If you’re interested in how the End Ghostwriting campaign began, this is the original document I presented to The Ivors Academy back in its early stages. A huge thank-you to everyone named below for the time, thought and courage you brought to this challenging subject. Your insight was invaluable and we would not be at this point without any of you.
Best Working Practices for Composer Collaborations and the End of Ghostwriting
Presented by Sheridan Tongue to the Ivors Academy on 17 June, 2025
Introduction
For the past six months, a group of 12 UK-based composers and one UK music agent have been working together to address the issue of Ghostwriting in UK television and film soundtracks. Our aim is to bring an end to this harmful practice and to establish a clear framework of best working practices for composer collaboration.
The group includes Sheridan Tongue, Anna Phoebe, Aisling Brouwer, Ben Foster, Daisy Coole, David Arnold, Jenna Fentimen, Jessica Jones, Nick Foster, Peter Gregson, Sam Thompson, Sofia degli Alessandri-Hultquist and Tom Nettleship.
This isn’t about naming names or revisiting the past. It’s about drawing a line from 2026 and saying that from this point forward, ghost writing 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.
Ghostwriter – A Definition
An Additional Music Writer is someone who writes a cue from scratch, or who provides significant new creative input into an existing cue.
A Ghostwriter is an Additional Music Writer working on a project who is effectively invisible because the Lead Composer does not disclose their involvement to the Production. As a result:
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- They get no screen composing credit or IMDB listing (as Additional Music Writer)
- They are not listed on the music cue sheet
N.B. We are not including work traditionally credited to a Composer Assistant, for example editing and reconforming existing cues, or revising cues based on the Lead Composer’s creative and musical direction.
Our Mission Statement: A composer should never be invisible on a film or television soundtrack.
Additional Music: A Means of Creative Collaboration
Additional Music Writers would benefit from receiving credit & cue sheet because:
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- We are operating within a credits based industry where up-and-coming composers can build ‘Additional Music’ credits to a point where someone is willing to take a chance on them as a Lead Composer. As a credited part of the team, Additional Music Writers will have visibility and access to the production industry, and will therefore be able to build their network.
- Royalties are the foundations upon which careers are built. With regular royalty income, a composer is financially supported, and is able to take low-paid roles on short films etc, allowing their career to develop and eventually flourish.
Lead Composers need Additional Music Writers due to the schedules slipping or projects overlapping. In this way, a team is vital to the successful delivery of a project and the reputation of the Lead Composer.
By giving Ghostwriters the credit of ‘Additional Music Writer’, the Lead Composer will be:
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- Supporting the next generation of composers through mentorship and access to the industry.
- Showing Production that as the Lead Composer you are a Head of Department and can effectively lead a team.
- Building goodwill, loyalty and trust amongst their creative collaborators.
How Can We Stop Ghostwriting?
1. Commissions and Contracts (Transparency with Production)
When a Composer is commissioned by a Commissioner (“Production”), the composer should be fully transparent on who will be composing the music.
All writers should be formally contracted with Production—not just the Lead Composer. This can be achieved through Certificates of Authorship or side letters generated by Production rather than entirely new contracts. Resistance often stems from timing issues or fear of legal complexity, but when handled early and clearly, commissioners are typically cooperative.
Any Additional Music Writers need to be on the music cue sheet. As stated previously, this is so that they can receive a portion of the publishing/writers share, in order to sustain their careers.
Any omission from the cue sheet, or lack of transparency with Production, would lead to music not being properly cleared for use. This puts the Lead Composer and Production at risk, and the Ghost Writer in this instance should alert Production.
It is the responsibility of the Lead Composer to decide on composer writing splits with any additional composers and make sure that they are correct on the music cue sheet on delivery of music.
2. Award Nominations and Implications
To promote fairness, transparency, and integrity in the recognition of creative work, we propose the following rule be adopted by BAFTA, BIFA, The Ivors Academy, RTS Awards, and similar bodies:
Any Composer who submits a work for award consideration that is later found to have involved the use of uncredited ghost writers will:
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- Be disqualified from the current award cycle for that work, and
To ensure clarity and fairness:
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- All contributing composers must be transparently credited in accordance with their actual contributions, as reflected in official cue sheets and supporting documentation.
- Award bodies reserve the right to request cue sheets, confirmation from Production of contracted writers and Statements of Authorship during the evaluation process.
This policy is designed to uphold the value of artistic authorship, protect emerging composers, and ensure that awards reflect genuine creative input.
3. Educating Production and Addressing Industry Culture via Composer Agents
Composer Agencies have the opportunity to change the expectation from Production by outlining the positive impact of ethical crediting early in the contracting process — such as:
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- Creative recognition of up-and-coming composers through the guidance and expertise of the Lead Composer (the Agent’s Client is giving back to the community)
- Legal legitimacy
- Improved industry trust
Agents can assure Productions that the composer hired is still the creative lead, and bringing on additional writers does not mean an additional cost to Production.
Agents can raise awareness that it is Production’s best interest to contract all writing parties so that they are not at risk of litigation through uncleared music use.
Agents are duty bound to protect their composers from any liability or damage to reputation that can arise if an Additional Music Writer is not contracted; it is in the best interest of the Agency for all composers to be transparent and for all teams to be properly contracted.
4. Educating Emerging Composers
Educating and protecting emerging composers is essential in eliminating ghost writing. While gaining experience is important, many young writers feel pressured to accept uncredited roles or are misled about receiving credit. The issue isn’t collaboration or mentorship—it’s the lack of transparency and fairness when their contributions are hidden. By empowering them with knowledge that this is a credits-based industry, and encouraging sustainable practices that protect their long-term careers, we can shift the culture. It’s up to more established composers and industry bodies to set fair standards, create clear pathways for recognition, and provide young talent with the tools—and the support—to say no to exploitative deals.
December 2025 – Update
On 16th October 2025, The Ivors Academy amended its awards rules to state that composers who use uncredited Ghostwriters are no longer eligible to enter the Ivor Novello Awards. This was a major milestone: the first time a major UK awards body formally recognised the impact of Ghostwriting on our industry.
At the same time, The Ivors Academy launched the End Ghostwriting Pledge, inviting composers to publicly commit to fair crediting, transparency with productions, and responsible working practices. By signing the pledge, composers can show they support a healthier and more sustainable future for everyone working in screen music.
It’s now December 2025 and the campaign is gathering real momentum. We are also tackling the problem of Ghostwriting in game soundtracks. Thank you for following the journey….there’s much more to come, so please stay tuned.