Vapor Music Group and ADVANCE Launch Groundbreaking BIPOC Sync Workshop Series to Foster New Talent in the Music Industry
Vapor Music Group, an award-winning full-service audio production house, has teamed up with ADVANCE Music Canada’s Black music business collective, to launch an innovative quarterly workshop series aimed at empowering BIPOC music producers, songwriters, and artist managers. Starting in early 2025, this initiative promises to open doors for emerging BIPOC creatives in the world of music sync and other related industries.
LBB’s April Summers sits down with Gavin Alexander, Vapor’s head of business development, to find out more about this passion project.
When I meet with Gavin at Vapor Music Group’s state-of-the-art Toronto facility he gives me a tour. Showing me around the newly renovated space, which offers five x 5.1 studios with large mix environments (one with Atmos), and multi-voice capable recording booths, he explains how the space was designed with these kinds of events in mind.
"One of the things I’m most passionate about is creating opportunities for marginalised communities, particularly for BIPOC talent," he says. “What we're looking to do is create a program of activities starting in the first quarter of 2025, where we provide resources and speakers to talk about various areas of the audio industry to a select cohort of BIPOC music producers so they understand all areas of the craft.”
The hands-on workshops are designed to provide crucial resources, mentorship, and practical experience in areas such as composing, sound design, music supervision, and engineering. Participants will have the opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge about the process of creating music for film, TV, commercials, and other media forms.
With the ever-evolving landscape of content creation, there is an increasing demand for diversity in every aspect of production. For companies, particularly in the long-form media space, there is a push to reflect BIPOC stories and characters in the content they produce.
Gavin emphasises that, by training BIPOC talent for these fields, Vapor is proactively supporting diversity within the audio industry, ensuring that these voices and perspectives are not only present but also deeply integrated into media and entertainment.
A Comprehensive, Four-Week Program
The plan is for the workshop to run for four weeks, each quarter, and participants will be divided into teams of producers, songwriters, and artist managers. Each team will work on creating original content for specific sync briefs—such as writing for film, scoring original music, and sound designing. They’ll also receive lectures and training from both Vapor’s experienced staff and external industry experts.
According to Gavin, this curriculum covers everything from publishing and licensing to advanced techniques in music production and supervision. “The idea for us is to create a talent pipeline of BIPOC practitioners,” he explains. “We want to introduce them to a whole new world of opportunities that can impact their careers for years to come.”
In addition to working in the studios, participants will engage with guest speakers, providing them with invaluable insights and networking opportunities. These partnerships are not just about learning but also about opening doors for future collaborations.
A key component of the workshop is its strong emphasis on community outreach and partnerships with like-minded organisations. Participants will be selected through non-profit networks, ensuring that these opportunities reach those who might not have access to such training otherwise. ADVANCE Music Canada, alongside organisations The Remix Project, POV Film, Girl Connected, I.M.P.A.C.T., and Canadian Guild of Music Supervisors will assist with participant curation and community outreach.
By tapping into these networks, the program ensures that a diverse pool of talent is represented while also providing ongoing support and mentorship to ensure long-term success.
Expanding the Future of Music Sync and Licensing
Music synchronisation is a rapidly growing area within the music industry, with increasing demand for high-quality soundtracks, theme songs, and other audio components for various media. For BIPOC creatives, breaking into this field offers a promising career path that can add new revenue streams and creative outlets.
Vapor Music’s sync workshop series aims to fill the gap by teaching participants the skills necessary to succeed in the world of sync, from legalities and licensing to pitching music and collaborating with film producers.
Each session will cover key topics such as:
- Music Licensing and Copyright: Learning the ins and outs of music usage and rights management
- Client Communication and Collaboration: Understanding best practices for aligning with directors, producers, and music supervisors
- Mixing and Mastering for Sync: Techniques for preparing music for commercial use
- Pitching and Networking: Building a network and pitching music for sync opportunities
By working closely with industry veterans and tapping into Vapor’s world-class studios, participants will have hands-on opportunities to create music and sound design that could be used in films, TV shows, commercials, and more.
Aiming for Long-Term Impact
Excited about this new program, Gavin reveals that the core aim of the workshop series is far-reaching. "We want to build a new network of BIPOC creatives in music synchronisation," he says. "Through this initiative, participants will not only learn new skills but also form connections that could lead to future collaborations, gigs, and creative partnerships."
At the conclusion of each workshop series, participants will present their work to Vapor’s staff for feedback. These demos will be owned by the participants, allowing them to use them for future sync opportunities.
An additional highlight of the workshop series will be a wrap-up event, where participants will have the chance to showcase their work to industry professionals—including music supervisors, filmmakers, and post-production houses—opening up new pathways for their careers.
With a growing recognition of the need for greater representation in the entertainment industry, Vapor Music feels this is a critical step towards creating lasting change. By fostering a diverse talent pool, providing mentorship, and offering exposure to new career opportunities, this initiative aims to directly address the ongoing challenges BIPOC creatives face in the industry.
"We’re not just looking to create one-off opportunities," Gavin tells me. "This is about laying the groundwork for a sustainable, diverse ecosystem within the audio and music production industry."
The first workshop series will launch in February 2025, with subsequent sessions scheduled quarterly in May, August, and November. Speaking with Gavin and the Vapor team, it’s easy to get excited about the ways in which this program promises a new era of inclusion and representation in the world of music synchronisation.
To learn more about the exciting partnership and upcoming workshop series, visit Vapor Music and ADVANCE
