Here’s some straightforward advice for those wanting to make an income from music, including through TV and film syncs

music composition

A series of songwriters and composers have created a list of top tips for generating an income from music creation, including through sync opportunities in TV, film and video games.

The tips were created during a PRS for Music-curated event hosted by Aardman earlier this year. They are as follows:

  • Make sure music is ‘sync-ready’. Music which has been recorded, mixed and mastered to a high standard (in a home or professional studio) is more likely to get synched. Ensure you have instrumentals, ‘clean’ versions and stems.
  • Create a pitch. Do research on what a music supervisor is currently working on, and only pitch if it is genuinely relevant to that project. Briefly introduce yourself, include a short version of a bio, links to music, genre(s) and keywords for each track.
  • Accurate metadata is essential. Make sure works are correctly registered with PRS and know your writer and publishing splits.
  • Be discoverable. Music supervisors are regularly on the hunt for new music. Regularly update biographies and contact information across online channels.

PRS for Music operates a service for its members who have been approached with a sync opportunity, offering guidance from initial enquiry through to negotiations, contracts and invoicing.

The advice above came out of the organisation’s Members’ Day series this year, which offered advice and support for careers of songwriters, composers and music publishers to help level-up business skills and boost creativity.