JPF Home Page Forums General Messages General Message Forum Music Licensing Opportunity (Indie Feature Film)

Hello JP Folks!

I'm currently music supervising the low budget indie film, "Call Me Brother." I'm looking to replace the 27 songs that are currently tempted in the film with indie songs. These temp songs are from the 50s, 60s, 70s & 80s. The replacement songs do not have to have been recorded in those eras but should have the same sound and feel. If you do have authentic music from those decades, even better.

This is a low budget indie film and I have a very limited music budget to work with. The licensing fees are really low so I'll understand if you're not too excited about this opportunity and prefer not to submit.

The film has already been selected to its first film festival (which will be officially announced in March). Even if your song isn't selected, you and your music will become familiar to me and on my radar for future placement opportunities.

As always, but as a reminder, there will be a cue sheet. If you are affiliated with ASCAP, BMI, SESAC or any other Performing Rights Organization (PRO), you will have the opportunity to receive performance royalties should the film exhibit in media where performance royalties are paid.

SYNOPSIS:
"Call Me Brother" is an awkward coming-of-age romantic comedy. After years of separation, Lisa, an awkward girl in her late teens, is reunited with her brother, Tony and father, Frank for a summer weekend while her mother is on a trip. Revisiting their past, Lisa and Tony find comfort in each other in an off-kilter world. Alongside an ensemble cast of shitty friends and dysfunctional family members, we watch as Tony and Lisa grow more intimate and discover feelings that they didn’t know were there.

Watch the Official "Call Me Brother" Trailer.
Cast, crew and production information: IMDb.

Submission Details:

• By submitting you, and anyone with a controlling interest in the song(s), agree to the licensing fee for each song and the terms & conditions.
  
  
• This link will take you to the music brief with the cue #'s, reference song titles and artists, licensing fees, approximate duration of use, song era, scene description, song description and a link to the reference song.
  
  
• If the song(s) you want to submit is/are under contract with your publisher, label or administrator, please get them involved. You must control 100% of your song(s) in order to submit without anyone else involved.
  
  
• If there are co-writers (and no publisher, label or administrator) on any of the songs you want to submit, the co-writers must agree to you submitting on their behalf for their share of ownership (publishing & master). They need to be aware of and agree to the licensing fees and terms & conditions.
  
  
• When submitting, please indicate which song you are submitting for by using either the Cue # or the Song Title of the reference song.
  
  
• All submissions should be e-mailed to dominique@hearitclearit.com.
  
  
• If you are submitting multiple songs for each reference song, please send them in separate e-mails or separate folders, i.e., separate Dropbox folders or send separate file transfers via Hightail, WeTransfer or similar large file transfer platforms.
  
  
• The 50s, 60s, 70s & 80s period songs do not have to have been recorded during those eras. They just need to sound like they were recorded back then.This is very important to the director.
  
  
• Only submit links (with downloads enabled) or MP3s. No WAV or AIFF formats.
  
  
• The current deadline is January 31, 2018. Please note that some songs will be decided on before the deadline which will mean there will be less songs to replace as we get closer to the deadline.
  
  
• If you do not draft your own license agreements or you do not have a representative that will draft the license on your behalf, I will draft the license agreements on your behalf. If your co-writer(s) do draft their own license agreements or they have a representative that will draft them on their behalf for their controlling interest, I will draft the all license agreements for your controlling interest on your behalf. NOTE: The pertains to ownership of both sides, publishing and master.

Rights & Licensing Fees:

• License: Non-Exclusive
• Territory: Worldwide
• Media: All Media
• Term: Perpetuity

I know I went into a lot of details above. I want to give you as much information as possible here so you are well informed before going forward. If you have specific questions about this film project that I didn't cover above, feel free to post them here so everyone else can be involved in the Q&A too.

I will always post placement opportunities here but if you want to see what's on the horizon, you can visit my website at Hear It - Clear It Music Supervision. You can read the details on current film projects and upcoming projects on the Projects page. You can also read my Submission Policy page so you know how to submit your music to me.

Best!

Great post Dom! For anyone looking to get a film credit, this sounds like a great opportunity. You have to start somewhere and one placement often leads to a second and so on.

This also can be a learning experience for a new writer or even an experienced one without film credits who wants to get a start. Dom, you should post this opportunity to our Facebook page, in fact, I will do it now.

Brian

Brian,

Thank you! I wanted to make the post clear and concise.

I'll be posting updates as things progress and I as I get updates from the director.

Best!

Wrong genres for me. If you ever need country and Christian plus a few more, I may have something. Appreciate the opportunity just the same.

Hi, Dominique, thank you for the opportunity. Wondering if we can submit links to YouTube videos, or do you actually need to be able to download an MP3 for evaluation?

