Learning to license music for film and TV opens up one of the best-paying opportunities in music for independent artists. A single placement in a show, advert, or film can earn more than years of streaming, and music supervisors are constantly searching for fresh tracks from artists nobody’s heard yet. The good news: if you own your music, you’re already in a strong position.
This guide walks through preparing your music, sorting your rights, and getting it in front of the people who place songs. This is general information, not legal advice — have licensing agreements reviewed by a professional.
Step 1: Understand what you’re selling
Before you pitch anything, get clear on how sync works. A placement usually requires permission for two copyrights — the master recording and the underlying composition. If you wrote and recorded the track yourself, you control both, which makes you easy to license. If others were involved, everyone with a share has to agree. Start with our explainer on what sync licensing is so the rest makes sense.
Step 2: Get your rights clean and documented
Music supervisors avoid tracks that are a headache to clear. Make sure you can prove and grant the rights:
- Know your splits — who wrote, performed, and produced, and what share each holds.
- Get split agreements in writing with every collaborator.
- Clear any samples — uncleared samples make a track unlicensable.
- Understand your publishing situation.
“One-stop” tracks — where a single person or entity can clear both the master and the composition — are the easiest to place and the most attractive to supervisors.
Step 3: Make your tracks sync-ready
Sync demands broadcast quality. Prepare each track properly:
- Professional production and a clean master — supervisors won’t use weak audio.
- Instrumental and stem versions — many placements need the music without vocals.
- Alternate edits — shorter cuts (15s, 30s, 60s) suit ads and trailers.
- Clean metadata — proper tags, contact info, and rights data embedded in the files.
If your recordings aren’t there yet, our mixing and mastering guides will help you get them to a usable standard.
Step 4: Choose how to reach productions
There are three main routes to placements, and many artists use more than one:
- Pitch supervisors directly — build relationships with music supervisors and send tailored, relevant tracks. Personal and unpaid, but slow to build.
- Sync agencies and libraries — they represent your catalogue and pitch it to productions, taking a cut of fees in exchange for their connections.
- Sync platforms and marketplaces — services where productions can search and license your music, often non-exclusively.
Each has trade-offs around control, reach, and revenue share. Read any agreement carefully — especially whether it’s exclusive and how long it lasts.
Step 5: Pitch the right way
When you do pitch, relevance wins. Send tracks that genuinely fit what a supervisor is working on, keep it brief, include a streaming link and a one-line note, and make clear you own the rights and can clear quickly. A clean EPK with your contact and rights info ready makes you look organised and easy to deal with — which supervisors value as much as the music itself.
Step 6: Handle the deal properly
When an offer comes, you’ll typically agree a fee, the scope of use (media, term, territory), and whether it’s exclusive. Don’t rush. Fees vary enormously and aren’t fixed, so understand exactly what you’re granting before signing, and get help reviewing anything you’re unsure about. Beyond the upfront fee, broadcast placements can also earn ongoing performance royalties.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an agent or library to get sync placements?
No, but it helps. You can pitch supervisors directly or list music on sync platforms yourself. Agencies and libraries bring connections and pitch on your behalf in exchange for a cut — useful for reach, though you give up some control and revenue.
What makes a track easy to license?
Clean, documented ownership (ideally one-stop), no uncleared samples, broadcast-quality production, and ready instrumental, stem, and edited versions with proper metadata. Supervisors favour tracks they can clear quickly and use without complications.
How much will I get paid for a placement?
It varies widely and isn’t fixed — from small fees for minor uses to large sums for major ads or shows, depending on prominence, reach, term, and territory. Always confirm the scope and fee in writing before agreeing.
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