MUSIC IN TELEVISION

Have you seen Michael's new song?

-Excited young fan

For a full understanding of the present chapter, refer to Chapters 5 and 6 (video copyright and licensing), Chapter 8 (video issues in recording contracts), Chapter 16 (promotion, distribution, and retailing), and Chapter 21 (dramatic scoring).

IJ on~ before MTV made "music television" into a corporate brand and pop~"'" culture catchphrase, the two entertainment industry sectors were deeply intertwined. From The Ed Sullivan Show piped into a black-and-white console to Soul Train chugging through a 27-inch color set to American Idol blasting out of a plasma screen HDTV, music has always been part of the broadcasting picture, however fuzzy the image or sharp the sound. It's sometimes the star of the show (on music specials and variety shows, for instance) and often a bit player (piped softly

. into the background during a dramatic scene, perhaps), but it's always there, somewhere, occupying a vital role. Any full discussion of the music business, therefore, must include a look at TV.

Why is it so important? Because for the music industry, the broadcast TV networks, cable networks, and satellite services represent the following:

• A key income source (via licensing royalties for performance rights and commercial uses)

• A prime marketing vehicle (via spotlight. placement in specials, series, and high-profile commercials)

left: Alicia Keys accepts her award for Best R&B Video for the song "If I Ain't Got You" at

the MTV Video Music Awards. .

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376 PART VI * MUSIC IN BROADCASTING AND FILM AND T HEAHR

• A national stage for exposure (via band bookings On talk shows and other entertainment programs)

• A means of selling music directly to a large, mainstream audience (via promotional programming Or commercials bought by labels)

In recent years, the broadcasting arena has also become a populist A&R mechanism- -letting TV audiences select the next record label signing< through malit)' show talent competitions i)l genres including pop, COunhI, and hip-hop. New technology, meamvhile, is opening doors to interactive music programming and direct impulse purchases by "iewers. And the explosive growth of horne theater systems and DVD hardware has created a thriving market for the sale of music video programming designed for home viewing On sets that increaSingly blur the lines between TVs, radios, stereos, and pes.

For its part, the TV industry gels a source of mood-setting background music, as well as high-profile programming fodder that promises to bring in big audiences and key slices of the demographics so cherished by many advertisers-the 18 to 35s.

Although important to both sides, the music industry/TV pairing has not always been without static, and this too is something as old as the broadcast medium itself. Janet Jackson's infamous "wardrobe malfunction" during the 2004 Super Dowl hal&ime sh ow may have sen t shockwaves through the halls of the PCC, bur Elvis Presley, the Beatles, and the Rolling Stones long before her had caused their OWn headaches for TV progmmmers worried about breaching the broadcast standards of the time.

Table 20.i provides a brief timeline of some of the significant moments in the evolution of musk on television. On the fOllOWing pages is a more detailed guide

to common types of music/TV tie-ins past and present, as well as an exploration of the changing broadcasting industry picture, the tedmological shifts in TV hardware and music-themed home video software, and the rise of MTV and the shortform music video format.

* VARIETY AND TALK SHOWS

The music variety show Was one of the most popular types of programming in the fi"t two decides ofN, espedally d udng the 1 95 Os "Golden Age of Television:' after the AFM negotiated a system of new payments from TV producers to musicians. Variety sllows employed live orchestras, backup singers and dancers, arrangers, and the leading stars of the day. "High-culture" performances of classical music, opera, and theater were showcased on all three networks throughout the 19508 and into the 1960s, but high production costs and poor ratings foundered more than one series with high ideals .

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Chapter 20 * Music in Television 377

TABLE 20.1. Historical Development of Music in Television

1936

• first television broadcasts available in London.

19405

• The AfM strengthens control of the music industry by banning live music on TV and prohibiting

, members from recording for television films until 1950.

• Nine stations on the air and fewer than 7,000 television sets in the United States .. Krafl Television Theatre brings Broadway-quality live theater to lV

• The Ed SuI/ivan SlIow debuts and becomes TV's longest-running and most successful variety show.

• Lawrence Welk begins broadcasting performances.

19505

• Variel~' shows, amateur talent shows, and classical performances dominate the "Golden Age of Television."

• Omnibus, hosted by Alistair Cooke, launches to become a revered cultural series and provides inspiration for American public television.

