MUSIC LICENSING:FROM CREATION TO COLLECTION

A step by step guide into the world of music placement.

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In an ever-changing music industry landscape, it becomes increasingly important for artists and composers to focus on the methods to broaden their listenership while maximizing their revenue stream. With traditional record label deals becoming increasingly difficult to obtain, artists can now reach their market directly with social media providing valuable visibility and accessibility to more fans at the click of a mouse. Yet, with so many avenues for fans to consume music, artists run the risk of blending into the background of an oversaturated digital marketplace. Conversely, the world of music licensing continues to offer an incredible opportunity for artists to generate income and gain valuable notoriety that they otherwise may not experience.

How does one license their music? There are seemingly endless options these days! You can sign with a music provider like a music library, publishing company or record label. You might have an agent who pitches your music to TV, film or marketers on your behalf. You might even be savvy enough to shop your music on your own. This industry pressures artists to feel the need to be “represented”; that it’s necessary. Regardless, the prevailing trend in artists’ approach to earning compensation and exposure for their work is that of a DIY mindset.

In this panel we will explore the fundamental steps of the complete music licensing process. We will examine the differing approaches to licensing music and lead you on a detailed journey, from when and why the music is created to how it’s placed in a TV show, film or commercial. We’ll discuss different pitch-ing methodologies and how to foster and maintain relationships with industry professionals. This panel serves to examine the whole licensing process through the lenses of the music creators, purveyors and the industry’s top professionals. Among them:

SXSW 2014PANEL PROPOSALBy: Jonathan Lane

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Josh Young - One of the entertainment industry’s busiest professionals, acting as a Supervising Editor on multiple hit reality shows (Big Brother, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and The Bachelor) while also producing feature films. Additionally, Josh is owner and CEO of Atrium Music – a high quality, artist driven music library for TV, film and commercial use.

Jerry Butler - Attorney at Probstein, Weiner & Butler, representing major clients like the Allman Brothers Band, members of Journey, The Tedeschi Trucks Band and a variety of publishers, labels and libraries. He handles all licensing negotiation, rights clearances, royalty collection and publishing administration for the firm’s clients, who range from independent DIY artists to established, major songwriters and artists.

Mason Cooper - A leading freelance Music Supervisor for independent films. He is the President of Songrunner Entertainment. Current projects include “The Bronx Bull” based on the book Raging Bull II, DirecTV’s original series “Full Circle” and the upcoming biopic about Steve Jobs – “Jobs,” starring Ashton Kutcher.

Josh Cumbee - An experienced composer for TV and film. His music can be heard on multiple feature film trailers, as well as TV shows “Ready for Love,” “The Bachelor,” “Polyamory,” “South-ern Nights,” “America’s Next Top Model,” and more.

Jonathan Lane - The Director of Business Development and Marketing for Atrium Music, in charge of pitching and placing the Atrium catalogue in TV, film and commercials. Representing a catalogue of over 250 breakout indie artists and composers from around the world, Jonathan negotiates fair licensing fees and usage terms on the artists’ behalf while generating new business and forging fresh relationships.

This panel aims to provide attendees with a full scope of the music licensing process in a nearly linear fashion, from the conception of a piece of music, to the placing of that music in TV and film. We’ll be touching on four basic sections: The composer, music supervision, the licensing process, and the DIY approach. The following outline details what we plan to address:

OVERVIEW

THE COMPOSER or ARTIST Determining what songs or catalogue would garner realistic licensing opportunities. How is this done?

place music?

Forecasting musical trends.

What must an artist have in place in order to move forward?

PITCHING, PLACING, MUSIC SUPERVISION How are songs pitched to Music Supervisors?

How does a music provider find opportunities for their artists?

LICENSING PROCESS Securing a fair rate

Rights granted in a license Cue sheets

Royalties

DIY Important industry relationships to forge.

Self-representation

QUESTIONS Open the discussion up for questions from the audience

PANEL MEMBERS

JOSHUA YOUNGCEO, ATRIUM MUSIC

JERRY BUTLER ATTORNEY, PROBSTEIN WEINER & BUTLER

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Josh Young is the founder, owner and CEO of Atrium Music, LLC, a licensing company placing music in a wide variety of TV shows, commercials, !lms and other media related projects. Representing well over 250 writers and artists from around the world, Atrium is a current primary music provider for multiple TV shows and feature !lms such as Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Ready For Love, Southern Nights, and many more. In addition, Josh is the co-founder, owner and manager of The Den Recorders, a full-scale Pro-Tools recording studio located in Southern California. The Den Recorders o"ers an array of services from sound design for !lms, to mixing in 5.1, to recording ADR, along with tracking popular music.

Jerry Butler is an attorney with Probstein Weiner & Butler. Jerry has been with the !rm for seventeen years, !rst as a paralegal before graduating summa cum laude from Abraham Lincoln University School of Law and being admitted to the California bar in 2011. Jerry handles all of the music publishing administration, licensing, rights clearance and royalty collection matters for the !rm. Jerry also negotiates and drafts music contracts and works with both DIY artists and estab-lished artists on partnership, songwriter, producer, management and, distribu-tion agreements in addition to forming and operating their own music publish-ing companies. Before joining the !rm, Jerry had experience as a guitarist and composer, a radio disc jockey, in music retail, and in music education at

Among his multifaceted portfolio, Josh also works as a freelance editor, working as a lead/supervising editor for popular shows, such as Big Brother, The Biggest Loser, The Bachelor and many other hit TV shows. He has worked with networks including ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, MTV, A&E, TVLAND, TLC, CW, E!, OWN, and the Discovery Channel. Outside of the “TV realm,” Josh has also used his creative #are and skillful eye by editing and producing a mixture of independent feature !lms, commercials and music videos.

