Make a music supervisor happy: timing and availability
As tempting as the image of the music industry as an entirely free-wheeling, lackadaisical place to do business might be, we’re here to bust that particular bubble – at least in one respect. Timing is everything in music itself, and the music sync industry is no different. In film and game sync, and even more so in the advertising world, time is tight, turnaround is rapid and deadlines are crucial.
And so, dear music makers, we rely on you. If winning a sync deal is a priority for you, prioritize it.
The sync deal timeframe
Our time limit to scout, select and license a song can be as little as 48 hours, sometimes less. Even if a song is absolutely perfect for a brief, if we cannot make contact with the artist or label behind it within our timeframe, we cannot go forward with the deal and must find another artist.
Missing the boat
It’s not a great feeling to discover an offer of a great sync deal sitting in your inbox, only to realize that the deadline passed a week ago and the project went to someone who was quicker off the mark. Plus, if an artist or label was difficult to contact once, it makes sync agencies and advertisers less likely to consider them next time there’s a brief, no matter how much they like their music.
Sort your setup
Nowadays it’s easier than ever to promote your own music without the need of a manager, but don’t forget how active you must be on your own behalf – to truly succeed at a professional level, you must have a professional setup.
Simply put: wherever your music is available, be available too. Keep your contact information up to date, and check any email address associated with your account daily. And don’t neglect your associated social media! Facebook and Tumblr messages, Twitter DMs – you never know where your next great sync deal opportunity might come from.
If you know you won’t be able to answer your email regularly or at all for a while – touring, holidays, tough recording sessions – set up an out-of-office response to do the answering for you. If possible, leave a phone number for urgent inquiries: in terms of its timeframe, a sync licensing request definitely counts as urgent.
Don’t assume that once you’ve agreed to the song’s usage, everything is settled and you can “switch off” – rebriefs are common, and clients may decide they’d prefer an instrumental version of your track or need a slightly different mix. Up until the point that contracts are finalized and signed, there’s always the possibility that things can change in some way, and your music supervisor will need you to be around, at least in an online capacity.
So don’t panic – just keep in mind how smooth and stress-free the sync deal process can be with a brief bit of preparation and an eye kept on your accounts!