Thanks.

--- Ed

Ed,

Links to YouTube videos are fine. I prefer the ability to download the song if I feel it's a fit for the scene. Having the option to download does make things easier and quicker when there are a large number of links submitted.

Since the deadline is quickly approaching and time is getting thin, I do not want to miss out on a song that could potentially be the one the director ends up selecting. So, I'll be open to whatever method is available to the submitter.

The main reason for the ability to download an MP3 is to make things easier for the director who has been crazy busy lately. When the submissions come in, I screen them and pick out the ones that are the closest to what the director is looking for. Then I put all of those MP3s in a Dropbox folder that corresponds to the cue it's meant to replace. This way the director has a one-stop place to review the submissions.

Best!

Dom,

I am curious as to why they waited so late to backfill the songs?

Brian

Brian,

In the film world, music always takes a backseat. It's an unfortunate reality. I've found myself in short deadline situations many times but have always beat the deadlines. After almost 14 years, I've seen it all...I think.

In this specific case, the film's selection into an upcoming film festival moved things up sooner than expected. Since the festival has not made the official public announcement yet, I can't reveal which festival it is. Also, if rumors are true, there's another festival, that starts sooner than the other one, that is about to announce the official selections. "Call Me Brother" is rumored to be in. So that has tightened the deadline even more.

I've been working on the prep for this since November. I just couldn't start looking for submissions until I had a lock on the final music budget from the producers. That brought me to a week and a half ago when I started looking.

I'm confident that this deadline will be met. People have already been submitting since I posted last night and along with the submissions that have come in since last week, things are looking pretty good. I just can't slow down until the last song is selected.

Best!

Welcome to the film & TV world. This is how its almost always done.

Even when I had song in contention for Iron Man. It came down to last minute decisions.

Thanks for posting here at JPF, Dominique!
I don't have anything for this particular project, but will look forward to more requests here, if you make a habit of it.

I understand big films with big budgets when you can pay big money to usually get something that really fits, but when it's a tiny film it seems awfully weak to cast a desperate net at the last moment. It tells me that they don't value the music in their film much and depend on a third party to find something, anything, that can work at the last second. They're lucky to have Dom assisting, but most indie film people I have dealt with who have limited or no budget they are often all the more concerned with getting the right music for their vision. But yeah, I know that's not the rule of thumb on any size budget... Laskow has told me that for decades which is why they're such a useful resource. I really appreciate Dom's professionalism and the fact he came here, got permission to post and agreed to my requests and followed through. He's definitely someone I want to support. His director is lucky to have him.. hopefully we can help him with a few tracks.

Thanks for posting this. I have emailed several links.

Brian,

Thanks for the kind words. I do appreciate it. It's always a challenge when working on these indie films.

One thing that I didn't mention before and it might shed some light on the situation. The music that is temped in the film was selected by the director over a long period of time. He actually put a lot of thought in the music that he wanted in the film and thought that he would be able to license the songs. The problem was, he didn't realize how expensive it was going to cost until I did a budget analysis. That was an eye opener.

During all that time, the producer was trying to secure funding that could have covered a majority of the existing music but the funding did not come through. This is partly what created the delay in me knowing what the music budget was going to be and being able to start looking for music..

I did, however, reach out to some of the music reps that I have long standing relationships with (some over 10 years) and I knew that they would be able to work with what ever limited music budget I had to work with. Songs had started coming in and the director has been very selective and has not made any final decisions yet. There are songs that could end up being the final song but he wants to wait to see what else comes in. I just could not go public with my music searches because I had to have a budget so I knew what I could offer.

As I mentioned in my preview post, the film festival selection is what made time a bit more of an issue. This was the main kick in the butt. It's a good kick because getting selected into film festivals is one of the goals.

My decision to come to JFP folks was not out of desperation in the looming deadline. It was because I remember helping one of our members, Glynda Duncan, and almost getting one of her songs in a film back in 2008. I decided to come back and see what's been going on here and thought that I need to become active here again and start posting all of the films that I music supervise. So that's the plan going forward.

I guess I'm so used to these situations that I don't panic or worry. After 90+ films, I've experienced good situations and some really horrible ones.

When I music supervised "Old Fashioned" back in 2014, I had started off with a smaller music budget and cleared 38 indie songs in about the same amount of time. We ended up getting a bit more funding and some of it went towards the music. It was a great experience and a huge challenge. In the end, we had a great soundtrack that complemented the film. Milan Records released the movie soundtrack album in 2015. There were 20 tracks on that soundtrack album with 12 tracks being the indie songs that I licensed for the film. The composer's score was the eight other tracks. So these awesome indie artists got their music licensed in an small, low budget indie film that almost grossed $2M at the box office and they got their music licensed again in the soundtrack album. It was great for everyone involved.

