How To Get The Most From Singer-Songwriters

This edition of Producer-Director Music Notes focuses on how to get the most from singer-songwriters. I’m sure it’s no surprise to you that singer-songwriters and visual media narratives have had a healthy and vibrant relationship for several decades now. For example, the James Bond movie franchise has partnered with singer-songwriters for decades, giving us notable songs that transcend the franchise. Live And Let Die has become a rock concert anthem, even though it was written for a movie.

But it isn’t just James Bond. Here are a few huge songs that played important roles in movies: Don’t You Forget About Me (Breakfast Club), Stayin’ Alive (Saturday Night Fever), Streets Of Philadelphia (Philadelphia), The Power Of Love (Back To The Future), Maniac (Flashdance), When Doves Cry (Purple Rain), Kiss From A Rose (Batman Forever), Gangsta’s Paradise (Dangerous Minds). If I tried to list just movies with songs attached, let alone TV shows and video games, that would take up this entire article.

In fact, songs written for visual media, or placed in visual media after being released, often become the sonic signature of the narrative. This is true in TV, movies and video games. For example, people who watch a TV show and hear a song that resonates with them often recall that scene in the show every time they hear the song (think John Cusack holding a boom box over his head blasting out Peter Gabriel’s In Your Eyes). That’s a powerful emotional connection.

Yet, it goes almost without saying that not every song placed in a visual media production, or written specifically for such a production, will produce that powerful emotional connection. This is why it’s so important to get the most from singer-songwriters. This is why the lessons I’m about to share with you matter. The ideas put forward here, by the singer-songwriters I’ve interviewed, could be the difference between a song that becomes the anthem of your story or just another passing soundbite your audience ignores.

To be clear, most of the ideas you’ll encounter in this article are about commissioned original songs written for specific visual media productions. For the most part, these ideas are not about needle-drops, that is, songs that were written for another purpose and then synched to the production. Writing and producing an original song with the primary intent of making that song the emotional center of the story… that is a tall task. It is so much harder to do than most people realize. But the ideas I’ll share here can give you an edge.

Before I introduce the artists and their ideas, I want to remind you of the mission of this newsletter. Producer-Director Music Notes exists to empower creative leaders—producers, directors, showrunners and anyone else responsible for the final cut—to get the most from their music and sound teams. If that sounds like you, the ideas in this article could be game-changing.

Songs placed in visual media often become the sonic signature of the narrative.

?Three Professional Singer-Songwriters

I’m pleased to introduce Amy Ward-Wurst , Tamara Miller and Brianna Shelko . All three songwriters are also vocalists who often, although not always, are the featured singers in the songs they write.

I want you to know that I’ve never done business with Amy, Tamara or Brianna. The perspectives put forward here are uniquely their own. Wherever possible, I have tried to directly quote them. I want to thank all three of them for their time and patience since it took a while to get this article completed. Here is a bit more about each of them.

Amy Ward-Wurst

Singer-songwriter, pianist and producer Amy Ward has a sound influenced by the greatest songwriters in pop, soul, & rock. Amy is able to write in virtually any musical genre, in order to best serve the project she is creating content to be featured in. Putting her heart and passion into crafting original song compositions to appear in TV and Film, Ward has achieved hundreds of placements on Prime Time TV, Day Time TV, Major Motion Pictures, and Independent films. Performance Highlights: Madison Square Garden-NY Knicks & College Basketball events, Shea Stadium-NY Mets, The Kaufman Stadium-KC Royals, Sporting KC, T-Mobile Center-Big 12 Championship Game and opening for the Dave Matthews Band.

Tamara Miller

Tamara Miller is a Los Angeles based Composer, Singer-Songwriter, Producer, and Pianist writing music for film, TV, and multimedia. Growing up in Toronto, Canada, Tamara embarked on her music career with her debut EP, “60 Seconds.” The title track was placed on the popular teen drama series, Degrassi: The Next Generation. Her follow up album, Changing Lanes, continued to make waves on reality shows on MTV.? She started working in the field of production music and has written several albums for APM Music and Warner Chappell Production Music.?