• Classics birthed: Name That Tune, So You Want to Lead a Band, Tile Tonight Show, Musical Chairs

• ABC's Rock 'n' Rolf SholY, hosted by Alan Freed, is the first prime-time network special devoted to rock music .

. 19605

• The networks realize the benefits of producing programming for niche markets and broader appeal.

• ABC's Hootenanny is the first regularly scheduled folk music program on network television,

followed by CBS's Hee Haw.

• 73 million viewers watch the Beetles perform on The Ed Sullivan Show.

• ABC produces The Monkees as an Amercian answer to The Beatles.

• The pubric Broadcasting System debuts.

19705

• A Coca-Cola commercial makes the ad's song "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing" into a worldwide hit.

D Soul Train debuts and is syndicated in 1971.

• TV shows based on musical personalities abound: The Partridge Family, The Sonny & Chet Comedy Hou'_ The Captain & Tennille Show, Donny & Merie Show, and The Jacksons.

• The late-night slot becomes a showcase for musical performers with Midnight Speciel, In Concert, and syndicated Don Kirshner'S Rock Concert and Saturday Night Live

• PBS's Creat Performances series debuts.

19805

• The Black Entertainment Television network debuts; it is later acquired by MTV parent Viacom.

• Chart-based music show Solid Gold debuts in syndication.

e MTV signs on with the Buggies' "Video Killed The Radio Star."

D The Country Music Television network debuts; it is eventually acquired by MTV parent Viacom.

• Pepsi fuels the trend of high-profile music marketing by hiring Michael Jackson as pitchman; his hair famously catches fire during the commercial's production.

.. Viacom targets older music fans with VH1, then launches the European version of MTV.

• The growth of prerecorded videocassettes creates a new market for long-form music video.

(Continued)

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378 PART VI * MusIC IN BROADCASTING AND FILM AND T HfAHR

TABLE 20.1. (Continued)

19905

• MTV spreads ils music channel programming formula abroad, becoming a major cultural force on multiple continents.

• MTV moves well beyond compilations of video clips into program production Ihal introduces an MTV lifestyle with The Rear IVorld, securing MTV's leadership in youth-oriented genres and spawning a cultural fascination with reality TV.

• Enter Beavis & BUllhead, an animated show about two heavy-metal music fans doing stupid things, designed to keep young male viewers from channel hopping.

200Ds

• Nearly 60 million people in the United Stales tune in to "America: A Tribute to Heroes," a benefit concert/telethon aired on more than 30 networks 10 days after the attacks of September 11, 2001.

• "American Idol," a spin-off of the U.K. show "Pop Idol," debuts on Fox. II will eventually make recording stars of many of the winners and runners-up who were selected by viewers.

• Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction" during the Super Bowl halftime show raises an outcry over television and decency standards; the FCC eventually fines CBS-owned affiliates a total of $550,000.

• The explosive popularity of DVOs expands the allure of music on video.

By the early 1960s, another type of show had begun to emerge. Aimed at a youth audience, it often took its cues from the Top 40 charts in terms of popular artists and featured a throng of dancing teenagers. American Bandstand is the best known, but others included Hullabaloo, Where the Action Is, and the long-standing syndicated favorite, Soul Train. In the 1970s, In Concert offered a live rock concert every weekend and set the stage for later series such as Austin City Limits.

In terms of sheer significance, however, no music variety program can match The Ed Sullivan Show for breaking new ground. It presented Elvis to the American mainstream (while censoring his gyrating hips), first televised the Rolling Stones and the Doors, and launched the British Invasion with its historic showcase of the Beatles in 1964.

While schedules can change quickly with audience tastes, the era of these classic "music variety" shows would seem to have passed, although various weekly concert series are still going strong, primarily on public television, supplanted at least for a time by music talent contests such as American Idol.'

Taking up the live-music showcase mantle for established acts, in large part, are an expanding slate of morning, daytime, and late-night news/entertainment! talk shows that regularly feature performances by the hottest bands from that week's charts. Particularly coveted by the labels for their promotional power are bookings on the major late-night shows and the networks' slate of morning programs. Daytime talk shows are less likely to feature musical performances on a regular basis, but when they do, they can offer an opening for artists outside the pop music mainstream, including classical and show music performers. The long-running-comedy sketch show Saturday Night Live has remained for many years the most sought -after

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Chapter 20 * Music in Television 379

TV-series booking, guaranteeing watercooler conversation on the Monday morning after a performance and a potential record sales boost in the days beyond.

