I love music and am hoping to get into music supervision as a career path. I understand it's a job a lot of people want, and also a job that's very hard to land. Do you have any advice pertaining to how I can get to where I want to be?
Thanks,
Cam
P.S. As of now I am enrolled in Radio and Television Arts in Ryerson, taking audio classes, internships, etc. This is the best I could do thus far.
For the benefit of our reader buddies: music supervisors are the people whose job is to find and license the perfect song or piece of music for a TV show, movie, video game, commercial etc. They work with producers, directors, artists, bands, labels ― they're right in the thick of it! All the supervisors I know are awesome peeps who love music. So, good call on the career pick! Based on what my colleagues tell me, there are a couple of ways to get in. One, look for work with an existing music licensing company. Two, try interning with a record label or publisher, and make it your job to try to sell the company's catalogue to supervisors and productions. If you're really brave and hungry, go make friends with all the producers, editors and post supervisors you can find. Editors will often place a dummy track that they'll use to edit a scene to, and when it's done, they have to replace it with something they can afford ― hopefully, something you have, or can get the rights to.
On that note, music supervisors need to have a solid understanding of copyright law as it relates to synchronization, so if this isn't covered in your classes, go get yourself educated via a music publishing manual. I like Music, Money and Success by Jeffrey Brabec and Todd Brabec. Also, music supervisors are popular guests on panels at music conferences, so show up.
Cheers
Allison
Questions may be edited for space or content. Replies do not constitute legal advice and Exclaim! makes no guarantees about information accuracy.
Thanks,
Cam
P.S. As of now I am enrolled in Radio and Television Arts in Ryerson, taking audio classes, internships, etc. This is the best I could do thus far.
For the benefit of our reader buddies: music supervisors are the people whose job is to find and license the perfect song or piece of music for a TV show, movie, video game, commercial etc. They work with producers, directors, artists, bands, labels ― they're right in the thick of it! All the supervisors I know are awesome peeps who love music. So, good call on the career pick! Based on what my colleagues tell me, there are a couple of ways to get in. One, look for work with an existing music licensing company. Two, try interning with a record label or publisher, and make it your job to try to sell the company's catalogue to supervisors and productions. If you're really brave and hungry, go make friends with all the producers, editors and post supervisors you can find. Editors will often place a dummy track that they'll use to edit a scene to, and when it's done, they have to replace it with something they can afford ― hopefully, something you have, or can get the rights to.
On that note, music supervisors need to have a solid understanding of copyright law as it relates to synchronization, so if this isn't covered in your classes, go get yourself educated via a music publishing manual. I like Music, Money and Success by Jeffrey Brabec and Todd Brabec. Also, music supervisors are popular guests on panels at music conferences, so show up.
Cheers
Allison
Questions may be edited for space or content. Replies do not constitute legal advice and Exclaim! makes no guarantees about information accuracy.