Tamara was honored to compose the original score and sound design for the documentary short film, Finding My Edge (2023). Recognized for her outstanding contribution to sound design, she received the "Outstanding Achievement" Award at Indie Short Fest. Most recently, she was thrilled to have her music featured in a national commercial for Medicare, airing on major networks including NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, OWN, FOX, and Hallmark.? Specializing in piano-driven, introspective and emotional compositions, inspirational & heartfelt singer-songwriter pop songs, she also excels in creating drama and tension cues for true crime shows. She recently composed and collaborated on custom songs for NBC's Las Vegas that were featured opening and closing Season 5 Episode 7.

Before making her way over to Los Angeles, Tamara honed her craft in Austin, Texas. She graced the stage on Fox 7 Austin Morning News and performed at renowned venues like One World Theatre, The Parish, Mozart's, Waterloo Records at Austin Airport. Some of her recent placements include: Tom & Jerry Christmas Promo Trailer (Warner Bros.), Saturday Night Live, The Young and the Restless, Las Vegas (Peacock NBC), TODAY Show, NBC News, Hallmark Christmas Films, The Bachelor, OutDaughtered, WWE, MLB, Fox Sports, Ads for Dignity Health, Pfizer, Medicare. She is a Voting Member of The Recording Academy, The Television Academy, PMA, The SCL, AWFC, AIMP. She is also a Hollywood Media in Music Award Nominee.?

Brianna Shelko?

Brianna Shelko stands at the forefront of the sync songwriting scene, seamlessly blending creativity and business acumen to redefine the landscape of custom white-label songwriting camps. As the driving force behind Level Up Music Productions, she has successfully positioned the company as the go-to destination for bespoke musical compositions, providing an innovative approach to meet the unique needs of libraries, film studios, TV, and beyond.

As the visionary force behind Level Up Music Productions, she has not only written over 20,000 hours’ worth of music but has also crafted more than 500 songs, solidifying her reputation as a prolific and influential figure in the industry.

In a recent accolade that marks a significant milestone in her illustrious career, Brianna clinched her first Hollywood Independent Music Award for the emotive masterpiece, "Praying for the Rain." This recognition serves as a testament to her ability to infuse profound emotion into her compositions, leaving an indelible mark on listeners and industry professionals alike.

At the core of Brianna's success is her commitment to excellence and a relentless pursuit of cutting-edge musical solutions. Leveraging Level Up Music Productions, Brianna has pioneered a model that brings together top-tier songwriters from diverse corners of the globe. This unique collaborative approach not only ensures a rich tapestry of global influences but also enables the creation of music that resonates universally.

The Top Challenges

?To help us understand how to get the most from singer-songwriters, I asked all three two questions:

1. What do creative leaders tend to struggle with when engaging with singer-songwriters?
2. What solutions do you recommend to these challenges?

Here are the top challenges they identified:

1. Gaining alignment on creative direction.
2. Developing a common vision for what’s trying to be achieved.
3. Communicating effectively, especially as the project unfolds.
4. Making the budget work, especially for independent projects.
5. Ensuring the process is clear so everyone knows what to expect.

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Gaining Alignment On Creative Direction

This was a top challenge identified by our singer-songwriters. This is a multi-faceted challenge, but ultimately, it’s about finding effective ways to work with people who have differing skills. Most creative leaders are not musicians or songwriters. It can be tough for creative leaders to understand how to work with, provide creative direction to and collaborate with songwriters, especially if they’ve never done it before.

Amy says: “Sometimes there are too many cooks in the kitchen. This can cause people to not trust their instincts. If I write something and a producer loves it, what happens if a director or composer starts to make changes to it? What happens if a Disney song gets turned into a Chick Corea thing? Too many ears hearing a song and offering input on it, especially when that input is opposed, can be really challenging.”

Tamara says: "We are all creative beings. Songwriters love making art but as artists we also need to keep in mind that writing songs specifically for TV & Film projects is part of the entertainment business. Even if this might be a first-time project for a director, the creative direction will come once everyone is aligned."

