What is a Work Made For Hire? A "Work Made For Hire" is a work prepared by an employee or work specially ordered or commissioned for use by another person or company in agreement with a written document as a contribution to a collective work, motion picture, audio/visual and other certain types of works. In the case of a work made for hire the employer is considered the author of the work under the Copyright Act (and unless the parties agree, otherwise owns all the rights in the work). In regards to master ownership of a recording, most music producer or record production contracts will state in the agreement the following: The Producer's contribution to the Master including all duplicates and derivatives therein, including the copyright therein, shall be Company's from inception of recording. Such Master shall be deemed a work made for hire and a contribution to a collective work for Company the meaning of the United States Copyright Act. If you find the Music Powers site helpful - please consider visiting the sponsors - thank you.