Introduction
A cue sheet is the official document that tells performing rights organizations (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, PRS, GEMA, and others) exactly what music was used in your production, for how long, and how it was used. Without an accurate cue sheet, composers and publishers do not get paid their performance royalties. For broadcast television, streaming platforms, and theatrical distribution, submitting a cue sheet is not optional. It is a contractual and legal requirement. Distributors like Netflix, Amazon, and HBO require cue sheets as part of their delivery specifications. Missing or inaccurate cue sheets delay distribution, create accounting disputes, and can result in composers filing grievances with their PRO. On a 10-episode series, a single missing cue can cascade into thousands of dollars in uncollected royalties for the composer over the lifetime of the show. This generator creates properly formatted cue sheets with all the fields that PROs require, saving hours of manual formatting and reducing the risk of errors that cost your music team money.
What This Tool Calculates
The generator accepts project-level information (title, episode, network or platform, air date) and individual cue entries. Each cue includes a cue number following standard reel-based naming conventions (1M1, 1M2, 2M1), the music title, composer name with PRO affiliation, publisher, usage type (background instrumental, background vocal, feature performance, theme, logo/bumper, source music, visual vocal, or visual instrumental), timecode in, timecode out, and auto-calculated duration. The tool automatically computes duration from your timecodes, tracks total music duration across the entire program, counts unique composers, and provides a clipboard export in tab-delimited format ready for submission to any PRO or distributor. Usage type classifications follow the standard categories defined by ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC for television and film performance royalty calculations.
The Formula and How It Works
The usage type on a cue sheet directly affects how much the composer and publisher earn in performance royalties. Background instrumental (BI) is the most common usage in film and television, covering underscore and incidental music. Background vocal (BV) applies when a song with lyrics plays under dialogue or action. Feature performance (VF or VI) is the highest-paying category, used when a performance is the primary focus of the scene, such as a concert sequence or a character singing on camera. Theme music for opening and closing credits commands premium royalty rates because it plays on every episode. Source music refers to music that originates from a visible or implied source within the scene, like a radio or jukebox. Each PRO has specific multipliers for these categories. A 30-second feature vocal performance generates significantly more royalties than a 30-second background instrumental cue. Accurate classification on your cue sheet ensures composers receive the correct payment tier for their work.
Real-World Examples
Cue Numbering Conventions and Best Practices
Standard cue numbering follows the format [Reel]M[Cue Number]. The first number indicates the reel or act, M stands for music, and the second number is the sequential cue within that reel. So 1M1 is the first music cue in Reel 1, 2M3 is the third cue in Reel 2. For television, reels typically correspond to acts between commercial breaks. For features, reels are traditionally 20-minute segments, though digital production has made physical reel divisions less rigid. Some productions add suffixes for variations: 1M1a for an alternate version or 1M1R for a revised cue. Consistent numbering makes it easy for PROs to cross-reference cue sheets with broadcast logs and for music supervisors to track cues across multiple edits of the program. This generator auto-assigns cue numbers based on your entry order but allows manual override for productions with specific numbering requirements.
Comparison of PRO Requirements Across Organizations
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC in the United States all require the same core information on cue sheets but have slightly different submission formats and portals. | |
| ASCAP accepts electronic cue sheet submissions through their online portal and requires the production title, episode number, air date, network, cue number, music title, composer names with ASCAP membership numbers, publisher names, usage type, and duration. | |
| BMI has a similar portal with comparable requirements. | |
| SESAC requires the same data but processes through a different system. | |
| International PROs like PRS (UK), GEMA (Germany), SACEM (France), and JASRAC (Japan) have their own submission requirements that largely overlap with US standards. |
Pro Tips and Common Mistakes
Pro Tips
- The most expensive cue sheet error is omitting a cue entirely.
- If a 2-minute underscore cue is missing from the sheet, the composer earns zero royalties on that cue for every broadcast and streaming play of the episode.
- Over 5 seasons of reruns, that single omission can cost thousands of dollars.
- Incorrect usage type classification is the second most common error.
Common Mistakes
- The best practice is to build your cue sheet during post-production as music is spotted, composed, and mixed.
- Rather than reconstructing the cue sheet from memory after the final mix, the music editor or music supervisor should log each cue as it is placed in the timeline.
- This generator supports that workflow by allowing you to add cues incrementally throughout post-production.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is responsible for submitting the cue sheet?
The production company is contractually responsible for creating and submitting the cue sheet. In practice, the music supervisor or music editor prepares the document, and the producer or post-production supervisor submits it to the distributor and PROs. Composers should always request a copy of the submitted cue sheet to verify their cues are listed correctly.
When should I submit the cue sheet?
Submit the cue sheet as soon as the final mix is locked, ideally within 30 days of the program's first air or streaming date. Many distributors require cue sheets as part of the delivery package. Earlier submission ensures composers begin receiving royalties from the first broadcast.
Do I need a cue sheet for a short film or student project?
If your project uses any copyrighted music or original score and will be publicly exhibited (festivals, streaming, broadcast), yes. Even if royalty payments are small, the cue sheet establishes the legal record of music usage. For student projects using only original music with no distribution, a cue sheet is good practice but not strictly required.
Start Calculating
Always include the composer's PRO affiliation (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, or international equivalent) next to their name. Without this, the PRO cannot match the cue to the correct writer account. When multiple composers share a cue, list each writer with their percentage share and PRO affiliation. For library music, the publisher name is the library company, and the composer information should match the library's metadata exactly. Verify timecodes against the final master, not the editor's timeline, because timecodes can shift during conforming and mastering. Submit the cue sheet even if your production has not yet aired. PROs process cue sheets in advance so payments are ready when broadcast logs are matched. For streaming-only releases, submit to the PRO with a note indicating the platform and availability date.
