LIVE ONLINE COURSE

CREATIVE SYNC & LICENSING MANAGER

Dates: 17 FEB 2027 - 29 MAR 2027

DURATION: 6 WEEKS
MONDAYS & WEDNESDAYS
5:30 PM PT / 8:30 PM ET

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BRYAN CHABROW
EX-BMG, UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP, DEF JAM RECORDINGS

LIVE ONLINE COURSE

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Learn how to take a track from creative brief to signed sync deal in film, TV and advertising.

Bryan Chabrow, Head of Synch at Position Music with more than 10 years in sync at BMG, shows you how deals get done. You'll leave with a music licensing plan ready to pitch.

THIS COURSE IS FOR YOU, IF...

YOU ARE AN INDEPENDENT ARTIST OR ARTIST MANAGER

You have music to license, but contract gaps put every deal at risk. This music supervisor course takes you through rights research in ASCAP and BMI, agreement review, PRO registration and licensing directly with music supervisors, filmmakers and brands. You'll walk away able to protect your work, negotiate stronger terms and grow the income your music earns.
YOU ARE A MUSIC INDUSTRY PRO

You know the business, but sync licensing still sits outside your expertise. This music supervisor training covers agreement analysis, catalog management in DISCO, clearance workflows and PRO royalties, with five guest experts adding their side of the deal. You'll take on sync work with sharper judgment on rights, terms and budgets.
YOU ARE A CAREER SWITCHER

Music licensing is your next move, but contract and rights knowledge is still missing. Across 12 lessons you'll work through the full process on how to license your music for film and TV, from rights research and contract drafting to pitching, negotiation and networking. You'll leave with a solid grasp of the sync workflow and a Creative Pitching Plan you can show employers.

PRACTICE THE FULL WORKFLOW

You'll tag and clear a playlist, answer a creative brief with tracks and a rough budget, and propose revisions to a sample licensing agreement. Two workshops put you inside a sync negotiation for a TV show or commercial. Live demos of ASCAP, BMI and DISCO show the tools in action.

FIVE GUEST EXPERTS

Guest sessions bring in a licensing expert, a creative sync expert, a royalties expert, an independent artist and a networking guest. Bryan adds lessons from licensing music for trailer and promo campaigns for Netflix, HBO, ESPN and Epic Games. You'll see how a deal looks from the label, publisher and artist side.

A PITCH-READY FINAL PROJECT

Your final project is a Creative Pitching Plan for a film, TV series or commercial of your choice. You'll select tracks, research rights holders, calculate fees, draft a licensing agreement and pitch your strategy to stakeholders. Deliver it as a report, a presentation or a video, then use it to show employers and clients how you work.

Bryan Chabrow LinkedIn Profile

Leads sync as Head of Synch at Position Music
Spent more than 10 years at BMG, serving as Vice President of Sync Services & Partnerships
Began his career at Universal Music Group, in sync roles with Island Records & Def Jam Recordings
Licensed music for trailer & promotional campaigns for Netflix & HBO
Secured sync placements for publishing copyrights & master recordings across domestic & international repertoires
Created custom covers & remixes with artists & composers for large-scale marketing campaigns
Worked on campaign projects involving The Rolling Stones & Mötley Crüe

WED (2/10), 5:30 PM PT/8:30 PM ET

Welcome Class

Meet Bryan and your cohort, get a clear picture of how the course runs, and see how each assignment builds toward your final Creative Pitching Plan.

Course structure & expectations
Assignments & final project overview
Instructor introduction

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WED (2/17), 5:30 PM PT/8:30 PM ET

Introduction to Music Licensing and the Industry

Learn how music licensing works when someone wants to use a song in film, TV, advertising or other media, and who the key players are in the US market.

Licensing's role in media
US music licensing market
Rights holders, publishers, labels & third parties

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MON (2/22), 5:30 PM PT/8:30 PM ET

Music Licensing Agreements + Guest Speaker

Discover who owns the music, how those rights are divided under US law, and which terms and clauses matter most when you read a licensing agreement.

Ownership & rights under US law
Copyright ownership & rights splits
Key terms & clauses in licensing agreements
Workshop: challenges in negotiating music licensing agreements

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WED (2/24), 5:30 PM PT/8:30 PM ET

Music Rights and Ownership Research

Research a song from scratch, track down the correct rights holders, and confirm which permissions you need before the music can be used in a project.

Ownership research techniques
Rights verification with ASCAP & BMI
Records of rights, expiration dates & usage terms
Demo: researching ownership & clearances in ASCAP & BMI databases

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MON (3/1), 5:30 PM PT/8:30 PM ET

Catalog Management and Organization

Organize a music catalog so every track can be found, cleared, licensed and tracked with ease, then get a guided walkthrough of DISCO, the catalog platform used in class.

Catalog organization for licensing
Demo: DISCO overview

Assignment #1: Playlist Metadata & Clearance
Build a playlist of 3-6 songs with the right metadata, tags and clearance information.

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WED (3/3), 5:30 PM PT/8:30 PM ET

Music Licensing in Film, TV, and Advertising

Master the workflows, creative demands and placement strategies behind licensing music for film, TV, trailers and ads, then test them in a live negotiation simulation.

Licensing workflows across film, TV & advertising
Differences between media
Licensed songs & custom compositions
Workshop: negotiating a sync license for a TV show or commercial

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MON (3/8), 5:30 PM PT/8:30 PM ET

Creative Music Search & Delivery to Clients + Guest Speaker

Break down creative briefs, source music that fits, spot clearance hurdles early and build client-ready playlists, with a sample brief analyzed step by step in class.

Creative brief analysis
Music search for briefs
Client-ready playlists
Demo: sample brief analysis

Assignment #2: Creative Brief Response
Answer a creative brief with 3-6 songs, your rationale, potential clearance hurdles and a rough budget estimate.

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WED (3/10), 5:30 PM PT/8:30 PM ET

Contracts and Legal Considerations

Analyze the contract terms that shape every deal, from territory and duration to exclusivity, and understand the rights and obligations of each party involved.

Key terms & their impact on a deal
Territory, duration & exclusivity
Common contract risks
Rights & obligations of each party

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MON (3/15), 5:30 PM PT/8:30 PM ET

Effective Communication and Negotiation Skills

Practice a live sync negotiation, balancing client budgets against rights-holder demands without damaging the relationship, and prepare for deals by mapping needs and limits.

Negotiation strategies for licensing deals
Negotiation prep: budget, rights & time
Stakeholder communication
Conflict resolution & managing expectations
Conflicting ownership claims

Assignment #3: Licensing Agreement Revisions
Review a sample licensing agreement and submit your proposed revisions.

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WED (3/17), 5:30 PM PT/8:30 PM ET

Understanding Royalties + Guest Speaker

Explore how backend royalties work in sync, from PRO payouts through cue sheets and blanket licenses to collection, distribution and the records that keep payments accurate.

Royalty structures in music licensing
PRO performance royalties
Cue sheets, collection & distribution
Payment schedules
Record-keeping & working with PROs

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MON (3/22), 5:30 PM PT/8:30 PM ET

Sync & Licensing for Independent Artists + Guest Speaker

Build a sync plan for independent music, covering PRO registration, licensing platforms, music libraries and deals made directly with music supervisors, filmmakers and brands.

Licensing for independent musicians
PRO registration
Distribution platforms for licensing
Music libraries & sync agencies
DIY licensing with supervisors, filmmakers & brands

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WED (3/24), 5:30 PM PT/8:30 PM ET

Networking in the Music Licensing Industry + Guest Speaker

Develop practical ways to build credibility, grow a professional network and pick the music licensing conferences and events that are worth your time.

Industry credibility
Professional networking
Music licensing conferences & events

Assignment #4: Industry Event Calendar
Build a one-page calendar of 8-10 relevant conferences for your sector and location over the next 12 months.

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MON (3/29), 5:30 PM PT/8:30 PM ET

Career Development in the Music Licensing Industry

Identify the career paths in music licensing, find roles through job boards and hiring resources, and bring the course together in your final pitching presentation.

Internships at publishers, licensing & sync agencies
Career paths in music licensing
Job boards & hiring resources

Final Project: Creative Pitching Plan
Develop a music pitching strategy for a real or fictional film, TV show or commercial, from track selection and rights research to fees, a draft agreement and a stakeholder pitch. Deliver it as a report, a presentation or a video.

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