This episode grew out of TBL’s itch to offer advice beyond what a Reddit comment thread could hold. In doing so, we decided to launch “Reddit Files” – a series where we plan to bring you TBL’s deep dive on a user question. The episode covers a quick lesson in law, industry talk, and (TBL’s personal favorite) tips and strategy to protect your rights.

This episode is about getting into sync licensing. We start with the basics: what sync licensing actually means, the difference between master and publishing rights, and when you can (and can’t) license your music independently. From there, we move into how sync really works in practice, such as, the kinds of opportunities that exist, where the money tends to come from, and so on.

We also talk through the ecosystem around sync: agencies, platforms, blanket licences, distribution deals, and beatdriven sync models. More importantly, we look at the deal terms to consider, whether you are negotiating directly or signing up with a sync agency.

If you’ve ever wondered whether sync can really work for you, this one should help you think it through with a bit more clarity. And if you’ve got feedback, questions, or topics you want discussed on this medium, you can write to me at [email protected]

Timestamps

00:00:09  Intro: Why You Can’t Ignore Distribution Anymore
00:01:56 Segment 1: Reddit Files: The Sync Question
00:03:52 Segment 2: Sync Basics – What Is Sync and How Does It Work?
00:08:31 Segment 3: Sync Licensing Opportunities: Where Does the Real Money Lie?
00:13:20 Segment 4: Sync Contracts: The Essentials
00:30:25 Segment 5: Conclusion