Industry Insider | Q&A: Anne Cecere

Sep 1, 2008 12:00 PM, By Fran Vincent

           
 

ADVICE FROM A BMI EXPERT ON MUSIC FOR FILM AND TV

FIG. 1: Anne Cecere, BMI’s associate director of film/TV relations, says that you can find music supervisors to submit your music to by searching the Web.
Photo: Courtesy Anne Cecere

“Film and TV is the new radio” is a mantra often chanted in industry circles today. Getting your music onto a hot TV show or composing for a film is the epitome of promotion, and it can be quite lucrative as well. Anne Cecere, BMI's associate director of film/TV relations (see Fig. 1), knows full well the important role that film and television can play in launching new artists and composers. She is charged with bringing writers into the BMI fold, working with music supervisors, and educating the industry and its newcomers on how to obtain these coveted placements. Cecere reveals here what every musician needs to know to pursue the “new radio.”

What's the first thing songwriters should do to get their music into film and television?

Do a little research and be strategic when it comes to sending your music out. Don't do a mass mailing to music supervisors. You can research from your home. Sit down and watch television. Start with the networks — ABC, NBC, and CBS — since they tend to pay the most when it comes to royalties. Cable pays great, too, but when you're starting out, try looking at the networks first. See what new shows NBC has. Then go to your cable stations. If your music sounds like it would be perfect for Nip/Tuck, then find the music supervisor for that show and send your stuff to him or her.

How do you find and contact music supervisors?

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With Google and Internet Movie Database [imdb.com], it's very easy to find out whom to get your CD to. Every music supervisor has a different preference: some accept CDs, and some do not take unsolicited music. Others prefer MP3s. But most of them I deal with are surfing the Net and using MySpace and looking at certain music [sites] to see what's out there. Send a CD with a few specific songs targeted to the show, plus a letter of introduction referencing the TV series or film, and ask if they could give it a listen — no long backstories. And don't expect a call back. Music Connection magazine has a listing of all of the music supervisors that are in town [L.A.], and it will say if they take CDs. Another helpful tool is the Film & Television Music Guide by the Music Business Registry [musicregistry.com]. It's like the Bible. We use it here at BMI. If you want to get into putting your music into film and TV or scoring, that is a great guide to have.

Should you call music supervisors?

No. A lot of times it's better to mail in your CDs. Research the music supervisor. A lot of them give interviews or have been on industry panels. Often you can get the Podcasts of panels, so you can literally hear it from their mouths as to what their preference is.

What makes an artist more attractive to a music supervisor?

Your situation should be what a music supervisor calls a “one-stop situation.” This means it takes only one phone call to license a song. So if I'm a music supervisor and I'm working on an episodic TV show and I literally have a day or two to license music for a scene, and I pull from my library three bands I think will all equally fit in the scene, the one that's a one-stop situation is most likely the one that will get my phone call. When you have no time, that one phone call to license 100 percent of the song can make all the difference in the world. When a music supervisor starts seeing multiple publishers they have to deal with, that can deter him from using that song. One-stop licensing is key, especially for episodic TV. Put [“one-stop licensing”] on your CD and jewel case and in your introduction letter.

Can a one-stop situation be formed when multiple writers are involved?

Sure. If there is more than one publisher on your song — let's say you are a songwriting duo or you're in a band and all of you decide to split the song's [rights] up evenly — you can create a one-stop by giving one person in the band the right to license the song [and, if possible, the recordings] on behalf of the other members. As long as you have an administration contract between the bandmates [or cowriters], you can consider yourself a one-stop.

A music supervisor is interested in using my song. What should I expect next?

When it comes to [licensing music for film and television], there are two licenses involved. The first is a sync license, which gives permission for your composition to be synced to a visual [a film or a TV show]. If you're an indie artist without a publisher, then the sync license will go to you from the film or TV producer. The other part of the equation is a master license, which is for use of the actual master recording. If you're an indie band and you're not with a record label or publisher, then you are the owner of the whole entire thing — composition and recording — so music supervisors are going to have to go through you for everything, making you a one-stop situation.

What if I don't have a lawyer to review these contracts?

There are organizations like California Lawyers for the Arts [calawyersforthearts.org] and Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts in New York [vlany.org] that provide legal consultations to artists at a reduced cost. Either one would be a great help. The Musician's Business and Legal Guide [Prentice Hall, 2007] also has samples of sync and master licenses.