MUSIC SPECIALS/EVENTS/AWARDS SHOWS *

Although "music variety shows" have faded out as a series format on mainstream English-language TV, the prime-time live-music special or event on TV has continued to thrive. Just as it once wasn't Christmas until Bing Crosby or Andy Williams sang about the season with other sweater-clad stars on TV, the holidays today still inevitably bring forth a range of special musical programming, in multiple genres and various show formats. Particularly high-profile concerts (such as "farewell" performances or lavishly staged spectacles) also find their way onto the small screen, as do "mini" concerts keyed to other events, such as the Super Bowl. A small number of stars still get their ?wn broadcast specials on occasion.

The most abundant SOurce of music event programming comes from an everexpanding array of music awards shows, which now cover the gamut from pop to country to hip-hop to Latin music to "people's choice" picks across the musical spectrum. The Grammys remain the gold standard, but other mainstays include the Country Music Awards, the American Music Awards, the Billboard Music Award's,-and the MTV Video Music Awards, among others. Even nonrnusic shows such as the Emmy Awards, the Academy Awards, and theater's Tony Awards have carved out increasing airtime for musical performances of nominated show songs or musicals. (The Emmys, of course, have long honored the many music contributions to TV with awards in numerous categories from outstanding title theme music to outstanding music direction.)

Performing slots on the highest-profile of these shows are valued as much as, or more than, the trophies themselves. The power of an award to boost a winner's album sales can vary from greatly to hardly, but sales upticks are easily measured in the catalogs of acts that performed live during the shows.

As one might expect, music specials are major productions to pull off. Figure 20.1 represents graphically how musicians and other personnel work together in this sector of the telecommunications field. This flowchart for a recorded music special (a process similar to, but in some ways quite distinct from, a live program) exhibits a huge payroll; productions on this scale are economically feasible only for network shows and cable TV specials. It is probable that part of the cost of such productions is borne through exploitation of aftermarkets=-home videos, theatrical showings, or foreign exhibitions, for instance. On the plus side, these programs offer employment opportunities for a wide array of creative individuals, from studio musicians to background singers to copyists. Table 20.2 runs down the many steps required to put together a music special, and the many people required to make one successful.

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380 PART VI * MusIC IN BROADCASTING AND fILM AND THEATER

TVNIDEO PRODUCTION TV Musical Specials Award Shows

11

Music Rights Budget Control logislics/FaciJities P ayrolJffaxes

I

MUSIC COORDINATOR

~L~:~~::~:::~~~

: ORCHESTRA CONTRACTOR

L~m~Yi~~:~~=~~~~=

ARRANGERS

VOCAL CONTRACTOR

CHOREOGRAPHER

VISUAL ARTS Art Director Costume Designer

FIGURE 20.1. TV and Video Production

"=-~=---.~ '-~---.---""-~~--'--'--'_-- -··._____·-·------.'r-. __ L __ ,__._. ~ __ ._ •• _ •••

Chapter 20 * Music in Television 381

TABLE 20.2. Production of a TV Music Special

A program of this kind requires the services of a large number of talented artists and businesspeople. The following is a typical sequence of activity,

1. The producer contracts with the director, writers, and performers

2. The producer schedules a series of meetings to decide what music is to be programmed (original or preexisting; live or prerecorded) and who is to perform il. These decisions are made in consultation with the musical director, writers, choreographer, featured performers, and art director. Star performers' personal musical directors and/or personal managers may also provide input.

3. The musical director meets with the special material writers, music coordinator, and featured artists to set music routines-style, key, sequence, etc. The music is sketched for full scoring later.

4. The music coordinator, often doubling as the rehearsal pianist, rehearses the featured performers, using musical sketches, confirming keys, routines, and more.

5. The musical director hires arrangers to score the music for the orchestra.

6. If background singers are to be used, the musical director will probably hire a choral director to prepare the music for the singers, hire the singers, and rehearse them separately from the orchestra.

7. The arrangers hire copyists or a music preparation firm 10 extract the individual parts for the instrumentalists and singers, run off copies as needed, bind the scores, sel up the books, and deliver them to the studio for rehearsal and recording. The supervising copyist attends the recording sessions, acts as music librarian, and corrects mistakes in the parts, reorchestrating

, -passages if needed.