So, I guess what I'm triyg to say is, situations like this are not always as bad as them seem. And I typed way too much.

They were received. Thank you!

For most non major movies, music is always an afterthought when it comes to getting the rights, replacements, etc. Par for the course. And yes, when someone has a good music sup working the film, its a great thing.

Take your pick Dominique.

www.reverbnation.com/ronnierocks

Ronnie,

You'll need to carefully follow his instructions which are posted above. He doesn't have time to listen to all your music and frankly you should not expect him to. Part of being successful in anything is being the most convenient to work with as much as the most talented. This is especially true when someone plainly states they are short on time and need specific types of songs. If you have those very specific types of songs, then follow through the process exactly as he has requested then in the exact format and submission parameters so if your music meets the opportunity, you are also the most convenient option over some other song that may be similarly appropriate for the opportunity.

Brian

Brian,

Thanks again for your posts. It is so important that anyone interested in submitting their music, for this project or any other project, follow the instructions. I have been getting a lot of submissions where the instructions were not followed. The good thing is, there are more that have followed the instructions.

I am one of the more liberal music supervisor when it comes to accepting unsolicited music and working closely with indie songwriter and musicians. We all have our trusted sources that we have used for a long time and, for the most part, they provide us with very good music. That's all fine but I know from years of experience that there are a lot of very good indie songwriters that have untapped music that needs a chance. That's why I'm open to allowing and accepting music from anyone.

By doing this, I expect those that I work with to be at their most professional level. It does take time to read through submission policies but there is a point to it. It's to keep the entire process organized and fluid when hundreds of e-mails come in with multiple songs attached. When people just randomly send their music, it disrupts the process and makes things more difficult.

I was once an aspiring songwriter. My very first post on JPF was on Tue Mar 26 2002 10:50 AM. I was interested in submitting music to a company called the Paramount Group based in Nashville. I don't pursue songwriting anymore, but I do know what it's like to want to get your music listen to and to hopefully have something great happen to them. It can only happen if you follow the instructions of those who can help you and better your chances of make these great things happen.

Let's work well together. More film placement opportunities will be coming. Let each one be a learning opportunity too.

Best!

Dom,

Paramount... a name from hell. I am hopeful you got good advice not to waste your money on them! I had to tell someone on Facebook the same thing so hopefully more will do it right. We've had well over a million songs sent to us over the years and sadly only about 20% followed instructions the first time but we got over 60% following them within reason the most recent time but it took a LOT of begging on our part. I think if we do it again we will just reject the bad ones rather than try to work it out because it wastes too much time.

Brian

Dominique, this is an awesome opportunity! My submission is on its way. Thanks so much for showing such generosity.

Ricki

I, by my own rush of my time online, improperly sent an Email with two links of relative song styles.

My apologies to Dominique. I since banned myself for such action.

I urge all JPF's to properly submit.

John

Just resubmit John. You have some catalog stuff that might work nicely. Go for it.. you need to keep up with your music.. this is one way.

Brian,

I didn't submit anything or spend any money. Yesterday I went back and read that old post and the post that followed. I checked the link to their site and they are still in business.

Thanks Ricki! I'll be listening to all the music that has come in tonight.

John,

Thanks for the message. As Brian said, just re-submit as per the submission details.

This is another good reason to follow the submission details and I'm not calling you out John. Since you posted what you had done I wanted to give an example of why it's important to follow the instructions.

When I was going through all of the submissions that had come in on Monday and Tuesday, I was able to determine which submissions were for which reference song by the cue # or cue title. Since the director and I were focusing on specific songs last night, I could pull those that pertained to what we were looking for and return to the others when I had more time.

Those that came in with no cue # or cue title, I just passed them by because there was no reference to which song they were being submitted for. John's e-mail was one that was passed because of this. Due to the fact that I've been super busy, I have not had the chance to reply back to everyone and let them know that their submissions came in improperly. Some I have and they resubmitted the proper way. As I'm typing this message, someone just sent a re-submit per my e-mail reply back to them.

Also, having to reply just adds another layer of unnecessary work. However, everyone can redeem themselves by resubmitting and making note of their previous submission so that I can discard it and not spend time replying.

This is a learning experience and as future placement opportunity are posted, everyone will be primed and ready to submit per the submission details. Keep in mind that other music supervisors go through the same thing and if your submission to them was not proper, per their submission guidelines, it could be the reason why you never heard back from them.

Dominiquem

Thank you for your kind explanation, and, for your refusal to accept my self ban.

I will go through all that is required to see if I do have anything specific for your needs. ( I knowingly sent just a general sense of what I can do, for my time reasons). Sorry for doing that. Won't happen again.

