete and provide reasons why you cannot include the details for all musical works used.
How are the royalties calculated?
Both APRA’s and AMCOS’ distribution policy uses a ‘points’ system to allocate royalties to each song.
Learn how royalties are distributed for Cinemas and Film Festivals, Pay TV and Video on Demand.
Key Terms
Production Types:
Episode from a Series – A connected set of productions/episodes that run under the same series title.
Sports – Non-fiction productions broadcasting or reporting on sporting events.
Film – A production that is a standalone production or film.
One-off/Special – One-off productions that are not already included in another production type.
Standard Music – An episodic production that runs regularly and uses the same music in each episode (e.g., A news programme that runs 5 days a week).
Informercial – An extended TV commercial, educational demonstration, interview etc.
Trailer – A promotional advertising device for a film or television production.
Video Game – Interactive software that is used for entertainment, role playing and simulation.
Music Sources:
Commercial Recording – A musical works which existed prior to commission of the production. E.g. A commercially released pop song.
Production Music (Library) – A musical work and a sound recording, the rights for which are bundled together for licensed synchronization or dubbing into productions.
Commissioned – A musical work written specifically for a production.
Commissioned (Song) – A musical work written specifically for a production that is released commercially.
Unspecified – A musical work of unspecified music source.
Music Usage Types:
Background – Music used in film or television, which makes up all or part of the overall sound score.
Featured/Visual – Means music which falls into one or more of the following categories:
-Music which is performed by, or represented on the television screen as being audible to, one or more of the characters in the scene portrayed;
-Music performed in music video clips;
-Music performed in association with choreographed dance sequences;
-music performed "on camera".
Opening Theme and Closing Theme – Means music which is regularly or solely associated with a television series, individual programme or film such that it identifies that series, individual programme or film, when used as the opening and/or closing music of the series, individual programme or film.
(Theme excludes music used in conjunction with programme previews (teasers) or recaps, which are credited as Background music.)
Logo – Music which runs under the logo for a production company or broadcaster.
Sound Effect – A sound other than speech or music made for use in the production.
Live Performance – A live performance played during a production.
Recap – A summary of information from previous productions to bring the viewer up to speed.
Submitting Cue Sheets
If you need to register or submit cue sheets, you can request access to the Cue Sheet Portal.
Cue Sheets for productions created outside of Australia and New Zealand can be emailed to [email protected] or submitted via our Online Cue System.
