Which rights must be secured to use music in a film production?

To use music in a film production, securing synchronization rights is essential. These rights allow a filmmaker to pair a piece of music with visual images, which is a fundamental aspect of integrating music into video content. Essentially, synchronization rights grant permission to use a specific recorded piece of music in conjunction with the film's visual elements, thereby safeguarding against potential copyright infringement issues.

Understanding these rights is critical in the production process, as failure to obtain them can lead to legal challenges or the inability to distribute the film. In contrast, the other rights mentioned, such as visual rights or public performance rights, pertain to different aspects of music usage, such as the rights to display music in a visual context or to perform it publicly, but they do not directly address the pairing of music with film footage.