There was a time when "placements" were lucrative. There's a few of us up here who have got $10-15k for a track or 2. $5k a few times, but be real with yourself. I got 3 "placements" already set for 1st quarter 2010. Nothing big, but I never do anything big(Still Major). Don't expect to see much from any of these guys.
As said earlier. At this point, placements are like proof of credibility. Nothing else. I still take them, but I make more of mixing and mastering for guys off the net and running the studio out my crib for nobodies than I expect to ever make off another "placement". I don't even need "placements" to display my works at this point, lol. Locals f**k with me because I have the best sound out here and I'm "cheap" cause I run out my home.
Best advice I can give you in today's market is find artists you have faith in, produce them, and shop their music. We're in the time of fly by artists. A GS Boyz credit is nothing today, but it was omething just a few months ago. A year later it will be "you produced for who"? Apply that to any current artist(other than maybe Gaga or Rihanna). And anyone with a name already(State Property, Slaughterhouse, G-Unit, Grand Hustle, DTP, ect.)haven't fended well enough with the times to care to try anymore.
Find your own lanes, no one can help you when they can't help themselves. You don't keep working for a boss as his company goes under and he loses everything. You take the skills you have and go apply at a place of employment that can actually pay you.