Which of the following describes a valid method to acquire music for a film?

• A. License a pre-existing recording
• B. Re-record a pre-existing musical composition
• C. Have original music composed expressly for the film
• D. All of the above

Answer: (D)

Acquiring music for a film hinges on securing the right permissions from the right holders, and there are several legitimate paths to do that. Using a pre-existing recording is common, but it requires both a master‑use license for the actual recording and a synchronization license for the underlying musical composition. Re-recording a pre-existing musical work—creating a new recording of the same song—is also valid; you’d obtain a new master-use license for the new recording and a synchronization license for the composition. Commissioning original music for the film is another standard route, with the studio or producer owning or obtaining the rights to use that score in the film. Since each of these methods can legally provide music for a film, the correct answer is that all of the above describe valid approaches.