How has the Composer Summit Prague been for you?
It’s been incredible, really eye-opening. To see the love, the passion, and the effort that goes into supporting and spotlighting composers is fantastic. What’s especially meaningful is the care and detail that goes into the concerts. The entire summit was exceptional — the industry workshops, composer concerts and the informative masterclasses, set in one of the most beautiful cities, Prague. It’s BMI’s first time participating in the summit and the whole experience has been extradordinary.
You originally started out in music recording studios; what made you decide to get into film music? And do you remember the moment when you realized this was exactly what you wanted to do?
When I graduated from college, I started working at Arista Records in the promotion department and from there, I went to work for record producer and bass player, Bill Laswell and that experience was life-changing.
Bill taught me about art, music, books, and film in a way I hadn’t experienced before and opened up a world of creativity for me. In addition to being a producer, he was also a bass player and was part of the New York downtown music scene, so I went from more pop based music at Arista into a completely different world of fusion, jazz, and experimental music. Through him, we worked with artists like Herbie Hancock, Bootsy Collins, Ornette Coleman, and Pharoah Sanders.
Not only was he producing projects, Bill also oversaw a label called Axiom through Island Records and he gave me a true, hands-on entry into the music business. I was just a few years out of college and overseeing his company, Material, Inc.
That experience taught me about the business copyrights, deals, and sessions and dealing with talent. But more importantly, he gave me the space to learn by doing, and to make mistakes and that was invaluable. At the same time, I was witnessing his creative process up close — his approach to fusion, bringing together artists and sounds from completely different worlds and he was constantly connecting cultures in ways that felt bold and entirely original. I took that forward in my music supervision work.
While at Material, I met music supervisor G. Marq Roswell, who was then working on The Commitments. I was invited to the premiere, and it was the first time I really understood what music supervision was. That there was a world where you could bring together music and film and that was my aha moment and I knew this was the road I was meant to travel.
That decision to step into the unknown, follow that intersection of creativity and storytelling, and take a chance is what shaped my entire career, and it’s ultimately what led me to the work I’m doing today at BMI.
You are also involved with the organization Women in Film. Can you tell us more about it?
It’s an incredible organization and I am proud to be on the board of directors. Women in Film was created to spotlight and support female talent and executives, to make sure that light is not only shined, but shined brightly and to see that commitment sustained over five decades is truly remarkable.
What’s so meaningful about Women in Film is the way it shows up for the community — supporting composers and songwriters, creating opportunities, and helping more voices be heard. It’s about building visibility, strengthening access, and continuing to open the door for the next generation.
What does the job of music supervisor entail? And what is your collaboration with the director like?
It’s a long list. Music supervisors wear many hats to ensure the story comes to life musically, from script to screen to the soundtrack release.
At the script stage, you’re working with the director and producer to shape the creative vision, the budget, and the overall strategy. The music has to land both artistically and financially. If there’s on-camera music — a band, a song with lyrics, a full musical moment — that adds another layer entirely.
There are many key music decisions made before shooting that directly shape the story. For example: How do you approach the on-camera performances? Do the actors need vocal coaching? Are they singing live or to playback? Schedule recording sessions? All of that is figured out before you even step on set.
Then during production, you’re there for those on-camera music moments and from there, it’s onto post — where the film really comes to life in the edit.
It’s a complicated, exciting puzzle, bringing all those pieces together. And the music supervisor is overseeing/involved from beginning to end, attending scoring sessions, curating original songs, licensing songs, giving creative feedback, managing deals, and coordinating all the moving parts.
It’s a constant balancing act — creative, logistical, and financial — but when it all comes together, it’s incredibly rewarding. Because at the end of the day, music really is the heartbeat of a project.
How does working on small independent films differ from working with major studios?
On independent films, it’s often a very close, collaborative process — a small team working really closely together and making creative decisions in real time.
On studio projects, the scale is much larger, and the process becomes more complex. There are more stakeholders involved (executives, marketing, multiple departments) so you’re often balancing different perspectives and navigating a range of feedback.
A big part of the job, in both cases, is making sure everything is delivered properly in post — contracts, credits, licenses. If a film has dozens of songs, every detail has to be cleared and accounted for. There’s a real level of precision involved.
It’s a lot of work, but that’s also what I loved about it. You’re constantly balancing creativity and business, and when it all comes together, you really feel the impact of the music in the story.
