Sync licensing has become the quiet revenue engine for a growing number of Australian independent artists. While streaming pays fractions of a cent per play, a single sync placement in a TV show, film, or advertisement can generate anywhere from $500 to $50,000 or more.

I’ve spent the past month talking to sync agents, music supervisors, and artists who’ve had placements. Here’s what I’ve learned about how the process actually works in Australia.

What Sync Licensing Is

Sync (synchronisation) licensing is the process of licensing music for use alongside visual media. When a song plays during a scene in a TV show, that’s a sync placement. When music accompanies an advertisement, a video game cutscene, or a film trailer, that’s sync too.

Two separate licences are typically required: a sync licence for the recording (controlled by whoever owns the master — often the artist or their label) and a mechanical licence for the underlying composition (controlled by the songwriter or their publisher).

For independent artists who wrote and recorded their own music, this means you control both sides. That’s actually a significant advantage.

Where the Money Is

The Australian sync market has some specific characteristics worth understanding.

Advertising pays the best but is the hardest to break into. A national TV commercial can pay $10,000-$50,000 for the sync fee alone, with additional payments for mechanical rights and potentially ongoing royalties. Regional campaigns pay less but are more accessible.

Film and TV varies enormously. A placement on a major Australian drama might pay $2,000-$10,000. Netflix or Stan originals have their own rate structures. Low-budget independent films might offer $500 or less, but the exposure can lead to more placements.

Video games are an growing market. Australian game developers are increasingly looking for local music, and the rates are competitive with TV placements. The advantage of game placements is that the music stays in the product permanently.

Online content — YouTube, social media campaigns, podcasts — pays less than traditional media but offers volume. Rates are typically $200-$2,000 depending on the reach and duration.

How to Get Placements

There are three main pathways for Australian artists.

Sync agents and music libraries. Companies like Native Tongue, Level Two Music, and Mushroom Music Publishing actively pitch Australian music to supervisors in Australia and internationally. Getting signed to a sync agent involves submitting your catalogue for review. They take a percentage of any fees (typically 25-50%), but they have relationships and access that individual artists don’t.

Direct outreach. Some music supervisors are open to hearing directly from artists, particularly for Australian productions. The key is being professional and targeted. Don’t blast your entire catalogue to every supervisor you can find. Research the shows and films they’re working on and send specific tracks that fit.

Music licensing platforms. Services like Musicbed, Artlist, and Epidemic Sound offer another route. You upload your music, set terms, and users can license it directly. The per-use fees are lower than bespoke sync deals, but the volume can add up.

Making Your Music Sync-Ready

Music supervisors have specific needs that differ from what makes a great album track.

Instrumentals matter. Most placements need music that works under dialogue or narration. If your song has vocals, supervisors will often ask for an instrumental version. Have one ready for every track.

Clean versions. If your lyrics contain explicit content, have clean versions available. This isn’t about artistic compromise — it’s about having options for different contexts.

Stems availability. Some placements require individual stems (separate tracks for drums, bass, guitars, vocals, etc.) so the music supervisor can adjust the mix for the scene. If your sessions are organised, exporting stems is straightforward.

Metadata. Proper metadata — song title, artist name, ISRC codes, publisher information, tempo, key, mood descriptors — makes your music searchable in the databases that supervisors use. Sloppy metadata means your track might never surface in searches.

Emotional clarity. The tracks that get placed most often have a clear emotional direction. A song that’s unambiguously joyful, melancholy, tense, or triumphant is easier for a supervisor to match to a scene than a track with complex or ambiguous emotions.

The Business Side

A few practical things to sort out before pursuing sync:

Make sure your APRA AMCOS registration is complete and current. Sync placements generate performance royalties that APRA AMCOS collects on your behalf.

Ensure you actually own or control your masters. If you recorded with a label, check your contract. Some label deals include sync rights, which means you can’t license the music independently.

Consider registering with PPCA as well, as some sync-adjacent uses generate neighbouring rights royalties.

Keep your contracts simple. When you do get a sync offer, the agreement should clearly specify the use, duration, territory, and fee. If you’re unsure about the terms, get advice before signing.

The Realistic Outlook

Sync licensing isn’t a lottery ticket. Most independent artists won’t land a major advertising placement without an agent and some luck. But the mid-tier and lower-tier market — regional ads, independent films, online content, podcasts — is accessible and growing.

Building a sync-ready catalogue is also just good practice. Organised sessions, proper metadata, instrumental versions, and clear rights ownership make your music more professional regardless of whether a sync deal materialises.

The Australian screen industry is producing more content than ever. That content needs music. Making sure your music is findable, licensable, and properly presented is the minimum viable strategy.