Thank you,
John

Just a note for general reasons:

After hearing the sound quality of the trailer song, I know I do not have release ready recordings, having done everything myself. I had just gotten to the point where the audio can pass for a good demo, but is still nowhere in a release ready quality as what pro studios and those who really know what they are doing, recording wise, are producing. So, I will not waste Dominique's or my time any more.

For any other JPF: With this, I am "again" retiring from TRYING anything in music, (playing too, due to Tinnitus since 2010), for I already said I would retire last week or so, along with the fact that this year marks 40 years of TRYING in all kinds of areas. I tried all kinds of projects, appointments, movie classes at ASCAP, NY, and since 2012, session work. I was somewhat successful in doing session work for many instruments and sounds for Mike Caro and Mike Appel, in Staten Island in 2012. I then composed and recorded at home an overture version for one of Mike Appel's song, Stagedoor Johnny, in 2015. That also went "Nowhere Man".

A Brief History Of Trying:

1978: Buddy Holcombe and I joined up to start writing songs. I only "made up" on the spot some ragtime, swing, and alternative music with all sorts of influences, (20 minutes Is a Lifetime, recorded live at my home in 1974). That was played by Danny Paul, drums, Jimmy Calore, bass, and me on my parent's spinet piano. Recorded in my bedroom on a Tascam four track, but used just one, again live.

1978: Buddy and I wrote 6 songs and demoed them in a hometown studio, (very non pro). We then went to Philly studios, where Frank Virtue, of Virtue Studios, (The O-Jays and other Philly acts and hits), called me two days later, saying he wanted us to write a Superman tyle song. The Superman movie was due out soon, and Atlantic Records asked Frank Virtue to get them such a relative song to be released at the time of the movie's release. Buddy and I wrote in one hour, "Fly, Fly Away". The next day we went to the studio to have me play it on piano and sing it, knowing I would NOT be the singer. Virtue loved the song, and even started to sing along to the chorus before it ended. He was stating positive things as I even started the intro. He told us he would record it with his people and a new singer in mind. I asled if we could bring in our own players, being we always thought of out friends. He said if they are as good as you, then sure. He gave us a date to be there at 1pm. (one week).

I got one guitarist form an earlier band, and he said he was then playing with some great musicians, and would like his drummer and bass player to add to my piano and whatever else I would do in the studio. The practices went great. I arranged what each would play, since I HEAR the finished products of anything Buddy and I , or just I create. it all worked, and everyone agreed. We then went to the studio at the session date and time. Well, what I didn't know would happen, was that the that guitar player, his drummer and bass player all got coked up before getting out of their van. Buddy and I had already been in the studio before the others got there. They did seem over excited, but we thought that was due to being in a pro studio with a hit producer/studio owner in Frank Virtue.

Right away, as we got started, the drummer was speeding up, (literally too). The bass player kept pace with him. And the guitar player played Jimmy Hendrix type guitar, rather than the Disco licks and such I had played for him at the first practice, which he nailed as I knew he would. Virtue would stop the tape and yell, "what is this John"? Buddy Holcombe, my co writer, was also getting a verbal beat down in the control room, after each TRY.
We were soon kicked out, and told by Virtue that we would never hear from him again. Buddy and I were extremely mad at the guys who we gave a cool chance to, and extremely disappointed in our accepted song now NOT going anywhere. Atlantic Records is no joke. Missed Pro Opportunity IN OUR FIRST YEAR writing! And, it was my first year at writing pop songs. I was just starting to learn how to write lyrics, from Buddy, and knowing how The Beatles wrote. oh well, right? There WILL be other opps ahead, surely, in this, our first year of TRYING.

About 11 years worth: Through those nest years, we wrote a lot more more, started to edited a lot more, and recorded just on my normal one track cassette recorder/player. We would later record on gear My wife and I bought for $5,000. Soup to Nuts! I wanted our songs to sound as IF a band, for we would hear everything that we felt SHOULD be in there. Well, after one day, I took it ALL back when being overwhelmed by the technology of Sequencing. What the hell is THIS? What does that unit do? Huh????? The music store asked to spend an hour with me before unloading the gear. I did, and took the gear back home. I soon was on fire with recording ALL those tracks, and mixing down on bounces and so on and on.. I was now able to BE a horn section, a string section. The bass and drum player, (as I always played them all on real instruments as a kid on).

