ASK & DISCUSS INDEX

8 years, 6 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

The only way to know is to ask them directly. It's quite possible that they'd be happy with it, but that they already sold the publishing rights so don't control their own tracks.

8 years, 6 months ago - Brendan Cleaves

I tired to get a frank Sinatra song for my short fill and had a 2k budget. We still couldn't afford it. I'd say you have a pretty good chance if the bands are only small indie bands. Just email their management and explain the situation. I doubt if they are a small band they would have sold their publishing rights, that kinda thing only happens when the music is older.

8 years, 6 months ago - Jane Sanger

Just trying to do this now but the indie band manager will only sell me a 1 year right for $ 300 . I bid down from 500. This is for a charity film and I begged for it free offering as much free publicity as I could etc. No deal for me ...1 year????! They
have you over a barrel for negotiating other years then. Best as I have always done before is to get up and coming bands/ singers to write specifically for you. I usually pay £100 for a song and the instrumental version. Only once got one free so you can but ask.

8 years, 6 months ago - Richard Anthony Dunford

Like Jane alluded too if you have no budget your best bet is to look for unsigned bands and artists. Just because they haven't been discovered doesn't mean the quality won't be there.

8 years, 6 months ago - Phil O'Shea

Potential nightmare. If you are given a song free make sure that includes Worldwide rights. I'd just get some mates to record a "soundalike" of what you want.

8 years, 6 months ago - Stuart Wright

I spoke to a Music Supervisor, Connie Farr, on the Britflicks podcast. Plenty advice here http://www.britflicks.com/blog.aspx?blogID=19693

8 years, 6 months ago - Paul Campion

Try to approach one of the band members directly. As fellow creatives they're usually more inclined to actually look at your film and offer their music for free if they like what they see. Also they're in a position to instruct their manager to give you the rights you need.

If you approach the manager first, their job is to make the band money, and they're likely to just look at it as a business deal. Also a manager is acting as a gatekeeper - they might just say no without even mentioning it to the band.

8 years, 6 months ago - Tim Benjamin

I would avoid doing a sound-a-like (recommended above). I know of a couple of times when people have come seriously unstuck after being caught out. Do you want the hassle? You can get music for very little, especially from people hungry for publicity. Try putting an ad up on SP or on the other sites, I am sure you will be inundated. But do offer something, even a few quid and a link to their website / Bandcamp would be good. Or a friendly write-up on your blog, and a bunch of tweets. Speaking of which you can find plenty of very good unsigned acts on Bandcamp, and you can usually message them directly from there.

8 years, 6 months ago - sue lloyd

we supply music for film, sometimes, free, depending on the track, our catalogue includes original punk from 1970's right through to contemporary Indie bands, soul dance, 90's house, alt, and we also have access via our partners to thousands of tracks incl' Library music, death metal, Americana, 60's garage, reggae, and everything in-between. Paid for tracks start at about $300. We just supplied 2 songs to the new John Hurt film 'My Name is Lenny' out Summer 2017, and are supplying tracks to Netflix series Clash of the Vampires. E mail me with your requirements. SUE LLOYD / LICENSING MANAGER FURRY RECORDS UK furryrecords@yahoo.com

8 years, 5 months ago - Richard Woodburn

If the same band came up to you and asked if you could do a music video for free and they'll credit you at the end how would you feel. Muso's know the struggle a bit like filmmakers and as a person who sits on both sides of this fence it gets a bit laborious trying to get things for free. If you come to a mutual agreement then all good, but for my last short I found a composer who wrote and piece for me and we came to an agreement that, although I paid for the privilege I was only paying for the licence at a agreed length of time and I never actually owned the score or the rights to it. But I was happy to pay for something unique to me.