Build a 'Cleared & Ready' Catalog
Music supervisors need same-day clearance. Pre-clear every co-writer and sample so you can confirm a placement in one email. Maintain instrumental, TV mix, and stems for every track.
Licensing Strategies
Twelve plays we run to get music placed and paid.
Pitch to Music Editors, Not Just Supervisors
Editors are the unsung heroes — they temp-track shows. A relationship with one editor on a hit show is worth 50 cold emails.
Make 'Trailerized' Versions
Trailer houses (Two Steps From Hell, Position Music) want big builds, drops, and risers. Cut 60-second trailer edits of your strongest songs.
Brand-Match Your Demos
When pitching to ad agencies, send 3 reference brands per track ('feels like Apple, Nike, Patagonia'). Saves them work, gets you remembered.
Network with Film Festivals
Sundance, SXSW, Tribeca filmmakers need affordable music. Free placement today = supervisor relationship for their next studio project.
Pitch Toplines to A&Rs Quarterly
Major A&Rs build cuts in batches. Send a curated 5-track folder every quarter — no more, no less. Consistency beats volume.
Write to Briefs, Not to Inspiration
Sync libraries publish weekly briefs ('upbeat indie folk for a banking ad, 60 sec, female vocal'). Writing TO the brief gets you placed; writing for art gets you a Soundcloud.
Target Reality + Unscripted First
Reality TV burns through 40+ cues per episode and pays. It's the easiest first credit and builds your supervisor rolodex.
Pitch Indie Studios
AAA studios are locked. Indie devs on itch.io and Steam are hungry, often offer revenue share, and credits travel.
Own Your Masters When Possible
Sync income splits 50/50 between sync fee (master) and backend performance (publishing). Owning both doubles your check.
Quarterly Royalty Audits
Pull statements from PRO, MLC, SoundExchange, and your distributor every quarter. Money quietly disappears in mismatched ISRCs.
Service Worship Leaders Directly
Christian sync goes through ministries and church media teams as much as labels. Send tracks to worship pastors — they license for streamed services and conferences.