PANEL - The State of Sync: Presented by Sync Summit

Synchronization continues to be an important source of income and competition has never been more fierce to secure placements. Join us for this discussion with sync music executives on the current condition of the film, tv, advertising, and game sync markets. The recent SAG/AFTRA and Writers Guild of America Strikes caused many music supervisors to shift their production schedules and music searches, resulting in music publishers, labels, and sync companies to shift the music they pitched. This panel will discuss the current needs of the sync market, production cycles, potential trends, the music pitch process, licensing rights and terms you need to know, and most importantly how to make money in this highly competitive area of the industry.

Featured Speakers:

Steven Scharf: President at Steven Scharf Entertainment,  MMF-US Board Member

Over his five-decade-long career in the music industry, Steven Scharf has worked in nearly every aspect of the business. In 1991, after nearly 20 years as an independent record producer and head of A&R at Private Stock Records, he launched his own management and consulting firm, Steven Scharf Entertainment (SSE), in a joint venture with legendary music publisher Freddy Bienstock and later, with Caroline Bienstock at Carlin America, ultimately rising to Sr. V.P. Creative. In addition to signing songwriters, purchasing, and working catalogs, and placing thousands of songs in film, tv, and commercials for Carlin, Steve has managed many highly successful record producers and film composers, as well as licensing indie music to all platforms. In 2019, Steve expanded his company, SSE, to include consulting to the publishing industry with Jamie Records of Philadelphia. Steve is also a founding member of the Music Managers Forum-US.  

Areas of expertise include:

Management of Film/TV Composers & Record Producers

One-Stop Music Licensing

Music Publishing for 27 years

Negotiating deals with writers, film/TV directors/producers, music supervisors

Bryan Hinkley: Owner/Executive Producer at Gratitude Sound

Bryan’s dynamic career in the music industry started with multiple album releases and years of international touring in the punk bands Tree, Gang Green, Clutch, and Never Got Caught. In addition he’s had the titles of tour manager, stage manager, and guitar tech for other artists. After earning a Professional Certificate in Studio Production from Berklee Online while working for a Nashville-based music house, Bryan teamed up with some friends and started Gratitude Sound in 2014.

Since 2014, Gratitude Sound has built a lengthy list of return clients by providing supervision, original music, and licensing for advertising agencies and production companies. Working with a team of composers, established artists, and emerging talent, Bryan is responsible for the daily operations as well as the creative direction at Gratitude Sound. His composition work has been featured in multiple TV commercials, films, and network television shows.

Malik Williams: Owner of Reel Sync Music and Liptunes Music

Malik Williams is an Emmy nominated and platinum selling composer/producer/engineer/educator whose work has appeared in records, film, television shows, and in national advertising campaigns. His successful work as a composer, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist, and his ability to work in many different genres, has made Mr. Williams an in demand producer. Mr. Williams owns and operates Reel Sync Music and Liptunes Music, production and music licensing companies based in Boston, Massachusetts. He’s also a voting GRAMMY member, Co-chair of the Audio Engineering Society (AES), Boston Section and serves on community, educational and DEI committees, including The Secret Society of Black Creatives, The Loop Lab, Project STEP, Governor Healey’s Arts & Culture Policy Advisory Committee (2022) and The City of Boston Office of Arts & Culture advisor.

Credits:
Emmy Nomination: Documentary film, “This Ain’t Normal”
(Composer, Recording Engineer, Music Supervisor, Associate producer)
Boston Music Award, “Producer of the Year – Hip-Hop
Boston Music Award, “Producer of the Year – Pop/R&B

Community / Education / Diversity, Equity and Inclusion:
The Secret Society of Black Creatives - VP, BoD
GRAMMY - Voting Member NY Chapter
Audio Engineering Society (AES) - Co-Chair, Boston Section
Healey/Driscoll, Arts & Culture Policy Advisory Committee (2022)
The Record Co. - Advisory Committee
The Loop Lab - Advisory Board
Shout Syndicate - BoD
Project STEP DEI Task Force - Committee
Project STEP - BoD
Randolph MA DEI Coalition - Co-founder

Moderator: Mark Frieser, CEO at Sync Summit

Mark is an executive and entrepreneur who’s the founder of three companies in the music and tech spaces.  The First, Sync Summit, founded in 2013, is an educational company that through its events, educational courses, listening sessions and thriving online community helps people creating and licensing music for media to connect, create, collaborate, learn and network with and from leading executives   and thought leaders in television, advertising, brands, games, film and interactive media.  His second company, Disconic is a sync agency that represents music from major labels and individual artists from across the world, including over 509% of the Japanese market and significant clients in Korea, Latin America, Europe and North America. His new company, Metavate.ai is developing a new solution to ensure better accuracy and updating of metadata across digital media.