Sounds Seen - a music supervision podcast
By Rachitha Seneviratne
Hosted by Rachitha Seneviratne
Sounds Seen - a music supervision podcastApr 07, 2021
The music in Wim Wenders’ Perfect Days - with Milena Fessman
This episode is about the Oscar-nominated film Perfect Days from director Wim Wenders. The film follows the simple, quiet and daily routine of Hirayama, a man in Tokyo who cleans unique toilets designed by architects, dotted throughout the city. The music in this film is central to the film, giving us a glimpse into the unexpressed sides of Hirayama; the person he is, and maybe even the young man he once was.
This episode’s guest is Milena Fessman, a veteran music supervisor and radio DJ based in Berlin. She currently hosts her own weekly show for Radio Eins/RBB called ‘Free Falling’ and in 1989 she founded Cinesong. Milena Fessmann teaches music supervision and copyright clearing at DFFB Berlin, KHM and Filmuni Babelsberg and is advisory board member of the World Soundtrack Academy.
The music in 'How To Have Sex' with Catherine Grieves
This episode is about the use of music in ‘How To Have Sex’, the directorial debut from Molly Manning Walker, released in the US last week and streaming on MUBI in the UK. Our guest is Catherine Grieves, UK music supervisor veteran and director at music supervision collective 45RPM.
The film follows a group of young women on an alcohol-fueled, hedonistic holiday in the Greek Islands and is an important exploration into how the worlds of friendship, consent, peer pressure are brought together in a high-octane environment. We talk about music’s role in these kinds of holidays, how music can influence our behaviour, how in a particular context it can help us feel connected, or alone.
The music in 'Anatomy of a Fall' with Thibault Deboaisne
This episode is about the music in the Golden Globe-nominated, Palme D’or-winning film ‘Anatomy of a Fall’, from director Justine Triet.
With Thibault Deboaisne, music supervisor and founder of boutique agency Sound Division.
We explore the absence of a composed score in the film, the circumstantial decision to use a steel drum cover of 50 Cent's PIMP as the film's central motif, and the importance of the piano in Justine Triet’s films.
instagram.com/sounds_seen
The music in 'The Worst Person In The World' with Goran Obad
Episode #006 was originally heard on cultural hub and community radio station ‘Know Wave’ @know_wave on Instagram - head to their Instagram to listen to the full episode.
In this episode we discuss the soundtrack for ‘The Worst Person In The World’, the Oscar-nominated film from Joachim Trier.
We speak with Goran Obad, head of music supervision at Ohlogy, about how the diverse soundtrack is used to great effect in this beautiful and nuanced film.
Instagram: @ohlogy @goranobad85
Follow Sounds Seen on Instagram and Twitter @sounds_seen
The music in advertising with Josh Rabinowitz
For Episode #005 of Sounds Seen, our guest is music supervisor Josh Rabinowitz.
Josh is a music supervisor and producer based in New York with a storied career in the world of advertising. Working for almost 15 years at the global advertising firm Grey Group, Josh headed up their music division - his fingerprints have touched more than 10,000 tracks over his career, working with brands like Nike, Coca-Cola, Volvo and the NFL.
Josh has now launched a music and sound consultancy called The Brooklyn Music Experience and he also offers 1-on-1 coaching for budding music industry professionals and artists.
We chart the evolution of music’s role in advertising, how music supervision process in advertising actually works, and the notion of artists ‘selling out’.
Josh is also an Adjunct Professor at the New School, has presented at Cannes Lions and SXSW, and, to top it off - he’s also an accomplished trombonist.
You can find Josh on:
Twitter - @josh1rabinowitz
Instagram - @joshrabinowitz
Follow Sounds Seen on Instagram and Twitter @sounds_seen
The music in 'ROCKS' with Connie Farr
This is an edit of the first Sounds Seen show for Know Wave [ know-wave.com ]
For this episode we look at the music in the BAFTA-winning film Rocks by Sarah Gavron with music supervisor Connie Farr, of ThinkSync Music. You can listen to the full episode here which I thoroughly recommend as we also play the songs from the film - including KOKOROKO, Skepta, JGrrey, and more:
https://www.mixcloud.com/know_wave/sounds-seen-connie-farr-and-the-sarah-gavron-film-rocks-17th-may-2021/
Sounds Seen looks for the transcendent moments we experience when we connect the music we hear with the visuals we see. The marriage of music with film brings two great art forms together to create a whole new emotional valence.
