Luxury car Ad - Quick turnaround

[shanegrla]

Here's an exerpt from one of those quick-turnaround listings that I thought I'd get some clarification on something first (emphasis mine). . .

"Global Ad Agency needs INSTRUMENTAL TRACK for LUXURY CAR TV SPOT AND VIDEO. Quoting the Ad Agency, "This will be a very sweet gig if someone lands it. [We're working on] a 50 second sales film and two 30 second TV commercials. We don't have exact numbers [on the fees] but they will look very nice. Needs to be Instrumental. In the style of Muse, Coldplay, Elbow, or The Verve. Needs to have EMOTION, MOMENTUM, 'epic,' A COMBINATION OF SYNTH AND ORGANIC ELEMENTS, a UK/Art Rock sensibility, fade ending, dynamics, and a sense of composition."

Did I read that right? They want a fade ending? Isn't that one of those cardinal sins in the film/tv instrumental world? Just wanted to get some peoples' opinions on this before I go ahead and fade it out. And I wonder how long of a fade they're thinking of?

[Keithm]

was wondering this myself. Especially with such a short song how much do you fade out. I just faded out the last 5 secs or so on my track. I felt dirty doing it.

[rpittelman]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought that was odd. I even re-read the listing like nine times while I was writing my tune to make sure I didn't mis-read it. I'm going to be upset if the pieces that get forwarded don't contain this crucial element.

I had a hard time actually bringing myself to do this "fade out" as they call it. I made sure my piece was 90 secs long before I got to the fade, just so I could rationalize it being ok in my own head.

-Robbie

[shanegrla]

Yeah, I just went ahead and did the fade like they said. But I made sure to have it completely out by 1:30. I remember watching a Taxi TV with CatHerder and he said that's usually what they mean by ":90 long" etc. That it has to be totally over by that time. And that's supposed to include the reverb tail etc. too!

[admin]

Libraries generally want buttoned endings, but ad agencies are having a love affair with bands/singer/songwriter types lately -- even when they're looking for "composed" tracks -- so they think fades make the music sound more artist-like. They keep using the word "authentic" in many of my meetings and conversations with them. They think music sounds like library music if the end is buttoned. They also think it's chic to turn their noses up at library music.

They also don't like tracks that are named, Luxury Car Track 1:30. Again, not chic!

Notice that the verbiage in that listing was written by the head of music at the agency, we didn't write that. So, what you read was EXACTLY what he asked for!

We've had recent cases where TAXI members' music made it all the way through the process and into the final client presentation meetings, and the agency peeps wanted to know if the band/artist had a fanbase.

"Why," you ask? So they could impress their client with how hip and cool the music was based on the band's cool factor. THAT'S why they love TAXI so much lately: "Cool" Indie artists don't put their music in libraries, and TAXI has tons of "cool" filtered artists that aren't from a library.

A little inside info for you loyal forum folks. We got over 600 submissions for that listing! We were surprised by the volume, but handled it in time. 4 different screeners worked on it. 45 tracks were forwarded to the agency -- nice work members! I got an email from the agency guy this morning saying that he loved two of the tracks and they were going into the meeting along with "a handful of tracks from the top composers in the business."

I hope one of our members lands that gig. He told me it will probably pay $60-$70,000.

[cardell]

I hope one of our members lands that gig. He told me it will probably pay $60-$70,000.

Wow!

Stuart

[rpittelman]

A little inside info for you loyal forum folks. We got over 600 submissions for that listing! We were surprised by the volume, but handled it in time. 4 different screeners worked on it. 45 tracks were forwarded to the agency -- nice work members!

45 forwards?!!! Zoinks!

I hope one of our members lands that gig. He told me it will probably pay $60-$70,000.

$60 - $70,000?!!! Double Zoinks!!

[shanegrla]

$60-70,000??? Triple zoinks!! I thought the five digit figure might be like 25k tops, which is good enough for me.

Although I have a bad feeling about this one after hearing what Michael said about some of these guys expecting us to have a fan base. Not exactly my strong suit.

[cardell]

Although I have a bad feeling about this one after hearing what Michael said about some of these guys expecting us to have a fan base. Not exactly my strong suit.

You're giving me an idea

How do you demonstrate that you have (and quantify) a fan base?
Can you make it appear that you have many fans...on the web?

Stuart

[admin]

I wouldn't read too much into the fanbase thing. Think of it as icing on the cake for SOME instances. If they hear a piece they love but there isn't a fanbase, they're not going to pass on it. If they love it AND there is a fanbase, they can tell their client, "This band is the hot thing in the Midwest."

It's not like they're a record label!

Michael