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Film screenings with live music

Silent films with live accompaniment

Apply here for a licence to accompany silent films with music (available in German, French and Italian only)

Online form (in German)

Film music played live

Apply here for a licence for film screenings with live music

Online form

Are you planning to screen a film and have the film music played live? Or show a silent film accompanied by live music?

To screen the film, you have to apply directly to the film production company for a licence or, in the case of non-commercial screenings, to the MPLC.

In addition, you need a licence from SUISA for the live music.

Licence for film music played live

The licence fees for authors’ rights in film music are governed by the concert tariff (Tariff K). The fee is of maximum 5% of the ticket revenues or costs. This amount is reduced proportionately with the ratio of the duration of the music to the total duration of the film.
For more details, please consult the relevant fact sheet and Tariff K (available in German, French and Italian) below. If background music is run at the venue, you also have to licence that.

Licence for silent movies with live music

The licence fees for authors’ rights in live music are based on Tariff E. The fee for authors’ rights is 1.39%; for neighbouring rights, the fee is between 0.03% and 1.39% of the revenues – depending on the type of event.

If you are screening the film for free, you pay a daily or monthly flat fee. For more details, please consult the Fact Sheet and Tariff E below (available in German, French and Italian). If background music is run at the venue, you also have to licence that.

How to proceed:

Fill in the online licence application form and attach the “LIVE” programme form with your application. You can save the form and finish filling it in later.

After checking your application, SUISA issues you an invoice. The licence is valid as soon as payment is received.

From the payment proceeds, SUISA distributes the corresponding royalties to the entitled composers, lyricists, and publishers.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions

  • Whenever you use music in public, you must apply to SUISA to licence that use.

    Such uses include:

    • company events
    • club events
    • private parties

    You do not need a licence to use music in the private sphere – namely within a small circle of family members and close friends, for example at a birthday party or a wedding.

  • The organiser has to apply for the licence. The organiser is the person or entity responsible for the use of the music, e.g. the owner or operator of a club, a radio or television station, or the association organising an event.

  • If you perform music protected by copyright or have it performed in public, you need a licence from SUISA.

    Concerts – with or without an admission fee – are regulated by Common Tariff K (CT K). To calculate the licence, SUISA needs the following information:

    • ticket revenue details
    • event-related costs
    • set lists (programmes) of the performing artists

    For forms and other information, see: www.suisa.ch/k

  • SUISA normally calculates the remuneration based on a concert's revenues. In the following cases, however, the cost of the music use serves as the calculation basis:

    • if the revenues cannot be established;
    • if the costs are higher than the revenues and the customer has not prepared a budget, or if the customer assumes from the outset that the costs will have to be fully or partially covered by his own funds;
    • charity events where the profit goes to the needy.