General Music Chat

What is the best way for an independent musician to start finding song placements success in television and film?

I've been recording music for about 3 years now and I think my sound is really good for most of the stuff I watch on tv. I've not had any success yet with getting song placements in anything like that.

What is the best way for me to start making head way with getting song placements success?

Have you tried places like http://www.taxi.com ?

I haven't tried taxi yet.. I thought about it, but I don't like the idea of being in the same pool as 30,000 other musicians going after the same 30 or so spots. Is there any events that take place specifically for TV and film licensing?

No matter what agency you join, or which song library you place your music in, you will go up against that same pool, which is probably actually closer to about 100,000 folks.
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Don't expect to cut line. Unless you have a real 'IN' - your music has to be be 'some special' to get noticed . . .
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Also - go to BMI's site, and spend at least 2 hours reading the appropriate articles . . .
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Go to the source. Set up appointments with the local tv station advertising dept, if you can, & ask where they go for music. Once you find out, then go to the places they reccommend, & offer your wares there. Ppl will talk to you if you ask right. Also, don't be shy of going to advertising agencies & college & other radio stations. Try to start small.

RhythmMan when you say 100,000.... Are you refering to all musicians going after the same song placements spots?? I know there is a lot of musicians competeing.. but 100,000 seems a bit high to me.?.

philbymon - Have those techniques worked for you?

Mike, I think he's referring the number of members they have. If you're talking about the industry in general.. Then the number is more like 1,000,000 going after the same song placements spots.

Stick to stuff that independent. You're more likely to get stuff placed. Also, if you start calling around places. You'll face huge road blocks trying to get your stuff into the hands of the big guns. Look through IMDB and find stuff being created on an indie level and try and find out what the companies contact info is and solicit your music to them.

Getting song placements success is very difficult, but more then worth the challenge.

You say Taxi has 30,000. OK. I know "Song Placesments" has about 15,000.
That's 45,000 folks that we know about for sure.
There's other agencies out there, I'm sure.
I was doubling that figure to acount for other agencies and smaller A & R companies that I don't know about. It could be even higher than 100,00, for all I know . . . 1 million?
. . . dunno . . . not hard research.
But still there's only so many openings for songs on TV per week, and there's only so many new movies starting each week . . .
If there's need for - say, twenty new songs a week, for example . . .
. . .well - you do the math.
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My point is not the exact number of composers looking to place songs.
My point is this:
There's a lot of competition . . .

My situation was a little different, but the end results of those actions were the same. I DID write the theme song for a local children's tv show, & appeared on it a cpl times. I also had my stuff showcased on a late night video program. I've also done a few radio commercials for local events.

I also went around & talked to a few local small-time advertising co's. They pointed me in a few directions, but I didn't pursue it in the end, preferring to perform rather than write jingles.

Thanks guys for all the great feed back! If anyone else can add something to this thread about some of the ways that have worked for you getting song placements I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks!

Almost sounds like you might be better off playing the lottery...maybe even better odds...

Your music has to be be 'some special' to get noticed . . .

Think globally, act locally. Try to get your music in an independent film or commercial made in your area; once you have some credentials you might be able to move into the big time. Like most things, it's who you know.

I think Jimmy got it right. Think globally and act locally. Trying to song placements on a global level takes great music and more importantly time. Work your local market, gain a resume of placements and then work yourself outside of your market.

The more song placements you have under your belt. The more others will be willing to take a listen to what you have to offer. Start small and let the snow ball effect just happen.

...& do remember - there IS no "easy way!"

If you want to break into this area, there's going to be one heck of a lot of competition, & you're going to need some great salesman skills along with the product to back them up.

It will take some time, unless you are extremely lucky & have mad skills that need no development as you stand.

If it were easy, there's a LOT of musicians who'd be doing it, believe me!