Brianna says: “Staying resilient through turbulence is tough for all creatives, but especially for the independent creatives I tend to work with. A lot of people left the industry through this last strike or got wiped out financially. This makes it hard to have creative conversations because there are so many other things on our minds.”

To address this challenge, our singer-songwriters have several recommendations.

Amy says: “Remember why you hired a songwriter in the first place. Remember your initial creative impulse. I think it’s important for creative leaders to trust their instincts. Back your singer-songwriter when other influences seek to change the creative direction.”

Tamara states: “It all comes down to finding a collaborative team that has great chemistry. I recommend that you interview a few singer-songwriters and see who would be best to bring out your vision. Whose music do you absolutely love? Go with your gut! Songwriting is a business, but it's also a beautiful art. You're looking for someone who can seamlessly blend these two.”

Brianna says: “I think it’s important to find your tribe, other artists who can understand what you're going through and who can help you find your creative center. This is an industry of ups-and-downs and we all need a strong center to keep us grounded. The right singer-songwriter not only gets your creative goals, they also know how to help you achieve them.” ?

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Developing A Common Vision

This is a somewhat different challenge than gaining alignment on creative direction, although it’s related. The common-vision challenge has to do with what the song should sound like and how it should impact the audience. It’s also about ensuring you have the right singer-songwriter to achieve that vision.

Tamara says: “As songwriters, we’re all creative and we try to do what's best for the story. But sometimes it can be very challenging to know how to translate someone else’s creative ideas into a song. But that’s what we as songwriters are hired to do. It’s the challenges that make projects interesting and exciting.”

Amy states: " Defining what a singer-songwriter is and what they do seems to trip up a lot of creatives. I find that they’re often looking for a songwriter more than a singer-songwriter. So it’s important to have clarity on this question: are we looking for a songwriter or a singer or really, genuinely, both? This decision impacts so much of what follows during the songwriting and song-production process.”?

This challenge becomes particularly acute when a songwriter believes they’ll be the vocalist on a song they wrote, only to find out later that another vocalist has been selected. This is not only a let-down for the songwriter, it can also impact negatively the final product. If a songwriter knows up front that they’re writing for a specific vocalist, they can research that vocalist’s catalog and write songs that are a great fit for their voice. That can make a big difference to the emotional impact of the song.

To address this challenge, our singer-songwriters offer several ideas.

Tamara states: “The first conversation is everything. Give the songwriter your script. Describe your vision clearly and see if they seem excited about the project. Be clear about what genre will be featured in your project. Communicate clearly about how you intend to use the song, whether featured or background? Involve your songwriter in spotting sessions if they’re available. Describe your characters. Provide footage, if possible, or at least stills. Share your musical preferences with the songwriter and especially any playlists that can help them get started. You could even ask your songwriter to submit three to four 30-second vignettes of songs they feel might work. Your feedback will help them know what you like and what direction you're leaning.”

Amy states: “Get clarity about what you want. Do you want a singer-songwriter, a songwriter, a popular artist or something else? Know what you want. Bringing in sample playlists can really help define what you're trying to achieve and help your singer-songwriter understand your vision. No one wants to waste time. Give your songwriter playlists and ask for their feedback. Ask them for playlists and listen to theirs to see how closely things match.”

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Communicating Effectively

This is a challenge that all three singer-songwriters identified. Music and songwriting are art-forms, which means that there are few, if any, fixed rules for how to do things. When creative leaders communicate effectively with singer-songwriters, they put themselves in the best position to secure the ideal song for their production. But poor communication can hurt those chances. Each songwriter noted a slightly different issue when it comes to communication.

Brianna highlighted gender-bias in an industry still dominated by men, especially at the higher levels of decision-making. She says: “I find that gender bias is still quite real. I can be in a room full of men no older or experienced than me, yet their voice and perspectives are given more credibility than mine… even though I’m the expert in the room when it comes to songwriting and song production. I have attorneys, specialists and advisors, but sometimes I still don't get taken as seriously as the guys on a project.”

