Screenwriting : Do you put song titles in your screenplays? by Phillip E. Hardy, "The Real Deal"

No, I don't call out specific song titles or Artists in my scripts. During pre production, I may discuss specifics with the Producer & Director about it - if I feel that it's really necessary. But I also understand the associated costs involved.

Doug

Queen songs are probably expensive.

I would, sure, yes, especially in a spec script and if its inclusion is about hitting a certain tone or time period or is needed for a story reason or is just mentioned in an everyday-like conversation between characters—fair use. It's a spec. The job of a spec is to get attention and wow people with the story and the execution and incite interest. IF/WHEN it should ever go further, get purchased, go into development, etc, then those usage and music rights issues would be addressed at that time. Besides, song choice can easily be changed or maybe go with a cover version.

Elyse Hollander sold her spec script Blonde Ambition about Madonna in her early years to Universal. She did not have the rights to anything. The script is full of Madonna's music and her many appearances on various award shows, productions, etc, it makes speculation of Madonna and her life. It also makes speculation about other people around Madonna and in the music industry at the time. Of course, whether or not this will ever be made into a film remains to be seen; they face the multi-million dollar wrath of Madonna herself, not to mention the various owners of various rights that would need to be secured in order to produce the film. Not sure if there has been further movement on this project? But... Hollander wrote and sold a spec. The issue of getting all the rights and paying for music usage is now in the hands of Universal.

I think some people advise against it, because of the potential added expense. But I do it, and especially when I feel the specific song reflects the theme/sentiment of a scene. or for effect purposes. I have also used "a song like (fill in song name here) plays in bg."

Martin Scorsese, one of the best at putting songs in the bg of his films, even states how important specific songs are to his films, and are like "a character" in them.

I also love the way The Farrelly Brothers use songs, like, in Kingpin for example - The Sound of Silence, The Theme from Love Story, Showdown, Disco Inferno. That is freaking hilarious when those songs are playing in those scenes. Or Jonathan Richman playing in There's Something About Mary, and the songs History Repeating...Build Me Up Buttercup...etc.... that is killer stuff.

Best fortunes in your creative endeavors, Phillip "The Genuine Drummer" Hardy!

Like anything else, it's a harmless inclusion when not done to excess. If there's a new song mentioned every ten pages, that's a bit obnoxious, but one or two in the whole script is just fine. If you feel it's an appropriate musical choice, include it.

Best case scenario, it's in the movie and works perfectly -- worst case? Nothing happens. Might as well go for it!

Beth: Blond Ambition is damn good screenplay. Elyse displayed some really creative ideas in delivering a snapshot of Madonna's struggle to succeed. I look forward to seeing Elyse's her future work.

I think it would be hard to do a music star's bio without featuring their music. For example, the biopic the 2014 biopic, Jimi: All Is By My Side wasn't allowed to use any of Jimi's original songs. They had Hendrix doing covers during the performance scenes. Though I thought the movie was pretty good, it did suffer that handicap.

I recently used some Carol King titles in a fantasy rom/com that has a modern girl traveling back to the Georgian period. It was pretty funny having those songs in the script and I'm with Danny MaxXx; I'll sort it out when somebody shows interest in making a film.

Thanks for your posts.

Andy: Thanks and good perspective.

Bill C: Quentin Tarantino helped revive the career of my friends, The Lively Ones by closing Pulp Fiction with Surf Rider, a song I've had the pleasure of playing several times with the Lively Ones.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pk26r1JJXC0

I do!

Phillip: And Link Wray (RIP) and Dick Dale (RIP), too!

Never, except for a vague reference - Kick Ass Eighties Rocker. Who knows if a song is available or how much it will cost. Or the director has other ideas. They have a use to set period if spelled out generically.

As inferred, it's a quick plug in of emotion just like using a clip of some other TV show or film. The emotion should come from the writer's pen.

The operative word with Wright is 'successful." "Baby Driver" was a self-direct with a handsome budget that was signed off on. It was a dreadful film.

Presumptuous in assumptions indeed.

Whatever.

Phillip, funny you should say that. Personally speaking, I did not like the Blonde Ambition script myself. LOL! I found it (the story) disappointing and lacking, despite knowing it made the top of the Black List Industry Survey. I can see why Madonna would fight it. But I have no doubt of Hollander's talent. ;)

Only if the story needs it. If they can’t clear it. They’ll find a sub and it can be fixed in a rewrite.

Go back and listen to the background jukebox music playing in the Brick in the Northern Exposure episodes. There were many long and involved discussions with ASCAP & BMI agents, Artists & Managers (and some of those songs were in the 'public domain' - yeah, right. It can be a long & costly effort. My advice for a spec script is basically don't do it and avoid the hassle.

Even the moose demanded residuals.

can quickly blow a budget by suggesting a popular or well known song where the rights are extremely expensive. Unless it is actually crucial to the script, best to put a generic reference to music. Hopefully if you get a sale and get to sit down with studio/director, you can say "i was thinking of this song for that part".

I do. Being a mixtape dude I make the soundtrack before I start the script. Last night, I turned my first script's soundtrack into a Spotify playlist. Until someone buys it, it's my script... my vision.

Spielberg said visuals are 80% intellectual and 20% emotional... and that music is 80% emotional and 20% intellectual. Thus the music I choose creates the mood I want my audience to feel. But then I've also wanted to direct my scripts.

For example, my Spotify playlist for my supernatural script is easily available to view, absorb, and listen to at the simple click of a mouse now - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6TUPeDtfnJX1n3tPjIFIga?si=bkYhmeFLSJGo...

The dawning digital age of music will change a lot of the past taboo about adding songs and their titles into scripts... yet I argue... they "show, don't tell" what the mood will be... simple as that, matter of fact.

I've heard an NPR reporter tell donors at their fund-raiser dinner that digital streaming is killing FM radio... that terrestrial radio listeners are diminishing.

Like that ol' song, "Video killed the radio star."

Or like silent films bowed out - ala, "The Artist"

Admittedly Kay, the current script I'm writing contains NO songs. Yet, I am trying to be the next Tarantino... but I prefer being the next Stan Kubrick. No one's made the kind of movie I've discussed in past posts. I didn't quit a well-paid engineering career in LA to be some generic under-the-line wannabe.

If a character is listening to music, then, most of the time, I'll go generic. (I'll make an exception only if it's relevant to the story.)

To tell you the truth, if that character's performing music, then, with an exception or two, I'll get specific.

I made over a 100 mixtape cassettes that are titled and dated. Each one tells a sonic story. I've always wanted to add visuals and dialogue. The end of Side A is its Act 2 midpoint.

I don't think it's copyright infringement to write a song's title in a screenplay. That being said, most of that stuff has a high chance of getting changed on set anyway... and then changed again in the edit... and then again in the mix. So should you bother? Well, only you can decide that.

Well y'all I'm grateful for this stream because today I got hired to read a 75-page 1st-draft screenplay. When I scanned the pages, I noticed Prince's "Purple Rain" (guffaws). Nipped that baby in da bud right 'der.

I see no problem with writing it in and if the producer can't clear it, use a similar song that they can. In "Lawn Boys", I have an elementary school chorus singing Taylor Dayne's "Prove Your Love", and noted "or equivalent Eighties b-side".