By David Querzola
London Sync Sessions returns for another year, but this time there’s a twist…
If there’s any Sync Event you should add to the calendar it has to be London Sync Sessions. Now in it’s 3rd year, the event was quick to leave its mark. Hosting over 300 industry professionals from all aspects of the sync industry. Whilst how to’s are a conference standard, Sync Sessions goes above this sparking creative discussion, encouraging debate and addressing issues at the forefront of the industry. Advocating the idea that business is formed from relationships, Sync Sessions holds networking events to establish these relationships that are vital to career progression. Seems like a no brainer right? But just in case there was any doubt in your mind about attending this year’s event is being held in sunny Barcelona, escape the blustery British weather and be inspired by like minded creatives. You know it makes sense.
The UK & European Guild Of Music Supervisors
We’ve teamed up with the 2017 edition of London Sync Sessions, sending five of our members to the conference. Each panelist will give their take on current trends within their specialised areas of visual media. What’s their outlook, predictions and advice for rights-holders? How can you help them to continue producing top level content?
Expect to hear from: Abi Leland (Managing Director at Leland Music), Ian Cooke (Music Supervisor for Amy, Luther and Call The Midwife), Sarah Bridge (Music Supervisor for The Theory Of Everything, Absolutely Fabulous), Duncan Smith (Senior Music Supervisor at Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe), Rupert Hollier (Creative Director of Music Supervision at Metropolis Creative).
The panel will be centred around a piece that L.A. Weekly published exclaiming “TV and Film Music Supervisors Are Killing Real Songwriting”. It stated that “music supervisors, the gatekeepers to music placement (or ‘syncs’) in TV and film, are asking and encouraging songwriters and recording artists to churn out generic, uninspired music with no real message.” With the foundations of our industry built on opinion, preference and subjectiveness, why is it more important than ever to understand the craft of a Supervisor? Are composers, artists and rights-holders changing their musical identity to suit an imaginary mirage of “what is syncable”?
Sync shouldn’t be considered to save your career, or put food indefinitely on the table (unless you wrote Black Skinhead). But, knowing the industry as it stands, and the nuances of trends within matching music to media will stand you in pole position. Supervisors are first and foremost music fans. Hell, half of them will have had a failed career as a musician at some point. The term Music Supervisors seems to have been elevated to an untouchable podium of the deity gatekeepers of the sync heavens. When realistically, they’re music geeks with mild tinnitus.
The state of the industry is this, yes Flo Rida is on that advert you hate, yes David Guetta “DJ’d” at the Euros closing ceremony, and yes “could you make it a tad more Zimmer” is the autocorrect on some film producers iPhones. But do you really think a supervisor jumped at the chance to make that happen, are you changing your musical approach to suit those kinds of sync stereotypes? “Music supervisors work as storytellers, adapting to the unique needs of each project” wise words from supe veteran Thomas Golubic indeed, and it’s true. Ultimately the client makes the decisions.
Each of our panel of supervisors will give their take on current trends within their specialised areas of visual media. What’s their outlook, predictions and advice for rights-holders? How can you help them to continue producing top level content?
This panel is presented in partnership with Coversion, the sync-focused high quality covers catalogue.