Re: Anyone license their music?

[Daniel Thomas <danielthomas4@mac.com>]

Knowing the music supervisor at a production company is essential to 
getting regular calls.  The Aussie firm, Beyond Productions (behind many 
discovery channel, and history channel shows) has been a good for me.

I got my first TV placement by way of Taxi membership.   Taxi.com.    The 
track got picked up for a KIA add.    Its important to mention, I had 
produced the track for a notable artist and his name brought the attention 
to the taxi posting.  That's how I got going with TV work.  At the time, I 
thought I had found my new lively-hood.  Alas-- I had definitely NOT!   
This work is piece meal and there is always someone willing to do it for 
50 bucks.  Also, the days of publishing royalties in TV are nearly gone 
(Unless you are humongous audience drawing name).  For instance, I did 
Mythbusters for a time.  It was lucrative but- I had to grant all 
publishing control to the production company in order to get the work.  No 
residual income.  That really smarts when a show becomes a big hit as 
Mythbusters did.  And check it out--  Once the show had established its 
sound and audience, the production company sent the music production work 
to an intern.  The music is now all canned licks that are in keeping with 
the original sounds we created for the show.  But no original compositions 
any more.  See--there is always someone willing to do it for 50 bucks. :)

In film, i reached out to local film makers in the bay area.  I did 
freebie work for underfunded films.  Then, one of those underfunded 
directors with whom I had a relationship landed a bigger fish and hired me 
as composer and music supervisor for a film that we edited out of Zoetrope 
studios.  The 14 days and nights spent at Zoetrope hooked me in with other 
music supervisors and film makers.  Still..  no mega retirement package 
but-- I have made some good art from time to time and managed to eat while 
doing it.    

There is another market you did not mention and thats the songwriter 
market.  Selling songs to publishing companies who then present them to 
artists for recording.  This can be very very lucrative if you land a big 
hit.  And once you have a hit, the phone won't stop ringing-- or so I am 
told.  

The trick is to get a door to open somewhere.  Learn your local seen and 
be willing to put the work out there like bate on a hook.  Be that guy 
willing to do it for $50 bucks.  

good luck and don't quit your day job!  I certainly haven't.

Daniel 

    





On Jun 28, 2012, at 8:34 AM, mc kr wrote:

> I was interesting in finding out how I could license my music for use
> in commercials/movies. I do ambient/textural stuff that I feel would
> be most appropriate for such things.
> 
> Anyone work with an agency, or did people approach you?
> 
> What kind of recording quality is expected? Do you have to work to
> particular standards for audio/video collaboration?
>