Where did you grow up?

Atlanta, Georgia.

How did you get your start in the music business?

My very first job was working in a record store in New York City called Record World. I loved it. I would see the merchandisers come in every week and staple up their flats and hand out promos, and I suddenly realized, wow, working in the record industry, man—free CDs! It was as rudimentary as that. I knew I wanted to do something in music, I just wasn't sure what. But that was kind of how I started.

How did you end up in music supervision?

I was the music director of my college radio station and also a college rep for various labels. I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do. After college, I ended up in a music marketing job. That wasn't right for me. It was too much about the marketing and not enough about the music. In doing my research on potential areas of the business that I would be better suited for, what was then a very new area of the business —music supervision—came to my attention. This was in 1994. I was living in New Jersey at the time. The minute I had this epiphany, I literally packed my bags and was out here in Los Angeles a month later.

Did you have any kinds of connections?

None, nothing. I cold called, cold called, cold called. I ended up as an assistant to a prominent music supervisor.

From being the assistant, you sort of then learned the business?

Yes, I worked for a couple of different music supervisors. Then I ended up at Rysher Entertainment as assistant to the department head, Randy Gerston. There I was allowed a lot of freedom to place quite a few songs and also learn the hard-core nuts and bolts regarding licensing, business affairs, union issues and so many other aspects of film music. I walked out of there very, very well-rounded.

What are some of the projects you've worked on?

Titanic, perhaps most notably. Big Night. Howard Stern's Private Parts. TV's Dark Angel and Nash Bridges. I've done independent films like Trees Lounge, The Opposite of Sex and I have one coming out in July that I'm very proud of called Lovely and Amazing, which is being put out by Lion's Gate Films. It stars Brenda Blethyn and Catherine Keener. It's about a mother and her three very dysfunctional daughters.

Which do you prefer, the big budget pictures or the smaller projects?

That's a very hard question to answer. It's kind of a case-by-case basis. Some independent pictures are magical to work on in many ways, but the workload can be very stressful. There is usually no lawyer or clearance department to help you. You are really like a one-person music department. On a studio film, you get to utilize the resources of the studio's music department, which really can allow you more time to be more creative. You still have to broker deals and clear music, but you have a team helping you. I like the creative freedom of independent films very much, but they can often be a lot of work for a very small bit of money for the music supervisor. Very often I pay more on licenses for my indie films than I am making myself!

What are some of the traits necessary to being a good music supervisor?

You have to have the diplomacy skills of an ambassador because it's very political, just like any other aspect of the entertainment business. You are the intermediary between the director, various producers, the studio music department, the record companies and publishers. If there is a soundtrack label too, that record company will have a big say in the decision-making as well. So you're kind of like the liaison between all of these parties. You really have to be very politically astute and a really good, good, good communicator. Obviously you have to be very well-rounded about music and be able to talk, not just your basic Rock, Pop, Alternative, but to be able to come up with Country, or Middle-Eastern musical ideas, or whatever off the top of your head much of the time. You have to be kind of a musical encyclopedia. You have to be a great deal maker. You have to be able to negotiate like the best of them. You have to be organized because there is so, so much to keep track of, especially on a film with a lot of musical cues. You might be juggling licenses for a lot of different companies and a lot of different publishers with various splits for different writers' shares and so forth. You might be juggling a lot of ideas and concepts. You have to be very, very organized.

When during filmmaking does the music supervisor get involved?

It varies. On the film I've just been hired on, for instance, they hired me in pre-production because there is an on-camera musical performance. They wanted the music cleared in time for the scene. But frequently if there is no on-camera performances in a movie, they may wait until the post-production phase to hire somebody. On big budget movies, they tend to like to hire the music supervisor up front so the music supervisor can have a lot of time to wheel and deal, find the biggest artists and find a soundtrack deal for them. But again, it's situational.

We at TAXI get so many last-minute requests for music for films. Is music more of an afterthought for filmmakers?

