A good publisher will already have established relationships with supervisors. Since the focus of a music publisher is on getting music placed and not creating music, they obviously have a lot more time to develop the relationships and connections necessary to get music licensed. Of course publishers work for all or a piece of the publishing royalties a song generates, so be prepared to give up this piece of your performance royalty if you sign with a publisher.
There are no rules, per se, against songwriters working directly with music supervisors and it certainly happens, but depending on the supervisor in question it can be much harder to get your music listened to this way. Supervisors tend to like to get music from sources they know and trust and this is where music publishers come in.
So, to sum up, you can get your music licensed either through an established publisher or by directly through music supervisors. I would suggest that if you're new to licensing that you start by focusing on music publishers. They are usually easier to get in touch with and are more receptive to hearing music from unknown artists. But with that said, I would also make an effort to reach out to music supervisors. They most likely won't be as receptive, generally speaking. But if your music is a good fit stylistically some supervisors wil be open to hearing your music and since you'll retain all of your publishing and sync fees when you license music this way, it's worth digging a little deeper to find about opportunities that exist.
Want more great information on how to make money by licensing your songs in TV and Films? Check out my program,
The A To Z Of Music Licensing. This program is an in depth multimedia program that explains in step by step detail how to license your music in Film and Television. Recently updated with even more content, The A To Z Of Music Licensing includes:
- A Songwriter's Guide To Music Licensing Ebook
-2011 TV And Film Music Business Directory
- How To Audio Program
-Three Audio Interviews With Music Licensing Professionals
-Sample Licensing Contracts
-How To Form A Publishing Company Audio Program
-And more...
Already have a good grasp on how the music licensing business works? The 2011 TV and Film Music Business Directory is also available by itself:
