Here’s a call for music from MusicDealers.com that is due tomorrow, March 8th. The pay is good. Throw in your tracks. Visit their website and upload right now.
Feature Film - Opening Credit Sequence
Music Call: Client is looking to license a bright, fun, energetic pop / pop rock track that can have a party vibe. This track can’t be retro sounding - needs to sound new and contemporary. Needs to have positive lyrics, but NOT ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS. In the vein of Prince’s Rock music.
SUNBURST - an acrylic on cardboard that A. painted at her kitchen table as I watched in glee. She was really “in the moment” as she created this piece.
1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they’re serving rum balls.
2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It’s rare.. You cannot find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It’s not as if you’re going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It’s a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It’s later than you think. It’s Christmas!
3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That’s the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.
4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they’re made with skim milk or whole milk. If it’s skim, pass. Why bother? It’s like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.
5. Donothave a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people’s food for free. Lots of it. Hello?
6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year’s. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you’ll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.
7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don’t budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They’re like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you’re never going to see them again.
8. Same for pies. Apple,Pumpkin,Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don’t like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? LaborDay?
9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it’s loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.
10. One final tip: If you don’t feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven’t been paying attention. Re-read these tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner. Remember this motto to live by:
“Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming “WOO HOO what a ride!”
While cleaning through some paper mountains, I came across a paper that has the name of about 5 book titles. So I checked out amazon.com for the one below. Found this at some website and thought it is good information. I’ve made flower essences in the past and believe that plants can heal, even the flowers of plants. I also use color healing and have given my children tonations as well as myself. Shining colored light on the body also makes changes at the cellular level. So here’s what Partricia has to say about flowers.
Affirmations: The Messages of the Flowers in Transformative Words for the Soul
What are Affirmations?The word affirmationcontains the core meaning of “firm,” suggesting that which is strong and secure. Significantly, this word connotes two simultaneous directions - downward to the terra firmaof the earth on which we stand, and upwards to the vault of heaven, the enveloping firmamentof the universe. Affirmations bridge heaven and earth by engaging the soul in a creative process through which the archetypal “Word becomes flesh.”
Affirmations are a specialized activity within the larger field of soul processes such as meditation, contemplation and prayer. They are elegant and evocative words which enable the soul to initiate positive goals of inner development. It is a tenet of all spiritual teachings, as well as business and professional training programs, that the ordering of thought and the harmonizing of feeling has powerful impact on our ability to manifest change, both within ourselves and within the world.
The unique value of the affirmations written for this project of the Flower Essence Society, is that they are correlated to specific flowers. Throughout human culture, many poets and mystics have attempted to express a language of flowers. Even the most hardened among us can recognize that the flowers embody an exquisite language of the soul. This is why we use flowers to express our inmost feelings in all forms of human celebration and commemoration - from birth, to marriage, to death.
Flowers are Spiritual Messengers
If flowers are capable of rousing refined feelings within the soul life, perhaps it is because the soul itself is akin to a blossom. Many spiritual teachers have likened the chakras or energy centers of the spiritual human being to “lotus blossoms” or “petals” which unfold and become activated through earnest moral development.
Flowers are spiritual messengers, or living archetypes of divine creation able to reveal themselves within human consciousness. The pathway toward understanding a flower is much more than the accumulation of “information.” To appreciate the spiritual dimension of Nature, one must be prepared to change one’s heart, one’s method of perception.
Human souls who sojourn in the spiritual world cannot behold a flower as we do here on earth; rather the soul must be able to inwardly realize the virtuewhich a flower radiates. Here on earth we take the living beauty of Nature for granted through our innate physical perception. But the spiritual dimensions of Nature can only be revealed if we are committed to a path of moral development through inner seeing, hearing, and knowing.
