Re: My First Forward

PaulThomson · Post by **PaulThomson** » Mon Nov 18, 2013 8:18 am

Hi All,

It's nice to be here for the first time. I'm fairly new.

Recently I received my first forward--a clip for an add agency.

Although I'm reading up and around to educate myself, I'm rather green still and would appreciate any possible advice on: what to anticipate and how to be prepared for the next steps, provided anything actually comes of being forwarded. Should I be registering this clip with my PRO at this time? How will they contact me--if they do--in order to sign a contractual agreement (email/phone/standard mail)? What should I know so I don't appear a complete amateur? etc....

Kindest Regards,

Paul

Tozza · Post by **Tozza** » Mon Nov 18, 2013 11:17 am

Congratulations on the forward.... hopefully it will turn into you needing to know what to do next....but sadly i am pretty new to all of this to so can't help with that!!

PaulThomson · Post by **PaulThomson** » Mon Nov 18, 2013 2:34 pm

Thank you!

bobporri · Post by **bobporri** » Mon Nov 18, 2013 3:42 pm

Congratulations for the forward Paul. You will still have to wait a short time for someone with experience with the wonderful to have "problem" of the next step happening. I've had 4 forwards this year (not a lot), and once that happens it's pretty much a waiting game to see if you are contacted. I haven't been at this point, but I do know it could be days, weeks, months to over a year. If I was up to 20 or 30 forwards and still wasn't hearing anything, I might start having similar questions to yours. I would think that an ad agency looking to fill a specific commercial spot might move comparatively faster than another type of forward, but who knows. I'll take a stab at this part and say that I don't think it is until you get notified that your music is going to get used that you would then contact your PRO to register the song. And with that, I will be watching with you for an answer from someone with some real knowledge about this.

Good for you on the forward and you could luck out your first time.

Bob P.

PaulThomson · Post by **PaulThomson** » Mon Nov 18, 2013 5:45 pm

Thank you for your comments; they help.

shellsings · Post by **shellsings** » Tue Nov 19, 2013 5:38 am

Congrats on your first forward!!! If they contact you it's usually via email. But the biggest piece of advice is to write, submit, forget and repeat. Keep looking at the listings and writing to them. Keep submitting and honing your craft. Don't dwell on the forward and don't try and contact the agency if the name was given to you. You don't have to register it with your PRO right away. You can do that pretty quickly at any time. I hope they contact you!

Congrats again !!!!

VanderBoegh · Post by **VanderBoegh** » Tue Nov 19, 2013 9:03 am

Hey Paul, congratulations! I remember the elated feeling after my first forward. Man, I was walking on air for about a week. Enjoy the moment, but keep writing new stuff.

As for the PRO registration, my experience has shown that the publisher / library will register these works for you once they're signed. So, don't worry about it for now. If someone emails or calls you, you can cross that bridge at that time.

Best of luck,

~~Matt

PaulThomson · Post by **PaulThomson** » Tue Nov 19, 2013 2:59 pm

shellsings and VanderBoegh,

Thank you very much for this advice and wisdom. I shall certainly follow it.

Paul

rdance · Post by **rdance** » Fri Nov 22, 2013 9:48 pm

what shell said, and BIG congrats paul! it's an epic moment in this competitive industry...savor it and write the next one.

cheers

PaulThomson · Post by **PaulThomson** » Thu Nov 28, 2013 5:50 pm

Thank you for the well wishes rdance.