Leading sync executives give us their thoughts on the year ahead and the trends they want to see more of in 2023.
Rich Robinson – EVP, Global Synchronization and Media Original Music at Warner Chappell Music
What are your hopes for sync in 2023?
One day I hope to come up with another word for it! I jest, but really, it’s such a complex nuance with the combination of emotions and storytelling, I always think the word doesn’t quite cover it. I think we’ve come a long way in recognizing its importance, but there’s always room for more. I call that hope.
What are Warner Chappell’s sync goals in 2023?
We want to continue to evolve into a thoroughly modern publisher and partner. We want to collaborate, co-create, and deliver value for songwriters and partners alike – and of course, to continue to connect the dots globally, and most importantly, have fun with it. We get to work with creatives of all disciplines within music, film, television, games, and advertising, what’s not to love about that.
What sync trends would you like to see more of in 2023?
I would love to see music used more often as the driving force behind the storytelling. We saw a lot of people really lean into the power of music over these past few years, particularly during the pandemic, and I’d love to see that continue.
Jedd Katrancha – EVP, Creative at Downtown Music Services
What are your hopes for sync in 2023?
I’d like to see continued growth in opportunity for talented writers and artists looking to challenge themselves by writing for the screen, be it songs or longer form compositions. I’m also excited to see a continued embrace of music from Africa, Asia, and Central and South America.
What are Downtown’s sync goals in 2023?
We have so much great music coming from so many sources across our businesses and we’re going to continue working to share it in interesting ways. We have a lot of songwriters working every day to make great music for sync, we have a big catalog of commercially released pre-cleared music that is rolling out right now, we work with some of the most beloved songs of all time, and we work with artists from around the world putting out great new music every week. One of my goals is to tell this story in a way that makes sure everyone we work with gets the shine they deserve.
Which sync trends would you like to see more of in 2023?
I’ve loved seeing all of the growth in the AI space and think we’re going to see some even more impressive products coming out in the near future that have the potential to change the way we do our creative work. There are also millions of video creators out there right now looking for ways to make their projects sound better and I’m excited to be a part of that and see which tools help make those collaborations blossom.
Missed part 1? Head here for insights from sync executives at Hipgnosis, Concord, and Warner Music.
