Ninja Tune and Carbon Logic celebrated as AIM Sync Award winners at Global Sync Conference

11 February 2021 - Press release

 

Today, AIM Sync, the global sync conference and marketplace, took place virtually for the second time due to Covid-19. Over 8,000 viewers from 70 countries tuned in to the specialist event, which featured more than 50 music supervisors and sync experts speaking across three virtual arenas throughout the day. The event comes at a time when sync is paramount as one of the ongoing revenue streams for rightsholders while many others have been reduced or cut off completely due to Covid-19. 

Returning after a successful introduction in 2020, the event featured the presentation of the two AIM Sync Awards, 'Independent Sync of the Year' and 'Music Supervisor of the Year' – recognising excellence in the use of independent music in syncs. 'Independent Sync of the Year' is awarded to an independent label or self-releasing artist with the most interesting sync story of the year, and is judged by top music supervisors from The Guild of Music Supervisors, while 'Music Supervisor of the Year' is judged by a panel of sync experts from the AIM community, and awards a supervisor who has excelled in their use of independent music in sync in the last year. 

This year, the awards were presented by AIM's new Chair, Nadia Khan, Founder of Womxn In CTRL and independent music entrepreneur, in her first public appearance in the role. 

Independent Sync of the Year was awarded to Ninja Tune for their placement of 'Witness (1 Hope)' by Roots Manuva in IKEA's advert 'The Hare'. This original advert presented a modern, London-based take on Aesop's 'Hare and Tortoise' fable, with a fitting use of British rap legend Roots Manuva's 'Witness the Fitness'. It was used across Broadcast, TV and online in the UK, and the music supervision company for the project was Theodore Music. 

Emma Middleton, Music Supervisor & Consultant, Rubato Music (and Music Supervisor of the Year winner 2020), commented on the winning sync, saying: "Really impressively, [the track] felt like a fresh take on the - often overdone - sound of 'swagger' that brought a warmth, humour, lightheartedness, relatability and iconic personality to the spot whilst at the same time remaining fresh, modern and gritty." 

 

Music Supervisor of the Year was awarded to the duo Pete Saville and Zoë Ellen Bryant from TV & film music supervision company Carbon Logic. Carbon Logic was launched by Pete Saville in 2007. After taking on his first TV project, 'Excluded' in 2010, Carbon Logic then firmly placed its focus on music supervision. Zoë Ellen Bryant is a Music Supervisor with 20 years' experience who joined the company in 2016. Their recent projects include 'Peaky Blinders' Season 5, 'A Discovery of Witches' and 'I Hate Suzie'. 

 Lynden Campbell, Head of Sync, Domino Publishing Co Ltd, gave a glowing testimonial for Carbon Logic, saying: "Time and time again, Zoë & Pete prove themselves as champions of independent music, and are standout at placing a diversity of music. It always feels like they select the most appropriate songs to tell the story, without undervaluing [them]." 

Opening the conference, AIM CEO Paul Pacifico said: "Whilst many areas of the music business such as live have faced almost total shutdown, the sync market has often represented a lifeline for independent music businesses, over and above sync's normal importance in our landscape. I think today's event is a testament to the resilience of the businesses in the sync community, and the people and teams that have kept things going." 

AIM thanks its Annual Platinum Partners - Amazon Music, Facebook, Merlin and PPL - whose ongoing support makes AIM's annual programme possible. AIM Sync 2021 once again joined forces with The Guild of Music Supervisors, helping to expand the conference's network of expert speakers and placing it at the heart of the music supervision world.