We sent songs and lyrics sheets to publishers, (after submitting request letters). I read the books, and did what was said, (unlike what I did for Dominique). Got lazy with the limited time I had for time on the computer that day. STUPID, and I KNOW better. Anyway,,,,

1992: Nashvile: Through one studio we took a demo to, to see if they had artists who needed a song or two of ours, (which they did, for a Past Miss Delaware to take to GUAM)!,,,,The owner called a friend in NY, who worked at Warner Chappel, who listened to a song on the PHONE, with then that NY Rep said she would set up an appointment in Nashville at the Warner Chappel main office, for she too, like the studio owner loved this one Country song, "Where Does The Love Go" (When You Turn an' Walk Away"), sung by Ariel Caten for us, who a few years later wrote an album cut song for Faith Hill. (Castles).

Well again, Buddy and arranged to take of work, drive 800 miles, to go over our song with the HEAD A&R Rep! We hardly slept the night of that drive in a small motel, the night before the appointment. Us stupid Northerners, although Buddy WAS a Southener before, thought it would be COOL to buy cowboy boots, and a HAT! We couldn't afford the real deal in a hat, so we bought FELT hats! That's how excited we were to have such a HUGE appointment with thee biggest publisher alive! We couldn't THINK reasonably. We got the office, knocked on the door. A girl came and talked THOUGH the glass door if we had an appointment. We gave our name of "Daubert & Holcombe", then after she found us on her list, she beeped us in. She said to have a seat and she will let Mr. ???? Know that we are here. Imagine that! Some big wig was going to get the notice that WE HAVE ARRIVED! This was our second major chance of having "something" done! We were BORN to be in that waiting room. To be shown into the office of this BIG WIG Publisher! It's HAPPENING!!!!

Then,,,,,,,,, The A&R head Rep came to greet us, with us three standing close to each other after shaking hands. He asked for the tape. he THEN said, "Ok, if I think we can use what is on this tape, WE'LL GIVE YOU A CALL". I thought,,,,what? What's happening? No sitdown? No talking about WHO is going to sing our lead song? NO BIG contract to take to a lawyer/ NOTHING???? JUST a handshake and that exiting statement? That's IT????? I mainly JUST see the back of that man's suit. It was a medium brown, with specks of other earthtone colors. It just walked away, not even the man. Just that moving back of his suit. Like our song asked, Where Does The Love Go, (when YOU turn and walk away?) Buddy and I then looked at each other, and didn't say a word. We simply turned and,,,,,,yep, walked away. That was it. No answers. Nothing more known. Just such an empty feeling of what the FK just happened. For what happened in our minds right then was a Big Fat Nothing. We knew what that statement meant. For whatever reasons that Head A&R Rep had, h was NOT interested in doing anything with these two strangers on their first day in town. (We didn't hear anything, of course). I called that office a week later, and it was if we were never there. "Im sorry, John, I have no news to give you,,,,have a nice day". Click!

That was 25 and a half years ago. So, the next 25 and half years were filled with much the same, except for some fun times with Brian Austin Whitney at his showcases I requested to close, for which he kindly granted that for me, (playing my song, "Too Little Time" at most of them). That was success with the business end being needed.

But, all other TRIES of this and that? The words of This and That about our songs. Mike Appel's words of GREAT, and, "I've recorded the E Street Band, and never had a musician like you in the studio". For I was a HOG of wanting to create and play everything. My studio arrogance was actually needed, for Mike Caro at the time was ill, and could have created and played everything with even more STUFF! So, I had a mountain to climb and get over. I guess I did, BUT, I then and since needed business success, for being taken out of my 35 REAL career of tuning pianos via chronic Tinnitus and Hyperacousis, as The U Of Penn labeled it. I had tuned over 10,000 pianos during all the time of the above accounts and much more not written about here. (1976 till 2011). NO SS for not being able to tune pianos. That craft/job is NOT on their list, so "No payments for you, forever"! (Ref: Soup Nazi on Seinfeld).

So, after many more tires of all kinds of jobs, projects, etc in music, which the many recent recordings of mine really took the Tinnitus to a whole other level, I am left to regretfully STOP TRYING. It's that simple, and that hard. It of course has me depressed over not having anything to give Cindy for ALL those years TRYING. Nothing to pass down except the songs, which my family already has heard too many times.

Turning 65 on this past 11th, and getting a surprise PRO Telescope from my daughter, who didn't know I had announced my retirement here days before, is where my sights are going to be looking through. It's one that has a Equatorial Mount, so I am encouraged to TRY to become an amateur hobbyist astronomer. Nothing to shoot for except the stars, as before. But this time, with both feet on the ground, and one eye on the real stars.

It's tough lately. I get so emotional about it ALL. All the TRIES, the almosts. But the fun times seem now left in the time of having those fun times. It was a lot more fun THEN, for all of the thens. For now, I am left with the results, and the questioning of what could I have done better to have had more of a chance of making music a career, s the fun was a given. Fun lasts for the thens, it seems. Fun now would be to see Cindy have a much easier time of the bills, and for the times with me. I fake smiles often. I never had to do that before. It's a mixed bag of everything now. Back and forth. Yes, it was great and worthwhile and fun, etc. And no, I didn't take care of the pro things I should have been doing better, as in Dominique's request. it does seem fitting I go out with that reminder of how I can sometimes be stuck in my creative side of the brain, and be lost in it.

