Looking for connections with movie trailer companies

[tetrafiremusic]

Word of advice though, be careful with placing tracks on YouTube. I have tracks with a couple of libraries that specifically state in their contract that none of the music can have any content ID conflicts. Basically, if they are on YouTube, it creates potential issues for clients when they license the tracks. Just to be safe, I don’t post music on my YouTube channel anymore.

oh, for sure. none of my tracks are registered with content id.

Just keep writing! When you have a few more epic trailer pieces produced, submit them to the libraries of your choice and see what happens. Some libraries may even commission you to produce a trailer music album, which typically consists of 10 or so tracks in a certain genre, complete with stems and multiple track versions.

i could do some edits for 2-3 of my tracks, which i could use just as a private demo for music libraries.

and of course, write new ones.

 

[Jeremy Spencer]

oh, for sure. none of my tracks are registered with content id.


i could do some edits for 2-3 of my tracks, which i could use just as a private demo for music libraries.

and of course, write new ones.

Take my advice with a grain of salt, of course!

Regarding content ID, even if you haven't registered, posting music can still create issues if libraries license your music to companies posting on Youtube.

 

[Daryl]

i do have to decide what to do next, but i feel like the best bet would be to take everyone's advice and try to pitch my tracks to a music library. i already have a very extensive list of companies and their contacts, which i've actually picked from youtube channels like TMW and the like.

but i am wondering what to do with the tracks i've already written. reading through all the feedback here, i do want to adjust them. write a better 3rd act and work a bit on the transitions. maybe work a bit on the mix / master. i really think i can get them to a much better state.

the problem is that they're already on youtube and some other places. and i've registered them with my pro. i've also sold a few micro licenses for some of them. and they've also been sent to some of those "epic youtube channels". so adjusting them would require some pretty complicated admin work.

so let's say i manage to get the revamped versions with a music library and they get licensed. chances are the old versions might pop-up on youtube on an "epic channel". i wonder if this would maybe cause issues with licensing the tracks. because it might look unprofessional, or people might be worried about copyright issues etc.

but then again, i don't just want to throw them away, since there was quite an effort involved. plus given that most of them have a very common theme and vibe, i could make a short album with them, which might be quite easy to show to a music library. i've seen than many libraries release their music as albums, and sometimes those album are written by one or a few external composers.

so this is a bit of a predicament, here. what would do you guys think would be the best course of action here?

i know i'm picking everyone's brains here. and for free, what's more.

Look, you probably don't want to hear this, but if the tracks you've written are so precious that you don't want to move on and write more, writing commercial music is probably not for you. I suspect you will learn more by writing new tracks anyway.

Having said that, there is nothing to stop you borrowing bits of ideas from old tracks and re-cycling them, if you wish. There are no copyright implications for ripping off yourself. However, if you are that short of ideas that you can't come up with more tracks, I refer you to the previous paragraph.

 

[tetrafiremusic]

Look, you probably don't want to hear this, but if the tracks you've written are so precious that you don't want to move on and write more, writing commercial music is probably not for you. I suspect you will learn more by writing new tracks anyway.

Having said that, there is nothing to stop you borrowing bits of ideas from old tracks and re-cycling them, if you wish. There are no copyright implications for ripping off yourself. However, if you are that short of ideas that you can't come up with more tracks, I refer you to the previous paragraph.

oh, i don't mind writing new music, or coming up with new ideas.

this is actually the third itteration of this project, basically. i wrote many tracks before and i scraped them because i wasn't happy with them.
and started over.

but of course, there is also the matter of having efficiency and not wasting time. so that's really where i was coming from.

 

[Daryl]

oh, i don't mind writing new music, or coming up with new ideas.

this is actually the third itteration of this project, basically. i wrote many tracks before and i scraped them because i wasn't happy with them.
and started over.

but of course, there is also the matter of having efficiency and not wasting time. so that's really where i was coming from.

Understood, but one of the crucial things about being successful in media music is being quick, and that only comes with practice. I think that moving on with new stuff is the best way to improve your tracks.

