NARIP’s recent Music Supervisor Session with Mary Ramos (Kill Bill, Django Unchained, Station Agent) yielded significant feedback for the small sold-out group of participants, plus placement opportunities for participants’ music in Mary’s ongoing film projects. Mary was so impressed that the next day she requested submissions for a last-minute placement in one of her projects. We hope a NARIP’s member’s track makes the cut!

Throughout NARIP’s Session, Mary touched on essential matters related to self-promotion and the music selection process for film and TV. Here are some key takeaways:

A cover song (on YouTube) “is your bait that you throw out into the ocean – that catches our attention first and then we want to see what’s next ,” she said.
Be consistent and accessible – have your music online and reachable , and have consistently great quality.
Changes in a song, including different sounds and textures, can give us (music supervisors) something to work with and edit to; if it’s too monotone and repetitive it it’s less usable, especially for a long clip or scene.
Always provide instrumentals and links to Soundcloud or Box.com when sending music so that it can be streamed or downloaded easily. Providing the end used (music supervisor) the option to stream and / or download is hugely important.
When vocals match the attitude of the song, it can play a part in fitting the character in a scene and showcasing the vibe of the music.
Imagery in lyrics is great and can make a track stand out.
Selecting songs for film scenes is all about vibes. For those submitting, you should know what type of mood and vibe your song creates and what kind of scene your music would fit in. One participant included scene suggestions for which his music would fit best – kudos to him, said Mary!
Don’t send music for a brief unless it is a good match. Resist the temptation to send something unsuitable (even if you like it!).
Certain beats and vocals work better for various types of scenes. Being open to re-doing/editing a track to fit a certain criteria increases the odds of it being placed.
Music supervisors get questions such as, “Can you make this actress more likeable with music?” and the answer is yes! Music can play the most critical role in making a scene and communicating its essence.
To propel your career in the music industry, make yourself indispensable. Mary mentioned someone who begged to work with her and offered to work two weeks for free to prove himself. He did so well and so much, she hired him!

By Soraya Davani for NARIP.com

For information on upcoming NARIP Music Supervisor Sessions and other events, click HERE now.

To purchase the audio recording of this NARIP Music Supervisor Session with Mary Ramos, click HERE now.

Event photos

Sources For More Info:

Mary Ramos on IMDB

NARIP Shop

Upcoming NARIP Events

Quentin Tarantino Archive