Learn everything you need to know about clearing music rights in this intensive, hands-on workshop with The Rights Workshop's Brooke Wentz!

Overview

Music rights can make or break your film—both creatively and legally. In this intensive, hands-on workshop, award-winning Music Supervisor Brooke Wentz of The Rights Workshop and Seven Seas Music will take you beyond the basics, giving you the practical tools, strategies, and insider knowledge to successfully license music, negotiate contracts, and protect your film from costly legal pitfalls.

This expanded 3-hour session will cover:

• The step-by-step licensing process—from identifying synchronization and master use rights to negotiating with publishers and labels.
• How to budget for music—understanding fees, re-use union fees, and cost-saving strategies.
• Decoding contracts—real-world examples of licensing agreements, composer agreements, and essential contract terms.
• Finding & securing the right music—search tools and how to leverage public domain, royalty-free, and affordable licensing options.
• Avoiding legal traps—navigating fair use, work-for-hire agreements, and how to prevent cease-and-desist nightmares.
• Cue sheets & distribution delivery requirements—ensuring your film is ready for festival, streaming, theatrical, and international release.

This filmmaker-focused, in-depth session will include real-world case studies, live contract breakdowns, and Q&A to help you apply these lessons to your own projects. 

GOTHAM MEMBERS: Enroll in this class through your Member Dashboard to receive your 20% discount.

Instructors

Brooke Wentz

Award-winning music supervisor Brooke Wentz is the founder of The Rights Workshop, a leading music supervision and licensing firm, and Seven Seas Music, a curated music discovery platform. She has worked on numerous documentary and independent films including 32 Sounds, Meet the Patels, Dolores, Last Chance U, Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me, Bully, Last Stop in Yuma County, Bill Cunningham New York and, most recently, Janis Ian: Breaking Silence.

As the former music director of ESPN, Brooke was pivotal in connecting musicians with directors and authored two books: Hey! That’s My Music: Music Supervision, Licensing and Content Acquisition and Music Rights Unveiled, and very recently Transfigured New York: Interviews with Experimental Artists and Musicians, 1980-1990. She is a Billboard Award-winning producer for one of the best-selling world music recordings and a former public radio host.