Musician’s Institute after his graduation from the Guitar Institute of Technology. Jerry’s clients include Gregg Allman and The Allman Brothers Band, The Tedeschi Trucks Band, Jonathan Cain of Journey, Atlantic Starr, Atrium Music, LLC and !lmmakers, artists, songwriters, producers, publishers and record labels at every level of the industry.

MASON COOPER MUSIC SUPERVISOR, SONGRUNNER ENTERTAINMENT

JONATHAN LANE DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, ATRIUM MUSIC

Jonathan Lane is the Director of Business Development and Marketing for Atrium Music. His primary roles in this position are pitching the Atrium catalogue, comprised of over 250 breakout indie artists and composers from around the world, to TV productions, !lms, ad agencies, and beyond, negotiating fair licens-ing fees and usage terms. Jonathan attended Fresno State University on a schol-arship for drums and percussion and has performed in bands his entire life. Throughout his scholastic journey, he also found a true passion for creative writing. With this newfound passion, Jon changed his major to English and graduated with a BA, English degree. While in college, he wrote professionally for

the Fresno Bee, the Central Valley’s leading news outlet, while also publishing articles of literary analysis. Building a strong portfolio, he became well equipped for the professional world upon graduating, securing a creative role at Warner Bros. Studios. Jonathan spent 5 years working in Business Development at Warner Bros., in a creative writing capacity before deciding that music was beginning to take over his life. With this realization, he left the corporate world to pursue music licensing full time at Atrium Music and hasn’t looked back. Jonathan Lane is the front man of Southern California reggae fusion band UpRooted who boasts packed and sold out headlining shows at various prominent venues including the House of Blues and the Roxy Theatre, sharing the stage with bands like Linkin Park and Awolnation. UpRooted’s most recent album released at #4 on the reggae charts and #1 on the international rap charts.

Mason Cooper, president of Songrunner Entertainment, brings a multifaceted background to his services as a Music Supervisor. With over two decades experi-ence as a music publisher, music supervisor and songwriter/producer, he has represented the catalogues and talent of Bernie Taupin, John Lennon, Jim Croce, George Michael, Rick Wakeman, and Stevie Wonder, and has written and produced music for television and !lm, including the themes to CBS’s Major Dad, FOX’s Glory Days and NBC’s Sister Kate. As a Music Supervisor, Cooper brings his music training and legal/business a"airs experience to his projects, which include: Warner’s DVD release of the series “Witchblade,” MGM’s feature !lms

“All’s Faire in Love” (starring Christina Ricci, Cedric the Entertainer) and “Deal” (starring Burt Reynolds, Jennifer Tilley), a dozen television specials for CMT/MTVNetworks, Sony’s “The Prince and The Pauper” (starring Dylan and Cole Sprouse), Phase 4 Film’s “Lucky” (starring Colin Hanks, Ann-Margret, Dir by Gil Cates Jr.), and the Dennis Quaid thriller “Beneath The Darkness.” Cooper’s current projects include “The Bronx Bull” (based on the book Raging Bull II), the Neil LaBute penned TV series for DirecTV “Full Circle” (starring Ally Sheedy, Minka Kelly, Billy Campbell), and the upcoming biopic about Steve Jobs – “Jobs” (starring Ashton Kutcher). In addition to music supervising his !lms, Cooper’s creativity also helps him directly ful!ll his projects’ music needs, including writing or producing music with Dennis Quaid, Dylan McDonald, Victoria Justice, Kay Pana-baker, Bret Michaels and Weezer’s Brian Bell.

JOSH CUMBEE COMPOSER, SONGWRITER, PRODUCER

This panel will provide attendees with an understanding of the DIY approach, the organizational foundation independent artists need to make the most of it, and insight on how to improve the quality and marketability of their music. The knowledge and perspectives offered by these industry professionals with a broad range of experience will provide attendees with a roadmap and a new-found confidence in pursuing their quest towards a lucrative music career.

STEPHEN COHEN MODERATOR

TAKEAWAYS

Josh Cumbee is a music producer and composer. A southern California native and USC alumni, Josh's work has been featured on many network and cable television shows (such as Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, The Bachelor, America's Next Top Model, and more). His music has also been featured in multi-ple ad campaigns, and short !lms, along with collaborations with Grammy and Emmy-award winning talent.

Stephen works as the VP of Business A"airs for Atrium Music handling royalty collection, publishing administration and licensing. He worked as attorney Jerry Butler’s apprentice for 5 years in the world of music law and publishing adminis-tration. He is also an accomplished musician with writing and performing experi-ence who has garnered placements of his music on his own and through Atrium Music. He serves as Moderator as someone with experience on both the creative and business sides of the Music Industry.

After School Sessions with Josh Young:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHDbUGjwonk

Avid at 2011 NAB Show:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjhtH8FBco8

A Distinctive Style Interviews Josh Young of Atrium Music:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZzeNJmIJvs

NAB 2013: Reality TV Editor Josh Young and Jonathan Lane of Atrium Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yl1N8-ZoQHU

Mason Cooper Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFT3TD7WCsg

JOSH YOUNG

JOSH YOUNG & JONATHON LANEJOSH YOUNG & JONATHAN LANE

JOSH YOUNG & JONATHON LANEMASON COOPER

Josh Cumbee Interview:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Qnyyhjp-eI

“Ordinary Day” by Josh Cumbee:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKoOaLpCIyA

JOSH YOUNG & JONATHON LANEJOSH CUMBEE

PANELIST VIDEO RESOURCES