In the 2023 SXSW panel titled “The Real World of Music Licensing and Money,” panelists Jeff Brabec, senior vice president of business and legal affairs of BMG, and entertainment law attorney Todd Brabec gave clear and straightforward answers about licensing music for different media—movies, television shows, and video games.

The panelists, twins who are co-authors of Music, Money and Success: the Insider’s Guide to Making Money in the Music Business, shared intricate details about how music can be licensed for movies, beginning with the music itself. They stated that it’s common to ask for additional fees when an artist is asked to change the lyrics in a song or if the actors in a movie will be covering the music during the film. Additionally, they said that musicians should always ask for a scene description.