8. Meanwhile, the musical director has hired an AFM (American Federation of Musicians) contractor to engage the individual musicians for the studio orchestra. The contractor and supervising copyist develop a list of doublers-the musicians in the orchestra required to play more than one instrument. The contractor notifies the doublers what additional instruments to bring to the sessions.

9. The orchestra prerecords most, if not all, of the show. Prerecording may be done to provide accompanying music for dancers. Featured singers might prerecord their voices, too, particularly if they are called on to dance when they sing.

10. After preliminary rehearsal, the background singers join the orchestra to record their tracks.

Meanwhile, the audio engineers have been busy recording the best possible orchestra-choral sounds and coordinating live recording with prerecorded tracks. They are assisted by music cutters or editors. Final master tapes are produced that now include music, dialogue, and sound effects.

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THEME SONGS *

Many TV theme songs (e.g., from The Andy Griffith Show, The Addams Family, Cheers) have claimed a place in the pages of American music history, and a select few, such as the Rembrandts' rendition of the Friends theme ("I'll Be There for You"), have even taken up residence for a time on the pop music charts. Today, fewer shows have full-scale opening theme songs (networks fear viewers will channelsurf away during a long introduction), and others use existing pop songs in place of original material. Still, the TV theme song remains a vital part of -the TV scene.

382 PART VI * MUSIC IN BROADCASTING AND FILM AND THEATER

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BACKGROUND MUSIC AND FOREGROUND SPOTLIGHTS

Like /JIm music (see Chapter 21), the majority of TV music serves as "background," added during editing to create mood, to fill gaps, and to provide cultural context. As noted earlier, this type of music use is a significant one for the music

business because it brings in Jicensing revenues. .

Although the lise of background music for TV shows has been a constant since the medium debuted, the prominence given to thai music has been On the rise over the years. Background music, in effect, has come increasingly to the foreground in some shows. Teen-targeted programs have led this trend, using large excerpts of current songs during each episode. The newest twist with shows Oil, some networks is use of a "back sell". telling viewers at the end of the show what music was featured, dispJaying the album cover, and sending viewers to the rietwork's Web site to buy the album. The growing number of TV soundtrack albums filling record store racks is testament to music's prominence on many prime-time programs.

Another innovation is the "club" set added into the regular environment for some TV shows, into which popular bands are booked to perform in the background while the TV characters carryon the plotline in the foreground, making a point to mention the band's name once Or twice. Beverly Hills 90210 led this ,pack with its Peach Pit After Dark, but BUffy the \1ampire Slayer (The Bronze), Charmed (P3), and other teen-skewed shows folJowed. Acts that have played these TV "venues" include the Flaming Lips, Cibo Matto, Aimee Mann, and Blink-182.

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* THE SINGER/ACTORS

Sometimes the "band" and the TV show characters are one and the same. Classic sitcoms like The Monkees and The Partridge Family produced popular television fare as well as numerous hit records and often included performances by the band during the shows. Now, as in the past, recording stars turn up as actors on TV series, although most often in nonperforming roles; likewise, young 'rv stars can occasionally translate their popularity on the small screen into recording contracts and careers.

* THE COMMERCJAlS

Ultimately, the function of the entertainment programming on TV is to lure the viewer to watch the commercials that bring in revenue for the stations. Any couch potato could argue, however, that these spots can sometimes be entertainment

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Chapter 20 * Music in Television 3a3

Photo © Royalty-FreelCORBlS_

themselves, and music has played a large role in making them so. From classics of the ad jingle business such as the Alka-Seltzer "plop plop fizz fizz" rhythmic rhyme, the OSCal: Meyer hotdog song, and the Meow Mix feline sing-along to the lush, pop-fueled approach of contemporary campaigns for car and clothing

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384 PART VJ * MusIC IN BROADCASTIIIG AND FILM AND TffEAHR

companies, songwriters and musicians have been star players in the TV commercial sector.

Although product-specific jingles are still commissioned from songwriters and used in TV spots, there has been an increased emphasis in recent years on licensing existing popular songs for commercial use. The dividends for the music business are twofold. The company pays the record label and music pUblisher for the right to use the music, of course, and these fees can be significant. But recording ads have also found that they can reap retail rewards through the exposur- a major TV ad campaign can bring; the payoff is particularly valuable when the act is new, lesser known, or has faded from the spotlight. One example among many is the group Trio, which fell off the radar after scoring a pop hit in the early 1980s but hit the charts again after Volkswagen used the band's "Da Da Da" in a commercial, sparking an influx of calls and e-rnails to the car Company asking for information on how to purchase the song (Volkswagen has since set up a Web site offering information about the music used in all its commercials as well as links to online sales sites). The car company also famously made a star out of singer Nick Drake several decades after his death when it used his "Pink Moon" in another cult-favorite spot.

