Thank You For The Music

Posted on: Thursday 05 July 2012 12:31pm

Photo: Jennifermargaretbooth@gmail.com

Blogged by Jayne Kirkham.

Trying hard to ignore the old Abba single rattling through my head served as a timely reminder of the power of music – and further confirmed this session’s main argument that AV without the A is just…. well you try playing a computer game with the sound off.

After a couple of Guess the Theme Tune quizzes, the point was underlined even further. So much further that none of us were actually in Sheffield any longer but transported to a Galaxy Far Far Away.

The stupid thing is that music is so often forgotten and only thrown in at the last minute. But, and I bet you’re now either humming the Star Wars Theme or Thanking Me for The Music Benny/Bjorn stylee, it is a key ingredient for a show giving texture, context, emotion and a whole lot of other things. AND it can also generate INCOME.

So the big take away from this session was ‘Get a decent music publisher who will help you exploit your rights, not just in the short term but for the future.’ A £260 recording of a Christmas song for a kids’ show years ago, generated £70,000 when it found its way via a music library onto the movie Love Actually.

That is a great return both for the composer and the producer. And the other big takeaway? Everything is negotiable.

Except lunch – lunch is non negotiable which is why I’m off to get my brown bag!

Jayne

Session Produced and Presented by John Bassett, Head of Children’s Music, Music for Kids

Speakers: Doug Boyes, Creative Director, 2dB Music Production
Gary Downing, Sync Specialist, Music Sales Group
Anne Miller, Creative Director, Accorder Music

Presentation explaining “what a music publisher does”