You can watch Rocks on Netflix UK
Find out more about Connie Farr and ThinkSync Music's music supervision work at thinksyncmusic.com and reach them on Instagram at @thinksyncmusic
Follow Sounds Seen on Instagram and Twitter - @sounds_seen
The music in 'Waves' with Meghan Currier
For Episode #003 of Sounds Seen, our guest is music supervisor Meghan Currier.
Meghan is a music supervisor for film, television and advertising based in New York. She worked closely with renowned music supervisor Randall Poster at his company Search Party Music. Together they’ve worked on a number of Wes Anderson films including The Grand Budapest Hotel and The French Dispatch (coming out later this year), and other pop culture phenomena including The Joker, Boyhood, Skyfall and Wolf of Wall Street.
Meghan has also supervised the likes of Tiger King and the forthcoming feature film Swansong starring Mahershala Ali.
On the podcast, Meghan and I discuss the music in the beautiful film WAVES by Trey Edward Shults - including what it takes to clear 5-6 Frank Ocean songs for one film, and how a final product differs depending on when music supervisors are brought onto a project. We also discuss her work alongside Randall Poster and Wes Anderson.
You can watch WAVES here: bit.ly/Waves_WatchNow
Find out more about Meghan at searchparty-music.com and reach her on Instagram at @meghan.currier
Follow Sounds Seen on Instagram and Twitter @sounds_seen
The music in Adam Curtis films 'Hypernormalisation' and 'Can't Get You Out of My Head' with Gavin Miller
For Episode #002 of Sounds Seen, our guest is music supervisor and musician Gavin Miller.
Gavin worked with Adam Curtis on his seminal documentaries Hypernormalisation and Can’t Get You Out of My Head - as music supervisor on Hypernormalisation and contributing his own music to both.
Adam Curtis’ films are a mind-blowing patchwork quilt of human history - and the music he embeds into his projects range from Aphex Twin, and Brian Eno to Russian war songs and 20th century Chinese opera.
We discuss the important role of music in Adam Curtis’ films and the unique way he uses it - especially in the documentary format.
Adam Curtis’ films and documentaries are available on BBC iPlayer in the UK, and internationally on his YouTube channel.
Gavin Miller operates as Worriedaboutsatan, and runs This Is It Forever records. You can find his music at https://worriedaboutsatan.bandcamp.com/
He’s on Twitter @teamsatan and Instagram @worriedaboutsatan
Follow Sounds Seen on Instagram and Twitter @sounds_seen
The music in 'POSE' with Amanda Krieg Thomas
On this first episode of Sounds Seen, our guest is music supervisor Amanda Krieg Thomas.
I had a lovely chat with Amanda about her work on the series POSE - we discuss the universal appeal of the show, and of course the magical music moments - including the hoops she jumped through to get Grace Jones and Madonna’s blessing on using their songs. The 3rd and final season of POSE premieres on May 2nd.
Amanda also talks about the evolution of her relationship with Ryan Murphy Productions (Glee, American Horror Story, Eat Pray Love, The Prom), how to get started as a music supervisor, and the best way for artists and labels to reach out to music supervisors.
Amanda is a music supervisor based in LA and head of Yay Team Productions, a music supervision company. She has supervised the likes of American Horror Story, The Prom, Ratched, The Assassination of Gianni Versace, and more.
Amanda has written a book called Thinking In Sync: a Primer on the Mind of a Music Supervisor, available here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thinking-Sync-Primer-Music-Supervisor-ebook/dp/B07PYQG9JN
She’s on Instagram and Twitter @amandak_thomas
You can keep up with Sounds Seen everywhere through this link: sounds-seen.carrd.co
#000 - Intro
Welcome to Sounds Seen - a podcast about how music supervisors use music to tell visual stories - hosted by aspiring music supervisor Raf Seneviratne.
Each episode we'll be chatting to a talented music supervisor about a particular project they worked on.
Maybe it's a film, TV series, advertisement, video game, or something totally off-piste - but we'll be exploring the magic and the madness behind the music.
The next episode will feature our first guest - the inimitable Amanda Krieg Thomas, who will be discussing her work on the series POSE.