I welcome all JPF "stories" of their life's ups and downs. Thank you for you time in all this. I just wish I was in better shape all around, to bring more positive things here. I felt I should be honest though. It hurts now, and I don't like it. But, I feel I gave it ALL in the past 40 years.

Decide whether for you all it's a hobby or you want to do the good, college TRY to make a go at some type of "music career". If the later, I sure hope you succeed at some level. Those 10,000 piano tunings killed my ears, along with some amps and drums, of course. But, the LOUD banging a tuner needs to do to SET The Strings, is a killer. Don't tune pianos!!!!!

Thank you again,
John

John, I know where you are coming from, a lifetime of trying and crying, seems to be wasted, but at least you tried your best and that is all that can be expected from anyone. It's better to have tried and failed than not to have tried at all. Those that don't try have failed already. When you look at the long shot that making it in music is, it is a wonder that anyone ever tries.

Sometimes success is so hard to see that we miss the success that we've had. You may never know whom you may have touched with your music along the way. I've had just enough feedback to know that I've touched at least a few people. If one person goes to the trouble to get in touch with you to tell you what a song meant to them, how many more thousands did not bother or know how to get in touch with you to say the same thing. We are made for a purpose and if we follow that purpose, we have not failed, we just don't know how successful we were. Some people measure success by money, but money is not the only yardstick to measure success by. Happiness and contentment is much better than money. Love and joy brought to other and yourself is better than money.

My life is further spent than yours and I have had little success in money, but helping others makes me rich and contented knowing I am doing what I was born to do. Earthly rewards are temporal, heavenly rewards are forever. Something to look forward to.

Everett,

Thank you so much for such a thoughtful letter to me. Means a lot.

As I was reading your thoughts on affecting others, I was instantly reminded of a 15 year old English girl, Kate, who wrote an actual letter after finding my address, and said my songs gave her hope, and stopped her in her tracks form committing suicide. She had been overweight, and with pimples and such, and had no friends to go to. She soon found enough hope to tell her mother she was going to move to be with her dad, to start fresh in another town and school. So, I sure do know what you mean, by affecting others. Thank you for reminding of Kate. (Back around 1932, my dad finally found a foster mother that "cared", and took him in for good. Her name was also Kate. We all called her Aunt Kate much later on in the 50's and 60's. Weird how that 15 year old girl in England, (where my Aunt Kate came from before coming to the US), were named the same, and both were from England.

The thing now is, I have nothing coming in to help Cindy, who works full time still, (25 years at one big company). It's those thoughts of mine that leads to regrets for not doing things that would have led to a retirement package, or at least to have some small royalties coming in, to represent that I did "something" for our household and for less stress on Cindy paying bills. The Tinnitus took me out of my 35 year piano tuning career with no savings, and took me out of the band, or all bands now. Talking on the cell to others causes heightened Tinnitus. I tried getting all kinds of jobs since 2011. In person, online. Nothing. It's the NOW end result of not able to help put money wise that I am mostly regretful for, for all my actions led up to this current situation of being a failure in that respect. BUT, I do get all that you said. So, thank you again, and I will try to keep your slant on things in my head more than not.

Thank you, Everett! I hope all is good with you and family. You're a good man!

John

John, I know a bit about tinnitus, I also have it but not as bad as you. It can get real bad at times. For a period of about two weeks it got so bad that I said "God you have to take this from me" and He did. I still have my old noise but the new noise is gone.

John, music is a language that everyone understands. It can sooth the soul or rouse it up, the listener can make it say to them what they want it to say. I could tell you a few stories how God use my Gospel songs in ways that most people would say it was just coincidence, but with God there is no such thing as coincidence, He is in control. The fact that your song may have prevented a suicide is great, worth putting that song out there. That song said what she needed to hear at that time, be it secular or gospel. Don't give up on life, there may be something else God wants to use you for, just be open to His leading. Music is your passion I know, but sometimes our passion can blind us to other things in life we are meant to do. Keep looking up and looking ahead, the future is unfolding as it should.

John,

Find the right slot and send too little time as well as more than a memory... they are background songs, you're very Beatlesque and both of those songs are solid even if the recordings aren't what you want... it was the best you could do and there's no shame in that!

Brian

Hey Dom, how is the search going?

Brian,

I've been super busy these past few days going through all of the submissions and getting them to the director for review. I hope to get some final decisions on some of the songs by Monday.

