Inside Track: Demystifying Music Supervision

A look inside the world of the music supervisors behind television shows, movies, commercials, and more.

None

1.

musicsuperuepurpeu

By New Torch Entertainment

The past few months, Pigeons & Planes and New Torch Entertainment have been rolling out our new series, Inside Track. Thus far, we’ve discussed how streaming is affecting indie labels, and how artists are converting online buzz into successful touring, speaking with industry insiders to dissect every aspect of an artist’s career.

This time around, we’re tackling music supervision. Ever wonder how music ends up in movies, TV shows and commercials? We spoke with various music supervisors and agencies to unpack their process as well as offer advice to artists when it comes to syncing their music to visuals.

Providing insight:

Michael Perlmutter, Music Supervisor at Instinct Entertainment

Aaron Mercer, Partner at Wool & Tusk

Matthew Evertsen, Founder of RONIN, Creative Director at Moondog Music

Jackie Shuman, Music Supervisor at Good Ears Music Supervision


Where do your projects come from, and who hires you?

Michael Perlmutter (Instinct): Most of the hires are through loyal producers. I have known a few production companies and producers over the years, and they keep hiring us back! Degrassi—ten years and still going strong—Vikings, Penny Dreadful. There are producers I worked with 10 years ago on Queer As Folk and other shows; I worked on a documentary with an NYC director in 2006 or so, and he called me five years later to work with him on his feature film Arbitrage (Richard Gere, Susan Sarnadon) that was released in 2012. That was a great phone call—I’m glad he hadn’t met any other supervisors in those five years! We do make some cold calls and continually ask around to try and get on some projects. Word of mouth is very helpful, and we have an agent in Los Angeles that is on the lookout.

Aaron Mercer (Wool & Tusk): We’re either hired by the ad agency or the brand client themselves.

Matthew Evertsen (Moondog): Mainly my work in advertising and commercial syncs have been fortunate enough to be direct to brand. A few jobs have come through third party agencies on a per project basis. Short film and documentary work has come through personal relationships with artists, directors and/or producers.

Jackie Shuman (Good Ears): We’ve music supervised commercials for brands like Apple, Google, Nike, Target, Samsung, Nissan, Sonos, Spotify, Honda, Chobani, Pepsi, American Express, Android, and many more. We typically work with their creative agencies.

How do you find music, and what is your discovery process?

MP (Instinct): Everywhere and everyone—online, through contacts, and through relationships built during the past 20 years in the music and entertainment business. We go to many shows and conferences and meet folks with music. SoundCloud is a great tool, friends of friends, digging in with blogs, and any music resource in the universe. My colleagues are always searching, 24/7.

AM (Wool & Tusk): It can and does come from anywhere. Sometimes it’s pitched to us by labels, publishers and managers. Sometimes we hear it live or find it down an internet rabbit hole. Sometimes our friends, neighbors, kids, or bartenders turn us on to it.

ME (Moondog): I am fortunate to have great relationships with major and indie labels, publishers, managers and publicists who are always sending music as well as actively searching and seeking it out myself, whether through friends recommendations, blog postings or casual discovery. It’s important to challenge yourself in listening to a variety of music and develop a unique discerning perspective.

JS (GEMS): We find music in so many different ways at GEMS, but we are hunters by nature. I love reading through my favorite music blogs to find cool new tunes, and I’ve found some great things on non-commercial radio too. I’ll also check out shows and local festivals, or research the lineups at far away festivals if I can’t make it. I keep telling myself I’m going to get one of those vinyl to mp3 converters so I can capitalize on weekend crate digging and add that to the list.


Who makes the final decision on what song to use?

MP (Instinct): In television, the producer is the main decision maker. We provide ideas and options for each scene and they choose. We are asked what we think but tastes vary so we don’t push most ideas too hard. If we feel strongly about an option, we will let our producer know. We have very good relationships with our clients and we feel it’s always a collaboration. They hire us to keep them honest about styles, songs, sounds and we do proper research to ensure we are hitting the mark on all fronts. We may disagree with an idea they have separate from our pitches and we discuss it—we only want what is best for the scene, with what we can afford. Like Dylan said, “You gotta serve somebody,” and we serve the producer or director.

