The Reel Scoop: Placing Music In TV and Film

Generally speaking, the bigger the company, the more well-known they want their music to be. Network TV, for example, will usually be looking to use the big releases coming up. But there are shows, like Felicity and Roswell, for example, where you can get a song placed if it's really right and evokes just what they're looking for. And independents do have an advantage in terms of leverage on the other end of things. Many of the majors have rules and criteria in terms of how they license music, i.e. they often won't license music for below a certain amount of money. This can become prohibitively expensive for a lot of independent filmmakers. Since there are no set fees for licensing music (it's all negotiation), you -- as opposed to the majors -- have the leverage of being able to negotiate any fee. Don't forget that you may also receive performing rights royalties, etc. later, over and above that initial check. So keep your mind open to all kinds of projects, large or small, as long as they don't put your songs in a poor light, so to speak. Exposure is the name of the game. And persistence, if only because film and TV are volatile businesses, at best.

All in all, getting songs placed on soundtracks is still a viable option for new artists and songwriters alike. Truly, you never know, and if you want to be in this business, you gotta try. Like breaking into the rest of the music business, you have to stay on top of it. When making your calls, try to ride the fine line between persistence and being a pain in the ass. Be professional and polite, and don't become a daily fixture on anyone's telephone unless they're calling you. If someone isn't calling you back, you must remember that, particularly in TV and film, timing is key and yours just might be off. When someone is receptive to hearing your stuff, be ready with a five-song CD, with clearly marked contact information on both your CD and jewel box. Pitch your song demos and scoring demos on separate reels, and with any luck, we’ll be hearing you on a movie reel one of these days.

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