Hey guys, I just wanted to share a success story to hopefully give some inspiration for newcomers to the sync world. I've been at it for about 3 and a half years, and my highest earning track was actually created in the first year. It was also a non-exclusive placement on a Royalty Free site (see they do pay royalties)! The benefit of such a placement was that I got to keep the writer's share and the publisher's share.
Here's what I know about the placement(s).
- It was for a track of mine called "Hawaiian Hula Dance" (admittedly not my best work by any means, as it was probably one of the first 20 tracks I did).
- It was some kind of "Sponsorship" for the channel ITV2 in the UK which played during PM hours.
- Aside from the initial TV run, the track was also used on the radio after the fact.
- The sponsorship lasted for about 5 quarters, with the radio royalties coming a couple quarters after that.
- Overall from my PRO I received over $2,000 from it over the course of 5 quarters! That track alone earned more than everything else combined during that year.
Here is the track on Soundcloud.
Takeaways
- You never know who will be shopping on which library!
- Maintaining the publishing rights will double your earnings
- "Royalty Free" sites do in fact pay backend royalties
- The style and mood of a song can matter more than song quality (though quality is obviously important)
- Tunesat doesn't detect everything (my track and the appropriate channel were both on there, and it was never detected)
- This was not a typical placement for me. More than 90% of my placements come from exclusive libraries. I just happened to hit a stroke of luck early in my career.
Other Tips and Strategies
- Try writing different styles of music. You never know which will be your niche, and which ones are more in demand/less saturated.
- Recycle your earnings! I like to have one bank account dedicated to my royalties. With which, I can purchase new software when needed, new instruments, microphones, etc. Think of it like a business, the investments will make it worth while and will improve your quality and abilities.
- Don't put all your eggs in one basket; diversify your portfolio. Try RF sites, exclusive libraries, major labels, independent libraries, etc. You will learn which is best for you through experimentation.
- Stick with it! This career takes time, but little wins can have a big impact.
What is your highest earning track in your sync journey?
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