By Anna San Juan.

Songs have long been integrated into film and TV. Though I would passively notice their presence, it wasn’t until 2012 – upon discovering what is the “music supervisor” – that I learned to consciously appreciate the unique effect this particular marriage of art forms can have on me as a viewer.

My introduction to music supervision occurred towards the end of a long and winding road of career aspirations. What started as a high school penchant for screenwriting soon led to several college film classes. Halfway through the undergraduate program, my longstanding passion for music burned even deeper that I assigned an online Music Business program as my next logical life step. Berklee Online’s practical industry knowledge proved beneficial in preparation for what was then my career goal – A&R for a record label. Several more classes and a few seasons of The Walking Dead (featuring Thomas Golubić’s masterful selection of songs), however, eventually placed me in the path I now relentlessly follow. In realizing through observation the magic a “right song” can bring to the table, I was inspired to follow suit and share music moments with audiences for (hopefully) many more years to come. Music supervision also provides the opportunity to work with both music and film, art I enjoy the most.

Armed with ample real-world lessons from Brad Hatfield’s class (which I thoroughly recommend), I volunteered as the music supervisor for “Young Americans”, an AFI Conservatory thesis film, in mid-2013. It was both an exciting yet daunting journey ahead, no doubt, as with any first time venture. Much work went into expanding my personal music library, connecting with key licensing, publishing, and record label individuals (even artists themselves), learning the ropes of negotiating, dealing with rejection and running into songs well beyond our budget range – all in the process of making sure that final page of paperwork is secured and delivered in due time. Long hours of music exploration were not always pleasurable, hitting wall after wall of songs that either did not work with picture, or were outside the budget. Constantly keeping in mind the music supervisor’s duty of fulfilling the team’s vision for the story, however, kept me in check time and again. This proved creatively beneficial by allowing more focused music searches. And of course, contributing to a production of exceptional talent and quality is always a privilege. A music supervisor guiding light once advised that, regardless of compensation, any project at any point in one’s career demands 100% commitment and presence. To this day, I am grateful to director Kevin Lacy and producer Alejandro Torroja for taking a chance and bringing me onboard despite zero projects under my belt. It is humbling to share in the film’s journey and success, all the way to the Student Emmy stage and beyond.

What followed was a string of equally extraordinary AFI thesis films, including “The Other Sister” and “Ni-Ni”, with over 30 combined screenings worldwide so far. At present, we’ve recently wrapped and/or premiered with “This

Way Up”, “Martian American”, “Slut”, and “Bluffing”, while navigating the final stages of post-production for “Starman”. 2015 is also looking to be an exciting year as we start production on two upcoming features, “Chase and Pursuit” and “An Angel’s Story”, with writer and producer Joshua Hall.

As I’ve read and learned from peers, the possible starting points when venturing into music supervision are plenty, may it be from working in radio, interning with another music supervisor, transitioning from licensing, etc. Network is key, and a bit of cold emailing probably won’t hurt. Taking that first step matters only as much as committing to whatever interesting audio-visual journey lies ahead. It may be off to a rocky start, or be the beginning of an extended struggle, but with the necessary drive and love for the craft, it is a struggle worthwhile.

Anna San Juan watches and listens, enjoys good caffeine, and plays instruments in her free time. For more information on her work, visit tonemage.com. She is also on Twitter as @ToneMage.