It's not so much that the music is an afterthought, but you have to realize that the movie changes constantly in editing. First the director will do a rough cut. Then the producers or the studio may ask for some changes. Then they may screen it at a preview. All during this cycle, the movie is changing and scenes are being cut. Or maybe somebody is going to change their mind and say, "Oh we thought we wanted tango music in that spot, but Amy, can you bring us some salsa ideas?" This is what my day is like every single day. Directors and producers change their minds perpetually about what they want, which makes us a little frantic. So yes, a lot of that happens at the last minute. In the final weeks of a film, whether it's from last minute jitters or whatever, we tend to get a lot of calls like that. "We want to try something different here, so we know we've tried everything. Can you get us some big band orchestra playing specifically Cole Porter? Oh, and we need it in two hours." Or, "We need some KROQ-sounding stuff. And by the way, the lyrics have to be about crushes and puppy love."

Do you work with and/or help to select score composers?

Yes. In most cases, sometimes the filmmakers have a favorite, and they kind of know who they want to hire when I'm coming in. But most often they really aren't sure what they want and they're open to suggestions. I call my agent friends who are all chomping at the bit when they hear about a project that needs a composer. They will send me their ideas. I will go through everything to get to the creme de la creme and only submit to the director and producers the ones that I think really, really get it and would be the best candidates. I usually give them anywhere from five to seven, sometimes more. They will usually hone that down to their top three, and interview those three.

Do you have any thoughts for composers trying to break into film scoring?

I would say the first logical step would be to reach out to student filmmakers really, like at USC or UCLA or NYU to see if any of their classes have any young filmmakers that are shooting class projects. If they like what you do, and if when they graduate, at the student film festival William Morris Agency, or whomever, could come knocking on their door and something could happen for them, they'll most likely take you with them, so to speak. It's kind of like how a music supervisor works their way up, by working on a lot of indie films. As those filmmakers graduate up to bigger films, they'll take us with them. It's the same kind of principle. I really think that's the best way to start.

Do many TV shows use music that is written especially for the show?

Most all of them, absolutely. Whether it's The West Wing or Ed or even a sitcom. Think of the distinctive music that you heard in Seinfeld, for instance.

But it's not all custom score is it? What about songs with lyrics?

Oh no, the trend in the past few years has been to hire music supervisors, for instance with shows like Smallville and Dawson's Creek. Anytime you hear a lot of songs placed well with a diverse selection of artists, you can probably assume that that show might employ a music supervisor.

Do you use music libraries?

Absolutely, all the time. You can't beat their rates and their selection. It's kind of nice, too, to know exactly what something is going to cost before you even make the call backcause they have set rates. You pretty much know what it's going to cost if you decide to use something.

So they don't set the rate according to the budget of your production?

No, although they will sometimes help you out if you're in a real low budget kind of pickle. But they have actual rate cards that are broken out based on the type of terms that you need. For instance, do you need just theatrical and for what term? Perpetuity, or do you maybe only need five years? Then maybe there is an option for home video. Say if you've got a small film and you don't have much money, so you only maybe want a five year license only for basic cable, they've got a price for that too. I tend to work on projects that want broad rights in perpetuity. Broad rights basically include everything you can think of, all current and future technologies included—everything. But I still have an idea of what that is going to cost from all of the years that I've been doing this. Young filmmakers can call and get the rate cards, though. It's a good resource.

You're fairly new to using TAXI as a resource, but you've already placed four songs in three different films. What has been the biggest advantage of finding music through TAXI?

Well, TAXI has such a diverse array of members that whether I need Pulp Fiction-sounding surf music or Fat Boy Slim-sounding electronica, I know that if I call you guys, I'm going to get some very interesting music tailored for my exact needs. Best of all, the music is pre-screened by very capable ears, so my job is helped a lot because only the best stuff is being selected for what is going to be extended to me for my consideration. It's been a great resource. I've been really delighted with the outcome, and I'm sure the members who have placed these songs are real happy when they get their checks.