In film, it’s usually the director who has final say. I am sure there are varying situations—but film is the director’s medium—he or she is on the production from start until finish. In TV, a director preps an episode, shoots it, and has approximately three days in the edit suite to create a director’s cut. Then they move on to another show. There are show runners and creative producers of TV show who are there throughout the entire series, anywhere from 10 to 20 episodes.

AM (Wool & Tusk): A song can click at any time during the process, but ultimately the brand makes the decision.

ME (Moondog): It depends on the client. Most often it will be the brand’s creative director.

What’s been your favorite TV, film or ad placement that you haven’t been responsible for?

MP (Instinct): I think the creativity and choices behind the song placements in the film Breaking The Waves, starring Emily Watson, was one of the most beautiful and powerful concepts. Each chapter of the film begins with a different impressionistically filmed panorama title frame featuring early ’70s rock music interludes. Each of these chapters is filmed with a motionless camera, but features movement in the panorama.

AM (Wool & Tusk): Blazing Saddles… Count Basie and his whole big band are sitting in the middle of the desert playing “April in Paris,” and Sheriff Bart rides by and gives the Count a high-five, no words exchanged.

ME (Moondog): In TV, HBO’s sync work has always been impressive. Scott Vener’s work with Entourage, the use of Aloe Blacc’s “ I Need A Dollar” in How To Make It In America, and of course True Blood, with Jace Everett’s “Bad Things” are definite standouts. Advertisements in the past few years include Apple’s use of Chet Faker’s “Gold.” The Game Before The Game (Beats By Dre featuring X Ambassadors), and Jamie N Commons “Jungle,” Mac Demarco’s “Moving Like Mike” with Target, to name a few. The G.I. Joe: Retaliation trailer that used Glitch Mob’s remix of The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” was very cool.

JS (GEMS): To be honest, many of my favorites have come from work that was done at GEMS before I arrived—especially Odetta’s “Hit or Miss” for Southern Comfort. Outside of GEMS, I’ve enjoyed Jose Gonzalez’s “Heartbeats” for Sony Bravia, Brigitte Bardot’s “Moi Je Jou” for Christian Dior, Lo Fang’s cover of “You’re The One That I Want” for Chanel, Disclosure’s “You And Me” remix for Lacoste, and lots more. My colleague Erik really digs the new Under Armour ad with Philip Glass’ “Einstein on the Beach.” And I was just a kid when Crystal Light and Revlon used Enya’s “Orinoco Flow” and Technotronic’s “Move This,” respectively, but I’ll remember those forever.


What is typically your biggest challenge as a music supervisor?

MP (Instinct): There are two biggest challenges—budget issues and receiving clearances from licensers before mix day. With a set budget for a series or film, it may not be possible to toss in three Adele songs on top of a cover of a James Brown tune for $5,000. So, we like to say we can give you the quickest “no,” if need be.

AM (Wool & Tusk): Honestly, we love what we do and the people we work with. Most days even the hard stuff is enjoyable.

ME (Moondog): Budget issues outstanding, the biggest challenge I face other than providing great and affordable options, is the ability to help translate what the client says they want and what they are actually looking for. Deciphering the language of what they think they want versus what they really want and what the commercial needs are often very different.

JS (GEMS): Our challenges range in size depending on the project and the client. Sometimes, the issue is budgetary restrictions. Other times it can be a super tight deadline or a clearance hiccup. Overall, the most rewarding challenge is figuring out how to transform a commercial into something really special by finding that perfect song.

What’s your advice for artists wanting to get a sync especially developing & independent artists?

MP (Instinct): Do research on supervisors or film directors who you think could utilize your music. Then, send an email that is succinct and smart with a link to stream or download. Go to film festivals and music conferences. Play live. Make your music available. Get some traction online or in the press. Find a pitch agent who can work your material though their very good channels. Be patient. Supervisors get inundated with music—they have to listen to it and, also, they have to do their job which is 20% creative and 80% administrative, and also they manage the projects!