Tamara noted challenges related to communicating when things change on a project. Writing music for media often involves tight deadlines. She states: "Sometimes the original vision might change, which is common. That can lead, however, to schedules and budgeting issues that may require a songwriter to produce music in less than half the time they originally thought they had. For instance, an orchestra might now be a quartet."

Amy notes the time challenge when it comes to communication. She says: “Creative leaders are so busy that there's a tendency to leave music out of the loop. Music can be an afterthought. Songwriters sometimes are not getting current information about what's going on, even if it's just an email. That’s tough. But sometimes the lack of information starts at the beginning of the project, especially when creative briefs are too brief or undefined. One-liner briefs are really challenging.”

To address this challenge, the singer-songwriters have a few useful suggestions.

Brianna states: “Look at the person, not the gender. Look at talent, resilience, track record, trusted relationships, awards and the ecosystem of people they surround themselves with. People with a high number of advocates, even if they're not in the room, that's something to pay attention to. Educate yourself about unintended gender biases that you might not even be aware you’re projecting. ?This can be things like facial expressions or not giving equal listening time to a woman. We notice these things and it can hurt our morale, which makes it tough to produce the best possible music.”

Tamara offers several useful ideas: “Give your songwriter as much advance notice as possible when you have to make a change. Don't wait to notify your songwriter. It’s important to tell them why you need to make this change. Be as specific as possible to help set them up for success. I also recommend that you update the deadline and possibly even your revisions clause, which can impact the budget. Many contracts have defined revision limits. When you have to pivot, you might need to expand the revision limits. Discuss this with your songwriter so they don't feel like they're under undue pressure to deliver without additional budgetary support.”

Amy states: “Take more time, especially if you're remote, to communicate about what you want. Everyone I work with is somewhere else. I work with people in LA, London, Sydney and other places. We spend time talking in Zoom calls and I get a chance to read them. Schedule an in-person visit with your songwriter, if possible. Get to know them better. The more lines of open communication, the better things are likely to go.”

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Making The Budget Work

A fourth challenge the singer-songwriters noted has to do with budgets. The democratization of production technologies has made it possible for visual media projects to cost far less than in the past. This has given rise to a new cohort of independent creative leaders with varying degrees of experience. Yet, even among established studios, as other PDMN articles have noted, music budgets are sometimes undersized for the project or absorbed by other departments as the production unfolds. This challenge can be quite perplexing for all involved.

Tamara asks: “How can creative leaders afford the songs they want, especially if they only have small budgets? What do they do when they can't afford the songwriter they want? Some creative leaders might not know where to start this conversation. Far too often, the budget conversation happens after a songwriter is excited to be a part of the project. Depending on where the songwriter is in their career, if there isn’t a decent budget, the songwriter might have to pass on the project. That can be disheartening for all involved.”

Brianna notes two issues when it comes to budgets. She says: “Some creative leaders struggle to understand how much music and songwriting costs. This is especially true for independent creatives who may not be experienced in this area. But the other, and probably bigger challenge, has to do with the state of the industry today. The music-for-synch industry got hit hard during COVID and the strikes that immediately followed. Some people got wiped out financially or had to take on other work until the industry recovered. Sometimes it feels like creative leaders don’t understand how these things impacted us and that many of us still haven’t recovered financially.”

To address this challenge, the singer-songwriters offer several ideas worth considering.

Tamara states: “There are several ways to compensate a songwriter beyond just cash payments. Hold out the promise of future projects. Make sure this is not a false offer, because your songwriters are checking up on you just like you're checking up on them. If you have budget in-hand for a future project, consider offering the songwriter a contract right away. Stringing together a set of projects for independent songwriters can be really challenging. It's nice to have that next project all lined up. There's value in that.”

Tamara continues: “Consider offering promotional exposure that would be equal to a significant dollar amount. For example, you might put their name on a poster, offer credits in film cards or even attendance on press tours. Give your songwriter exposure on your press and promotion. Do a ‘behind the music’ video with them where you, as a creative leader, lend your personal brand to their songwriting process. Interview them and shine a light on their work. This can really help a songwriter.”