Working with Affirmations in a Living Way
In our age, we are inundated with many “positive thought” programs which may appear to be similar but can have markedly different results. The affirmations written in this series are of spiritual intent. They are not materialistic means for health, wealth, or fame. To wish for a specific thing or condition in the physical world is ultimately fruitless if it is not in harmony with the valid needs of the soul. True fortune is that which brings wealth to the spiritual life, enabling the soul to acquire the priceless jewels of virtue and moral strength. Therefore the right use of an affirmation is to precipitate inner changes that are in harmony with soul destiny. In this manner, the soul will attract what it needs in the material world for its welfare.
Furthermore, affirmations must work in such a way that they reflect our conscious choice and inner willingness to change. Many forms of hypnosis and subliminal programming bypass awake willing and comprehension. These programs may achieve limited success in modifying outer behavior, but only mindful inner work which strengthens and deepens soul consciousness can bring enduring transformation. There is an old proverb which states:
Sow a thought, reap an action; Sow an action, reap a habit; Sow a habit, reap a character; Sow a character, reap a destiny.
Viewed from this vantage point, affirmations are an important beginning step along the pathway of genuine character development and life manifestation.
Working consciously with affirmations can be a challenging process. Taking self responsibility for inner change quickly brings the recognition that there are no panaceas which can instantly cure. True healing is an organic step-by-step process which gradually leads to inner mastery. At the first stage of engaging an affirmation, we typically need to open to the pain of our predicament. For example, an affirmation may champion courage and clarity, yet inside we may feel confused and afraid. Rather than avoid the affirmation or suppress one’s conflicted feelings, the opportunity is there to live with the sting and tension of the contradiction.
The “interval” between one’s spiritual potential and the present situation is an enormously fruitful area for healing. As the soul registers and acknowledges this dissonance, it strives to find a harmonic concordance. Through this creative process, the words of the affirmation work incrementally to become true and firm. As the plant grows and blossoms in its dance between light and dark, so also do the creative forces of the human soul emerge.
Therefore, the affirmations are intended to lead the individual from an honest recognition of a state of mind or feeling, toward a process of soul alchemy. They suggest past, present and future potentials of consciousness. The soul is called to acknowledge the present pain or conflict and work toward resolution and integration. Ultimately, the soul radiates the awakened virtue.
The affirmations call upon the “I AM” awareness of the Self. This is not the lower personality or the ego, but the voice of the Higher Self which has divine awareness of the spiritual world. Regardless of one’s religious or spiritual affiliation, this awareness of the I AM is a sacred and eternal truth.
Practical Techniques for Anchoring the AffirmationAffirmations are best utilized in a gradual, incremental way. It is ideal to select a single affirmation which is central to one’s developmental journey. If several affirmations are used, they should be applied in rhythmic intervals—such as consecutive days, with every third or fourth day beginning a new sequence. Rather than cluttering or overwhelming the mind, it is best use the affirmations in a spacious and graceful manner, so that the words move from the surface intellect to the deep space of the heart-mind.
It is not necessary to repeat the affirmations constantly, in fact this can deplete their inherent strength. Choose a time in daily life when there is a space for dedicated inner work and meditation. In this tranquil atmosphere, you need say the affirmation so that you breathe your entire being and focus of attention into the words until they ignite as a living fire within the soul.
It can be helpful to write the affirmations and keep them in a sacred place in your bedroom or office. You may also want to carry the affirmations with you, and call upon their power at a point in the day when you most need to be reminded or fortified. Most importantly, make a steadfast intention to return to the affirmations on a regular basis, much as you would plant a seed and water it conscientiously.
The length of time during which you use an affirmation can vary. Be mindful of building a rhythm—weekly or monthly intervals are excellent ones to consider. You may want to come back to a core affirmation again and again over a series of months or years so that its inner reality anchors into deeper strata of the soul.
It can be very beneficial to explore and expand the meaning of an affirmation through artistic means. Mandalas can help to integrate the various aspects of an affirmation or the tensions and polarities which emerge while working with it. Simple washes of color which evoke the mood and feeling of the affirmation can help the soul to imagine its activity in the aura. Journal writing can be an especially illumining way to explore the nuances of feeling and the inner dialogue which may accompany the transformative process. As one encounters the affirmation, additional words naturally emerge, and the core affirmation can be re-crafted with personal emphasis. However, keep in mind that the entire structure should be as direct and clear as possible.
