How to Get Your Music on TV and Films: A Step-by-Step Guide

Getting your music placed on TV shows, films, or commercials is a great way to gain exposure and generate revenue through licensing deals. Sync licensing, which refers to the synchronization of music with visual media, can significantly boost your income and introduce your music to new audiences. However, landing these opportunities requires a strategy, understanding the industry, and a proactive approach.

In this guide, we’ll break down how to get your music on TV and films and highlight ways Muibas can help you collaborate and prepare music for sync opportunities.

  1. Create Sync-Ready Music

Music supervisors and licensing agencies are looking for sync-ready tracks that fit specific moods or scenes in TV shows and films. To increase your chances of getting your music placed, focus on producing music that is both high-quality and versatile.

Key Tips for Sync-Ready Music:

  • High-Quality Production: Ensure that your music is well-produced and polished. Poor sound quality will likely disqualify your track from being considered.
  • Instrumental Versions: Many sync deals require instrumental versions of your songs, especially for scenes where lyrics might compete with dialogue.
  • Diverse Styles: Having a variety of genres and moods in your catalog will make your music more appealing to different types of projects.
  • Clear Themes and Emotions: Films and TV shows often look for songs that evoke specific emotions. Whether it’s a feel-good song for a commercial or a moody track for a dramatic scene, ensure your catalog has songs that convey a range of feelings.

Muibas Tip:

Collaborating with other musicians on Muibas allows you to create more diverse music. By teaming up with other artists, you can expand your catalog and develop songs that fit various styles and moods, making your music more attractive to TV and film projects.

  1. Register Your Music with a Performance Rights Organization (PRO)

Before pitching your music for sync opportunities, make sure it’s registered with a Performance Rights Organization (PRO). PROs like ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC in the U.S., or PRS for Music in the UK, ensure that you receive performance royalties when your music is played in public, such as on TV or in theaters.

By registering with a PRO, you can collect royalties whenever your music is broadcast or publicly performed, ensuring you are compensated for its use in media projects.

  1. Build Relationships with Music Supervisors

Music supervisors are responsible for selecting and placing music in films, TV shows, and advertisements. Building relationships with these gatekeepers is essential for landing sync placements.

How to Connect with Music Supervisors:

  • Research the Right Contacts: Look for music supervisors who work on projects that match your style. For example, if your music fits indie films or upbeat TV commercials, find supervisors in those areas.
  • Attend Industry Events: Music conferences like SXSW, SyncSummit, and ASCAP’s „I Create Music“ Expo offer opportunities to meet music supervisors and build relationships in person.
  • Send Tailored Pitches: When reaching out to music supervisors, be concise and only send songs that match the style of the shows or films they’re working on. Provide clear links to your music and make it easy for them to listen and download.

Muibas Tip:

Use Muibas to collaborate with other musicians and build a portfolio of songs ready for sync licensing. You can then present this body of work to music supervisors, showcasing your ability to create music that fits different media needs.

  1. Submit Your Music to Sync Licensing Libraries

If you’re just starting out or don’t have direct access to music supervisors, you can submit your music to sync licensing libraries. These libraries are databases where filmmakers, ad agencies, and TV producers search for music to use in their projects. These platforms often have a large reach and are a good entry point for independent musicians.

Popular Sync Licensing Libraries:

  • Musicbed: Known for licensing high-quality independent music for films, commercials, and web content.
  • Pond5: Allows artists to upload music to be licensed for use in video projects, films, and advertisements.
  • Songtradr: A platform where artists can upload music and pitch it for various sync opportunities across media platforms.
  • AudioJungle: Part of the Envato marketplace, AudioJungle allows musicians to sell their tracks for commercial use in media projects.

How It Works:

  • Create an Account: Sign up for a sync licensing library and create a profile.
  • Upload Music: Submit your tracks along with metadata like mood, genre, and instrumentation, which helps buyers find the right track for their project.
  • Get Notified of Sync Opportunities: Some platforms offer direct pitching, where you can submit music for specific projects, while others allow your music to be searched by potential buyers.
  1. Pitch Your Music Directly to Indie Filmmakers and TV Producers

In addition to submitting your music to sync licensing libraries, you can also pitch directly to indie filmmakers and TV producers. Smaller projects often have lower budgets but may offer easier access to sync opportunities for independent artists.

How to Pitch Directly:

  • Network in Indie Film Circles: Attend film festivals, screenings, and online forums where indie filmmakers gather. Building relationships with filmmakers can lead to music placement opportunities.
  • Offer Your Music for Independent Projects: Reach out to indie filmmakers or student filmmakers offering your music for their projects. This may involve licensing your music for free in exchange for exposure and building your portfolio.
  • Collaborate with Film Schools: Many film students are looking for music for their short films or projects. Partnering with film schools can lead to early sync opportunities.

Muibas Tip:

Collaborate on Muibas with musicians to create custom soundtracks for short films, documentaries, or web series. Once you’ve built a portfolio, you can present this work to indie filmmakers, demonstrating your ability to create music that complements visual storytelling.

  1. Tailor Your Music for TV and Commercials

TV shows and commercials often require shorter tracks, clear instrumentation, and simple melodies that won’t compete with dialogue or visuals. It’s important to tailor your music to fit these specific needs.

Key Tips:

  • Keep It Simple: Commercials and TV shows often use songs with simple arrangements that can easily fit into the background. Focus on creating music that enhances the visual experience without distracting from it.
  • Write in Various Moods: Commercials often require different moods like upbeat, emotional, or quirky. Creating a diverse catalog of mood-specific tracks increases your chances of landing a sync deal.
  • Instrumental Tracks: TV shows, particularly during dialogue scenes, often use instrumental music. Make sure you have instrumental versions of your vocal tracks available for sync opportunities.
  1. Collaborate and Build a Team

Getting your music on TV and films often requires collaboration, not just with musicians but with sync agents, music licensing companies, and supervisors. Building a team of collaborators can help you reach the right people and expand your opportunities.

Build Your Team:

  • Music Licensing Agents: Licensing agents have direct relationships with music supervisors and production companies, making it easier for you to get placements.
  • Collaborate with Other Artists: Working with other musicians, producers, and songwriters can help create sync-friendly tracks. Collaborations can also expand your network, opening doors to new sync opportunities.

Muibas Tip:

On Muibas, you can collaborate with artists from different genres and backgrounds to create music specifically for TV and film. By working with other musicians, you can create unique, sync-ready music that fits various media projects and present it to licensing agents or directly to filmmakers.

Conclusion: Leverage Muibas to Boost Your Sync Licensing Success

Getting your music on TV shows and films is a great way to boost your exposure and generate income through sync licensing. By creating high-quality, sync-ready music, building relationships with music supervisors, and submitting your music to licensing libraries, you can increase your chances of landing a placement. Muibas provides a valuable platform for collaborating with other musicians, expanding your music catalog, and making your work more attractive to media projects. With the right approach, your music could be the perfect fit for the next big show or film.