Music in Scripts

[sspunisher]

I'm sure this might be pushing your weight around a bit too much as a screenwriter, but suppose you want a certain song to be playing during a certain scene:

I'm sure it would be looked down upon, but assuming you play the whole angle where a character might be listening to that song, then other actions occur while the music is in the background voice over style.

Two questions:

1). Is that acceptable.

2). Can you name a specific song, or should you be generic about it and just give the genre of music?

[Joe Calabrese]

Do you own that song, or can promise to a producer that the rights to that song can be obtained cheaply or are even available?

Will the producer love that song as much as you do?

Is it vital to have a specific song to better tell the story or do just love the song?

If you are using it to better flavor or tell the story, will someone other than yourself "get it?"

Is it a music bio pic, like "Ray," where you need to show their songs?

This is why you do not put a song in a script. Just put a style of music. ie. "He turns on the Jazz station and a progressive fusion set blares across the speakers. He winces and quickly turns off the radio. "Man! That aint Jazz. Where's my Miles CD?"

Even if a song tells the story, like Raindrops keep falling on my head" for a scene where a guy walks around the city sad from being dumped, you can suggest it but run the risk that a producer hates that song or the rights to it are so expensive or worse, that song is a cliche in the film industry.

Bottom line. I wouldn't, but I have seen some spec scripts use them but only when necessary.

[matthewrobertblack]

What Joe says seems to be the common practice, especially in a finished script you're looking to send out for producers and/or agents. However, it might not be a bad idea to use songs to "theme" your script. I find it quite interesting to pick out a song I'd use for a particular scene as it gives me a more filmic impression of how the scene might actually take place. I use them periodically, but I wouldn't reccommend keeping the song titles or suggestions in a polished script.

[Rainy Night]

It's unusual to see a specific song called out in a script, and as a rule I wouldn't do it. However, there are exceptions to every rule. In the last Project Greenlight one of the final 3 scripts, WILDCARD, I think it was, had very specific music selections specified in the script. I remember thinking at the time that it was unusual. While that script didn't win, it did get optiond by Wes Craven.

[valen_sinclair]

was randomaly flicking through old pages and found this. I am in a similar problem. Although I do not have a "single" song I want, I do however have a fair idea who should be the composer, as their work fits perfectly for the mood I want to create in my show!
The composer(s) I want are an Icelandic band (I lived there for 6 years) called Sigur Ros.

Any ideas if you would be able to HINT to the producer this is the style of music that would best fit your overall vision.
Basically what rights does a creator have for his show?

[zeprosnepsid]

I suppose you can hint it in person. But I'd never hint it in a script. You can tell them you listened to Sigur Ros a lot while writing it. But to be honest, I don't think you have a chance with a Sigur Ros score. They are very popular in Hollywood so I wouldn't be surprised if they've been asked to do a score before and since they haven't then presumably they've said no. But a lot of their songs have been used and I'd say they probably command 50k a track easily. Unless you get a studio to make the film, I'm not sure you'll be able to get a million dollar soundtrack budget.

But your best chance is to buddy up to your Producer/Director. Sometimes they allow/are interested in writer's input. But if it isn't the music they hear in their head when they read it, it probably won't matter.

I suppose you could always write "Melodic and minimalist Iceland post-rock music plays over the scene" =)

[Hillgate]

...unless you're a writer/director like Tarantino and you want what you want, but he's very much the exception that proves the rule plus had his finger right on the pulse (eg Reservoir Dogs, Stuck in the middle with you).