AM (Wool & Tusk): Find a rep or publisher or advocate who believes in you enough to be honest with you. Make great music and network your tail off with kindred musical spirits who are finding success in film and TV. There’s no magic formula and a tremendous amount of it is dumb luck, but making good music and building good relationships is all you can do.

ME (Moondog): Network, network, and network. A lot of the indie artists I’ve been able to place over the years have come from personal relationships. Be true to your own sound, develop a style that is signature and distinctive.


Some artists aim for a sync to launch a campaign, while others think they can’t get a sync until they’ve built buzz. What are your thoughts?

MP (Instinct): Great songs and recordings get heard, especially in this day and age with the internet. We use songs no one has heard, so we don’t care about buzz, unless there was a mandate from the producer to only use songs at the top of the charts. Don’t ever wait for anything like a sync to launch your career. Just launch somehow.

AM (Wool & Tusk): We’ve certainly worked with artists at every stage of their careers, from completely off the grid to legendary. But since advertising syncs usually pay a premium, the brands generally want the band to have some existing presence. Doesn’t have to be huge, but it should be real. Even good local press or college radio helps, and an active social media presence.

ME (Moondog): It can really be either or. Buzzing tracks will tend to gain attention from a greater audience, which should include producers, supervisors and creative directors. A lot of my personal ambition in pitching new or emerging music, is to provide the platform to showcase an artist of deserving talent, regardless of their buzz, views or number of followers. To me it’s really about the music, not what’s trending. The same goes for relatively unknown artists, and I’ve seen it happen. Once they get one sync, they start to get more attention from fans and blogs, and their buzz will build considerably.

JS (GEMS): In my experience, many brands and music supervisors love the idea of discovering a band or launching their career from a placement. I know I do. With that said, an artist needs to have an established presence in order for me to find them, whether that’s through the internet, a great licensing rep, a fun live show, or something else that builds awareness.

Do you believe the more syncs for an artist, the better? Or should artists only approve placements for brands that are completely aligned with themselves?

MP (Instinct): 80% of the time I would answer the question with yes. But I know how often I have heard an artist’s voice on ads and don’t want to hear that voice again for a long, long time, if ever again. Many artists make a living because of the sync fees and that is superb. Regarding aligning themselves, all shows and films are worth syncing for artists. But the artist may have an issue with guns or violence or drugs or political points of view and not want their song in a cop show or a violent film. We have had songs denied because the demographic of the show or the scene wasn’t in line with their world. But, if the artist doesn’t have issues with the story and scene, then go for it.

AM (Wool & Tusk): The more the better. Do every deal.

ME (Moondog): That depends on where each artist is in their career. Early syncs can help to launch a career and create opportunities for an artist or band. The more successful and wider an audience that artist or band reaches already though, should be more discretionary about the syncs they accept. Invest your time in creating quality, timeless music that people purchase, stream, share, and buy tickets to see live. Trends come and go—don’t compromise your creativity to what’s hot, or trending styles of the moment.

JS (GEMS): I think most brands genuinely want their music choices to feel authentic to who they are, so it’s rare they would go after an artist who didn’t feel aligned with their image. To that point, I think bands should feel the same way.

What are specific cases where you think a sync had a negative impact or reaction for an artist and why?

MP (Instinct): I can’t think of a bad placement. I think 60% of the time the scene or story of the TV show or film may not be so great and that adds to the idea that the placement may have a negative impact. I have seen some films that were fair but the music choices were great. And I have seen some average songs placed in productions that don’t work with the scene or support the story!

ME (Moondog): Outside of YouTube comments or a blogger’s reaction, it’s difficult to name a specific instance—especially in recent years—where there has been a substantial negative impact. The media landscape has changed so drastically and licensing has become such a positive opportunity for a lot of artists. I can’t remember a time when a song was licensed in a brand’s commercial then all of a sudden, streaming plays slowed down or tickets sales drop dramatically.

AM (Wool & Tusk): Can’t think of one. We negotiate hard but always want the artist to feel good about the deal.

latest_stories_pigeons-and-planes