Film and TV
Composer Hildur Guðnadóttir Finds The Humanity In Joker (NPR)
Composer Hildur Guðnadóttir has a few things in common with the character. She smiles and laughs a lot, and there’s also a darkness inside of her. But instead of violence, the Icelandic cellist-composer expresses her darkness through music.
Joker soundtrack: every song featured in the new film (Radio Times).
Songs from Frank Sinatra, Cream and Joy Division feature in the Batman prequel.
Exquisitely Criminal Production Music: A Q&A with CrimeSonics Founder Dan Brown Jr (Synchblog)
We chat to composer Dan Brown Jr, founder and creative director of CrimeSonics, the production music library redefining the sound of crime TV.
Amanda Krieg Thomas Helps You Get In Sync With Music Supervisors, Part I (Tunefind)
Music supervisor Amanda Krieg Thomas shares insider tips on how to give your music the best chance of landing a sync placement on a TV show or movie.
Top TV Song Last Week: September 23rd – You Were Right by RÜFÜS DU SOL| September 30th – Memorized by Blake Stadnik (Tunefind)
The last two weeks have seen tracks from Ballers and This Is Us top the popular songs list.
Film & TV Composer Spotlight: Trevor Gureckis (Pop Disciple)
Emergent composer and co-creator of New York-based artist collective, Found Objects discusses what he learned from apprenticing for Philip Glass, how he conveyed the grandiosity of Donna Tartt’s Pulitzer Prize-winning tome in his work on The Goldfinch & more.
Last Christmas Soundtrack to Feature Never-Before-Heard George Michael Song (Billboard)
It will be a Last Christmas to remember, thanks to the hit-packed soundtrack to the upcoming Emilia Clarke/Henry Golding movie inspired by the music of George Michael and Wham!
The Music of Ryan Murphy: How Collaboration Creates Soundtracks for Pose, The Politican, AHS (Variety)
Benjamin Franklin believed that only two things were certain in life — death and taxes — but longtime Ryan Murphy collaborator and recently elevated president of Ryan Murphy Productions Alexis Martin Woodall begs to differ. It’s all about music and smells in her estimation.
How Labrinth Created the Perfect Soundtrack for HBO’s Euphoria (Rolling Stone)
The singer-songwriter-producer on growing up in very full house, mashing up genres, and capturing the “semi-magical but semi-crazy and semi-psychotic” feeling of your teenage years in his music.
We’re Going To The Catskills! – A discussion with two-time Emmy winner, Robin Urdang (GMS UK & Europe)
Following her exciting Emmy win, we caught up with Robin Urdang who was happy to answer a few of our questions based around her work on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel!
How to be wildly successful at licensing your songs to TV, film, and ads (DIY Musician)
The 3 things you can do right now to increase your chances of getting your music licensed for sync.
Frozen 2 soundtrack: Could it be a Q4 blockbuster? (Music Week)
Walt Disney Records/UMC has now revealed details of the soundtrack for the sequel. It is released on November 15, ahead of the film on November 22. The soundtrack features seven original songs from Oscar- and Grammy-winning Frozen songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez.
An Insight into the Music Supervision work on Feature Film, Judy (GMS UK & Europe)
As music is an integral part of this film, the guild caught up with music supervisors, Karen Elliott and Becky Bentham that co-ordinated and revived the voice that once lit up the silver screen. We asked them both a few questions to get a better understanding of their work and process throughout the pre and post-production of Judy.
Why do so few TV series use local music in their soundtracks? (The Economist)
There is a reason so much music by Bostonian bands features in City on a Hill, a new crime series. “It’s more than a show that takes place in Boston,” Chris Tergesen, the music supervisor, says. “It’s about what was happening to the city, so it helps to keep it localised.”
Bruce Springsteen Announces Western Stars Film Soundtrack (Rolling Stone)
Film’s companion album features intimate live renditions of new LP’s tracks, rousing cover of Glen Campbell’s “Rhinestone Cowboy”.
The Best Music Moments on TV This Year (Paste Magazine)
From all-star music supervision that pairs the perfect song with the most emotional scene to hilarious satires and original numbers, these are all TV events that have stayed with us long after the season finale. Enjoy a dozen of 2019’s best music moments on TV, ranked.
Gaming
Major Lazer, Khalid, Alan Walker & More to Appear on the Soundtrack for Death Stranding (Billboard)
The hotly anticipated video game Death Stranding is now also coming with an equally fiery soundtrack. In conjunction with the game’s forthcoming release will be a soundtrack stacked with original music from Major Lazer and Khalid, Au/Ra & Alan Walker, Bring Me the Horizon, Chvrches and more.
