What is a Music Coordinator and How Do You Nail the Gig?
I’ve heard tons about the job of “Music Supervisor”....But what exactly is a “Music Coordinator”?
Apprenticeship is extremely common in music supervision. While there are of course classes one can take, most will attest that it’s a role so nuanced the best learning is in the field. Though it’s not a requirement, many get their foot in the door and learn the job working under a more experienced professional, eventually building both the knowledge and relationships to go out and get hired on their own. Sometimes this apprentice role is titled as an “Assistant” rather than “Coordinator,” but in essence the job is the same. The music coordinator supports the music supervisor with whatever help is needed on the film or television series.
You may be asking…Aren’t you a music supervisor, Amanda? Do you even remember what it was like being a music coordinator?
First of all, WOW. How old do you think I am?
Second, yes. Yes I do. Before I became my own boss in 2018, I worked under 6 different music supervisors and music executives in varying capacities. And 5 years later I’ve worked with five different music coordinators on my team. When I was a music coordinator and asked to describe my job compared to that of the music supervisor, after much thought I said the following: If a music supervisor is the captain of the ship, the music coordinator is the one below decks keeping the ship consistently fueled. Both roles are critical! I still stand by the metaphor now that I’m the music supervisor in the scenario, so there must be something to it?
So what does “support” actually entail? Ultimately this will be different for every music supervisor, for every project and honestly, every day. When mixed with “Assistant” it might include scheduling meetings, answering phones, creating travel itineraries, or picking up lunch. Higher level music coordinators essentially function as music supervisors - credit politics are a whole thing - so they might be interfacing with producers or the studio. Here are a few broad responsibilities and expectations that typically remain the same across the board.
Details, details, details
A music coordinator is responsible for keeping track of details, of which there are MANY on a production. With the music supervisor looking at a project on a macro level, a music coordinator focuses on the micro. This includes tracking schedule details like shoot dates of music scenes, final mix stage dates, and more (in addition to schedule changes, which can happen a few times a week in television!), logging contact information for key players, reading scripts and taking note of music moments, and then staying on top of any changes in songs between “cuts” (different versions of a film or an episode). It’s not uncommon though to be asked questions on the fly like, “What’s the scene number when the choir is performing?” “When is that guitar player scene shooting?” “When’s the first day of the final mix on this episode?” and you’ll need to have an answer within quick reach!
Maintaining the music breakdown
Music supervisors have different names for this - music breakdown, music licensing cost report, spotting notes, etc. In essence, however, all are the same: a spreadsheet detailing all the music moments in a film or episode of television in chronological order, including scene numbers, scene descriptions, song titles, artists (if applicable), type of use and duration of the use, rights-holders' names, song costs, clearance status, contact information for the rights-holders, creative notes, and really any important information pertaining to the song or scene. The backbone of this is usually created based on the script (commonly called “breaking down” a script) and then it is filled out and modified as the film or episode moves through each stage of the process, up until the final sound mix is completed (also called final mix or final dub). It is typically the music coordinator’s responsibility to keep this spreadsheet up to date by the minute, which involves reading scripts, getting information from editors and assistant editors, and watching cuts regularly to ensure all the information remains accurate.
So. Much. Paperwork
Song clearance, i.e. obtaining the rights to synchronize a song to picture, is arguably the backbone of music supervision. Some music supervisors outsource the paperwork load to music clearance professionals, others handle everything themselves. The reductive overview of the clearance process starts with researching song ownership, drafting quote request forms, sending said forms, and negotiating fees and rights needed for each of the song owners (usually there are several!) Once a final mix is complete, confirmation letters are sent to the rights-holders of all the songs actually used, confirming that the song was indeed used, and containing the finalized details of the use. In many situations a long form license is also required, though this is typically handled by the studio, production company, production attorney or a music licensing professional. In other words, from start to finish there is lots and lots of paperwork involved in making the magic happen!
When a music clearance professional is involved, the music coordinator is often responsible for relaying all the usage details to them so they can go forth and clear the songs. Then once responses start rolling in, they ensure accurate updates are reported to the music supervisor via their own music breakdown, tracking chart or another system. When there is no music clearance professional, this entire process often falls to the music coordinator. They are also responsible for keeping all this paperwork meticulously organized. At Yay Team we’ve outsourced music clearances in the past when needed, but more often than not the heavy lifting is handled internally by music coordinators.
In addition to the paperwork that’s directly related to clearing songs, other administrative work includes gathering songwriter and publishing details for the music cue sheet, and then delivering all of the necessary legal backup to the production company or studio once a film or series is completed.
Sourcing, organizing and sending audio
Especially when creative requests from directors, showrunners and/or editors are flying, music supervisors often rely on music coordinators to keep all things audio organized. Spotify only goes so far in Music Supervision - at the end of the day an editor will need an audio file to import into AVID and edit into the scene. The Music Coordinator is frequently responsible for tracking down MP3, M4A, WAV or AIFF files and uploading to DISCO, Box, Dropbox or another platform to send over to editorial. If a creative brief is sent to the sync community (i.e. labels, music publishers, sync agents, etc), it’s the music coordinator who will be downloading all the many submissions and organizing them for review. Plus, you never know when a director will want to revisit a playlist from months ago, or the need will arise for yet another round of solo piano jazz and you’ve only done that search 100 times and prefer not to start from scratch. All in all, an organized audio library is no small thing!
