On February 13th and 14th, the SCGC hosted a two-day summit in Berlin, aligned with the renowned Berlinale International Film Festival. Led by Darren Fung and Tonya Dedrick, the SCGC brought together a delegation of five Canadian composers to join 34 delegates from eight countries. The summit offered a crucial platform for collaborative discussions, idea exchange, networking, and expert insights on the most pressing challenges facing the screen composer community today.

In partnership with SOCAN, GEMA (Germany’s CMO), DEFKOM (the German Screen Composers Association), BFM (the Danish Screen Composers Association), Nordic Film Music Days, the European Composers and Songwriters Alliance (ECSA), Impact24 PR, and the Trade Commissioner Service of Canada, the summit took place at both the Embassy of Canada in Berlin and GEMA’s Berlin offices. Over the course of the two days, delegates engaged in robust debates on topics such as the erosion of composer rights, the impact of artificial intelligence on screen composition, and strategies to strengthen relationships between CMOs, composers, and trade associations. In addition, organizations showcased their work and achievements during insightful show-and-tell sessions.

A clear message emerged: the need for screen composers and their associations to stay connected and share “human intelligence” has never been more urgent. Plans are already underway for another summit next year, with the ongoing goal of ensuring the long-term sustainability of screen composers’ careers worldwide.