There are a couple of songs from JPF members that are being reviewed by the director. It would be nice if at least one makes it into the film.

I just wondered if you needed more stuff... let me know if you have any holes. or are in a pinch and I will try to help you out.

Brian,

Thanks! I should know how many holes I'll still need to fill sometime between today and tomorrow. I'll definitely let you know what the status is then.

Best!

Thank you, Brian! I have found many such "slots" for those and some other songs, that would fit into certain projects. ALL form the last few years wouldn't even send a request return to say , Not Interested, (EXCEPT for one), who was Peter Asher, from Peter and Gordon. Peter three times got back to me in conversation, but explained he could not review anyone's music, book, or anything he would be asked to review. The reason he gave: He is so busy with all he is doing in his Sirius Beatle's station show, ("From Me To You"), and all esle in touring, and family time, that he simply wouldn't be unfair to others if he reviewed anything for one person. I of course accepted that reason, and we continued to talk Beatles and other related topics. He, like Sir George Martin, who as you know from our Regent Theater Showcase, wrote back to me explaining why he also couldn't listen to anymore songs from anybody, (minus Paul and Ringo, of course).

But the hundreds of TRIES by me in requests emails? As John Candy said in the "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" movie while siting in his burnt out car, "No, Not A One"!).

Seems many if not all maybe have their close network of composers and such that they call on. I know first hand how our Sony Pictures/ASCAP selected score for the Top Indie Scores In The USA was suddenly scrubbed by a student director at Regent University, (another Regent), JUST from her later wanting her best friend to ONLY play flute through the entire short film, ("Confined By Silence"). Even the Head Professor of that department said to me on the phone, "We have to let our students even make mistakes on their own". That professor knew what I created and played. he told us to send it to everywhere we could. As you know, Ascap in NY, on behalf of Sony Pictures, called me at home after our late submission was reviewed by Sony Pictures, to still select that score and theme song. They created another spot just for us. (Was supposed to be only 12 winners to score for a Number One Selection AT Sony Pictures in LA, with a NEW score for their orchestra to play under my conducting). We were the lucky 13th! Right? Ha! Unlucky in a way, it seemed. WAS our best shot of becoming insider composers, to maybe then have a chance for real challenging WORK. Couldn't afford to go to LA for two weeks. Tried to raise money in three weeks to pay for flight, room and food for two weeks, while loosing two weeks of day job pay. Credit cards were already beyond maxed from all kinds of music gear and other trips and such. Our Wives still said to GO if we got any funds to pay for what was needed to get there and eat and sleep. Buddy and I still get a, "THAT was our real chance" feeling when talking about our days of TRYING.

So, I HAVE tried many, many avenues for those two songs, and others, when I saw fit to try this and that. Just that NO ONE except Peter Asher and Sir George Martin got back to me. I even LIKED their No's! At least we heard why. Same goes for our JPF Dominique. He didn't have to explain here, yet he took the time to do that. NOT others, other than the two I mentioned. Seems not too many kind people are in the music business. How long does it take to reply, Go AWAY!?

Brian, I am in process of TRYING to retire such tries anymore. How many non replies and such can one want to keep happening after 40 years? I played the Spectrum in Philly on a nine foot Steinway with The Philadelphia Orchestra with the band I was in. I played with Chuck Berry. Played The Kimmel Center in Philly on organ by being asked by Mike McCourt on behalf of Jerry Blavet, the show's producer. (An Oldies Review, with the old Frank Sinatra's horn section, (with who my friend, Jimmy Calore played trumpet WITH them! I won the ears of Springsteen's producer, Mike Appel, for playing many instruments for most of the parts on 7 of his songs, for which I only heard right before me saying, "Lets Record Everything" as I learn the song while trying things on piano first. I got so used to knowing what was coming next, I sometimes tracked parts while hearing the song for the first time. And NOW? I can't get work of any kind? For a few years now of constantly trying? Is why when I turned 65 two weeks ago, I thought, I now rather just play as a casual hobby, and not try to demand being heard or to be tried out. Again, NO ONE replied to even say "Go Away"! lol

Oil Well, this was deep!

Thanks again for being such a great supporter, and in my corner. Much appreciated! Wish you were also a working producer! LOL And not one that BS's much of the time.

Onwards and Upwards, DESPITE! (we ALL have to, right?)

John

Still no decisions made yet by the director. A lot of songs are being reviewed and I know he's being very particular so it may be a few more days.

No specific song titles mentioned but the director did say, "A lot of these actually work really well and I think will be excellent additions to the film..

Hopefully I'll know something definitive in the next few days.

Hi Dominique, are you guys looking for tracks, or songs?

I have some 50's stuff with not a lot of recording polish, but they are solid songs.