* THE EVOLVING TV PICTURE

Why has TV become such a vital medium for the music industry, as outlined above? Just consider the numbers: 98% of American households have at least one color TV set, making television's potential programming reach enticing. More than that, however, is the Opportunity that TV programs present to connect with audiences who might not othenvise be exposed to music I-those not inclined to tune into a radio station, for instance, Or to pop on a pair of headphones in a listening post at a mall record store.

Not all programming reaches that wide audience-"mainstream America"_ anymore, of course, because hun,dreds of channels have arisen to target viewers with diverse interests.

Four major commercial networks (NBC, CBS, ABC, and Fox) dominate conventional broadcasting, with two others-The WB and UPN-making some gains. The more frequentIyviewed local TV stations tend to be affiliated with one of the networks. Local station program production is normally limited to news programs, low-budget dli1dren's shows, talk shows, perhaps an occasional local talent show, and public service shows; the use of music in local station program-. ming is minimal. If music is needed in connection with locally produced shows, library music tracks are most often used. Although NBC, CBS, and ABC claimed 80% of the viewing audience in 1980, today's "big four" networks-the purveyors of so-called "free TV"-have seen their share of the overall audience pie steadily

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Chapter 20 * Music in Television

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slip to under 50%. This has posed challenges to the traditional business model for TV networks, which is built on selling high-priced "mass-market" commercial spots to advertisers with the promise that they will be seen by a large number of viewers enticed by the "free" network programming.

Claiming more and more of those viewer eyeballs now are the ever-expanding slate of cable channels, which offer "narrowcast" programming centered on everything from food to sports to gardening to soap operas to game shows to science fiction to, of course, music (more on this segmeni=-and the pioneering MTV-a little later on). The revenue model for a basic cable network has typically been a dual-revenue stream, including both ad sales and subscriber fees. Most cable channels are sold to consumers in "bundles," offering a large number of choices for one monthly fee.

Faced with this new environment, the networks/cable distinction is blurring into a new "conglomerate" model, with networks, cable companies, and/or program producers increasingly being brought under single corporate umbrellas. This allows for the sharing of programming and costs, as well as synergistic crosspromotions such as MTV's producing the halftime show .for CBS's Super Bowl broadcast; both are owned by Viacom.

Competing with both conventional broadcast TV and cable are direct broadcast satellite (DBS) systems, which deliver digital programming directly into homes, bypassing cable connections with small "dishes" attached to houses. Arriving on the scene only in the 1990s, DBS has already claimed a big chunk of the audience, Digital cable systems have also made strides in homes, offering not just better sound and pictures but the. opportunity for interactive applications.

Among the other ways home viewers can access entertainment programming are these:

• Pay-per-view: A variation on traditional cable pay-TV, PPV delivers a specific program to cable subscribers for a separate fee. Initially slow to catch on, this now-lucrative medium has offered everything from live concerts to premium movies.

• On-demand programming: Unlike PPV) where viewers cannot control when and how they view movies or programs, on-demand programming allows the user to choose precise viewing times, as well as to rewind and pause programming. On-demand choices are offered over digital cable and satellite systems, either for a one-time fee or as part of a subscription service. Personal video recording (PVR), available through set-top boxes or as part of cable and DBS services, is a variant, allowing users to record regular programming for playback at any time.

• Interactive programming: This form of programming exists primarily as a so-called two-screen experience, where viewers use their PCs with Internet access to interact with a program via quizzes, contests, or voting; the aim is

386 PART VI * MUSIC IN BROAOCAS1!NC AND FILM AND T HfAlEfl

to increase the amount of time lhat a viewer "sticks" with a program and thus make it more appealing to advertisers. The advent of digital cable and DES has brought opportunities for advanced interactive applications, including sales of merchandise (or music) featured on programs. The two-way link between viewer and programmer also allows for the delivery of targeted, or addressable, advertising keyed to demographics, viewing patterns, or other factors.

On-demand programming and PVRs have put pressure on advertisers to develop commercials or promotional programming that viewers might choose to watch, whether or not the technology exists to bypass them. And that, of course, is opening new doors for the entertainment industry to work with the ad sector.

