Works & repertoire

Audiovisual Productions

• Can I also submit an AV registration if I do not know the entire music content?

  You can also notify us of AV productions if you do not know all of the music titles in the AV production. Simply log in to our Online Portal and use the service AV registration.

  In the cue sheet section of the registration form, you will see the question: “Is the entire music content contained in the cue sheet?” Please click on No.

  Please remember that you submit the music lists as soon as they are available by e-mail to produkte@gema.de.

• When is it worth uploading a soundfile via the Online Portal?

  As a general rule, please register your work with us and upload the corresponding soundfile using the Online Portal. The soundfile is rather essential if you expect that your composition is used in advertising, TV/radio programmes, clubs and discotheques or online.

  Monitoring service providers need your audio file in order to monitor your work. That way, a unique fingerprint of your audio file is created and makes it possible to track it in the usage categories you selected. These are also requirements for creating a usage report.

• Why is my film/series not listed in the AV display even though I have registered them?

  The AV display only lists AV productions which contain your works and have been fully documented already. An AV production is only documented once we have received a usage report for it.

  Since we usually only complete processing AV productions after we have received a usage report for them, it is possible that they are not yet listed in the AV display. 

• What are synchronisation rights?

  The film synchronisation right comes into play when musical works protected by copyright are used in an audiovisual production such as a cinema movie or a video game. Should a licensee, for example a cinema producer, want to use a song in a cinema movie, he needs to clear the synchronisation rights for the fact that he combines a film work with a musical work and consequently a new product emerges. This film synchronisation right is also referred to as sync right, in our department we like to refer to it as “HR” for the German “Herstellungsrecht” (= sync right).

  1) Own or commissioned television productions
  In the case of own (in-house) or commissioned television productions by public service or private broadcasters intended for their own broadcasting or re-broadcasting purposes, GEMA manages the synchronisation right and grants this right to the respective broadcasters via a framework agreement.  Said agreement allows the broadcasters to use the repertoire managed by GEMA without having to clear the rights in each individual case. If, however, third parties are participating in the production or if the production is intended to be used by third parties, the consent to use the music for the creation of a TV production must generally be obtained from the rightsholder up front. This shall apply in particular to co-productions.

  2) Advertising
  Permission to use music for the production of advertising films, commercials etc. of the advertising industry (e.g. for use in cinemas or on the television) must be obtained exclusively from the rightsholder.  In this area, a transfer of the synchronisation right to GEMA is not intended.

  3) Use of music in in media collections for teaching (Section 60b UrhG)
  Pursuant to s. 60b UrhG [German Copyright Act], the producers of media collections for teaching purposes shall be subject to a special privilege regarding the use of music in the media produced by them for teaching purposes. Such a privileged status allows, under certain conditions, that the musical works are used without having to obtain an authorisation or consent.

• What is a soundfile?

  A soundfile consists of:

  • An audio file of your musical work (only 1 work per audio file, no voice over, no finished commercial)

  • Metadata of the work and of the recording (work title, work number, creator, commissioned composition?)

  The soundfile must be uploaded in the wav format (PCM, 16bit/48 or 44.1 kHz) or mp3 (320 kbps).

• What are the minimum details for the notification of a film or a series?
  • Original title of the film / the series 
  • Production country
  • Production year
  • Producer incl. contact details 
  • Primary exploitation
  • Musical works used:
  • Title
  • Music duration
  • Rightsholder (author, or publisher, where applicable)
  • Information on the synchronisation right
• How can I register a film/a series with many individual cues as quickly and simply as possible?

  Log in to our Online Portal and use the service works registration. Please enter the film or series title as a work title. Now you can upload all the individual cues in the soundfile upload and allocate the same work number for each soundfile.
  
  After that, please register your AV production via the service AV registration. Please ensure that you add the duration of the individual cues in the cue sheet section and to subsume them under the one work number as one musical work. You do not have to enter an individual work number for each cue.

• How do I register a film or a series?

  You can register your film or series easily and conveniently in the Online Portal using the AV registration online service.
  
  The service offers you two options for registration:

  • Registration via the online form, which guides you step by step through the registration process
  • Registration via our Excel template, which you can download, fill in and then upload back to the Online Portal. 
• How do I inform GEMA that I wish to manage the synchronisation right for a film or a series myself?

  If you want to manage the synchronisation right for a film or a series yourself, you can communicate this to us by using the service AV registration in our Online Portal.

  Just select the option “Synchronisation rights are managed directly by the member” at the end of the registration process for the audiovisual production.