A Music Spotting Sheet
Log dialogue, transitions and music entries; distinguish a production spotting sheet from a rights cue sheet.
Agree picture and timing first
This production spotting sheet records music entries, changes and exits. It is not a copyright cue sheet submitted for rights reporting. Fix picture version, frame rate and timecode origin first. In 00:00:10:12, the last field represents frames, whose meaning depends on frame rate; it is not hundredths of a second.
| Range | Picture or dialogue | Music task | Check |
|---|---|---|---|
| 00:00–00:04 | Title | Establish a short theme | Align with picture marker |
| 00:04–00:24 | Narration | Reduce melodic activity, retain motion | Audition with narration |
| 00:24–00:30 | Closing identity | Resolve the theme and retain the tail | Editable ending, no abrupt cut |
This is a fictional thirty-second example using minutes and seconds for readability. Use the agreed timecode format in a production. Mark each event as a strict sync point or a flexible transition; not every picture action needs a musical accent.
Turn the sheet into production tasks
Derive concise prompts or section requests, then import results beside the same picture version. Verify actual timing rather than assuming a “thirty seconds” prompt guarantees compliance. When precise sections are unavailable, a longer editable cue may provide useful material. Complex fixed hits may require manual arranging or replaying parts.
When picture changes, save another version and mark affected sections. State which picture version accompanies the delivery. Keep music and the spotting sheet together so the recipient can distinguish a timing error from a picture-version mismatch.