The Home Theater Impetus

Part of what has spurred interest in new music programming for television is the evolution of the TV set itself, which has become a home entertainment center. Where once, stereo sound was hailed as a breakthrough, multichannel surround sound systems for TV took off with the burst of interest in home theater setups, which could replicate in a Jiving room the stunning sound effects experienced in movie

'- theaters-or in concert halls and nightclubs. Cable channels have exploited this opening, offering commercial-free digital music programming through TV sets.

The home theater boom itself was initially driven by the dramatic growth of the DVD format in the 1990s. as consumers migrated away from VHS movies to the new digital entertainment format. Music-related DVD software titlesfeaturing concerts, backstage footage, artist commentary, interviews, and more-ehave proved to be a popular sales niche for the music industry.

* MTV AND THE RISE OF THE MUSIC VIDEO

Any exploration of the role of music on TV must include some discussion of MTV, the pioneer and champion of "music television:' Although not the first to air music videos-the broadcast of minirnovies of the Beetles' "Strawberry Fields Forever" and "Penny Lane" in the 1960s broke ground for the concept, and other clips shows followed over the years=-M'I'V was the first to build an entire commercial channel around the concept. It signed on August 1, 1981, with a dip of the Buggles"'Video Killed the Radio Star;' and although that prophecy did not come to pass, the music video channel did permanently alter the promotion and marketing equation for record labels and bands, putting a new premium on presentation and visual image. In the years since its debut, MTV has shifted its programming focus to include fewer videos and more original shows while also spinning off a host of new channels and subchannels focused on music segments, including music for baby boomers and college students as well as alternative music. Competition has also

Chapter 20 * Music in Television 387

arisen from Country Music Television, Black Entertainment Television, MuchMusic, and others.'

The rise of MTV also sparked the growth of a relatively new industry: The music video production business. Once a rarity, a music video quickly became a standard promotional tool for major-label acts after marketing executives realized the power of the broadcast medium to captivate fans-and motivate album buyers. Although tighter budgets at the labels have trimmed production levels somewhat, most major acts still produce at least one clip for an album, but it is unlikely today that they will clock in at the estimated $7 million spent for Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson's "Scream" or the l-l-plus minutes used for Michael's "Thriller."

PRODUCING SHORT-FORM VIDEOS *

The production of music videos, or short-form videos, demands many of the same sets of skills and cast of professionals needed to make long-form film projects: directors, production managers, editors, special-effects experts, and so 011. Many of the directors working in the field, therefore, have backgrounds directing films or COIllmercials. Unique to the video clip process is the role of the record company, which most often produces the music videos (while sharing the costs with the artists).

Most recording companies do not have in-house video directors; instead, they generally have someone in charge of overseeing video assignments for the label's acts. This person is commonly called a "video commissioner:'

In a typical scenario, video commissioners with a project to be assigned will approach a number of directors; generally, they will do this by going through the executive producer or director's rep at one of the many video production companies, which often boast rosters of 5 to 20 directors. Sometimes, they may also consider someone unaffiliated with a production company who has made a strong impression via a music video reel sent in to the label, unsolicited.

Each of the selected candidate directors will then come up with his or her own concept for the video, incorporating into it any style/thematic preferences that the artist or label has put forth (oftentimes, they leave the creative end entirely to the director; other times, they have a specific situation in mind). In most situations, directors come up with their own concepts, although some do work with a writer.

When the production company's executive producer pitches the director's concepts to the label/artist, he or she will hand over the director's treatment (typicallya one-to-three page script of how the director sees the video), design aids (photos or scenes from movies or other things to explain or demonstrate the vision), and a budget that a freelance producer has been hired to put together, based on the elements of the treatment. This budget should fit within the monetary guidelines originally put forth by the commissioner. (For a sample music video budget worksheet, see Table 20.3.)

