Music can really set the tone for a film or book. Have you ever wondered who chooses the music that goes with a show or movie? Liz Lawson, the author of the new novel The Lucky Ones, actually has that job. In this post she tell us what it’s like to be a music supervisor for film and TV and how that impacts her writing.
Bonus: a Spotify playlist that perfectly pairs with The Lucky Ones!
In my other life, I’m a music supervisor of film and TV.
For those who don’t know (It’s a really niche profession, so that might be a lot of you!), a music supervisor is someone who combines music with visual media. We typically oversee all aspects of music in a given project, from the creative (finding and pitching songs) to the paperwork (handling negotiations on costs, managing the music budget, etc.). There are a ton of moving parts that the job entails on any given day, but the one that’s most fun (and the first thing most people think of) is making the playlist. This translates into my writing as well. It’s vitally important to my writing to set the mood with music.
If my playlist for The Lucky Ones had been on a record, it probably would have been worn out by the time the book was in its final stages. I listened to these songs over and over and over while writing. They became essential for me to get into the minds of my characters. “Youth” by Daughter and “Wait” by M83 even found their way into the text.
I hope you enjoy the playlist, and I hope that you think of May and Zach while you listen, think of their lives and their painful pasts, and most important, think of their hope for a better future.