What is the range of fees a writer can make for a film placement?

It's so wide. It could range from, let's just say, three figures to, if you're U2, seven figures. It's very, very broad. Most of the deals I do are of the four figure to, sometimes on a good day on a bigger budget movie, five figure variety.

What about performance royalties on a TV show, like say "Dark Angel"?

Of course it depends, but if you get a song on a show like "Dark Angel," and it's shown in the United States plus foreign territories and it goes to video, your BMI or ASCAP statement will reflect all of that. It could add up quite nicely. Not being a songwriter myself, I'm not really sure, but I have to tell you I'm very jealous of anybody that gets a check like that and truly wish that I myself was born with songwriting ability so I could join the club.

If you get a song that you love but isn't right for your current project, do you hang on to it for possible future placement?

Absolutely, all the time. I have my favorites that I'm always thinking, in the back of my mind, how can I place this? Sometimes you find something that you just can't get enough of, and it takes quite a while to find the right scene that it's going to work in. That's the heart and soul of what we do. It's about the music and finding great songs and coming up with new visual ways to share them with the world.

How important is production quality?

Very. Unless a song is really going to be buried, or it's supposed to be intentionally distorted, I can't stress enough how good quality affects whether I'm going to use a recording or not. Pristine master quality is a must, unless I've specified that demos are ok.

Is it possible to make that kind of recording quality at home these days?

I've heard some very good home recordings. I guess ultimately it depends on the quality of your home setup and the elaborate nature of what you're trying to do. Bruce Springsteen recorded Nebraska at home, and it doesn't sound like it at all.

Music Supervisors always tell us not to send music with samples that need clearance—why is that?

We hate samples. If a song has a zillion samples, then it's also going to have a zillion publishers, which means it's going to be zillions times the usual amount of work to clear the song, with far more phone calls, faxes, and follow-up. Especially on a low-budget movie where there isn't a big support staff, it's not something we want to deal with.

On a big-budget picture, where there might be a clearance person to help out, it might be a different story. Also, if it's a great song, or a sample we are just enchanted withÖ for example I recently heard a hip song that sampled The Who—it was the most inventive thing, a completely underground recording—but the artist had not yet taken the song to Pete Townshend for clearance. I knew if I wanted to use the song I would have to help him clear it, and it would be a lot of work. On a small production, I probably couldn't use it, but on a big production, if it's a really special recording, I'll go to the trouble.

But the short answer is: We hate samples, don't send 'em (laughter).

A member recently asked if it was ok to submit samples that were altered to the point that they were completely unrecognizable. Is that ok with you? Where you do draw the line?

If there is any sample, whether it's two seconds, whether it's the backbeat, or whatever, we will only use it if it is 100% cleared, period.

It's much too big a risk. You can not take chances. If a production should get sued due to a supervisor not doing their due diligence and getting the proper paperwork done. Well, you're not going to be a working music supervisor very long.

Is there any advice you can give to any writers out there who want to make their stuff work for film and television?

I would suggest, whether it's through TAXI or any other opportunities that you hear about, if you hear that somebody that is looking for music for a film, try to listen very carefully to what they're asking for and send in stuff that sounds really close to what they're asking for. When opportunity knocks, grab the opportunity, but be careful to send in stuff that is very targeted to the listing, and you'll have the best chance of getting into the mix, so to speak.

How important are 'people skills'?

I think writers and artists need to be fairly good communicators insomuch that when an opportunity does present itself, whether it's composing or maybe customizing a pre-existing song so that it's closer to what the movie needs, they need to be able to communicate with myself and the other music supervisors and the directors. They need to be able to follow a directive. Again, I can't stress that enough. That's the crux of my job as well. When the director says "I want a piece of music that sounds like Nirvana," the stuff I give him better damn well have the spirit of Nirvana. Maybe not be dead-on like Nirvana, but it better have that same spirit, that same passion and craziness, or I'm out of a job.

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