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Use this skill when a music supervisor, sync licensing director, music publisher, or artist manager needs to evaluate and document the clearance path for a s...
--- name: sync-clearance-memo description: > Use this skill when a music supervisor, sync licensing director, music publisher, or artist manager needs to evaluate and document the clearance path for a song placement in film, TV, advertising, video games, or branded content. Covers composition rights mapping, master rights identification, one-stop assessment, sample chain verification, territory and term analysis, and indicative fee estimation. Produces a DRAFT sync clearance memo for licensing-team review before any deal is negotiated or confirmed. --- # Sync Clearance Memo Evaluate the clearance path for a composition and master recording, then produce a licensing-ready DRAFT clearance memo documenting all rights holders, clearance complexity, and a recommended deal structure. ## Flow 1. **Song intake** — Ask for: song title, ISRC (if known), ISWC (if known), artist and recording name, and intended use description (media type, scene description or ad brief, territory, term, exclusivity level: Non-exclusive / Exclusive / First-negotiation, and placement tier: Background Instrumental / Background Vocal / Feature / Title). Confirm one item at a time if the user is unsure. 2. **Composition rights mapping** — Identify all songwriters and their share percentages. For each writer, identify the publisher or PRO-registered administrator, PRO affiliation (ASCAP / BMI / SESAC / SOCAN / PRS / APRA / GEMA / etc.), and best clearance contact. Flag any unknown or unregistered writer shares as Open Items. 3. **Master rights mapping** — Identify the master rights holder (major label, independent label, distributor-administered, or artist-owned). Confirm the documentation source used (label copy, distributor statement, artist agreement reference, or discogs/PRO database lookup). Flag any work-for-hire uncertainty, label co-ownership, or reversion-clause risk. 4. **One-stop assessment** — Determine whether a single entity controls both master and all publishing shares. Classify as one of: - **One-Stop** — single entity clears both master and composition; lowest friction. - **Near One-Stop** — one sub-publisher or co-writer share requires a separate approval. - **Multi-Party** — separate master and composition negotiations required. Assign a Clearance Complexity rating: **Low** (one-stop, clean rights) / **Medium** (near one-stop or known restrictions) / **High** (multi-party, unknown shares, or sample chain). 5. **Sample chain verification** — Ask whether the recording contains any sampled audio or interpolated melody. If yes: identify the sampled composition and master, their current rights holders, and whether an existing sample clearance is already in place. If the sample is uncleared, flag it as a **Blocking Issue** — placement must not proceed until the sample is cleared. 6. **Territory and term analysis** — Map the requested territory and term against known rights restrictions. Flag any reversion rights, option periods, geographic carve-outs (e.g., print rights excluded, streaming-only), or public domain status by territory. List all Known Restrictions. 7. **Indicative fee estimation** — Provide a fee range table based on use type (Background Instrumental / Background Vocal / Feature / Title), media type (Theatrical Film / Broadcast TV Series / Streaming Series / National Ad / Regional/Digital Ad / Social / Trailer), and term (Single Use / One Year / Three Years / In Perpetuity). Reference current market benchmarks from ASCAP, BMI, Music Publishers Association, and industry-standard sync rate guides. Label all estimates **INDICATIVE ONLY — subject to negotiation and rights-holder approval**. 8. **DRAFT memo assembly** — Compile all sections into the structured output below. Mark the document **DRAFT — NOT A LICENSE**. Include an Open Items list for any unresolved questions and an unsigned Licensing Team Review block. ## Key Rules - Never represent the memo as a confirmed license, authorization to use, or legal opinion. - Always flag incomplete rights information rather than assuming clearance is available. - Mark every fee figure as INDICATIVE; never present ranges as final or binding quotes. - If a sample is uncleared, always flag it as a Blocking Issue before any further placement steps. - Do not log or disclose confidential deal terms shared by the user in the output document. - Ask one clarifying question at a time during intake; do not front-load all questions in a single message. - If ISRC or ISWC are unknown, proceed with available information and note the gap in Open Items. ## Output Format ``` SYNC CLEARANCE MEMO — DRAFT Date: [YYYY-MM-DD] Song: [Title] / ISRC: [code or "Unknown"] Intended Use: [media type | placement tier | territory | term | exclusivity] Prepared by role: [role only — no personal identifying data] ──────────────────────────────────────── 1. COMPOSITION RIGHTS MAP ──────────────────────────────────────── Writer | Share % | Publisher / Administrator | PRO | Clearance Contact [row per writer] Flags: [unknown shares, unregistered writers, or "None"] ──────────────────────────────────────── 2. MASTER RIGHTS MAP ──────────────────────────────────────── Rights Holder | Contact | Documentation Source | Notes / Flags ──────────────────────────────────────── 3. ONE-STOP ASSESSMENT ──────────────────────────────────────── Classification: [One-Stop / Near One-Stop / Multi-Party] Clearance Complexity: [Low / Medium / High] Rationale: [1–2 sentences] ──────────────────────────────────────── 4. SAMPLE CHAIN ──────────────────────────────────────── Sampled Work | Original Artist | Composition Rights Holder | Master Rights Holder | Clearance Status | Flag [row per sample, or "No samples identified"] ──────────────────────────────────────── 5. TERRITORY AND TERM FLAGS ──────────────────────────────────────── [Known restrictions, reversion dates, geographic carve-outs — or "None identified"] ──────────────────────────────────────── 6. INDICATIVE FEE RANGE (NEGOTIATION REFERENCE ONLY — NOT BINDING) ──────────────────────────────────────── Use Type | Media | Term | Master Range (USD) | Sync (Pub) Range (USD) | Total Est. Range | Basis [row per combination requested] ──────────────────────────────────────── 7. OPEN ITEMS AND QUESTIONS ──────────────────────────────────────── 1. [item] 2. [item] ──────────────────────────────────────── 8. LICENSING TEAM REVIEW ──────────────────────────────────────── Reviewed by: _________________________ Date: __________ [ ] Cleared to Begin Negotiation [ ] On Hold — See Open Items Above [ ] Blocked — Uncleared Sample or Rights Issue ``` ## Feedback If the user expresses an unmet need, limitation, or dissatisfaction with this skill, surface the contribution link only at that moment: https://github.com/archlab-space/Open-Skill-Hub/issues
don't have the plugin yet? install it then click "run inline in claude" again.
added explicit inputs section with external connection guidance, broke intent into separate compact statements, elaborated procedure steps with clearer input/output language, formalized decision points as if-else branches, documented output contract with content specs, and clarified outcome signal as measurable user success criteria.
this skill walks you through evaluating the full clearance path for a composition and master recording, then produces a licensing-ready draft clearance memo. use it when you need to document all rights holders, flag clearance complexity, assess sample chains, and propose a deal structure before negotiations start. output is always marked DRAFT, never a confirmed license.
PRO_API_KEY, DISCOGS_API_KEY if available; graceful fallback to manual lookup)song intake , ask for song title. confirm one item at a time if the user is unsure. then ask for: ISRC (or "unknown" accepted). ask for ISWC (or "unknown" accepted). ask for artist and recording name. ask for intended use description: media type (theatrical film, broadcast TV series, streaming series, national ad, regional/digital ad, social, trailer, video game, branded content). ask for scene description or ad brief. ask for territory (single country, region, worldwide, etc.). ask for term (single use, one year, three years, in perpetuity). ask for exclusivity level (non-exclusive, exclusive, first-negotiation). ask for placement tier (background instrumental, background vocal, feature, title).
composition rights mapping , for each songwriter identified, record name, share percentage, publisher or PRO-registered administrator, PRO affiliation, and best clearance contact. if any songwriter share is unknown, unregistered, or unresolved, flag as Open Item. note whether all shares account for 100 percent or if gaps exist.
master rights mapping , identify the master rights holder name and type (major label, independent label, distributor-administered, artist-owned). note the documentation source used (label copy, distributor statement, artist agreement reference, discogs lookup, PRO database lookup). flag any uncertainty around work-for-hire status, label co-ownership, or reversion-clause risk. if master rights holder contact is unavailable, note as Open Item.
one-stop assessment , determine whether a single entity controls both master and all publishing shares. if yes, classify as One-Stop. if one sub-publisher or co-writer share requires separate approval, classify as Near One-Stop. if master and composition require separate negotiations, classify as Multi-Party. assign a Clearance Complexity rating: Low (one-stop, no known restrictions), Medium (near one-stop or known minor restrictions), or High (multi-party, unknown shares, or unresolved samples). document the rationale in one or two sentences.
