how-to-get-sync-deals

[how-to-get-sync-deals]

Educate Yourself on DIY Sync Licensing

Being an independent musician or artist manager is a tough gig, but those long hours and stressful days are all worth it when you get to do what you love everyday and earn money from it! Sync licensing is a great stream to dip your toes into as it can not only get you that big break you’ve been waiting for and grow your fan base, but it can also bring in some pretty good income. If you’re an indie musician or artist manager you probably have a lot of questions around sync licensing like; how do I get my songs licensed into a TV show or film? Who should I contact to get my music licensed? Gaining a sync licensing education and learning how to land a sync-deal will not only benefit the promotional aspect of your music, it will also increase your independence and experience within the music industry. People working in the entertainment industry are extremely busy, so it’s important to be 100% confident you have the correct information on sync licensing before you begin pitching your music to a music supervisor or music coordinator. You need to know how to pitch your songs, who to send your music to, when the best time is to send your songs and what information to include in the pitch. Here are some tips and tricks to help build your sync licensing education and be on the track to becoming a DIY sync licensing professional.

Connecting with the “right people”

Finding the right people to contact in order to secure a sync deal is of great importance. Time wasted sending emails to dead ends could be used much more efficiently. Utilising a Music Supervisor Directory is a great way to find correct information on names and contacts of shows you may want to pitch for. It is important to remember that music supervisors inboxes are often over flowing, so only send your best and RELEVANT songs. Another route you could take is to contact music coordinators or music assistants. These people often have a bit more time to look through their inbox and could fast-track you to the top of the music supervisors list.

What to send a music supervisor

Before you make any contact with music supervisors, DO YOUR HOMEWORK. You need to be putting your best foot forward so it is important to research what each music supervisor is looking for, and what projects they have worked on and what projects they are currently working on in order to get an understanding of what they are licensing now or in the future. Research music supervisors on websites such as IMDB and watch the TV shows and films they have worked on to get a better understanding of their style and preferred genres. Once you’ve done your homework and have found the project you think best suits your music, it’s time to compile your email. Here are some key things to remember:

Always include links to your music not mp3 files

Make your subject line specific and eye catching

Make sure you have clearance from everyone that worked on the track and have their information included in the email

Don’t forget to include your name and contact details

Never address an email ‘To whom it may concern’ EVER!

Keep the content of the email concise, specific and personal

The volume of syncs needed are up, so don’t be afraid of sending your music to a project, just make sure you are being professional, personable and polite.

When you should be contacting people

Music supervisors are ALWAYS looking for great songs for their Go – To music files. Song ideas are gathered months prior to a show going to air, so it's always better to get in too early than too late. Music supervisors will always look at their Go-To music files before looking elsewhere, so if you can get your music into those files you will significantly up your chances of landing a song into a project. However as a general rule, you should pitch songs anywhere up to 12 weeks prior to a network or cable TV show going to air or up to 6 months for streaming shows.

What you shouldn’t do

There are so many things you need to avoid doing when trying to land a sync deal. But, the most important thing to remember is that music supervisors are busy people, so you need to be putting you best foot forward ALWAYS! First impressions really are everything, so make sure that when your emailing a music supervisor you have included all RELEVANT information, don’t leave any important questions unanswered. If a music supervisor has to email you back for simple things like contact information, you will more than likely miss out on getting your songs heard never mind licensed. You also need to send songs that are of the highest quality, a demo will not cut it. You may think your songs are great, your mom may think you're going to be the next Taylor Swift or John Mayer, but a music supervisor may disagree. It’s a great idea to get other peoples opinion on your music before sending it to a music supervisor. Send your tracks through to your local community/public radio station and see if you get any radio play, or find a radio promoter that plugs similar music to yours and ask them to have a listen and give you some feedback. If you have other musician friends or connections in the industry send the tracks to them. Try getting as many opinions on the tracks as you can, that way you can be confident that the tracks are good enough to be considered for a sync deal.

The best way to connect with music supervisors

Landing a sync deal is all about having the four P’s; patience, persistence, personality and professionalism. No matter how great your tracks are, if you don’t have the four P’s your music will most likely end up lost among the hundreds of other unheard songs.

Patience

It’s been said before, but people are busy. If you don’t get a reply straight away don’t loose faith. A great tip is to mark in your diary or calendar the date you send your email and count ten days from it, whatever date you land on is when you should start consider sending a follow-up email if you haven’t heard anything back. Don’t send anything before this date; give the music supervisor time to get to your email.

Persistence

Never be afraid to follow up, it’s very important because most of the time your first email won’t get a reply. Your follow up email should simply remind the music supervisor to check out your original email.  Never be a pest but always remember that people that find music for a living are always looking for great tracks see if your polite and your not wasting their time then eventually they will get back to you.  Remember,  “Polite Persistence Is Insurance Against Failure”

Personality

Never EVER send out a bulk email. Everyone wants to be respected and treated like an individual. Bulk emails are impersonal and just don’t work.  It’s easy to identify a bulk email and it’s a great way to get your email deleted. Always address the email to the correct person and explain why your music would suit their specific projects. Don’t be afraid to put your personality into the email as well. You need to sell yourself and your music through words so make it interesting for the reader and entice them to listen to your music.

Professionalism

This one is a given. If you can’t be professional, then learn to be. Do your homework, know who you are pitching to and why, show the music supervisor that you know what you’re doing and you respect them as a professional.

Follow these tips and tricks and you’ll be on the right track to landing a sync deal. If you want to know more and want to further your sync-licensing education, theSYNCreport offers a great 5-day FREE DIY course that will help set you apart from other people trying to land syncs deal.  They also offer a Sync licensing network that can help you find the right contact information for music supervisors and further prepare you in becoming a sync licensing professional.

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