Songwriting for the Screen

Last year the fact that only two songs were nominated for an Academy Award was hot button discussion topic throughout the music community. What determines a true “original” song? What should? From montages to key scenes, main titles to end titles, original songs are written for film and television regularly, both by skilled songwriters and popular artists. The ability to capture the essence of a film (or moment) without telling too much, however, is a delicate art, making writing to picture one of the trickiest tasks for any musician. How do musicians and music supervisors approach this process today, and how you can create a track that’s just right?