Why Control‘s composer burned a piano to make the game’s haunting music (Inverse)
To capture the paranormal, you have to explore that which is beyond our perception.
How Untitled Goose Game adapted Debussy for its dynamic soundtrack (The Verge)
‘One of the beauties of the game is that nobody’s gonna get the same performance.’
Twitch’s Latest Music Channel Wants to Put Gamers to Sleep (Variety)
Twitch has teamed up with Berlin-based generative music startup Endel for a new channel that aims to lull gamers and other Twitch viewers to sleep. Endel’s new “Insomnia” Twitch channel plays 24 hours of music specifically designed to improve the sleep of its listeners.
WWE 2K20 Soundtrack Details Released Featuring Lil Uzi Vert, Motley Crue, Saweetie And Others (Forbes)
On Monday, 2K unveiled its next layer in pre-release info for WWE 2K20. The 12-song soundtrack was released, and like the entrance songs you hear from WWE Superstars, the collection of tunes is an amalgamation of metal, pop, hip-hop and other genres.
Game Changer: Enter Records Head Gustav Käll on the Future of Esports and Music (Synchblog)
A year on from the launch of Enter Records, we catch up with with label head and Head of Esports at Universal Music Gustav Käll to discuss the future of esports and music.
Advertising
Big Sync’s Dominic Caisley on Finding Great Music for Brands (Muse by CLIO)
Big Sync CEO and co-founder Dominic Caisley gives us insight into the company’s unique working methods, the importance of data and technology in driving their creative process, and the evolution of music supervision and the music-brand relationship.
McCann’s Eric David Johnson on the Power of Music in Storytelling (Muse by CLIO)
Music is the universal language, and Eric David Johnson speaks it fluently. His experience as a DJ and tenure playing bass for an indie band inform his approach at McCann, where’s he’s been svp and integrated music producer for five years.
Songs For Screens: Inside Producer Ariel Rechtshaid’s Commercial Sync Business (Variety)
Rechtshaid, who made his name as a writer/producer for Vampire Weekend, has had his Heavy Duty Projects become a one-stop shop for ad campaigns.
Target’s CMO is turning his attention on audio branding (The Drum)
With Target now firmly back on track to growth, the company’s chief marketing and digital officer, Rick Gomez, is turning his gaze on the more ancillary branding opportunity of audio.
Business
411 Music Group Founder Kristen Agee on Fighting the Indie Fight and the Evolution of Sync (Synchblog)
We chat to 411 Music Group CEO and Founder Kristen Agee about the challenges facing independent music companies, the evolving business of sync and more…
Future 25: Dominic Houston, Head of Music at Netflix (Rolling Stone)
Netflix’s head of music, business and legal affairs is giving old songs new life on the screen.
BMI Ups Key Film/TV Music Exec Doreen Ringer-Ross to Creative Relations VP Role (Variety)
Natalie Baartz has also been brought on as a VP and will work closely with Ringer-Ross and their roster of top composers.
Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group Promotes Spring Aspers to President of Music (Billboard)
Spring Aspers has been promoted to president of music at Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, Sony Pictures Entertainment announced Wednesday (Oct. 2). She will oversee all music-related aspects of the music picture group’s labels, including creative, licensing and publishing, production and promotion.
CD Baby Successfully Places Independent Musicians on TV Shows (Broadway World)
From Korean coffee commercials to Season 3 of Stranger Things<, CD Baby is landing prime placements for its artists that may have serious impact on their careers. Music synchronizations, though still a small fraction of music revenue, are a fast growing part of the music earnings pie.
Jobs
Junior Creative, Sync – BMG (London)
The successful candidate will be responsible for supporting BMG UK’s Sync team in all aspects of servicing their Creative partners, including music supervisors, TV broadcasters, production companies & advertising agencies.
Account Coordinator / Sales Development Representative – APM Music (Los Angeles)
APM Music is the world’s leading creative music house and production music library. They are seeking an Account Coordinator / Sales Development Representative to join their growing team.
For more positions check out our music industry jobs board. To post a listing for free get in touch at jobsboard@synchtank.com.
Events
Music for Screens Summit – October 29th (Los Angeles)
Variety’s Music for Screens Summit hosts the creators and greenlighters behind the entertainment offerings at the intersection of music and visual media. Over 50 industry leaders converge to discuss the changing landscape of screen scoring for TV, film, video games and more.
A2IM SynchUp – October 30th (Los Angeles)
This day will be rich with networking, panels, discussions, and one-on-one meetings. Attended by music supervisors, independent record labels, publishers, DSPs and more, this is a premier private music industry event.
Don’t forget to consult our List of Key Worldwide Music Industry & Sync Events for more conferences.
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