About us

Micki Meuser


DEFKOM - the German Film Composers Union is the professional association of film composers in Germany.

Together, we are committed to promoting and disseminating film music works “Made in Germany”, be it in aspects of cultural policy and economy as well as in issues concerning author's rights (GEMA), in the music export and in the promotion of the multifaceted film music potential in Germany.

DEFKOM is an impressive creative and supportive community with renowned personalities and luminaries of the film music scene* as well as promising young talents. DEFKOM consciously sees itself in a network and close communication with the other film professions, namely directing, scripting, production and acting.

DEFKOM addresses the objective of increasing the public perception of music in film. Among other things, it awards the annual “German Film Music Award” and the prize for best music in a documentary film at the DOK.fest in Munich. It supports the most important congresses on film music in Germany, such as SoundTrack_Cologne or Filmmusiktage Halle, and on a European level the “Film Music Day” at the Cannes Film Festival.

As a professional association, DEFKOM is communicating with the clients for film music, the producers and broadcasters, in order to guarantee appropriate fees for composing film music. DEFKOM also intensively engages in a dialogue with politicians on topics such as copyright, cultural and creative economies and appropriate remuneration for creative services.

Last but not least, the association aims to raise the standard of film music from Germany through professional exchange. For this purpose, the members have a forum at their disposal, in which all questions about the “profession film music” can be communicated and answered, and in which members with professional experience can gladly pass on their knowledge on topics such as remuneration for film music, contract negotiations, publishing, but also on recording and mixing techniques and questions regarding the preparation of orchestral recordings, etc.

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DEFKOM - Deutsche Filmkomponist:innenunion
a professional group of Deutscher Komponist:innenverband (DKV) (German Composers Association)
c/o Deutscher Komponist:innenverband e.V.
Bayreuther Str. 37
10787 Berlin
Germany

Phone: +49 (0) 30 / 84 31 05 80
Web: www.defkom.de
Mail: office@defkom.de 

Represented by the head of the DEFKOM professional group and the chair

Chairman: Micki Meuser, 
1st Deputy Chairman: Jochen Schmidt-Hambrock
Further members of the chair of the DEFKOM professional group:
Christine Aufderhaar, Dr. Rainer Fabich, Dr. Ralf Weigand, Hans Peter Ströer, Helmut Zerlett, Jens Fischer, Marcel Barsotti, Mario Lauer, Marcus  Lehmann-Horn, Martina Eisenreich, Octavia Crummenerl Gloggengießer, Oliver Heuss, Peter W. Schmitt, Philipp Fabian Kölmel, Tina Pepper

 


Statement of Principles

FILM COMPOSING has had a great international tradition and reputation for more than 100 years, with a history of film music that meanwhile is quite complex; FILM MUSIC possesses its own aesthetics and, due to its growing share in the perception of music from art house to mainstream, has a decisive influence on the cultural landscape of the 21st century. It is continually gaining importance in the international sound-carrier / online market and represents an increasingly important segment in the international concert life, also of major orchestras. Many renowned artists from the fields of classical, jazz, pop and rock music as well as world music are more and more turning to the medium of film / television / video. 
Due to the considerable significance of film music in culture and society, it seems appropriate to the music authors in this segment, in this case the film music authors, to represent their interests in a separate association structure, the FILM COMPOSERS UNION (DKV). It should be expressly pointed out that the film composers represented in it regard themselves as an important and integrative part of the entire music and film culture, but that in an ever-increasingly economically oriented social environment a structure is required that especially expresses this cultural value of film music more convincingly than before in politics and in the public. Only if this cultural significance is anchored more firmly in the consciousness of those players involved in legislation and procurement, can trends already real and still imminent, be averted, trends which subject creative people more and more to the dictates of exploiters' interests and thus endanger the existential basis of their creativity. 
Accordingly, it is in line with the wish of the founding members to organize themselves, wherever possible, within the traditional structure of DKV - and thus in unison with all the respected composer colleagues of the other musical fields. We consider it feasible to discuss differences of opinion among the individual composer groups, for example on sensitive issues such as distribution systems (GEMA) or cultural funding, first within the DKV and to arrive at acceptable solutions, where required; this depends, of course, on the willingness of all involved colleagues to engage in dialogue. Finally, however, the degree of commonalities - and thus of common interest and needs - is likely to far exceed that of conflicts, and therefore the “acting in concert” of at least those composers endowed with a certain cultural identity, is likely to prove to be the more far-sighted and sustainable alternative. 
 
The purpose of the professional association - or, as the case may be, of the “pillar” yet to be created within the structures and statutes of the German Composers Association - is to safeguard, maintain and promote the specific cultural, social, economic and other professional interests of the film composers working in the Federal Republic of Germany, for example, the representation of interests vis-à-vis broadcasters, the film industry, the collecting societies and other media partners, in particular vis-à-vis producers and exploiters in the television, film and audiovisual sector; representing the interests of film composers in all areas of law relevant to this profession vis-à-vis the legislative and executive authorities in municipalities, federal states, the federal state and the European Community, insofar as they are not already represented by collecting societies (e.g. GEMA, GVL); conducting negotiations on fee guidelines for services of film music composition and film music production with producers, broadcasters and other exploiters; public relations work, in particular lobbying and public image in politics and society; representation vis-à-vis and, where applicable, cooperation with other organizations concerned with cultural events in Germany and abroad; advising and, if necessary, representing the members in legal and contractual matters; informing the members and providing effective communication structures with regard to the important aspects of their professional environment. 

 

 

Vorteile für Mitglieder

Unterstützung bei allen Themen rund um Filmkomposition

Einladung zu exklusiven Events

Zugang zum DEFKOM-Mitglieder-Forum, Wissensdatenbank und Tantiemenrechner

Austausch mit über 200 Filmkomponistinnen und Filmkomponisten

Und vieles mehr!

Ich bin Mitglied der DEFKOM, weil wir als die vielen einsamen Einzelkämpfer ein wenig fachlichen Austausch pflegen sollten und nebenbei auch eine berufsständische Interessenvertretung brauchen.

Jörg Magnus Pfeil
DEFKOM-Mitglied

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