Music Supervisors Sync Agents and Licensing for Film & TV
Music supervisors are the curators behind the soundtracks of film, TV, commercials, and video games. Their role is to oversee music selection and licensing, ensuring each track enhances the mood and message of a scene. Music supervisors are constantly sourcing music for current projects while expanding their libraries of content for future post production needs.
Sync agents represent artists and labels to pitch songs to music supervisors for specific cues, negotiate deal memos, administrate licensing agreements, deliver broadcast ready music files and essential metadata – on behalf of their clients. If you don’t have a sync agent, fostering relationships and presenting a selection of your best work – in a professional manner – can help open doors.
What Is Sync Licensing and Why Is It So Coveted?
Sync, short for “synchronization,” is the licensing of music to be used in visual media. The synchronization license allows for music to be “synced” with visual elements in film, TV, commercials, and video games. Sync licensing is distinct from scoring, where composers create custom music for specific projects. Sync licensing can be incredible exposure for an artist, and quite lucrative for larger placements. Songwriters and/or publishers receive a licensing fee for the use, plus AV (audiovisual) royalties. Master use licenses are also a part of the full licensing process with agreements and fees being negotiated with the recording rights owners. There is a lot of nuance but for now we will cover the basics.
Essential Materials to Submit for Sync Consideration
To improve your chances of securing a sync placement, make sure your submissions are polished and include all necessary details. First you will need broadcast-ready files in high-quality formats like WAV or AIF. If your song has explicit content you must provide clean versions, and it is highly recommended to have mastered instrumentals. This gives music supervisors maximum flexibility. Perhaps the music is the right sound but the lyrics don’t quite fit the scene. Or they require a song that is less distracting as the placement is underneath important dialogue during a restaurant scene. The more options music supervisors have, the more chances for placement.
You will also want to provide key details about your song, including: mood, tempo, genre, and “sounds like” references. This top level information helps music supervisors quickly assess whether your track aligns. This also makes the process much easier for music supervisors working under tight deadlines.
Understanding the Difference Between Sync and Master Use Rights
Every sync placement requires two core licenses: the synchronization license and the master use license. The synchronization license grants permission to use the musical composition (held by the songwriter or publisher), while the master use license allows use of the recording itself (held by the label or master owner). Knowing these distinctions and ensuring you have clear ownership of both licenses makes it easier to negotiate placements and speed up licensing processes as a “one-stop shop”.
If you don’t own the masters (i.e. you are signed to a record label), make sure your sync agent and/or the music supervisor have full disclosure. If you are on a label – the record label would handle the licensing for the master. If you are with a publisher the publisher would handle the synchronization.
Organizing Songwriting and Publishing Splits for Licensing
Before submitting your music, make sure all songs are registered with a performing rights organization (PRO) such as ASCAP, BMI, or SOCAN. Having your songwriting and publishing splits well-documented is crucial, especially if multiple songwriters are involved. Each songwriter may have different publishing arrangements, so be clear on ownership percentages and the names of any publishers involved. This transparency can prevent administrative delays when a sync opportunity arises.
Be Clear About Who Owns the Rights
In every sync submission, include contact information for all parties involved in licensing decisions, whether that’s you, your sync agent, your publisher, or your label. Being a “one-stop” shop — where you control both the master and publishing rights — makes you an attractive option for music supervisors, as it streamlines the licensing process. If you don’t have one-stop licensing, just make sure it’s clear who owns which rights and how to contact them. A songwriter might be self published but signed to a record label. Or vice versa. Some songs have multiple songwriters whereby the music supervisors will need to administer multiple agreements for each split. Some master rights may be owned per territory which means the supervisor would need to clear the master for each territory with individual rights holders (record labels) depending on the needs of the use. So always be clear and forthright with who owns what before pitching your music.
Preparing Your Music for Sync: Tips from the Experts
Sync licensing offers an exciting path for artists looking to expand their audience and generate revenue. Working with music supervisors and sync agents can be competitive, so start off right by having high-quality files, clear rights ownership, and detailed song information ready to go. Play MPE’s Global Music Supervisors Package can help your music reach key industry players. In a saturated industry, raising your profile with radio spins and attention, can further assist in getting your music noticed. So while you are at it promote your music to curators in radio, media and more with Play MPE’ Caster.
While the licensing process takes time and persistence, with the right preparations, you can position your music for success. Sync opportunities are waiting, and with a polished catalog and clear communication, your music could soon reach audiences on screens worldwide.