A music supervisor selects and licenses music for various productions, including films, TV shows, musical theater, video games, and commercials. They require creative skills to enhance the mood and story of the production and must work with licensing companies to secure permission to use specific songs. Music supervisors can work for movie studios, advertising agencies, or other companies and may work closely with those responsible for sound design.
A music supervisor is a person who works with multiple media productions to select and license all the music needed for an individual production or a group of productions. Music supervisors can work on films, television shows, musical theater, video games, commercials, or any other production that requires the use of music. The term music supervisor can also refer to a single person charged with overseeing the work of a group of music directors, each assigned to a different production. This definition is seen most often in musical theater.
The job of a music supervisor requires a number of specialized skills and knowledge. Music for a film, television show, or commercial should be carefully chosen to reflect and enhance the mood and story of the individual production. Appropriate music selection can mean the difference between a scene that resonates powerfully with the audience and one that falls flat. This part of a music supervisor’s job is highly creative and requires a certain amount of artistic sensibility.
On the other hand, the other part of a music supervisor’s job involves working with various licensing companies to secure permission to use specific songs in productions. The music supervisor must know which licensing body to contact for a specific piece of music, as well as how much that piece of music will cost to produce. In some cases, music supervisors who are constrained by a production’s budget cannot afford the licensing fees for their first music choices and must make different choices.
Music supervisors can work for a movie studio, an advertising agency, or any other company that requires music to be chosen and licensed for use in a production. A television music supervisor may work on specific television programs, local newscasts, or even with a specific network’s promotional department. In general, the job of a television music supervisor is similar to that of a film music supervisor who usually works in a movie studio and is given multiple projects. Some music supervisor professionals recommend working in a film studio as a good starting point for this career.
Depending on the type of production and how work is organized, a music supervisor may work closely with those responsible for sound design. Sound design addresses all sounds in a production that are not music, such as sound effects or vocals. By working closely with sound design, music supervisors can increase the impact of the music and sound of a dramatic production.
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