Universal Music Publishing’s Film & TV Department creates opportunities for and licenses our catalogue of songs to film, television, advertising, computer games and stage productions: what is often referred to as ‘synchronisation’. We work closely with each writer to support their creative endeavours and both promote and protect their music at every stage of their career. The UK office has a 12 strong Film & TV team working alongside similar specialist departments in our offices around the world. Covering everything from a song’s first play on UK TV to a major US hit series or scoring original film music, we always treat every use of our artists’ music with equal importance.
‘Hard To Forget’ by Rae Morris is providing the soundtrack for BBC One’s 2013 promo campaign for hugely successful series ‘Call The Midwife’, one of the biggest shows on the channel. The series follows a group of midwives based in East London in the 1950s.
Click through to watch the season trailer.
Universal Music Publishing have had a number of songs by Richard Hawley included in the soundtrack of 'I, Anna' which stars Charlotte Rampling, Hayley Atwell and Gabriel Byrne. The film, a contemporary noir thriller set in London, is the feature directorial debut by Barnaby Southcombe, Rampling’s son. It tells the story of Anna, a middle aged women looking for love, whose speed dating exploits implicate her in a murder case.
Universal Music Publishing has landed a double whammy music placement for the spectacular new trailer for Ang Lee’s forthcoming ‘Life of Pi’ film. Based upon Yann Martel’s beloved book - which went on to become one of the biggest publishing events of the past decade – ‘Life of Pi’ is an epic adventure of magical realism following the story of a young man’s incredible survival at sea against almost impossible odds. The first music spot is Sigur Rós’ epic ‘Saeglopur’, followed by Coldplay’s chart topping single ‘Paradise’.
Straight off the back of the Bobby McFerrin ‘Don’t Worry Be Happy’ sync for their recent food commercial, M&S has launched a brand new campaign using yet another UMPG copyright for their autumn fashion line. The advert features models strutting down an imaginary catwalk in M&S’s Autumn Winter 2012 line to Edwyn Collins’ 1995 Northern Soul inspired smash ‘A Girl Like You’. The song perfectly captures the mood of M&S’s campaign strapline, ‘For every woman you are’.
The new worldwide 'Unleash Your Music On The World' advert for Sony Xperia features a killer soundtrack by Crystal Fighters. 'Follow' was taken from the band's first album ‘Star of Love’. The ad shows how music playing on an Xperia smartphone can be instantly transferred to a speaker with a single touch.
Volkswagen Golf's new advert asks members of the public, “If you could take one record, film and food to a desert island, what would it be?” This light hearted look at people's favourite things is soundtracked by the utterly faultless piece of pop music that is Style Council’s 'Shout To The Top'. Style Council were formed in the early 80s by one of UMPG’s most iconic songwriters Paul Weller.
Paul Simon’s classic 1966 song 'Homeward Bound' has been reworked for the new TV advertising campaign of well-loved British cheese brand Cathedral City.
A new documentary from director Julien Temple: 'London - The Modern Babylon' celebrates the history and people of our capital city, from the early 20th century until the present day. Artists featured on the soundtrack include The Clash, Sex Pistols, Roxy Music, Dire Straits, Lily Allen and Crystal Fighters. The film will be shown as part of the Cultural Olympiad.
An advert for US food chain Chipotle, featuring a Willie Nelson cover of Coldplay’s ‘The Scientist’, has won the most covetable award at this year’s Cannes Lions - The Film Grand Prix. The touching advert, entitled ‘Back to the Start’, depicts the life of a farmer as he slowly turns his family farm into an industrial animal factory before seeing the error of his ways and opting for a more sustainable future.
Universal Music Publishing Group are pleased to have placed songs from The Undertones, Stiff Little Fingers and Rudi in a new film celebrating the life of Terri Hooley - founder of legendary Belfast record shop and label Good Vibrations.