FAQ
Q. What is a Music Supervisor?
A. For a comprehensive definition we recommend clicking here to review the one by The Guild of Music Supervisors (they are the authorities!) In short though, a music supervisor oversees or facilitates all music-related elements of a film or television project, including but not limited to creatively pairing songs to scenes, song clearance, confirmation letters, negotiating fees, managing budgets, hiring composers, music producers, music editors, vocal and instrument coaches and other music personnel, recording original songs, overseeing on camera performances and so forth.
For more on this check out the following blog post:
4 Major Misconceptions About Music Supervision
Q. Do I need to hire a Music Supervisor?
A. Maybe? Did you know that most songs have multiple owners? Do you know the copyright laws around public domain works? Or the definition of most favored nations? Or what paperwork should be signed by musicians performing on camera to ensure your film has all the rights needed? Or how to fill out a music cue sheet? Do you have relationships with record labels and music publishers? Unfortunately a “yes” from your sister’s friend who plays bass for Panic! At The Disco does not mean you are cleared to use “High Hopes” in your film.
A music supervisor can help handle all of the above - ensuring you have all the rights needed to safely release your project (in theaters, film festivals, television, the web) wherever you desire.
Q. How much do songs usually cost? Do I really need to clear songs for my project?
A. There is no such thing as a rate card for songs, with the possible exception of production music library rates that are negotiated with major studios and networks. More often than not though, song fees are dependent on many variables, including but not limited to…
The type of media (major studio film, independent film, scripted TV series, unscripted TV series, regional ad spot, national campaign, trailer, etc.)
Distribution platform (all forms of television, network television, theaters, film festivals, online only, etc.)
Distribution territories (The Northeast only, United States, Worldwide, etc.)
Term of license (One year, five years, in perpetuity, etc.)
How the song is used in the scene, how long it’s used for, and what is happening in the scene all play roles in determining the fee. As does the mood of the rightsholder that day! Music supervisors are especially helpful in this regard too. Because we do business with many labels and publishers on a daily basis, the fees we are quoted will likely be lower than those quoted to a random person cold emailing them.
Unfortunately there are no rules stating that if you use 5 seconds of a song you don’t need to clear it. The moment a song can be identified (most likely) clearance is required.
For more on this check out the following blog posts:
12 Myths and Misunderstandings About Clearing Music
3 Reasons You Can’t Use That Song (A Friendly FYI for Directors and Producers
Q. I pitched you a song. Have you listened to it? What did you think?
A. The fact is, we get sent hundreds of songs every day so it takes us quite a while to get through such a deluge of music! As thrilled as we’d be to listen to music submissions all day, our timelines usually don’t allow for it. We simply don’t have time to offer creative feedback or even respond to every email. We’ll get back to you if we need more info on your song or if we may have an opportunity in one of our projects. Which is a good plug to remind anyone pitching music - include all the pertinent info in your metadata. Company name, email and phone is a good place to start, since if we can’t find you, we can’t use your music. Writers’ splits, other parties’ ownership percentages are appreciated as well. We religiously file emails over here and may reference them even years later (seriously!) so please keep any download or streaming links active.
A friendly reminder: old school phone calls hurt more than they help. We’ll absolutely find you if we need anything!
For more on this check out the following blog posts:
10 Tips for How To Nail A Music Search
10 Phrases That Make Music Supervisors Cringe (From Those Pitching Music)
TuneCore Interview Follow Up Part II: 10 Mistakes Artists Make When Pitching Music
Pitching Music for Film & TV: Tips from a Gatekeeper
Q. I want to get my music into your projects! How do I do that?
A. Yay Team does not accept unsolicited submissions. We primarily deal directly with established labels, publishers and sync agents and licensing companies, as we can trust they have done the due diligence in ensuring no legal issues will arise with the music they represent. Our advice is to seek out some of these excellent music licensing companies and have them pitch your music.
If you are an artist, songwriter, music producer, record label, music publisher, sync agent or third-party pitching company that is new to the wild and crazy world of “sync” (getting music placed in media), we strongly recommend checking out Amanda’s book, Thinking In Sync: A Primer on the Mind of a Music Supervisor, which is available for purchase on Amazon.
Q. How do I become a music supervisor?
A. For better and for worse there is no one way! Everyone’s journey is different. Get into the media arena any way you can: intern at a record label, music publisher, a music supervisor, a film production company. Read as much as you can find about song clearance and licensing. Absorb as much as you can wherever you are. Help friends out with their projects to start learning and garnering credits. Make connections and go to mixers (even if it’s not your thing). You never know which will be the one to get your foot in the door, so cast that net wide! Some great resources to start are listed below.
So You Want To Be A Music Supervisor?
What Is a Music Coordinator and How Do You Nail the Gig?