sxsw 2016 film conference: making (and making the most of) your music budget

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Making (and Making the Most of) Your Music Budget Moderator Amanda Krieg Thomas

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Page 1: SXSW 2016 Film Conference: Making (and Making the Most of) Your Music Budget

Making

(and Making the Most of)

Your Music Budget

ModeratorAmanda Krieg Thomas

Page 2: SXSW 2016 Film Conference: Making (and Making the Most of) Your Music Budget

● Amanda Krieg Thomas (Music Coordinator/Supervisor, Neophonic)

● Rob Lowry (Music Supervisor, Sweater Weather Music)

● Joel P West (Composer, Short Term 12, About Alex, Grandma)

● Jonathan Lane (Manager, Music Licensing, Audio Network)

Speakers

Page 3: SXSW 2016 Film Conference: Making (and Making the Most of) Your Music Budget

- Music is inexpensive

- Clearance is a simple and fast process

- Once a song is cleared the only other step is writing a check

- The only way to get affordable music is by seeking out “unsigned” bands

Common Misconceptions About Clearing Songs

Page 4: SXSW 2016 Film Conference: Making (and Making the Most of) Your Music Budget

If music is a priority for your film, it is important to budget for it early to avoid scrambling at the end of post production. Start with 2% - 4% of the total film budget and proceed from there:

- Is music integral to your creative vision for the film? - Are you attached to any songs already?- Are you attached to any well known songs or artists?- Are there many song spots in the film (don’t forget about bars, waiting rooms,

restaurants, or clubs, where there would be music in the background)?

If the answer is “YES” to any of the above, it’s wise to skew higher - at least 5% of the total film budget.

How much should I budget for music?

Page 5: SXSW 2016 Film Conference: Making (and Making the Most of) Your Music Budget

Sometimes one can only crowdfund so much. When a little money needs to yield great music, there are still several avenues to pursue that don’t involve the risky business of “royalty free” songs:

- Ask your friends in who are in bands (they will give you the best deals)

- Hire a composer with a catalog of existing cues and songs

- Set up a blanket license with a production music library

- Hire the best music supervisor possible with the budget

But what if I just don’t have that much money?

Page 6: SXSW 2016 Film Conference: Making (and Making the Most of) Your Music Budget

Filmmakers on a budget can often be tempted to use existing music throughout a film...or ask their indie musician friend to do a favor. Spending the money to hire a good composer, however, can both creatively elevate the project and ultimately help the bottom line:

1. Music customized to the desired mood and emotional tone of the film.2. Provide a cohesive musical foundation and voice3. Ability to fill song spots with score or songs (custom or existing) thus saving the production

money

“A good composer can speak in terms of mood and emotional narrative, and understand how to fine-tune their ideas to address notes and requests from the director. It's also best to find a composer that truly loves and understands film, and isn't simply a musician with work that you like since scoring to picture is a different realm.” - Joel P. West (Composer, Short Term 12)

Benefits to Hiring a Composer

Page 7: SXSW 2016 Film Conference: Making (and Making the Most of) Your Music Budget

Many filmmakers forego the expense of hiring a music supervisor and opt to do the paperwork themselves. In reality however, a music supervisor can save a production valuable time and money for two primary reasons:

Relationships with labels, publishers, third party pitching companies and artists. These relationships provide:

- Access to music from good quality and/or cost-saving sources a filmmaker might otherwise have not known about (e.g. production music libraries).

- Better rates than a producer reaching out to a label without any contacts, and the ability to negotiate.

Knowledge of the highly legal clearance and paperwork process, including quote requests, license requests, confirmations, and licenses. Not only do they have paperwork on hand for all, a good music supervisor will be able to customize forms for a production’s needs, saving money in potentially unnecessary rights.

Benefits to Hiring a Music Supervisor

Page 8: SXSW 2016 Film Conference: Making (and Making the Most of) Your Music Budget

Many filmmakers don’t even know such companies exist, let alone the sheer number and variety of them. Every library has a different business model, but it’s possible to find every genre needed (from pop to period, instrumental to artist), and as many tracks as needed, for one flat fee. When seeking out a music library right for the project, ask the following questions:

- Is the catalog exclusive? Music libraries whose catalog of music is exclusive to them only are often a little more serious about the quality of music they represent.

- Are all tracks "one stop"? This means that you will only have to deal with the library to license the tracks that you desire. Both sides (master and sync) are controlled by the library and no additional clearance is necessary.

- Do they have an indie film rate offering that you can take advantage of?

- Do they have a creative team that can help you find the type of music you're looking for? Often, libraries might have 100,000+ tracks available in their catalog. With that volume, it can be difficult to search for that perfect track on your own.

Benefits to Utilizing a Music Library

Page 9: SXSW 2016 Film Conference: Making (and Making the Most of) Your Music Budget

Joel West (Composer, Short Term 12, Grandma, About Alex)

Start by considering which scenes you really need music to function in; there are usually scenes that could work with a lot of different songs or cues, and scenes that need something perfect because of their emotional role in the narrative. Focus on taking care of the music you need most first, and then be creative with how to fill in the gaps on less important scenes.

Also, try to get rid of your attachment to the temp music as much as possible, since trying to replicate songs and cues that you can't license will usually lead to less confident and less effective music. Try and figure out why your temp music functions well and hire people that you trust to solve your needs on your budget; a good composer or music supervisor can decipher what is working about a piece of temp music and find something that includes those elements but is more original to the film and within your budget. In the best of scenarios, your music team surprises you with cues that actually work much better than the temp, but you have to be willing to let those initial ideas go in order to hear it.

Jonathan Lane (Manager, Music Licensing at Audio Network)

1. PLAN AHEAD when creating your film budget. Music is always the last thing the filmmaker considers and never factors into his or her budget.

2. KNOW WHAT YOU WANT. Have an idea of what you could hear in your film or a composer style that you gravitate towards. Knowing what you want will cut down on composer notes/revisions, back and forth with libraries, etc.

3. Make sure your paperwork is buttoned up.

Advice for Filmmakers

Page 10: SXSW 2016 Film Conference: Making (and Making the Most of) Your Music Budget

Professionals from different arenas of the film music community offer strategies and solutions to get the best music for your film efficiently, affordably and

correctly.

The Bottom Line