Music Sync Opportunities: Breaking into Film, TV & Commercial Licensing

Are you looking for new revenue streams for your music? Join us for an engaging panel discussion covering how to get your music into the hands of music supervisors, how music is matched to projects, and how to compose music for sync so your music has the best chance for placement and future royalties. Presented by the Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville and the Country Music Association, this free, in-person event brings together professional musicians with industry experts to explore music sync opportunities in film, television, gaming, and more. Panelists include artist, songwriter and producer Hannah Miller, artist, producer, and sync force Foundation Mecca, award winning documentary producer and director Barbara Hall, and entrepreneur, music business strategist, and founder of Collab Music Network Mimi McCarley. ABC director of programs, Jonathan Harwell-Dye, will serve as the panel moderator.

Learn how to pitch your songs, build the right industry connections, and tailor your music for sync placements. The conversation will conclude with a lively Q&A giving you the chance to get your questions answered directly by these industry leaders!

Our Panelists

Hannah Miller is an artist, songwriter, producer, and ten year veteran of the film/TV sync licensing world with placements in shows (This Is Us, Pretty Little Liars, Virgin River, Station 19, The Following, Rebel, Traitors UK, Truth Be Told, The Good Doctor, Walker Independence, Sons of Anarchy, Nancy Drew, Mercy) films (Little Women, Trash Fire, Other Versions of You, Pilgrims Progress) and national ad campaigns (DSW and Pitney Bowes). She has also had hundreds more placements internationally through her work as a writer and producer of production music for Warner Chappell. She recently launched her own company called Better Together Music that offers sync representation to a small roster of artists and also offers budget friendly, personalized consulting on how to get started in sync. She also created and currently runs the Song Garden which is a twice yearly songwriting workshop that exists to encourage and cultivate artists growing together in community.

Foundation Mecca is a boundary-breaking artist, producer, and sync force whose genre-bending music blends cinematic hip-hop, soulful textures, and experimental grit. His work has earned placements in feature films like the upcoming Hostile Takeover starring Michael Jai White, as well as international syncs with Sky UK, and catalog representation by leading libraries Crucial Music and Silverside.

His music has amassed over 2 million streams across Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube, and he’s currently signed to a publishing deal with Atomic Overtures, a boutique sync-first publisher run by industry veterans with placements in global ad campaigns and independent films.

Foundation Mecca has opened for iconic rap group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, and has collaborated on work with Bootsy Collins and Talib Kweli of Black Star. His Nashville credentials include a sold-out headlining show at Exit/In and creative collaborations with multi-platinum producer Landon Sears.

He’s been selected for high-level sync camps with Anacrusis (Liz Rogers) and Collab Network (Mimi McCarley), placing him among a curated group of artists with music actively pitched to top film/TV platforms. He’s also represented by a growing team of sync agents, including:

• Middle Ground Music

• Old Guys Rule Music

• Kazen Music

• Artec Sound (via Pal Sheldon)

Whether scoring tension for film, crafting spiritual anthems, or building genre-less soundscapes, Foundation Mecca is a creative who moves with intention, legacy, and impact, defining the next wave of music for picture.

Barbara Hall, a lover of music stories, is the Founder of Clear Cut and Vice President of TH Entertainment. With more than 25 years of experience in original programming, she has a solid foundation in Intellectual Property Rights and Clearances and consults on a wide range of music related rights. Her directorial and production credits include multiple music-based productions, biographies, concerts, documentaries and series including the series Impact: Songs that Changed The World, American Masters films on Charley Pride and Patsy Cline, Wynonna Judd: Concert from My Place, the forthcoming Ann Wilson feature documentary IN MY VOICE, and many more. Barbara is a proud member of the Producers Guild of America, Prime-Time Emmy-nominee, and a recipient of the 2025 Women In Film/Nashville Alice Award Trailblazer Award.

Mimi McCarley is a visionary entrepreneur, music business strategist, and the founder of Collab Music Network—a sync licensing and music publishing company dedicated to helping independent music creators thrive in the world of sync licensing. As a songwriter and producer with a passion for creating music that enhances clients’ brand needs, she has built a vibrant ecosystem where music supervisors, sync reps, music publishers, and creators collaborate to place high-quality, emotionally intelligent music in TV, film, and advertising.

Mimi’s expertise extends beyond music. She is also a speaker, mentor, and creative leader committed to helping artists build sustainable careers while fostering authentic partnerships throughout the entertainment industry.

Our Moderator

Working at the intersection of arts and business, Jonathan Harwell-Dye is passionate about empowering artists, arts organizations, and creative entrepreneurs with the resources they need to thrive. As director of programs for the Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville, he drives the strategic vision for the organization's key programs, providing resources, opportunities, and education to Tennessee's thriving creative sector. With a diverse professional background, Jonathan has held several leadership roles. He served as senior communications manager for a global art and design university, as well as director of communications for a nonprofit arts organization and local arts agency. His creative career began as a graphic artist in the newspaper industry, progressing through roles including online manager, creative director, and editor. Jonathan's educational journey reflects his dedication to both arts and business. He holds a B.F.A. in interdisciplinary studies/scientific illustration from the University of Georgia and a certification in creative placemaking from The Ohio State University. He studied business design and arts leadership at the Savannah College of Art and Design, completing graduate-level coursework in business, finance, accounting, and strategic decision-making. Jonathan resides in Nashville, Tennessee, with his partner Stacey, an energetic Huskydoodle named Cici, and a dinosaur-obsessed toddler who attacks every day with a roar.