BRITISH ARTISTS & COMPOSERS ON MUSIC EXPORTS DRIVE TO HOLLYWOOD

23 May 2016 - Press release

Musicians attending BPI, MPA & UKTI Sync Mission to Los Angeles to be supported with Arts Council England Funding
Selected artists and composers to take part in private showcase and pitching panel with Hollywood executives

In a continued bid to drive exports of British music in the US, nine English-based artists and composers have been hand-picked to receive Arts Council England funding that will support private performances and pitching sessions to top media executives in Hollywood next month.  

The artists and composers will join more than 40 independent record labels, music publishers and songwriters as they embark on the Sync Licensing Mission to Los Angeles, organised by BPI, the Music Publishers Association and UK Trade and Investment.  

Five composers will receive £1000 to facilitate the production of a piece of music in response to a brief issued for one of Hollywood’s forthcoming movie releases; whilst four emerging acts have been selected to receive £5000 to help cover the costs of travelling to and performing in Los Angeles before an audience of music supervisors looking for music for forthcoming movies, TV programmes, video games, adverts and trailers.

The 12th annual mission will be hosted in the iconic Capitol Records Building from Monday 13th June to Friday 17th June. Throughout the week, delegates will network with, hear from and pitch to some of LA’s most successful media and advertising executives and will be honoured with a VIP reception at the Residence of the British Consul General, Chris O’Connor.

The successful artists receiving funding to perform at the Mission’s first ever industry showcase are:
C Duncan (Brighton)
Jones (London)
Lonelady (Manchester)
Stealth (Birmingham)
The composers that have been selected to pitch a piece of music are:
AIM (Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria)
Neil Davidge (Bristol)
Oly Ralfe (Oxford)
Richard Anthony Jay (Salisbury)
Samuel Clarke (Surrey)
Commenting on the opportunity to take part in the showcase, Birmingham-based Stealth said:

“I have seen first-hand the power of a good sync when my track ‘Judgement Day’ made its way on to the American TV show, Suits, and the effect it has had is phenomenal. So being able to perform for some of the biggest music supervisors in Film, TV and Gaming in their own back yard is a huge opportunity that I'm incredibly honoured to be given and I intend on making the most of it.”

Bristol-based composer, Neil Davidge, who has written music scores for Clash of the Titans and Halo 4, collaborated with Snoop Dogg and has a long working relationship with Massive Attack, added:

“I’m very happy to be a part of this great BPI/MPA/UKTI initiative which affords British music and British composers an opportunity to engage in a direct way with the great and the good of the US sync and music supervision community. There’s no stronger an emotional statement than when music and image are perfectly combined in purpose. I’m very much looking forward to it and huge thanks again to the BPI for pushing British music to the front of the line.”

Helen Sprott, Director of Music at Arts Council England, said,

“The Arts Council is delighted to see this outstanding cohort of English songwriters and composers join the respected LA Sync Mission to showcase their work in this market for the first time. This strategic project allows a true diversity of music makers to explore their export potential, build new relationships and get a head start in the challenging but rewarding world of film, TV and games. The project makes a strong contribution to Arts Council's strategic objectives, supporting talent and career development for individual artists, sustainable market growth and resilience, and the broader creative industries.”

A number of variables were considered when selecting each artist or composer, including album and single sales, digital footprint and social media engagement, playlist success, press coverage, and overseas profile or experience.