For roughly 20 years, I have acquired exceptional material at favorable rates and flexible terms for network television productions, studio and independent features, ad campaigns, streaming webcasts, multimedia publications and other platforms. As music supervisor, I find or commission the perfect tune to support the storytelling. Tapping some of the most vibrant singer songwriters, composers and performers in the biz, we deliver Bespoke Music — tailored to your production. A full service Archival Production company, my team and I undertake in-depth research to unearth the very best materials. We conduct script clearance to identify potential issues before shooting begins. Obtain top level talent clearances and secure product placement and brand integration.
In a business built on relationships, our long standing connections with studios, networks, agents, managers, record labels, publishers and artists proves an invaluable asset. By lending a producer’s eye to the mission, we excel at structuring film, music and brand licensing. And in over two decades of media licensing, having managed and delivered thousands of clip, talent and music license agreements, I have never received a claim. Not one.
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” I have awarded several projects to 2nd Wind Productions, all handled with diligence and expertise.
From editing legal docs and drafting requests, to doggedly pursuing obscure sources, to negotiating exceptional terms and rates,
Stephan Michaels always delivers. “
Jon Barlow
Producer — NoSlate Productions
” Stephan and I have worked together for many years on various projects.
Quick and articulate, he truly understands the business. “
Jay Schellenbaum
VP of Advertising — Universal Music Enterprises
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Recent Credits
FINISH STRONG — Film 47 | Ford
Sometimes a project comes along that just might make an impact.
Privileged that Peter Berg & company tapped me as archival producer.
VERIZON FIRST RESPONDERS
2020 Super Bowl Spot
& Online Videos
Archival production on the televised Super Bowl ad compaign “The Amazing Things That 5G Won’t Do” and on several online videos. Uncovered scores of compelling clips and photographs, many from obscure and alternative sources, and presented to the producers with creative editing suggestions. Cleared all talent and third parties and administered all legal documentation.
THE TEAM THAT WOULDN’T BE HERE — Film 45
Headed Rights and Clearances on the documentary tribute to first responders directed by Peter Berg, sponsored by Verizon. Procured well over 100 clips, scores of music cues and photos. Crossed the goal line significantly under budget. “Clearance Paramedic” may soon become an industry recognized credit!
DELIRIUM – Appian Way / Blumhouse Productions
Procured Set and Wardrobe materials and placed all Brands for the horror flick starring Topher Grace as Tom, who returns to his childhood home straight from a mental institute. Tom’s old bedroom is adorned in indie rock memorabilia and a Kathy Ireland swimsuit poster that she picked out for us. Check out the Gin Blossoms tee shirt we created. And those Fruity Pebbles? Tom always loved ’em.
ON YOUR MARC – Marc Summers Productions
Music Supervisor, Associate Producer and Clearance Consultant on this brave new documentary
into the little known, behind-the-scenes story of tormented television personality Marc Summers.
QUEEN BEES
Feature Film — Peachtree Cinema 6
Obtained and negotiated clearances to use iconic literary quotes in the
romantic comedy staring James Caan and Ellen Burstyn.
SCENES FROM THE UNDERGROUND – First Circle Films
Co-Producer and Music Supervisor on the indie shot almost entirely in the NYC subway system. Original score and performances by subway musicians along with pivotal and iconic music provides a soundtrack as immersive as the natural rhythms of the city.
CECIL – Behind The Curtin Media
Product placement of Minesweeper computer game for Indie Film.
A rare placement through Microsoft Management
FREIDKIN UNCUT – Quoiat Films
Procured all major talent appearing in this eye-opening documentary about director and writer William Friedkin, including Al Pacino, Gene Hackman, Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair, Max von Sydow and the estate of the late great Roy Scheider, to name a few.
A PEOPLE’S JOURNEY
Oversaw all rights and clearances on this beautiful short film
for the Smithonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.
YouTube Social Impact – Whirled Creative
Handled rights and clearances for the inspirational video on YT’s Social Impact platform.
Cleared footage, artwork and talent including Pharrel Williams and Colleen Ballinger (Miranda Sings)
Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuWIr9F_eT8
“All the while, Whirled nicely adds some Facebook frames to some scenes, reminding the viewer
that Facebook is where so much of the world’s discussion of current events happens today” — Adweek
TIM TIMMERMAN, HOPE OF AMERICA – Picture Picture Films
Music Supervisor on this teen romantic comedy set in the mid -1990s. Supervised the soundtrack, including Pearl Jam, Better Than Ezra, Cypress Hill, Scorpions and Mazzy Star. Negotiated the composer’s agreement with Mateo Messina.
A CARLIN HOME COMPANION
Comedian George Carlin left this world too soon. His daughter Kelly Carlin keeps his legacy alive in a one-woman show retracing his career from the early 1960s — through a period of self-discovery in the 70s — to emerging as a social-political-satirical icon.
Privileged to have managed rights and clearances on this unvarnished glimpse of the man and his family.
PROUD TO LOVE – YouTube
Proud indeed to have overseen rights and clearances on this moving and poignant compilation, celebrating the Supreme Court’s ruling to uphold the constitutionality of same sex marriage. Winner of The Webby – 2016 People’s Voice Award!
Please share this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSiehK2asbI
ISHUES – Live IceHouse Productions
Associate Producer and Music Clearance on this riveting doc about Ishmael “Ish” Herring, a gifted homeless singer with a voice as haunting as his own life. Off the streets and into the studio, Ish records three songs that chart nationally, but the street is
never far away. Featuring Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, the Blind Boys of Alabama and 60’s pop R & B star Brenton Wood.