I'm guessing it's about the recordings right?

They do need to be on the "polished" side. All the songs are heard prominently through out the film. Even the background music at the various house parties are played prominently and then lowered to a background level.

That's really important to know and understand... stuff used quietly in the background have far more leeway than any song starting at full or near full levels then faded. Did you mention that in the submission process? Just curious as we need to teach folks what level of quality might work for various opportunities. I've heard some shockingly poor quality pieces licensed for indie film for quiet background spots.

Brian,

It is an important bit of information to know. However, I didn't not make that distinction in the original posting because even the background cues are played at high levels and lower levels throughout the scene. It would not work if the song was not "polished" as the quality would have been obvious at all of the higher levels and even when they are not at the highest levels.

For example, Cue #11, "Tighten Up," It starts off at a high level and continues until the dialogue starts and the levels are dropped to make it appear as just background music. Then there's few seconds of no dialogue and the levels are raised to about half of the highest level. Then we cut to the kitchen and the level is at its lowest with some echo/reverb effect added to give the impression that the music is coming from another room. Then as the scene ends the levels are raised just a bit. This one had to be well polished.

The only song that is never at a high level is Cue #24, "Dreamt," and that cue has been closed to submissions almost since the beginning. It is totally a low volume level cue.

I had a scene in a past film where we were looking specifically for songs that were not fully produced, i.e., scratch demos, because it was supposed to sound like the kids in the band in the garage where playing the song. The demo sounding songs that came in were still of pretty good quality but not that mastered sound.

There are times when these unpolished tracks are necessary.

Hi Dom:

I know you are busy but wanted to let you know I'm pleased you may have found some fertile ground here at JPF for your segment of the film industry. Glad to know Brian has taken a personal interest. Here's wishing you and our JPF contributors success in finding the right score for the right film. ----Dave

Dave,

Thanks! As a former songwriter myself, I know how it feels to want to have some success with your songwriting craft. Since I am in a position that allows me to get music to a director and ultimately placed in a film, I want to give the JPF members a chance.

For years I have followed the formula that most music supervisors follow which is to utilize trust and well established music reps. Then I expanded to independent artists that I was familiar with or came by good recommendations.

What I've learned along the way is many independent songwriters can (and many want to) learn how to become one of those trusted and recommendable music sources. So, one of my goals is to post film placement opportunities here and use these opportunities be the catalyst for learning.

When I use the term "trusted," I'm talking about working and accepting music from independent songwriters who understand the business of licensing music.

What I encourage everyone here to do is ask questions about all of this. There is the Mentoring Forum so lets have several Q&As there on the topic of all things Music in Film.

So, thank you again Dave and I look forward to the next placement opportunity (which might be music for a horror film).

There is no update from the director on the music for this project. Some of the urgency has eased off due to the film not being selected into SXSW.

There is still the need to finalize the music in time for the festival that the film did get selected into that starts in April. I hate that I can't reveal which festival it is yet. I have to wait until the festival makes their official public announcement.

I will let those JPF members that submitted their music for this film know if any of their songs made the final cut.

Things are moving but no final selections yet. I was just informed that the production has hired a sound/music editor so things are getting closer. I know that the director is really taking his time to listen to all the songs so that he can make the best selections for the film.

Again, I will let you guys know if any of your songs have been selected. We can then start the licensing phase.

Are you confident you have enough quality songs for every cue?

Brian,

I am confident that I don't have enough quality songs at this point in the process. I am also very confident that a large number of songs are excellent and a great fit for their respective scenes.

There have been submissions for all 27 temp cues. A rough count of songs submitted is about 800 songs. After filtering out songs that were nowhere near the requirements outlined in the music brief, the director received about 650 songs to review. In my creative opinion, there are some songs that, despite being great songs, are not a perfect fit for the scene. However, I'm letting the director review all of the submissions and then he'll let me know which songs he wants to move forward with and which cues still need to be replaced.

Once I know which cues still need to be replaced, I'll know which cues to include in the new music brief for the 2nd round of submissions.

One thing that I've learned over the years is to give a director many choices for each scene. This tends to help break the "temp love" for the cues that are currently in the film. It also opens up the creative thinking that can help me get a better description of what he/she wants for each scene. They can tell me which songs don't work and which ones could work and that sets up parameters for me to use to better filter the new submissions.

I'm looking forward to the next round and I will let everyone know when that time comes.

"So, thank you again Dave and I look forward to the next placement opportunity (which might be music for a horror film).

Did you say "horror film" Dominique? my favorite genre.

John

John,

It's actually a comedy about a horror film. Still waiting on the green light from the director. I'm not totally sure as to what director we will take this but once he and I have our creative meeting, I'll have the details.

Best!