It’s important. We can all agree on that. It can even elevate your project to another level of engagement. But how do you go about getting that perfect score for your project? Well, you start with the composer, of course.

Here are composer Jongnic Bontemps’ suggestions for how you go about finding a composer to work with.

We have many more videos with Jongnic on the way, so be sure to check back often. Or even better, subscribe to our newsletter and/or YouTube channel and we’ll let you know when the next one is online.

There is a kind of intimacy when singing harmony with another person that you don’t get anywhere else. You can go into a kind of trance together – a sort of meditation or a haze with nothing but vibration between you – and then when it’s over, you open your eyes and the world comes rushing back. Sometimes it makes you laugh and have this feeling of sharing something you can’t really explain with words. I think this is common for singers – at least it was for me – and I wanted to see if there was a way for us to capture that feeling in story and music. – Joe Crump, Director of The Storyteller

What would The Wizard of Oz be like without Judy Garland’s “Somewhere Over the Rainbow?” Can you imagine Star Wars or Indiana Jones without John Williams’s heart-lifting score? Music adds personality and communicates emotions that the characters are feeling in ways words cannot.   It can also transcend the story and connect the audience to your theme in such a way that every time they hear your film’s music, they feel the emotions from that moment in your film.

Does this classic music movie moment make you want to dance?

The music is integral to the story. In fact, much of the story is told visually while the music plays. Our goal was not to make a musical, but to use music as a part of these characters personality and lives. You can’t separate the music from this film without having a radically different, and I think, less interesting film. – Director Joe Crump on the music of The Storyteller

So now that we understand the power of music in film, let’s discuss where and how you can acquire your film’s soundtrack.

There are two main sources for acquiring music: Music Libraries, similar to the Stock Footage Libraries discussed in our previous article and/or composing an original soundtrack.

When working from a music library, the Editor/Assistant Editor, Filmmaker and or the Music Supervisor will search for a particular type of music, download a sample the Editor can then place in your edit. If you decide you’d like to license that piece of music, you would report the name of the track, the duration for which you’re using it, it’s composer and copyright information to the Music Library in order to complete the license. All of this information would be complied on a Music Cue Sheet.

There are benefits to licensing music from a library. You can often negotiate a deal; depending on how many songs (or total duration) is going to be licensed. This type of music licensing is particularly helpful when the budget is low. The negative is that you are searching for something to fit your project after it has been shot, rather than commissioning music that can grow and adapt with your project.

The other option when it comes to music is to commission its creation in tandem with the filmmaking process. This means that the music will be designed specifically for your film and you can/will work with the composer to create a unique song or instrumental piece that merges into your unique film. This is the process that The Storyteller is involved with now.

We kept writing lyrics and snippets of lyrics – never quite finding exactly what we wanted, but skirting around it all. Our hope is that the material we wrote will work as a guide and make it easier for a composer to capture what we were trying to do. – Director Joe Crump on The Storyteller’s song search. 

So now that you’ve found the music you want in your film, let’s go over how to license it. Believe it or not, when you’re acquiring music/songs, it’s not a one-stop shop. There are two key definitions to know: score music licensing and sync licensing.

Score Music Licensing basically is the actions of acquiring the appropriate licenses and copyrights for the music that you want to be in your film – your score. Whether this music is from a library, a pop hit or specially composed for your film, you still need to legally acquire your score.

The search for music, shaping of your score and acquiring the licenses is typically done by a Music Supervisor. It’s their job to bring together the musical tone of your film, but also to make sure the legal paperwork is in order, so you can safely use the music the way you want to. Though it can be a very technical job, their work starts in the creative. They sit and talk with the filmmaker about how music will play into the overall emotion of the piece. They also look over the script and determine how much music the film is going to need. Both of these things give the Music Supervisor an idea of what kind of music or composer they should be looking for, as well as what kind of budget is needed. Once a song or piece of music has been selected, the next step is obtaining the sync license.

Sync licensing refers to a music synchronization license. This is a license that “allows the holder to ‘sync’ music to some kind of media output.” Basically, it enables you to add the music to your film. It also means that you can re-record that song for your film, i.e: you can create a special version of that song for your film and then edit it into said film. It’s important to note that this license covers a specific period of time and how the song can be used. This license is a one-time fee – meaning that you do not have to re-acquire the license every time the film is viewed.

