Article written by Songtrust

Having recently posted about getting music placed in video games and advertising, it’s high time to discuss the same process for film/TV. The latter of which can be especially fruitful for songwriters, who can earn meaningful performance royalties from the use of their songs on TV.

To find out more, we spoke with Jumee Park from premium licensing agency Downtown Music Services.

What is the process for placement of music in film/TV?

Once a music supervisor or music department at Film and TV studio decides what they need, they will being the search by sending out music search briefs to labels, publishers and music placement reps. As a publisher /music licensing rep, if I have music that’s appropriate for the search, I’ll email a playlist of music.

From there, the supervisor and other decision makers pull what might work, and then test it in a rough cut of the scene. If it works, then then we’ll get a request for more information on the song, a quote and approval.

Which genres/ types of music get placed in film/TV most often?

The great thing about music licensing is that it isn’t specific to any genre or style. The music is there to help tell the story, so the type of music that gets licensed depends on the production and the creative direction of that production. A film about present day teenagers living in rural Missouri will likely have music that is different from a film set in 1970s England.

Having said that, current trends in film/TV licensing are: hip indie rock, hip-hop, dub-step, upbeat pop-electronic hybrids, and singer-songwriter/acoustic. For trailers and promos, well-known artists and songs tend to have the advantage.

How can an unpublished songwriter get considered alongside the big boys for placement?

Do your homework. Know what kind of music is getting licensed for different TV shows. Find out who supervises those shows and their submission policies. For example, some supervisors don’t accept unsolicited material, so you might need to find a licensing rep to pitch on your behalf.

But overall, continue to put yourself and your music out there – keep playing shows and keep your websites/networking pages updated with media. Good music will always find its way to supervisors.

How much can film/TV placements pay upfront?

Fees can depend on a number of factors: how the song is used, how prominently the song plays in the scene, the popularity of the song, the artist, and the budget of the project. I’ve seen fees that can range from $500 – $35,000 for TV and from $1,000 – $150,000 for film (this is all-in, meaning for both master and publishing).

Which directors / TV channels / shows are your favorites for music supervision?

Mad Men and Treme are great as historical/regional snapshots. The shows on CW and MTV are fun to watch since they tend to use what’s current, so it’s a good way to find out about new music. In the film world, I love how the directors Paul Thomas Anderson and Martin Scorsese use music in unexpected ways.

The late King of Pop Michael Jackson might have some competition after all. UK songstress Adele‘s Grammy-winning album 21 has just surpassed Thriller in the list of the best-selling UK albums, placing it at number five overall. The London-born singer’s sophomore album has now sold 4,274,300 copies, 500 more than Jackson’s 1982 classic.

“To add to her many landmark records, Adele’s achievement in overtaking Thriller in the all-time sales list is truly remarkable,” said Martin Talbot from the Official Charts Company.

“Thriller has long been recognised as one of the most iconic albums of all-time. There is now no doubt that 21 can be spoken of in the same breath.”

The album, which figures show has been shifting an average of 20,000 copies a week for the past four weeks, has spent 65 non-consecutive weeks on the UK Albums Chart since its release 15 months ago. It has also outsold Amy Winehouse’s Back To Black to become the biggest-selling album of the 21st Century.

The top 10 biggest-selling albums in the UK are:

1. Queen – Greatest Hits

2. The Beatles – Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

3. ABBA – Gold: Greatest Hits

4. Oasis – (What’s The Story) Morning Glory?

5. Adele – 21

6. Michael Jackson – Thriller

7. Dire Straits – Brothers In Arms

8. Pink Floyd – The Dark Side Of The Moon

9. Michael Jackson – Bad

10. Queen – Greatest Hits II

Before LMFAO hit the “American Idol” stage for a performance Thursday night, the party-loving pop outfit was served with a $7 million lawsuit from their former management company, TMZ reports.

According to the website, the band’s DJ frontman RedFoo, he of the wild hair and lack of inhibitions, was handed the suit for breach of contract on his way into the “Idol” studio. TMZ said he laughed in response, taking a photo with the process server, who smiled for the camera (see: photo evidence on the site).

The management company, named in reports as Rpm Grp, claims it signed the Los Angeles-based electronic pop duo of Stefan Kendal Gordy (RedFoo) and Skyler Austen Gordy (SkyBlu) in 2008, helping launch them “from 0 to 60,” only to get shown the door once they became successful.

The suit, filed in Santa Monica Superior Court, also accuses the group of tortious interference and accounting, alleging RedFoo and SkyBlu poached Rpm employees to be their new managers, paying them a salary rather than writing the agency a commission check.

LMFAO performed “Party Rock Anthem” on “Idol,” a gig that — if you can get it — means you’ve pretty much made it as an artist, or at least you’re on the path to stardom in terms of radio relevance. They also took the stage alongside Madonna at February’s Super Bowl halftime show, dueting with the pop queen on their hit “Sexy And I Know It.”

Article from Audiokorner.com