Tamara also advises: “Allow for fair ownership of music rights. If you don't have a big budget, I recommend that you allow your songwriter to retain 100% of all music rights. Also, consider an escalating compensation arrangement: festival only versus TV or streaming distribution versus the project achieving certain financial milestones where the songwriter’s compensation increases when the project does better. There are many ways to structure compensation agreements that benefit everyone while also limiting everyone’s risks.”

Brianna states: “Be sympathetic to how industry changes can impact us. Be transparent and conciliatory about the project if things are not going to happen as planned. Try to over communicate about what's likely so we can prepare for it. If a project is likely to be postponed, a couple months of notice can really help us. As the situation begins to improve, communicate in advance so we know what's coming and can be ready when the time is right. Sometimes, we're the last ones to know that a project is back on.”

Brianna further states “Just because you might have a thin budget, that doesn't mean you can't get excellent custom songs crafted for your production. But in that situation, it probably makes sense to sweeten the deal with other things that add value to songwriters, in addition to cash. For instance, you might consider recommending us to your network and maybe even make some introductions. If you have a sizable network of creatives who need singer-songwriter services, that can be valuable for us. However, I don't believe filmmakers should forego cash entirely. Music creators deserve to be paid because music is inherently valuable. Even so, there are many ways to make deals work for everyone. It just requires a bit of negotiation and discussion to come up with something that works for both sides.”

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Ensuring The Process Is Clear

This is the final challenge our singer-songwriters identified. Songwriting usually has to fit within the larger process of the overall project. This is where the wheels can come off the bus unless the process is clear and communication is consistent.

Amy says: “Transparency about the overall process is very important. I like it when creative leaders are factual. I've run into situations where there are a lot of maybes: maybe we’re shooting for the Grammys, maybe a famous artist will be singing the song. Facts are better than speculation. Sticking to a known process usually gets a better result.”

Tamara asks: “How do you source songs with people you trust to get the job done on time, on budget and with the quality you need? It can be challenging to find the right team right from the start. For example, sometimes creative leaders might be looking for a songwriter who may not write in a genre that they are looking for, but they really like the songwriter and want to work with them.”

Brianna says: “I see process challenges pop up when music supervisors are not present to guide the production. Without a music supervisor, things can be tough. Communication with the music team can be sporadic and somewhat chaotic. How many songs does the production need? What kind of songs? How will they budget for them? When can songwriters expect payment and what kind of rights will we retain? Music supervisors really help in communicating with singer-songwriters. But if the production doesn’t know this, things can get chaotic.”

To address this challenge, our singer-songwriters offer several suggestions.

Amy states: “Remember that we're all on the same team. Singer-songwriters need information just like directors of photography, producers, costumers, set designers and others. Be factual. Don't speculate about things that might happen but also might not happen. Be sympathetic to how heartbreaking it can be when things don't ‘land’ as expected, especially when those expectations were based on certain things that were said along the way.”

Tamara states: “Ask the songwriter how they like to work. Come to understand their process and how they approach deadlines, creative feedback and requests for changes. Introduce them to the rest of the creative team. For instance, I was hired to write custom songs for a TV series and really enjoyed the experience because the team and I developed such a strong rapport. Whether we had a meeting on zoom or met for just a fun catch-up… The team always had such positive energy, which in turn reflected in the music. Relationships are number one. Always”

Brianna states: “Bring in a music supervisor early in pre-production. Tell them what you're thinking and get their feedback. They'll help you plan your budget, but they also bring another very valuable resource to the table. I have direct relationships with dozens of music supervisors who bring me to the project when there's a fit. A music supervisor can help you find the best singer-songwriter for your project. They can also ensure that everything that needs to happen on the back-end, like clearance and any concerns about being sued, is handled through them.”

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Wrap Up

Singer-songwriters can enhance and elevate your production with songs that become the emotional center of the story. These songs can have a life outside of your narrative and even help your story become a cultural icon. They might, like Peter Gabriel’s In Your Eyes, help your production have a shelf-life that is much longer than other productions. To achieve this, you need to get the most from singer-songwriters. The ideas that Amy, Brianna and Tamara have shared could bet just what you need.

?Until next time, happy storytelling.

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Randall

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