Jeannie Jones is an award-winning journalist, media personality, actress, producer, director and brand architect. Jeannie’s Los Angeles-based multimedia firm, Ready Set Impact, specializes in music, film, and radio production; publishing; social media marketing, branding, and casting.

This month, Jeannie offers insight into the world of sync licensing for commercial, film, and television media.

With new TV shows, films, and streaming services popping up, there are more opportunities than ever to obtain sync placements — assuming you have the goods music supervisors are looking for.

(Before we truly get started, let me be clear, there’s no “easy button” when it comes to getting your music licensed. You have to deliver quality content — and. production quality and songwriting are only two pieces of the puzzle. Fortunately, UMC has an entire creative agency willing to help you with anything, from business coaching to brand management. Reach out here and let us help!)

You may have come here without knowing what the terms “licensing” or “sync placements” even mean. These are simply the technical terms used to describe the process of placing an artist’s music in film and TV. Licensing refers to the legal or licensed use of copyrighted music in media, for which copyright owners must be fairly compensated for the authorized use of their work in various contexts.

Licensing and placements can also provide huge opportunities for your music. Part of that opportunity, of course, is the compensation part. Compensation for the use of your music in media can vary. If it’s an independent film or video, you shouldn’t expect much (unless the projects happen to blow up). Getting placed on an established series or film, however, can help you earn exponentially more in the months and years ahead — particularly, if the media in question has reached syndication.

So, how do you stand out and get selected for these opportunities? By understanding the music supervisor’s specific submission requirements. These are often provided in a document known as a brief.

The brief will tell you everything you need to know: what’s the mood of the scene (scary, funny, sad, sexy, etc.)? What types of music would be a fit? Are they looking for songs with vocals, or for instrumental tracks? Sometimes, a music supervisor might even be looking for something with a rougher edge, in terms of production; certain briefs have called for rough demos over finished, polished pieces. That’s right – you don’t (necessarily) need professionally produced music to take advantage of certain placement opportunities!

Simply put, if the powers that be decide that your music best fits the scene, it will be placed. But, you also must be flexible throughout this process, and realize that the music you already have available may not be a fit for the opportunities you have available.

Those cases present an opportunity to write and record new songs that fit those requirements. However, the trick is to have a reliable recording space available, which will allow you to create efficiently. Often, licensing opportunities come with tight deadlines, so you don’t want to be caught with nothing to submit, and no way to create it quickly.

No matter how you land sync opportunities — with existing songs in your catalog, spur-of-the-moment creations, or both — the important thing is that you have a steady pipeline of music available. The opportunities are out there, but ot land them, you’ll need to be prolific.