Creative search support
Are you surprised this is the last one on the list? Based on conversations with peers, this is the one area where music supervisors tend to remain the most hands-on. Some don’t even ask Music Coordinators for creative help, preferring to have them focus on all the tasks above, which certainly does keep someone plenty busy! Or they’ll delegate production music library, “indie,” or low budget music searches to the music coordinator, and focus on the “bigger” montages or end credit usages themselves. For me, it all depends on bandwidth, for both myself and the team. Time permitting, I love getting to collaborate with creative brains that are different then my own - different references, emotional responses, areas of knowledge. Plus, if someone is working at Yay Team they are usually here to learn music supervision and a comprehensive education can’t happen if they don’t get exposure to every aspect. Every company, leader and role will be slightly different.
It’s important to note, however, that most of the time when interviewing for a music coordinator gig creative prowess is usually the lowest bullet point on the list of requirements. While a passion for music, film and television is of course critical, when you do find yourself in that position remember to tout your administrative abilities as loudly as your love of mixtapes!
With that in mind, how do you succeed as a Music Coordinator? I asked a few rockstar music coordinators and music supervisors their thoughts:
“A good music coordinator will approach each new task by asking themselves: ‘how can I help take this off the Music Supervisor’s plate?’ Some tasks you’ll be able to handle entirely on your own, some tasks you can tee up but will still need some guidance from the Supervisor, and some tasks you won’t know how to approach at all, but asking the question and thinking through the answer will not only help your Supervisor but also teach you how to think like one.”
Anna Romanoff, Yay Team Inc.
“Successful music coordinators understand the importance of communicating directly and succinctly with their supervisors. Oftentimes, a supervisor is under pressure and/or engaged in high-stakes conversations that you may not be privy to! Keeping in mind that they’re juggling a lot, being able to communicate in a way that doesn’t add to your supervisor’s workload helps to keep the work environment efficient and running smoothly.”
Francesca Harding, Yay Team Inc.
"Music coordinators are like soccer goalies: tracking many balls in the air simultaneously and making sure nothing gets past them. In the case of a music coordinator, those soccer balls are project tasks ranging from an editor’s creative request to details such as rights language crossed out on a quote approval. A good Coordinator is proactive in asking questions, both of their Music Supervisor and other crew members as needed, while also being resourceful and self-sufficient. Time management, organization around deadlines, and understanding how to prioritize effectively are among the various skills that will help make the save."
Julian Drucker, Freelance Music Supervisor
“As a coordinator, having a "let's figure it out" mentality is very beneficial. You will frequently receive tasks or objectives without a clear roadmap outlining how to accomplish them (especially when time is of the essence). You need to be astute and resourceful. It's also crucial to be organized and detail-oriented. Assume that your music supervisor will come to you for information because they won't be keeping track of the specifics across all of their projects.”
Mandisa Henry, Raedio
“A great music coordinator is one who knows the value of teamwork and seeks to make that team even stronger. Every worthy profession requires a smart and dedicated person, but a music coordinator who knows they’re learning from and among the best will earn far more than a credit on a project, they’ll earn the trust and credibility that comes with a winning team. This continued work ethic and consideration for the projects they serve will one day also prove them to be a great music supervisor.”
Janet Lopez, Agave Music & Media
“A music coordinator job is really a catch all role. A great one excels in attention to detail, prioritizing, knowing when to approach tasks on their own and when to ask for guidance all the while staying two steps ahead. I enjoy working with someone who has a passion for music and an overall positive attitude no matter what the day, week or project brings!”
Julia Michels, Format
“In addition to keeping an eye on music trends and current artists, excelling as a music coordinator involves tracking all the moving parts that are happening on each of your projects and knowing what your team’s priorities are. It’s important to note your deadlines and follow up on clearances, questions, etc. to ensure your responsibilities are handled and executed in a timely, professional matter.”
Katie Romanovich, Format
“A good music coordinator is someone who understands that their role is vital to the operation, even though it is not always front and center. There are so many aspects of a music supervisor’s job (creative, clearance, private investigating, credits, cue sheets to name a few) that having someone involved with you in the process who understands the whole operation is critical. Some projects call for more research help, or paperwork preparation, and some for more help booking studio time, or participating in creative pitching - so what makes a good music coordinator is someone who is organized, anticipates what will be needed next, and is interested in learning. Ultimately, the best coordinators are hard working and know that every day is a new adventure - and they are as prepared as they can be for whatever the projects entail.”
Gabe Hilfer, Full Pursuit
"A great music coordinator is always anticipating the needs of their team. They act as a sounding board as well as a crucial extra pair of eyes and ears for everything that comes across a supervisor's desk - scripts, cuts, budgets, pitches, you name it. They have a strong ability to hone in on the minute details of a project and exhibit a proactive, can-do attitude to handle all of the variables thrown their way."
Jen Malone, Black & White
"A great music coordinator is a sponge, continually absorbing information and taking on any task being asked of them. They utilize strong communication skills with every contributor on a project and assist in carefully monitoring all aspects of the creative and administrative sides of the role, never leaving any stone unturned. They have an ability to adapt and think on their feet and a passion for what they do that drives their work ethic."
Sarah Chapeck, Black & White
“A big part of being a good music coordinator is being open minded and eager to learn and master the not so glamorous parts of the job while figuring out how to balance and preserve the love and fire for creative parts of the career. It’s kind of setting yourself up for a career and a lifetime of learning and growing in this field by learning good habits, resetting expectations, and also kind of shedding your ego and really learning how to assimilate to different types of personalities in terms of communication and how best to fill creative and administrative needs for a variety of people who are all needing and wanting much different things out of you.”
Rob Lowry, Sweater Weather Music
“Attention to detail and treating the job as if it's your name on the line."
Lindsay Wolfington, Lone Wolf Music Supervision
“I truly believe that persistence is one of the most important characteristics of being a music coordinator, especially when taking risks to achieve the creative vision. You must be willing to exhaust all options before considering a back up plan.”
Anita Grigore, Format