Recording - April 2012 - 49

APRIL 2012 Three killer tips that will get you more placements

License Your Song in Film and TV
By Michael Laskow and Robin Frederick
Placing songs in movies and TV shows has become all the rage. Instrumental music has long been used in Film and TV, but most of the top Hollywood music supervisors are now using songs to support the mood and emotion in their projects. As more Indie songwriters and artists become aware of this new income stream, the competition is growing stronger every day. So, what can you do to stand out and make your songs irresistible to AList, Hollywood music supervisors? Get ready to receive the keys to the kingdom! I’m going to give you three indispensible tips that will absolutely improve your odds of getting your songs licensed. Actually, Robin Frederick and I are going to give you the keys! Robin has graciously agreed to let me excerpt some great tips from her wildly popular book, Shortcuts to Songwriting for Film & TV. But first, I’d like to give you a tip that can literally improve your odds in an instant! Tip #1: Create Music That Sounds Contemporary, Not Dated. When you see a TAXI listing that references artists and/or their songs, listen to those references. If you could slip on a pair of headphones in the TAXI listening room, you would instantly hear how many people don’t take the time to listen to the references before choosing a song to submit in response to the request. Shocking, but true! Here’s an example of a recent TAXI listing with references: Top-Notch Music Placement/Licensing Company needs a PRETTY and SOPHISTICATED ADULT ALTERNATIVE SONG with FEMALE VOCALS for a TV Promo. Quoting them: “We need a currentsounding, pretty song with an underlying sense of melancholy,” a la: • Zero 7 “In The Waiting Line” www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tZlu4wP4pw • Air “All I Need” www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aw8i28bNoYY&ob • Sia “Breathe Me” www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSH7fblcGWM As always, DO NOT rip-off or copy the referenced artists in any way, shape or form. Use them ONLY as a guide for tempo, texture, and vibe. Your SONGS should be at LEAST 2 minutes in length. The company adds, “The key here is a song that is both beautiful and anguished, pretty but heartbreaking. Going even more melancholic than the referenced songs is okay as long as the song moves melodically. LYRICALLY, any of the following themes could work: love lost, broken dreams, living in the past, lies, compassion, forgiveness, isolation, or destroying others. We are NOT looking for beat-driven dance tracks, but it should have a nice beat that pushes it along a la the referenced songs.” The ESTIMATED PAYMENT for this placement is $20,000-$30,000. YOU WILL KEEP 70% of that fee, and you will NOT give up ANY of your master, publishing and writer's share! You must own or control 100% of the Master and Composition rights to submit for this listing. Broadcast Quality is needed (excellent home recordings are fine). NO SAMPLES of other songs or artists can be incorporated into your track. Please include lyrics!! All submissions will be screened on a YES/NO BASIS by a person Hand-Picked by the listing company. ALL submissions must be received no later than 9:30 AM (PST) Friday, February 3, 2012. TAXI # Y120203AA Listening to the referenced artists and songs serves two very valuable purposes: 1. It familiarizes you with exactly what the company needs. 2. It shows you what current, contemporary music sounds like. So many musicians get “stuck” creating music that sounds like the artists and songs they loved back in the day that their material sounds dated and not contemporary. That doesn’t mean that it’s bad music. It just makes it hard to use in many situations—unless of course, the music supervisor needs a song from a certain period. But why limit your opportunities? Tastes and styles change in music just like they do in fashion, art, and literature. Do you wear the

same shoes you wore in the 1970s? Does you car look like it was designed in 1956? It takes so little effort to listen to the specific references given in TAXI’s listings that it’s almost criminal that many musicians don’t bother. You can lead a horse to water… Drink the water and license your songs more often! Take notes when you listen to the referenced songs. What makes them sound more contemporary? Is it the melody? Is it the lyric? Is it the production? Chances are it’s all of the above! You may already have songs in your catalog that could be revised to sound more contemporary. All you need to do is understand the differences between the old and the new, and incorporate those changes! This Will Be The Most Fun You’ve Ever Had Doing Homework! If the changes are too vast or too difficult for you to undertake, you might be wiser to start fresh. Especially after you’ve given yourself a crash course in modernity. And don’t just listen to one or two songs to update your ears. Spend a week or two Continued on page 50
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tZlu4wP4pw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aw8i28bNoYY&ob http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSH7fblcGWM

Recording - April 2012

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