The process of choosing a soundtrack for a movie
By: Manuela Herrán HidalgoÂ
10 A
If you are like me, every time you watch a movie, you feel a connection to the movie soundtrack, not only because it plays a main job in each scene, but also it becomes key in your understanding of the whole movie. It sets the mood, it relates to the character, it sets the tone, and it even relates to the viewer, but have you ever wondered how each song is chosen? Or what is the process taken for the selection of the whole soundtrack? Turns out it is the specialized job of someone hired to be part of the crew, and it is called a music supervisor.
But what exactly is a music supervisor? A music supervisor is a person whose sole job is to select the right song for each scene when it comes to a movie or tv series. The songs chosen have to be consistent with the overall tone the director hopes to express. But they do not just work in movies and tv series, they also work on television and even video games. To give you an example of a famous movie supervisor and her work, let's talk about Alexandra Patsavas, who is widely recognized as the best working movie supervisor in Hollywood. She has worked in Twilight, and television shows like, The O.C, Grey's Anatomy, and Gossip Girl, each of which is known to showcase great music, and I am sure you have watched at least one of them.
Now let's discuss the process of selecting the movie soundtrack. First, the MS will pick the songs he feels relates more, and that is adequate for each scene. Then, this will be shown to the director and, as I said before, it has to match with the tone the director hopes to express. If the director approves of the song selection, the MS will then begin a process in which he seeks permission from the artists to use the song. If the artist approves, then some financial details will be hashed out later. But, if the artist declines, the MS will have to search for a different song. Now, for smaller productions that don't have a big budget, the process will be different. They won't hire an MS, but then the producer, director, and crew will choose the music, and they try to sign with smaller artists who are willing to license their music for cheap. Finally, the music supervisor has to make sure the royalties regarding the music are well distributed.
To conclude, I would like to include some important mentions of soundtracks, as well as some of my top picks: Dirty Dancing, The Shining, A Star is Born, Purple Rain, Black Panther, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.1 & Vol.2, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Yesterday, Call Me by Your Name, La la land, among others. It is relevant to mention that some of the skills that the music supervisor has to have include: a wide knowledge of music and music history, an understanding of licensing and creative rights, people skills, and amongst all, a good taste in music that allows you to connect it with the feeling a scene can create. And last but not least, I invite you to pay close attention every time you watch a movie to recognize the soundtrack and connect with it.