 

[tetrafiremusic]

Understood, but one of the crucial things about being successful in media music is being quick, and that only comes with practice. I think that moving on with new stuff is the best way to improve your tracks.

i agree with you. and indeed, a fast turnover is not my biggest strength.
but practice makes perfect, so : )

 

[Ivan M.]

There are no copyright implications for ripping off yourself.

Interesting. But you are not the copyright owner of your own music, right, you sell it to the library? (If you write for the same library/publisher it is obviously ok.) However, copyright is heavily abused wherever there's money. So if you change the library or submit to multiple libs, then can you and your new publisher be in trouble if you write similar stuff or copy yourself?

 

[Jeremy Spencer]

There are no copyright implications for ripping off yourself.

Unless your name is John Fogerty

 

[tetrafiremusic]

But you are not the copyright owner of your own music, right, you sell it to the library?

you don't sell the copyright, you license the tracks. but you're still the copyright owner. unless it's a deal like you do on soundbetter, where it's just money upfront and that's it.

So if you change the library or submit to multiple libs, then can you and your new publisher be in trouble if you write similar stuff or copy yourself?

technically, it should be fine. but why would anyone copy themselves and not come up with some fresh ideas in the first place? : p

 

[Emmanuel Rousseau]

Hey!

You can rework those tracks indeed, but if I were you I would use the gained experience to write new music, you'll probably make more progress this way. When you have like 5 top notch tracks, use them as a private portfolio and start contacting publishers

If you sign with a publisher, he will probably not be using those tracks in his catalogue anyway, and more likely will send you briefs for future releases. Unless you have a super solid 10 tracks album ready to go!

 

[erica-grace]

1. All of your tracks are missing a proper backend.

Can you explain please, what you mean by "backend"?

I see the exs you posted, but if I dont know what it is I am listening for....

Thanks!

 

[jcrosby]

Since you’ve already put those tracks out into the world, and registered them with your PRO, I would just leave them as is. You could use those for licensing through non-exclusive libraries. Word of advice though, be careful with placing tracks on YouTube. I have tracks with a couple of libraries that specifically state in their contract that none of the music can have any content ID conflicts. Basically, if they are on YouTube, it creates potential issues for clients when they license the tracks. Just to be safe, I don’t post music on my YouTube channel anymore.

Just keep writing! When you have a few more epic trailer pieces produced, submit them to the libraries of your choice and see what happens. Some libraries may even commission you to produce a trailer music album, which typically consists of 10 or so tracks in a certain genre, complete with stems and multiple track versions.

This, 110%. This is something you need to grasp about trailer and exclusive production libraries right from the get go... They don't want anything that's already floating out there on the web. They also don't allow you to publish your tracks anywhere online (including your own website), even if after released. That's just that way it is... They may release a few tracks after, but typically albums are kept under lock and key and only available to trailer houses /marketing teams, etc for at least a year before tracks are publicly available, and not all libraries publish to YT. (The library I write for doesn't publish full tracks to YT for example...)

Keeping tracks out of public view is incredibly attractive to production companies for a bunch of reasons:

1. There are no copyright issues that would pop up if they used some generic piece of widely available stock music. 2. They can be assured the track has minimal prior use; ideally none when it comes to something like a feature film. 3. They can work with the library to have it customized to give it a sense of identity, or fit a creative vision. 4. This is a big one, and ties directly back to 3; while trailer music has a lot of tropes that are synonymous with the genre, at the same time big productions are mostly interested in a piece of music that also has a distinct sonic identity. So basically every track has to strike a balance between using the right amount of elements that obviously stamp it as a piece of trailer music, at the same time it also has to have something that is instantly identifiable that can be exploited as a form of identity, branding, etc... At the end of the day trailer music is just marketing music so it's an important component.

