Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism

For Immediate Release: March 23, 2023

HONOLULU—Two Hawaii co-writers from Creative Lab’s Music Immersive February 2023 cohort have landed an original music sync licensing placement in the ABC series “The Company You Keep.” Matt Glickstein (Lanai City, Hawaii) and Sarah Bethany (Hilo, Hawaii) co-wrote the song “Speak Easy,” which will air on ABC Television Network this Sunday, March 26 and locally at 9:00 p.m. in Hawaii on ABC affiliate KITV.

Creative Lab Hawaii (CLH) was founded by the State Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism’s (DBEDT) Creative Industries Division (CID) to accelerate new business and monetization opportunities for Hawaii’s creative entrepreneurs. The Creative Lab Music Immersive (CLMI) component focuses on Hawaii singer-songwriters looking to advance opportunities in licensing their works for global media and entertainment content.

“I am so grateful to have been a part of the CLMI. It was amazing being in a room with an amazing caliber of professional music producers, artists, music supervisors and fellows. We are all inspired and motivated to create more music with each other and spread the word to local songwriters about this life changing experience,” said Matt Glickstein, CLMI Fellow and music teacher from Lanai City.

“My experience in the CLMI is already transforming my life and the way I think about the business opportunities in the music industry,” said CLMI Fellow Sarah Bethany.

Songs from the CLMI have been placed in more than 75 national advertisements, television and streaming shows over the past several years. This includes shows such as “Grey’s Anatomy,” “NCIS,” “Magnum, P.I.,” “Nashville,” “All Rise,” “Heartland,” NFL sports broadcasts, and more.

Under the direction of Grammy and Na Hoku Hanohano Award recipient Charles M. Brotman, the CLMI provides songwriters with the opportunity to co-write and produce for specific TV, advertising, and/or media projects working alongside world-class music supervisors, producers, songwriters, and executives. “Creative Lab is building a community of music professionals who are connected to the music business abroad and are creating music here in Hawaii that reaches the mainland and the world through placements in TV shows and other media,” said Charles Brotman.

“Hawaii’s performers, songwriters and producers are gaining new tools to navigate the world of licensing a global media product. It is a reflection of the tremendous talent we have in Hawaii as well as the importance of fostering opportunities for our entrepreneurs that will further fuel Hawaii’s creative economy,” said DBEDT director Chris J. Sadayasu.

CLMI builds a bridge for local musicians to build business relationships, partner with composers and songwriters, and work with industry insiders to leverage their talent for licensing and royalties from original works placed in television series, feature films, videogames, and new media.

“The Creative Lab Hawaii experience is designed to accelerate expanded revenue generating opportunities through hands on mentorship in craft and the business of licensing, publishing, and intellectual property protection,” explains Georja Skinner, chief officer, DBEDT’s Creative Industries Division and founder of the CLH Program. “Our strategic vision is cultivating industry know how to compose and license original songs for global films, TV, streaming, or advertising, so participants are able to expand revenue channels for their talents.”

For more information on the CLMI, visit creativelab.hawaii.gov.

Photos and B-Roll available upon request.

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About DBEDT (Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism)
DBEDT is Hawaii’s resource center for economic and statistical data, business development opportunities, energy and conservation information, and foreign trade advantages. DBEDT’s mission is to achieve a Hawaii economy that embraces innovation and is globally competitive, dynamic and productive, providing opportunities for all Hawaii’s citizens. Through its attached agencies, the department fosters planned community development, creates affordable workforce housing units in high-quality living environments, and promotes innovation-sector job growth.

About CID (Creative Industries Division)
CID, a division within DBEDT, is the state’s lead agency dedicated to advocating for and accelerating the growth of Hawaii’s creative economy. Through initiatives, program development, and strategic partnerships, the division and its branches implement activities to expand the business development, global export and investment capacity of Hawaii’s arts, culture, music, film, literary, publishing, digital and new media industries.

About the Creative Lab Hawaii Program
The Creative Lab Hawaii (CLH) Program was founded in 2012 by the Hawaii State Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT)’s Creative Industries Division to accelerate the growth of Hawaii’s creative entrepreneurs through immersive, hands-on training in broadband/new media, producing, screenwriting, interactive media, music and design/fashion. The CLH Program, a key facet of Hawaii’s creative economy, is developing an ecosystem to increase export, attract investment, and build the State’s creative entrepreneurial capacity in media, music and fashion/design. The CLH Program features three program components: 1) Immersive Programs; 2) Ideation Workshops; and 3) Public Keynotes.
Website: creativelab.hawaii.gov

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MEDIA CONTACTS:
Georja Skinner
Division Chief, Creative Industries Division
Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism
808-586-2590
creativelab.hawaii.gov

Laci Goshi
Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism
808-587-9006
dbedt.hawaii.gov

Christine Matsuda
Paakai Communications
808-321-2473