Integrating Affirmations with Flower Essence Therapy
Many practitioners report on the profound impact which the affirmations have in their therapeutic programs with clients. For example, just holding the flower essence and saying the indicated affirmation during a healing session can initiate remarkable insight and emotional awakening.
Using flower essences and saying affirmations are two synergistic modalities with complementary points of origin. The affirmations begin in the conscious thought life, and gradually penetrate many levels of body-soul reality. The liquid “nature words” of the flower essences are directly absorbed into the body-soul and then work to illumine the thoughts and feelings.
Most choose to work with the affirmations in tandem with the flower essences, while others may prefer to continue with the affirmations even after the essences have been discontinued. Some clients may feel that the affirmations require too much conscious focus and prefer instead to experience the direct action of the flower essences. In some instance, practitioners may need to modify the affirmation to make it accessible to the particular needs of a client. In cases with children or where there is mental impairment, the affirmations will need special adaptation.
Even when the affirmations are not used by the client, they can generate a great deal of insight for the practitioner regarding the subtle properties and transformational capacities of a given remedy.
Concluding Thoughts: Affirmations as Seed Words
However they are used, the affirmations are offered as a way of experiencing a deeper communion with the subtle realm of flowers.
It is with real joy, but also angst, that one attempts to script living archetypes of Nature within the frail and fragile limits of human language. Therefore, please consider the affirmations as only a starting point for your inner process. Let them be approached as seed-words and place them in the soul-soil of your own heart. Your garden will bloom with its own unique blossoms.
Karl & I have been delivering shoebox presents to the Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child for three years. It is a wonderful organization and a growing program that provides kids who might not get a Christmas gift with a shoebox filled with presents. In looking at the newletters from Samaritan’s Purse, of the children with their shoeboxes, some of these kids live in such impoverished countries and neighborhoods that it brings tears to my eyes to know I’ve contributed something of value to them.
We have chosen girls aged 10-14 every year. I feel these are the kids I can relate to as being children who really need to know they are loved and cared for and special. These are the girls that will go on to become mothers one day and boy-oh-boy, we need to teach our young girls they have great value in this world. Their self-esteem and the benefits that gives their families will be felt for years to come. So right after Christmas, I’ll start shopping the clearance shelves for our next year’s Christmas shoe boxes.
One of the thrills I get in watching this video is seeing how happy Karl and I are. We really enjoy this activity and it shows. Don’t you just love looking at photos and movies and videos of events or holidays when you look really happy!!!
The Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star,” the first music video played on MTV, applies as well to online streaming services now as it did to radio in the ’80s.
MySpace, rumored to be on the verge of purchasing the free music streaming site imeem, is struggling to keep up with its own payments to music copyright holders, according to a top News Corp executive — a problem that has plagued every other licensed free music service.
The digital music doubters could be right with the contention that advertising revenue can’t cover the costs of licensing music. Meanwhile, illegitimate free music sources continue to proliferate, rendering paid music subscriptions irrelevant for most music fans.
Advertising was supposed to be music’s magic bullet, enabling fans to get the free music they’re going to find anyway while contributing at least something to copyright holder coffers. That dream is fading fast. As legitimate sources for free on-demand music dry up, fans will likely head back to file sharing networks, which is bad news for everyone involved in music — except for, perhaps, hard drive manufacturers.
Evidence and rumors are mounting to support the idea that free music websites are unfeasible.
MySpace Music — the on-demand, ad-supported music service not to be confused with the band pages on the site — is losing money and could soon add subscription option. News Corp Digital head Jon Miller answered his own questions on the topic last week at a conference in Monaco. “Do I think the freemium model works, consistent with earlier discussions? Yes I do. Has that been figured out? No, it hasn’t, but it’s certainly something to look at,” said Miller. “Is [Myspace Music] profitable? No, it’s not. On an operating basis it’s getting in, but no, because of the payments due to the music companies.”
Ad-supported music service imeem, which has been the subject of considerable speculation related to its running out of money over the past year, is reportedly in late-stage discussions to be acquired by MySpace, which has its own problems, as mentioned above. Like MySpace, imeem’s biggest challenge has been covering payments to labels.
MOG, which planned to launch a free, ad-supported on-demand streaming service, decided that was impossible and went with a $5/month subscription instead.
Spotify pushed back its U.S. launch to early next year, with CEO Daniel Ek admitting that when the service launches in the states, it might not be the same as it was in Europe where music fans enjoy a free, ad-supported version of the software or a 10-euro-per-month subscription option that removes the ads. A bundled version of the service that comes with your smartphone or ISP is an increasingly likely option.
Google added play buttons to its music search results that allow anyone to listen to a song once for free through Lala or MySpace’s iLike service, after which they have to pay for it. If Google can’t figure out a way to support something with ads, it arguably cannot be done.
YouTube remains the only licensed, free, on-demand music service that promises to break even, mostly because the visual nature of the services makes users more likely to encounter advertisements on the site. When the labels launch their Vevo YouTube spin-off, they hope to generate even more money from ads than YouTube does.
The upshot of the labels’ licensing demands: Music will continue its transformation into something that accompanies a visual element.
Analysis: Vinyl, Digital Sales Hit New High Marks November 11, 2009 - Digital and Mobile | Retail
By Glenn Peoples, Nashville
Vinyl and single track download sales set new records last week, according to data from Nielsen SoundScan. The two events represent very different trends that were born from the rising popularity of digital music.
As of November 8, four artists broke Rihanna’s single-year digital tracks sales record of 9.9 million tracks: Michael Jackson (11.3 million tracks year-to-date), Lady Gaga (11.1 million tracks year-to-date), Black Eyed Peas (10.3 million tracks year-to-date) andTaylor Swift (9.98 million tracks year-to-date). The top three artists have already topped 10 million tracks sold this year and one, Taylor Swift, will surely pass the mark next week. Next week, sales of digital albums should surpass last year’s total of 65 million and sales of digital tracks should top the 1 billion mark.
Year-to-date vinyl record sales topped two million units last week, breaking the previous record of 1.9 million units last year. At the same point in time last year, SoundScan had tracked 1.5 million sales of vinyl records.
That’s roughly a 37% year-over-year improvement. Vinyl has come a long way from the period in the ’90s when it was a format that was almost exclusively used by underground rock bands and DJ-oriented genres. Many years passed when most artists - especially mainstream artists - did not have vinyl releases (many still do not have vinyl releases). Though it gained momentum towards the end of the decade, it wasn’t until the mid-2000s when new releases of all stripes were being released on vinyl, when it was seen as a purer way to experience music in an era of near-ubiquitous digital music. Labels started offering MP3 downloads with vinyl purchases, thus creating a great digital-physical combination. Today, consumers can find vinyl in both mass merchants and the usual Independent stores.
The two trends - digital sales on one hand, vinyl records on the other - could not be more different. For all the efficiencies of digital music’s distribution and supply chain, vinyl counters with an equally expensive and inefficient process. Yet, the two are on the rise.
There is no doubt digital formats represents the future of recorded music. iTunes is just the beginning. New types of digital services promise to change how consumers acquire and experience music. Yet the concurrent rise of digital and vinyl tells us this: Through their purchases of vinyl, a small yet dedicated group of music fans are showing artists and labels that digital does not fill all their needs.
Thea Maichle is a freelance Producer living in Venice, CA. In her recent role as line producer for the film “Rock Prophecies,” she oversaw the music licensing of songs from artists such as jimi Hendrix, Santana, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Jeff Beck, as well as various independent artists. Check out the trailer!