So basically the tracks you linked would be fine as demos used to attract interest. But I'd definitely work on making the orchestral sections stronger, bigger, and more harmonically compelling before sending them to any libraries. One other thing I'd focus on in terms of orchestral elements in the tracks that I linked is the use of orchestral tension elements - Long tense build ups and sections of organic tension beds underneath non-organic sound design, etc. All of the tracks I linked do the slow burn tension thing really well which has been more or less standard in every orchestral or hybrid brief I've done over the past 18 months...

Finally it's really important to understand how different tropes (I prefer devices, the term my publisher uses)... are used in different film genres. You wouldn't typically find distorted bends, big filthy braams, and hyper edited transitions in a Harry Potter-esque fantasy trailer... The tracks you've linked more or less fall into the action genre, where you see a lot of the stuttered and hyper edited transitions you have. There's always genre overlap, but as a whole these fall mostly under that umbrella.

It's important to understand these distinctions because briefs aren't a free for all... Typically a brief is going to have a focus with specific film genres in mind, even if there's some genre overlap. TL;DR: Check out different genre trailers... As a quick example - "Epic" tends to fall into the superhero category these days, sci-fi as well... Then again darker sci-fi can also be super sound design heavy... Not to mention horror/thriller being its own world as well... Basically it's a good idea to watch a lot of trailers and pay attention to how some devices are spun in a different way so that it fits into the genre.

I'd also think about sending a range a styles. So basically one hyper edited sound design piece like some of the ones you've linked, and a hybrid one that's harmonically more complex. You really need to be able to do both, and getting it under your belt early on is a lot less painful than trying to get it under your belt when a library briefs you. Last, you don't need to send more than 3 tracks. Two really excellent tracks should be all you need, 3's fine, anything more is probably overkill...

 

[jcrosby]

Can you explain please, what you mean by "backend"?

I see the exs you posted, but if I dont know what it is I am listening for....

Thanks!

The backend is the climax. It's where the orchestra gets full focus (if used), and one or two specific sound design elements (signatures) get used as a motif that work in tandem with the orchestra. (Again, if sound design is used as a 'signature' in the backend). Keep in mind that's in the context of orchestral/hybrid cues like these... Often times the harmony becomes more complex, and new instruments are introduced.

In the 1st track the backend starts at 2:20 (after the gap). This one doesn't have a signature sound design motif.

In the 2nd track it starts at 2:03 (after the big riser). The high semitone synth bend is the signature here. It's also established as a motif earlier on in the intro as well which is important... Signatures need to work as a theme that show up throughout a piece. But, signatures can also be organic musical elements like rhythms, lines or textures played with extended techniques, etc. Basically whatever is used as a motif that stands out and gives the piece its own identity.

In the 3rd track it starts at 2:25 (after the gap). The slow bend at the end of every phrase is the sound design motif here.

Track 4 is more ambiguous because it's going for a slow burn vibe... I'd personally consider it to be 2:18 when the choir comes in, the harmony shifts, and the rhythm picks up. But it could definitely be argued that it starts 1:35 when the bending synth comes in and builds from there. The synth bend is obviously used as the sound design motif in this piece.

 

[VVEremita]

That is a really interesting thread, just as the "writing 52 cues in a year" thread. Thanks to all of you for offering such invaluable insight.

I understand now that it is not a good idea to publish tracks on your own before sending them to a library. Youtube etc. can cause problems. But what about using soundcloud (or something similar) to share a track on a forum for feedback? I know a professional would probably be advised not to do it. But for someone who is just about to dip his toes into the game, it could be very helpful to get some feedback on track that are "almost there" - at least from the composers perspective.

The track could be deleted afterwards without much hassle. Is there something I am overlooking that could result in a drawback?

 

[GtrString]

I understand your ambitions, and mainstream media is full of Hollywood trailers. But, you can find these companies on Instagram. Try follow them and see what they put out. Compare it with your own productions. When you are confident you are on par with their production values, do something unique and pitch to your local production companies (find also on social media), and sign your stuff directly.

Don’t go through american middlemen. Those companies will rob you blind, and not do anything for your career. Why enter a race to the bottom? Use it for comparison, and get in locally in your own country, and Europe. There are a lot of production going on here, and you can win the competition with those american companies locally, because you can meet and greet with people.