So you have your song, you know you need a sync license, but who do you go to get it? That would typically be the music publisher. They are the ones that you (and your Music Supervisor) will negotiate the fee with. Keep in mind that in some cases you may want to license a song or a piece of music that is not represented by a publisher. In that case you would have to negotiate directly with the composer or in some cases a record label.

Question, Heather: I want to license the original recording of a Beatles song, do I only need a sync license? The answer is (sadly) no. If you want to use a specific version of a song, then you also need to acquire a master recording license from the owner of the master (this could be either the artist or the record label.).

Learn from the people that do the job. Check out this very informative Q&A with actual Music Supervisors.

A key part of the Music Supervisor’s job when licensing the music is dealing with the copyright. A music copyright is divided into two parts: the publisher’s share and the composer’s share.

Think of the composer’s share like this: When a composer or song writer composes a piece of music, like the writer of a film, they are the author of that music. This means that, even though the company that publishes the music may change over time, that composer will always own part of the music.

The publisher’s share is the part of the song that can be licensed. When a publishing company obtains the song/music from the composer, they are also obtaining the copyright for the song. This copyright is the publisher’s share. When the music is licensed, you are obtaining it through the publisher’s share but the composer will also get paid because he/she always owns a share of the music.

It’s important to note that no writer or film needs to limit itself to ONE type of music. If your character suddenly bursts into an original song, commissioning music is the best option. Then, if later in the story there’s a high-speed chase, a thrilling compassion might be appropriate. If the story ends with every character dancing to “In Your Eyes,” licensing is the way to go.   Your film’s music is only limited by your story, which is only limited by your imagination. As such, it’s important to look at ALL types of music licensing!

In addition to our song search, we are looking at all of these [commissioning and licensing music] things and talking to everyone we know. It is our hope to find the right person or people for the job soon since it’s such a vital part of this story and it all has to be in place before we start shooting. – Director Joe Crump on bringing all the music together in The Storyteller

Join us next time in The Storyteller series when we explore Financing – Making A Film With Your Own Money Or With Financial Backing? Pitfalls, what to do and what not to do! Until then… here’s the trailer to an Oscar winning movie about one of the greatest composers ever!

As you’ll see, this is particularly important to know if your script calls for a character writing a song or playing in a band, but also if you need a song with lyrics or a melody specifically tailored to a certain scene. For example, in The Storyteller – the feature film for which we’re currently conducting (pardon the pun) a song search – music is an integral part of the story and several characters are singing and playing a song, which will be written specifically for the film.

Jongnic is a Los Angeles-based composer who has worked on anything from feature films to TV episodes to trailers to commercials to short form webseries. And no matter the medium, he approaches the project with the same level of respect, knowing that the music will have a profound impact on the viewer’s connection to the visuals.

We have many more videos with Jongnic on the way, so be sure to check back often. Or even better, subscribe to our newsletter and/or YouTube channel and we’ll let you know when the next one is online.

Before jumping right in, however, it’s important to note that there are two different kinds of licensing to know about; the license you need to acquire for the original score you’re commissioning and the so-called sync license, which is what you need when you wish to use a song in your film. In simple terms, think of the score as the emotional string arrangements you hear as the film’s climax is approaching, while the synced song is Wayne and Garth singing along to Bohemian Rhapsody.

To explain the two different approaches to licensing, please welcome LA-based composer Jongnic Bontemps:

We have many more videos with Jongnic on the way, so be sure to check back often. Or even better, subscribe to our newsletter and/or YouTube channel and we’ll let you know when the next one is online.

Jongnic is a Los Angeles-based composer who has worked on anything from feature films to TV episodes to trailers to commercials to short form webseries. And no matter the medium, he approaches the project with the same level of respect, knowing that the music will have a profound impact on the viewer’s connection to the visuals.

We have many more videos with Jongnic on the way, so be sure to check back often. Or even better, subscribe to our newsletter and/or YouTube channel and we’ll let you know when the next one is online.

*** THE PRODUCERS ARE CURRENTLY GOING ALL THE SUBMISSIONS – WE WILL BE ANNOUNCING ROUND 2 AS SOON AS POSSIBLE ***

The Storyteller logline: A young girl claiming to be immortal unites an unlikely family as she explores a world teeming with magic to escape the traumas of a dark past.

