P.E.I. musicians' songs marketed in Hollywood

Movie executive 'flabbergasted' by P.E.I. musicians

An L.A.-based music executive who chooses songs for movies says the first Canadian Song Challenge was a huge success in his eyes.

Image | Ashley Condon

Caption: P.E.I. musician Ashley Condon attracted the interest of movie executive Marcus Barone on the weekend, and he will be trying to sell her songs for use in movies. (ashleycondon.com)

Marcus Barone is now shopping songs by Ashley Condon and Tim Chaisson for a couple of movies he's working on. Barone said he was impressed with Music PEI and the quality of Island musicians.
"I was flabbergasted. I thought you have some of the most wonderful, wonderful, exciting, talented people I have heard in a long time," he said.
"When I work on motion pictures I love to find new talent. I love to find artists, what I call, in the cracks, not the typical wash machine, which is artists that are trying to copy other artists. So I found many artists here and it's very, very exciting for me."

Image | Marcus Barone

Caption: Hollywood movie executive Marcus Barone was on P.E.I. this weekend listening to musicians, looking for songs to sell for use in movies. (Submitted by Marcus Barone)

Barone said he usually gives moviemakers five cuts to choose from per scene. He said Condon and Chaisson have a good chance of getting picked up.
Music PEI confirms an expression of interest was made to the Island band Coyote as well out of the Canadian Song Challenge.
The fee per song depends on the size of the movie's budget, said Barone. It could be as little as $500 if it's an independent movie, or as much as $30,000 a song for a big budget feature.