REACT TO THAT – Nickelodeon
Oversaw all licensing on this funny kids’ show for Nickelodeon. Manager of Rights and Clearances – supervised the five-person clearance department – licensing over 200 footage clips, handling all third party issues, personal appearances and music clearances. Delivered my line well under budget.
Macarrão
A labor of love to shepherd this 17-minute short into the film festival circuit, overseeing Rights and Clearances and lending Post Production Consultation. A young urban kid on the cusp of adolescence, Macarrão becomes empowered by the story of
Muhammad Ali to face street bullies. Mr. Ali graciously granted his consent to be featured. RIP – “The Greatest.”
UNCLE JOHN – Independent Film
Music clearances and consultation on this excruciating psychological thriller that treads along parallel lines. “This isn’t a horror film
per se, nor is it a romance in any traditional sense. Uncle John confounds expectations at every turn” — The Austin Chronicle.
THE IMPROV: 50 YEARS BEHIND THE BRICK WALL – Television Documentary Special
An insightful and hysterical retrospective of the iconic comedy club where many greats cut their teeth,
including Robin Williams, Jerry Seinfeld, Lilly Tomlin, Richard Lewis and Bill Maher, to name a few.
A DECADE WITH AN UNSIGNED ROCK BAND – Independent Film
This thoroughly entertaining rockumentary follows the monstrously talented band August Christopher around the country in search of the elusive record deal. Performed an in-depth clearance audit and consulted on sundry logo, brand, image and synch issues.
“Our upcoming rockumentary may never have gotten off the ground without 2nd Wind!” — Criss Cheatham
THE MALIBU TAPES – Feature Film
Chronicle meets Project X in this found footage teen-culture horror-ride. Licensed all music, including recording artists
Dr. Dre, The Knife, DJ Khaled, Kanye West, Mightyfools, Sub Focus, The Crystal Method and SAVOY.
Drafted original composition and talent agreements and cleared all brands.
ANYONE’S GHOST – Independent Film
A thought provoking dark comedy about loss and healing through an encounter
with the supernatural. Licensing consultant and set clearances.
HALFTIME IN AMERICA – Super Bowl Television Ad for Chrysler
Sourced and cleared obscure indie filmmakers and obtained their footage on this for grim-but-uplifting two minute Super Bowl halftime commercial featuring Clint Eastwood, who is not only a great actor and director, but someone who talks to chairs.
ALL TOGETHER – Television Ad for Nike
Located and cleared Kobe Bryant’s high school teammates who appear in this Kobe-centric ad for Nike.
Researched and cleared sources for the animated material included in the spot.
NOW SHOWING / MADE YOU LAUGH – Andrews McMeel Best-selling Multimedia Books
Manager Rights Clearance / Contributing Writer. Procured and negotiated all film and television clips; oversaw all talent and music licensing. Wrote and edited chapters and narration, and performed script supervision for the Andrews McMeel multimedia books with DVD: Now Showing – the New York Times Best Seller hosted by Dustin Hoffman, and Made You Laugh – hosted by Carl and Rob Reiner.
FLIX MIX / CLEARANCE HOUSE – UNIVERSAL PICTURES
Manager Rights and Clearances / Production Consultant — Oversaw licensing for the Flix Mix and Clearance House divisions at Universal Pictures and managed in-house clearances for the studio. A few of the highlights:
• Production Consultant on the Flix Mix / Showtime documentary Masters Of Horror, featuring Wes Craven, John Carpenter and Guillermo del Toro. Guillermo, incidentally, wet his pants as a child.
• Acquired footage and procured talent consents for the Houghton Mifflin series of multimedia college textbooks with DVDs, including English Literature featuring Dustin Hoffman in Death of A Salesman and Mel Gibson’s Hamlet. Worked with public radio icon Joe Frank who narrated the massive multimedia college textbook Psychology — plumbed a wide array of Universal film and television properties to illustrate each chapter.
• Cleared more actors and footage in one year than just about any other clearance entity on the planet, handling all the aforementioned as well as the Vivendi Universal multimedia French-to-English language series Oops My English!, Dragnet and Animal House gaming machines and sundry direct-to-consumer DVDs, to name a just handful of clip-laden productions.
9/11 – UNIVERSAL TELEVISION – CBS
Documentary on the September 11 terrorist attacks, hosted by Robert De Niro. Coordinated with the two French filmmakers who were in Manhattan that fateful day and shot the only known footage from inside the Twin Towers. Cleared all external footage and stills.
ARREST & TRIAL – UNIVERSAL TELEVISION – Wolf Films & MoPo Entertainment
Cleared over a hundred episodes of the dramatic-reality TV hybrid created by Dick Wolf (Law & Order) and hosted by Brian Dennehy, (RIP). Oversaw all photographic and footage acquisitions, cleared all law enforcement agencies, handled logos and product placement, performed script clearance and managed the department with unswerving dedication. Brought in my line under budget by six figures.
ON THIN ICE – FOX Television Documentary
A revealing probe at the sordid underbelly of professional ice-skating. Production consultant on
the investigation into alleged “Judges in Collusion” at the 1998 Nagano Olympics.
CAUGHT IN THE ACT – NBC / dick clark productions
Senior Researcher/Clearance Supervisor on the groundbreaking exposé hosted by Dean Stockwell.
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Have clearance or music licensing questions? Need a quote?
Please use the contact page on this website.
Impeccable references and recommendations available on request. Here are a couple:
