How to License a Pop Song for $50: Introducing SongFreedom Music Licensing | No Film School

Of course, there are lots of great sites out there that help make the whole music licensing process a whole lot easier and cheaper, but what if you want to use a song written and performed by well-known talent? If you're thinking, "Yeah, I'll just sell my house so I can have "Apologize" by OneRepublic play during my workout montage," you may not have to.

This is the first of a 4-part advertorial series in which we'll be taking a closer look at music licensing with SongFreedom's CEO Matt Thompson as he discusses the most important elements of the process. But more on that in a second!

SongFreedom is a platform that not only simplifies licensing music for filmmakers on a budget, but also has some incredibly popular musicians participating in offering their music on the site. "Who and how much?" We're talking Imagine Dragons, OneRepublic, Colbie Caillat (to name a few) licensing their songs for $49.99 (standard license). No, not $10K -- $49.99.

There are plenty of options that cover pretty much any type of license you'll need. If all you want is to use a song for a wedding video, the Standard License is right up your alley. If you want to go a little bit bigger and include one in your indie film, there's a licensing tier for that, too. To learn more about the different pricing/licensing tiers, head on over to the FAQ section here.

Here are a few videos that showcase songs that are on SongFreedom, like Eugene-native Mat Kearney's "Count on Me". The second piece went viral and was aired on The Today Show and CNN.

Getting your hands on the perfect songs for your projects is so insanely complicated -- especially for those of us without a law degree or the funds to hire a $400/hour attorney. The negotiation process can take months, cost thousands, and offers no guarantees that, in the end, you'll walk away with permission to use the songs you want. SongFreedom allows filmmakers to search, click, and purchase songs right away and right on the platform.

If you're wondering how such a deal can exist, again, we'll be talking with SongFreedom CEO Matt Thompson in the coming months to discuss how he managed to bring this platform to the masses, as well as music licensing as a whole. This is the first of a 4-part series, so be sure to check back later for more. Until then, go check out what SongFreedom has to offer to see if their services are right for you and your project.

Source: SongFreedom

SongFreedom musiclicensing licensing ad music audio library stock

28 Years Later iPhone

Why Did Danny Boyle Shoot ‘28 Years Later’ on an iPhone 15?

Here’s everything we know about the reports of the new ‘28 Years Later’ thriller being shot on an iPhone 15.

Move over, Sean Baker and Steven Soderbergh—Danny Boyle is the latest director to make the bold choice to shoot his latest feature film on an iPhone. Why, you ask? Partly, perhaps, because the team knows it will get them some nice headlines like this one. And partly just because they can.

Whether you love or hate the idea of shooting professional video on iPhones, it’s hard to argue that these latest smartphones aren’t capable of high-end video.

The iPhone 15, which is what Boyle and his team reportedly used for the long-awaited follow-up to the original 28 Days Later in 2002 and its 2007 sequel 28 Weeks Later, in particular, has proven to be a major step forward for Apple and was very much promoted as a filmmaking-capable camera.

Still, as is always the case with these smartphone-shot feature films, there’s more to the story than just the headline here. So let’s explore how Danny Boyle and his team were able to shoot 28 Years Later on an iPhone.

Keep ReadingShow less

Popular

Latest