In the end, that will serve you much better.

 

[Roger Newton]

I understand now that it is not a good idea to publish tracks on your own before sending them to a library.

You could do it, but generally I would advise against it because if you have a publisher or publishers, when you send in tracks that are accepted, they will do that administration for you. For example, I do not do any track titles, track description or adding tracks to the PRO amongst other things. This is applicable to most exclusive libraries.

But what about using soundcloud (or something similar) to share a track on a forum for feedback? I know a professional would probably be advised not to do it. But for someone who is just about to dip his toes into the game, it could be very helpful to get some feedback on track that are "almost there" - at least from the composers perspective.

You need some form of platform to send in a track or tracks to a prospective publisher. Soundcloud is one of those platforms. I don't use it myself but you could do a list of tracks on SC and then send in the url to the publisher. Publishers aren't keen on receiving MP3s in an email.

 

[tetrafiremusic]

This, 110%. This is something you need to grasp about trailer and exclusive production libraries right from the get go... They don't want anything that's already floating out there on the web. They also don't allow you to publish your tracks anywhere online (including your own website), even if after released. That's just that way it is... They may release a few tracks after, but typically albums are kept under lock and key and only available to trailer houses /marketing teams, etc for at least a year before tracks are publicly available, and not all libraries publish to YT. (The library I write for doesn't publish full tracks to YT for example...)

this is an interesting insight. because youtube is filled with tracks from various trailer music companies - big and small, i always thought that's no issue. also, i thought most trailer music libraries work in a non-exclusive manner. is it that often that a track gets used once and only once?

 

[tetrafiremusic]

Don’t go through american middlemen. Those companies will rob you blind, and not do anything for your career. Why enter a race to the bottom? Use it for comparison, and get in locally in your own country, and Europe. There are a lot of production going on here, and you can win the competition with those american companies locally, because you can meet and greet with people.

well, one can't do trailer music and ignore the us and the uk. because that's where 99% of the industry is coming for.
for example, in my home country of romania there's basically no cinema industry, apart from the odd festival film. romanian films do surprisingly good at cannes, but they are done on a shoe string budget, with money from the government. and that money only goes to people with connections.
and i think it's the same in all of europe and the world, really. apart from a handful of countries

 

[jcrosby]

You could do it, but generally I would advise against it because if you have a publisher or publishers, when you send in tracks that are accepted, they will do that administration for you. For example, I do not do any track titles, track description or adding tracks to the PRO amongst other things. This is applicable to most exclusive libraries.


You need some form of platform to send in a track or tracks to a prospective publisher. Soundcloud is one of those platforms. I don't use it myself but you could do a list of tracks on SC and then send in the url to the publisher. Publishers aren't keen on receiving MP3s in an email.

To piggyback off of that, send a private link if you use soundcloud. IME it's not wise to have anything you intend to place with an exclusive library publicly visible in any way; including before you send it to them.

If you do some searching you'll see find various threads on here about copyright thieves who rip people's music from places like soundcloud, YT; wherever basically... They then upload the track to CD Baby or register it with a distributer and claim copyright ownership. You don't want to put that kind of headache in a publishers lap... Making it clear that you understand their need for keeping things under lock and key shows them that your trustworthy...

As an example - the trailer library I've been write for stopped sending out the mastered album playlists to all of their composers for part of last year. Why? Because people were doing really dumb things like sending the link to other libraries looking for work. As the saying goes... One bad apple spoils the bunch.

Anyone with any common sense should understand that that'd immediately terminate your relationship with that library. It's also a pretty safe bet that the library then notifies other libraries or industry people they're friendly with that might be involved you, letting them know that you're a potential liability....

You wouldn't want to risk kneecapping your career right as it's getting off the ground so keep things limited to private playlists.

 

[GtrString]

@tetrafiremusic Yes, connections with the people you want to work with. Thats why you want to do midem, film festivals both locally and abroad ect. Just do the right research and the math, and you’ll be good.