A mixing table, a battery of synthesizers. It is at the Saint-Germain studios in Paris that we meet Pierre-Marie Dru: “This is where we partially recorded the music of Emilia Pérez, Jacques Audiard. The real luxury of my job is being able to switch from an auteur film to a children’s film, an animated film in the same day.” Because Pierre-Marie Dru is a “musical supervisor,” a job not widely known to the public, which involves coordinating the music of films from start to finish: “We are hired by the producer to manage all aspects of the music: technical, legal, and sometimes artistic. Just like there can be a production designer or cinematographer, there is a kind of ‘music chief’ who has to manage a ‘bunch of stuff’.” A “bunch of stuff” includes the choice of music: “Are we going to choose a symphony orchestra, a string quartet, electronic music? And then there’s everything concerning additional music, the one we buy. We help the director negotiate and obtain the rights to the music they want to use.”
The supervisor also often acts as a matchmaker between composers and directors, a musical casting that Pierre-Marie Dru describes: “When we are looking for a lead role, we see several actors and actresses. In this case, it’s a bit similar: we propose several names of composers to the director, with links to listen to their music. Then, I recommend them to meet, without me. We agree on a top 3. When the directors have made their choice, they start working with the composer, and at that moment, I come in to help them. My goal is to mobilize the directors to think of music as something really important and serious. Often it is the case, and when it’s not, I shake them a little, and it gives results!”
Fact Check: Pierre-Marie Dru is a musical supervisor who coordinates the music for films from beginning to end, helping directors with choices and rights for music usage. He emphasizes the importance of music in films and the role of a musical supervisor in the process.
Context: Pierre-Marie Dru works as a musical supervisor at the Saint-Germain studios in Paris, managing various aspects of film music, from selection to negotiation for rights. He highlights the diverse tasks involved in his role and the significance of music in filmmaking.