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388 PART VI * MusIC IN BROADCASIJNG AND FILM AND TIHAHR

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TABLE 20.3. Music Video Budget Summary Worksheet

Production/song tille _

Video commissioner/label _

Principal photography begins _

No. of days

Above-the-Line Expenses

Production Director Producer Script

Above-the-line subtotal

Cosl

Be/ow-the-line Expenses

Uni! production manager Production assistants Extra talent

Sel operations

Property

Wardrobe

Makeup and hair Electrical

Camera

Sound (playback, sound package, walkie-talkies) Transportation

Location (rental. permits, catering) Film, tape, and lab

Other

Subtotal production Postproduction Off-line editing On-line editi~g Stock, dubs, transfers Other

Subtotal postproduction General & administrative Insurance

Office and miscellaneous Contingency

Subtotal general & administrative Below-the-line subtotal

Grand Total

Note: Production budgets for music videos range all the way from a few hundred dollars ("{el's grab a camera and shoot in the park")' to $1 million and up ("Madonna wants another SO medieval extras for the night banquet scene at the castle"). The bigger variables include size of the crew and number of shooting days. One useful resource is Deke Simon and Michael Wiese's Film & Video Budgets (Rev. ed.l Studio City, CA: Michael Wiese Productions .

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Chapter 20 * Music in Television 389

The commissioner will then narrow down the pitches and go to the artist and the rest of the management and creative team at the label to choose the one that best fits their needs. At this stage, a few of the directors may be asked to fj netune certain parts of their treatment, before they choose the one they want to go with.

The organization most representative of short-form video producers is the Music Video Production Association (MVPA). MVPA's major goals are to exchange technical information, standardize production-bidding procedures, and formulate guidelines for fees and payment schedules.

Once a video director has been selected, he or she will want to engage, early on, a writer, a production designer, and possibly a choreographer. A video storyboard is sometimes created, similar to the storyboards created for TV commercials (see Chapter 22), and a shooting schedule is set. Many music videos are now shot on location because it is less expensive than building sets (and budgets are steadily decreasing). Table 20.4 shows the three phases characterizing most short-form video production.

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TABLE 20.4. Short-Form Video Production: The lhree phases

Preproduction phase

1. Audio master tape is completed. Record company negotiates a synchronization license with the

music publisher for the video.

2. Label determines a production budget, negotiates with the artist for possible sharing of costs.

3. Budget is set, and label engages a freelance video director.

4. Director, label, and artist develop a concept for the video.

5. Director engages a writer, production manager, possibly a choreographer, supporting cast, director

of photography.

6. Director, writer, and production designer layout a storyboard.

7. Sets are designed, then constructed or rented; costumes are designed, then. executed or.rented.

8. Soundstage is booked; production manager engages production personnel (gaffers, stagehands, etc.).

9. Production manager rents equipment as needed (cameras, lights, doilies).

10. Director orders audio click tracks to aid rehearsals.

11. Production manager takes out accident, health, and liability insurance.

12. All of the foregcing are reconfirmed.

On the soundstage

1. Director rehearses the performers' lip-synching, stage movements. Choreographer rehearses dancers.

2. Director rehearses camera movements, approves lighting, plans special effects.

3. The production is shot.

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390 PART VI * MusIC IN BROADCASTING AND FilM AND TIlEAHfI

TABLE 20.4. (Continued)

Postproduction phase

1. Production manager orders return of all rented equipment, set\ costumes; orders sets struck, soundstage cleared.

2. Director supervises all postproduction work, including editing. processing of visual effects, computer graphics, opticals: edits final master, orders copies made.

J. Production manager fa) obtains releases (rom all performers, artists, and creative personnel; (b) gels signed W·4 forms from all personnel; (c) satisfies all union contractors; and (d) authorizes pa~'ments to all personnel.

4. Director delivers video master to the recording company.

5. Director and production manager confirm that all bills have been paid.

6. Director and production manager reconfirm everything.

7. All concerned look for their next job!

Record company seeks airpJa}" attempts torecoup production costs through nonvideocast performances and from'sales/rentals of home video products.

During production, differences may arise over "artistic control." The director may want one thing, the artist something else. The artist's recording contract, when properly drawn, will articulate who decides how the videos are to be handled, particularly in respect to style, content, and choice of director. Smart artists will usually defer to the judgments of directors of proven ability. It should be noted] however] that the final product belongs to the record label and that it retains the final approval on edits. Occasionally, directors who are highly respected will be awarded "final cut," but such occurrences are rare.

Notes

1. Consider the case of Ken Burns's JAZZ, a 1 O-part PBS documentary series that ran in January 2001 and created an immediate surge of sales for jazz titles both directly tied to the broadcast and others simply featuring acts showcased in the series. There are many other examples throughout the years of sales spikes for music in genres with few other wide means of exposure.

2. Both CMT and BET were later acquired by MTV parent company Viacom.

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