The Academy’s End Ghostwriting campaign aims to ensure every media composer is credited, better protected and paid fairly

ivors

The Ivors Academy has launched a campaign calling for an end to the practice of ghostwriting in music for film, television and video games.

Called End Ghostwriting, the campaign shines the light on the practice of ghostwriting – when a composer contributes to a soundtrack but remains invisible because their work isn’t disclosed by the lead composer to the production.

Ghostwriters often receive no screen or IMDb credit and are excluded from cue sheets, so they lose the royalties they are legally entitled to.

The End Ghostwriting campaign encourages composers to commit to changing industry practice by signing a pledge, which calls on them to:

  • Be fully transparent with productions about who will compose the music.
  • Ensure that all contributing composers are credited on cue sheets, on screen where possible, and on IMDb.
  • Accurately submit work for awards consideration that fairly credits everyone involved in the composition.

Sheridan Tongue, composer behind Silent Witness and Wonders of the Universe and member of The Ivors Academy Media Council, said: “It’s about drawing a line and saying that from this point forward, ghostwriting will no longer be accepted as standard practice. Our focus is on looking ahead and working collectively to create a fairer, more transparent and respectful industry for everyone. No composer should be invisible on a production.”

David Arnold, fellow and board member of The Ivors Academy and the composer behind Casino Royale and Sherlock added: “Our Industry is changing rapidly. Budgets and schedules are becoming more compressed and workloads are becoming more complicated to manage. So sometimes we need help. This campaign is here to ensure that help doesn’t go unrecognised and unrewarded. It’s only decent and it’s only fair.”

Aisling Brouwer, composer behind The Buccaneers and White Riot and member of The Ivors Academy Media Council said: “By ending ghostwriting, we can recognise and celebrate the full diversity of creative voices behind every score. True collaboration means crediting every composer who contributes and ensuring that fairness and creativity remain at the foundation of our industry.”

Roberto Neri, CEO of The Ivors Academy, added: “We’re calling time on ghostwriting, where talented media composers can work on high-profile productions without ever being acknowledged. Thanks to our Media Council of composers, we’re bringing transparency, integrity and fairness back to the heart of audio-visual music. We must give composers credit where credit is due.”

PICTURED: Clockwise, from top left (Sheridan Tongue, David Arnold, Roberto Neri, Aisling Brouwer)