As the line producer for Rock Prophecies, I spent much of my time on the phone working with our music supervisor to get last-minute music licenses approved for use in the film. Finding the right music while staying within budget for an independent film is challenging. If early on, someone had clued me in that I would spend hours upon hours negotiating with artists and labels and reading through endless music contracts, I would have chosen another career. I KID! For me, it has been exciting, rewarding and quite necessary in order to make our projects really stand out. Hopefully I can shed some light on how music is chosen and what to expect for payment for music used in an independent film.
How music is chosen
Independent filmmakers are always on the lookout for independent artists who want exposure. There are a couple of different ways a song can find its way into the edit bay and therefore into the final timeline of a film. Typically, the editor does a rough string out of the story and begins to seek out music that will fit with the feel and timing of the scene. For example, for an opening montage where buses are driving by, people are dancing, and quick cuts are happening, the editor may look for a bluesy song with a harmonica that is high energy and moves quickly. The director has some input and may have a certain musician or song in mind. However, it usually ends up that the director and editor will go to the producer like myself and say, “Find us this type of song.” At that point, I either go to sites such as MySpace, Facebook, or my friends’ music libraries to search for similar music.
Another option is to reach out to a music supervisor (a person that quickly becomes a producer’s best friend). You will notice that in the credits of most films and TV shows there is a music supervisor listed. I encourage musicians to get their music in front of music supervisors. I work with a fantastic music supervisor, Bruce Rabinowitz of Feedback!, who is constantly listening to new music, searching for a gem that will fit for a film. Use the Internet and some detective work to find the addresses of the companies where music supervisors work and send them a demo with a note describing what type of music you produce. It’s worth a shot.
Also, if you know any editors, directors, or producers, make sure they have your latest CD on hand and check in every once in awhile to make sure that your music is fresh on their minds.
How much $$ to expect
None. I’m kind of joking, but not really – just being realistic. Many times low-budget, independent films have no money for music licensing. In this case, you have to weigh whether or not the exposure that you may receive is worth taking the time to work through contract details. I say “may” because the plain fact is that most independent films never see the big screen.
If an independent film is able to include music licensing as a line item in their budget, it’s usually not much. Songs get paid out per side, meaning you get paid an amount for the publishing rights (one side) and paid an amount for the master recording rights (the other side). When your music is used in an indie film you can probably expect anywhere from $100 - $500 per side for a buyout of broad rights, meaning in all media, in perpetuity (forever), worldwide. A “buyout” is not an exclusive deal – it simply gives the film company the right to use your music in association with the film in its entirety. You still retain the right to license your music for as many other films and uses as you choose. The right to use your music for a trailer or commercial should be additional, separate licenses.
With that said, I believe that it is 100% worth the time it takes to review a contract and give it a go. I understand the amount of work that goes into writing and producing a song, so don’t get me wrong; I’m not saying that artists should always give away their music for free. In fact, I would love it if all the projects I worked on had fat budgets for music clearance. However, many times it’s hard enough just getting the money together to make the film, so the music clearance budget suffers. This is when you need to take a step back and ask yourself, “Is the potential exposure worth me licensing my music for use in a film?” As long as you do not sign away exclusive rights for the use of your song in a film, then it doesn’t really hurt. In the end, any exposure is good exposure.
Music Call: Client is looking to license a song with a very strong emotional quality to it. It’s a spot designed to appeal to men and women watching sports but the song itself should not refer to sports. It’s a spot that captures the notion of how important it is to “be there” for someone. There are some great, emotional moments of sports players helping each other out when they fail, old home movies of them as children and other touching shots. They are looking for songs that embody the same emotional quality of the famous songs “Lean On Me” or “Stand By Me”. Should build a bit around 10-15 seconds.
Vocals: Yes
Client: Confidential
Payment: TBA
Use: TV
Due Date: November 15th, 2009 4PM CST (16:00)
Other: Looking for songs at least 1 minute long
Currently listening: She Traded Her Leg
By Jeffrey Bützer
Release date: 2006-12-12