sample chain verification , ask whether the recording contains sampled audio or interpolated melody. if yes, identify the sampled composition title, original artist, current composition rights holder, current master rights holder, and whether an existing sample clearance is already in place. if the sample is uncleared, flag it as a Blocking Issue and note that placement must not proceed until cleared. if no samples, record "no samples identified".
territory and term analysis , map requested territory and term against known rights restrictions. identify any reversion rights (dates and conditions), option periods, geographic carve-outs (e.g., print rights excluded, streaming-only, mechanical rights excluded), or public domain status by territory. list all Known Restrictions. if none, record "none identified".
indicative fee estimation , provide a fee range table based on use type (background instrumental, background vocal, feature, title), media type (theatrical film, broadcast TV series, streaming series, national ad, regional/digital ad, social, trailer), and term (single use, one year, three years, in perpetuity). reference current market benchmarks from ASCAP, BMI, Music Publishers Association, and industry-standard sync rate guides. include separate columns for Master Range (USD) and Sync/Publishing Range (USD), plus a Total Estimated Range. label all estimates INDICATIVE ONLY , subject to negotiation and rights-holder approval. note that fees vary by budget tier, existing repertoire relationships, and negotiation leverage.
DRAFT memo assembly , compile all sections into the structured output below. mark the document DRAFT , NOT A LICENSE at the top. include the Open Items list. include an unsigned Licensing Team Review block with checkboxes for "Cleared to Begin Negotiation", "On Hold , See Open Items Above", or "Blocked , Uncleared Sample or Rights Issue".
the skill produces a single plaintext DRAFT clearance memo following the structure below. the memo includes:
the memo is plaintext, markdown-compatible, and ready for email or shared doc distribution to a licensing team.
success means: the user receives a complete, structured DRAFT clearance memo that documents all known rights holders, flags any gaps or blocking issues, and provides a fee reference range for internal negotiation planning. the memo should answer these questions: who must sign off for this placement, what is the deal complexity, are there unresolved rights or sample issues, and what is a reasonable opening offer by use type and media? if the user can hand the memo to a licensing colleague and that colleague can begin outreach without asking for major missing information, the skill succeeded.
SYNC CLEARANCE MEMO , DRAFT
Date: [YYYY-MM-DD]
Song: [Title] / ISRC: [code or "Unknown"]
Intended Use: [media type | placement tier | territory | term | exclusivity]
Prepared by role: [role only , no personal identifying data]
────────────────────────────────────────
1. COMPOSITION RIGHTS MAP
────────────────────────────────────────
Writer | Share % | Publisher / Administrator | PRO | Clearance Contact
[row per writer]
Flags: [unknown shares, unregistered writers, or "None"]
────────────────────────────────────────
2. MASTER RIGHTS MAP
────────────────────────────────────────
Rights Holder | Contact | Documentation Source | Notes / Flags
────────────────────────────────────────
3. ONE-STOP ASSESSMENT
────────────────────────────────────────
Classification: [One-Stop / Near One-Stop / Multi-Party]
Clearance Complexity: [Low / Medium / High]
Rationale: [1, 2 sentences]
────────────────────────────────────────
4. SAMPLE CHAIN
────────────────────────────────────────
Sampled Work | Original Artist | Composition Rights Holder | Master Rights Holder | Clearance Status | Flag
[row per sample, or "No samples identified"]
────────────────────────────────────────
5. TERRITORY AND TERM FLAGS
────────────────────────────────────────
[Known restrictions, reversion dates, geographic carve-outs , or "None identified"]
────────────────────────────────────────
6. INDICATIVE FEE RANGE (NEGOTIATION REFERENCE ONLY , NOT BINDING)
────────────────────────────────────────
Use Type | Media | Term | Master Range (USD) | Sync (Pub) Range (USD) | Total Est. Range | Basis
[row per combination requested]
────────────────────────────────────────
7. OPEN ITEMS AND QUESTIONS
────────────────────────────────────────
1. [item]
2. [item]
────────────────────────────────────────
8. LICENSING TEAM REVIEW
────────────────────────────────────────
Reviewed by: _________________________ Date: __________
[ ] Cleared to Begin Negotiation
[ ] On Hold , See Open Items Above
[ ] Blocked , Uncleared Sample or Rights Issue
if the user expresses an unmet need, limitation, or dissatisfaction with this skill, surface the contribution link only at that moment: https://github.com/archlab-space/Open-Skill-Hub/issues
credits: original skill by archlab-space (clawhub). enriched per implexa standards.