For inspiration, think of this film as Finding Neverland meets Once, and give these two songs a listen, so you know what we’re going for:

Bastion – Build that Wall

Scott Ainslie – Wayfaring Stranger

The music in this film serves as the glue that brings all of our main characters together. The story follows several people who have lost or repressed parts of themselves, and explores how they find their way back into authentic relationships with themselves and each other through music. The music in the film parallels the journey of the characters. It builds and grows as the relationships do, and we want it to be a simple acoustic arrangement that builds as the film progresses. A melody line that will pluck at the audiences heart strings, and speak to the softening and opening up of each character. The majority of the music will be sung by a 17 year old girl, accompanied by her music teacher on harmonies and acoustic guitar.

Now, this is what we need from you:

Send us one or two of your original songs in the bluegrass/folk style that you think best show off your songwriting abilities and musicianship. Songs you could see fitting into this film’s soundtrack based on the description and references above. These can be songs you’ve already written and recorded – no need to write anything specifically for us just yet.

We are especially interested in hearing songs with strong and (for lack of a better word) complex guitar parts, haunting and unusual arrangements, emotional melody lines and powerful lyrics.

Upload your submission via the form below.

And this is how we’ll be searching for the perfect song:

After we have reviewed all of the Round 1 submissions, we will announce a list of Round 2 selections on the site.

The Round 2 selections will each be granted a $50 stipend to submit a new demo of an original song incorporating lyrics and themes from the script. The producers will email all Round 2 selections with detailed instructions for submitting an original demo, to be written, recorded and submitted within one month.

After reviewing all of the Round 2 submissions, production will select and meet with one or two songwriters to discuss collaboration on the music for the film. Song contributions that end up in the film will be compensated accordingly and as agreed upon before a finished recording is submitted.

Even if your songs are not chosen as a Round 1 or Round 2 selection, we may – with your permission, of course – post your entry on the site and are happy to facilitate any contact between you and readers who may want to employ your songwriting services for their own projects.

*** THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING YOUR ROUND 1 ENTRY WAS OCTOBER 1st AT MIDNIGHT (PST) ***

Be sure to visit our media partner Ear To The Ground – keeping you in the know of all things folk, americana, bluegrass, indie rock and more. Inspiration is out there!

Good luck!

Gabe continues to work on films as both an actor, writer, producer, director, and composer.

For many directors, music is the last thing that they think about and it is perhaps one of the areas that many directors know the least about. And that’s fine, especially since that’s why you are ideally working with someone that knows a great deal about music.

Just a few months ago, I scored a short film that a friend of mine had directed. My friend is an excellent filmmaker, but unfortunately he doesn’t know much about music. We had ended up wasting a lot of time in post-production because he wasn’t sure how to let me know exactly what it was that he wanted. As a composer, there are certain things that we want/need to hear from our director – and I’m not just talking about getting a good job and a pat on the back.

Give a frame of reference

Before your collaborator begins recording your score, you should hear yourself say the words: “The kind of style I’m going for is…”

And please be as specific as possible. If you want dissonant anxiety-inducing music and you don’t let your composer know what that means to you, you could end up with the most lovely sounding piano ballad you’ve ever heard. A good way to let your composer know what you want, is to show them some music for reference. This could either be from a particular band or artist that you think matches the tone of the film or it could be soundtracks from other films that you like. After this conversation, it might be a good time to have a spotting session. For those who may not know, a spotting session is when the director and composer sit down together and watch your fully edited film in order to figure out where the musical cues should be. As a side note, just because there’s room in the edit for a score, it does not mean you have to fill every second of your film with music. Silence can be just as powerful.

Provide honest feedback – and return with constructive criticism

When your composer gives you something that isn’t quite working, you should always offer honest feedback – and more importantly explain what you would like to change and why.

It is inevitable. Sometimes the music just doesn’t sound quite right. For a composer, there is nothing worse than spending endless hours crafting your music only for the director to simply say “This isn’t working, try again” and have that be the end of the conversation. When giving out any kind of criticism, I believe that it helps to start with what you liked about their music and then go into what needs to be changed. It can be difficult to critique music if you are not a musician, which is why the best way to go is to try to direct them by talking about the mood that you are trying to capture using words like gentler, busier, bigger, or more aggressive.

Give space

When your collaborator is working on new music, you should let him do just that. Work on it.

Nobody likes working with someone constantly hovering over their shoulder, so unless you are helping them in some way, you need to let them work. As a fellow artist, this should be understood. You wouldn’t want someone who may or may not know what they’re talking about telling you how to do your job. If you hired this individual, then you must trust in them enough to get the job done.

On a final note, saying good job with a pat on the back is also appreciated.