David Hayman — a Canadian music supervisor who oversaw sonic aspects for television shows, film, advertisements and more — has died. Hayman's passing was confirmed today in a statement from Toronto's Supergroup Sonic Branding Co., where he was chief music supervisor and creative director. Hayman's cause of death was a heart attack, according to family members and industry colleagues.
"Yesterday we said goodbye to our fearless leader Doc David Hayman," the statement reads. "When he created the Supergroup he created a family based on passion, curiosity, authenticity and a pinch of crazy. An incredible talent with an even bigger heart David leaves behind not only an impressive legacy of work but also leaves his mark on the people of the film and music industry. Thank you all for your continued support. Follow your passions, keep it authentic and please be kind to one another."
As Hayman told Vice in 2014, he first took an interest in music supervision while attending film school, upon realizing "that music in film was reaching me far more than anything else."
"Whether it be music in The Sopranos or the use of Sia's 'Breathe Me' in the Six Feet Under finale, it was those moments that hit me in the gut the hardest," he explained. "There's so much baggage that a song brings and so much pop cultural beauty that it can bring to a scene and I just wanted to be a part of that."
In his career of over 15 years, Hayman's Canadian television credits include music supervision for shows including Utopia Falls, Letterkenny, Schitt's Creek, Kim's Convenience and Nirvanna the Band the Show, while film credits include work on Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and the Band, Chet Baker film Born to Be Blue, and 2016's Giants of Africa, centred on Toronto Raptors executive Masai Ujiri.
Hayman had also applied his sonic skill to advertisements from Telus, the Pan Am Games, the Canadian Football League and more. A personal bio also points to involvement as vice president of the Guild of Music Supervisors of Canada, and work as a part-time faculty member at Toronto's Humber College.
"I've always seen music and film as the same thing. I see music. I visualize everything I hear. I always have," Hayman explained to Vice. "Even when I was a kid, my friends used to make fun of me when I used to close my eyes at concerts. The audience just isn't as interesting to me as being in my own head, so as much as I think it's the need to fill a spot on film, it's more that I just see music. I see it as the soundtrack to my own life. I'll look at someone on the street and find his or her song. I love sound tracking moments for other people."
A GoFundMe campaign to help Hayman's family can be found here.
Canadian artists such as Shad, Sean Leon, Rose Cousins and Raine Maida of Our Lady Peace have joined Hayman's collaborators and contemporaries in sharing tributes, which you can find below.
"Yesterday we said goodbye to our fearless leader Doc David Hayman," the statement reads. "When he created the Supergroup he created a family based on passion, curiosity, authenticity and a pinch of crazy. An incredible talent with an even bigger heart David leaves behind not only an impressive legacy of work but also leaves his mark on the people of the film and music industry. Thank you all for your continued support. Follow your passions, keep it authentic and please be kind to one another."
As Hayman told Vice in 2014, he first took an interest in music supervision while attending film school, upon realizing "that music in film was reaching me far more than anything else."
"Whether it be music in The Sopranos or the use of Sia's 'Breathe Me' in the Six Feet Under finale, it was those moments that hit me in the gut the hardest," he explained. "There's so much baggage that a song brings and so much pop cultural beauty that it can bring to a scene and I just wanted to be a part of that."
In his career of over 15 years, Hayman's Canadian television credits include music supervision for shows including Utopia Falls, Letterkenny, Schitt's Creek, Kim's Convenience and Nirvanna the Band the Show, while film credits include work on Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and the Band, Chet Baker film Born to Be Blue, and 2016's Giants of Africa, centred on Toronto Raptors executive Masai Ujiri.
Hayman had also applied his sonic skill to advertisements from Telus, the Pan Am Games, the Canadian Football League and more. A personal bio also points to involvement as vice president of the Guild of Music Supervisors of Canada, and work as a part-time faculty member at Toronto's Humber College.
"I've always seen music and film as the same thing. I see music. I visualize everything I hear. I always have," Hayman explained to Vice. "Even when I was a kid, my friends used to make fun of me when I used to close my eyes at concerts. The audience just isn't as interesting to me as being in my own head, so as much as I think it's the need to fill a spot on film, it's more that I just see music. I see it as the soundtrack to my own life. I'll look at someone on the street and find his or her song. I love sound tracking moments for other people."
A GoFundMe campaign to help Hayman's family can be found here.
Canadian artists such as Shad, Sean Leon, Rose Cousins and Raine Maida of Our Lady Peace have joined Hayman's collaborators and contemporaries in sharing tributes, which you can find below.
David Hayman was the champion we needed early on and was one of the brightest guiding lights in the industry for so many. Getting to catch up with him was always the highlight of any conference I attended. He'll be so missed 💔
— ≋S o r r e y≋ (@emileesorrey) May 21, 2020
