Crafting Soundscapes of Suspense: A Conversation with Katy McIlvaine, Music Supervisor of A24’s The Front Room

PH: Collaboration is key in music supervision. Can you share how you worked with the director, composers, and editors to shape the film’s musical landscape? What were some pivotal moments in these collaborations?

Katy McIlvaine: Good collaboration starts with great communication! If the directors have an idea I always want to do everything I can to bring that to fruition, but sometimes with rights clearances it’s just not possible. Max and Sam (Writers/Directors) were excellent about making sure there was always an open line to them in order to discuss the status of clearance, and really open to creative ideas too! They had written the song “Hold Fast To The Right” into the script and wanted it available on set, so I got to work early finding versions of that song. Once we locked in the Webb Pierce & The Anita Kerr Singers version, that song really helped set the tone for the rest of the sonic landscape. Max and Sam of course worked a lot with the editors on their own, but we were also able to have some sessions with Max, Sam, and Eric Kissack, and I loved having that opportunity for everyone to build on each other's ideas in real-time!

The 60s and 70s soundtrack plays a significant role in setting the film's unsettling tone. How did you select tracks that would evoke the desired emotions and support the alternate universe of The Front Room?

Max and Sam really set the creative tone and the specific song ideas came from all over. When we started digging into everything during post, we really locked into some key instruments (like the theremin and Leslie organ) and they went off and searched on their end while I was able to reach out to all sorts of labels, publishers and sync companies to find ideas in that creative tone. The internet can be a scary place for a Music Supervisor, especially when dealing with songs that might not have living copyright owners any more. So for my part, I wanted to make sure I was working with trusted music rights companies and only suggesting ideas that had some level of vetting.

PH: You experimented with various genres, including vintage, country, and gospel music. What was your process for exploring these different styles, and how did you determine which ones fit best within the film’s context?

Katy McIlvaine: We did! A lot of the creative process is just throwing things out and seeing what sticks. It was fun working with co-directors because we had one more person than usual so we had more creative suggestions, and with three of us working on music choices there was always a tie-breaker! At the end of the day, the directors are deciding what the film’s greater context is, so if they’re happy with the songs that’s how you know what fits.

PH: Tracking down copyright owners for songs over 50 years old can be quite challenging. Can you share some specific hurdles you faced during this process and how you navigated them to secure the rights for the music?

Katy McIlvaine: One of the biggest hurdles was in researching songs that were versions of Public Domain songs. Just because a version is public domain doesn’t mean your version is.  And when the person who created that version is no longer living, it can be extremely difficult to conclusively determine if there is any clearance needed on the publishing side for a song. Music supervisors have a deep understanding of copyright; however, we’re not lawyers, so there is a line. I had to do a lot of research and then run everything by A24’s legal team to give the ultimate sign off. I already knew which kinds of information they would need in order to give the OK, so I would always try to get it up front to make it an easy ‘yes’ from them. Unfortunately, there were some songs for which the estates and musician’s heirs just didn’t understand music licensing and wouldn’t state certain things the way we need them to make sure there is no doubt, and legal advised that we had to walk away from those songs. Public Domain songs always seem like they can be a low-budget option but there are a lot of landmines out there to be careful of!

PH: In today’s AI-driven marketplace, championing the artists behind your song selections is crucial. How do you approach this aspect of your work, and why do you think it’s especially important in the current landscape of the film industry?

Katy McIlvaine: I think it comes down to demand. We live in a time now when people care about musicians and whether their songs were created by someone with heart and soul behind the music. But Gen Alpha and beyond, who will be raised on AI, might not prioritize that as much. As long as we keep the value of musicians instilled in our culture, there will be a place for their songs in film.

As the project developed, did the vision for the soundtrack evolve? If so, how did your initial ideas change, and what influenced those changes throughout the production?

It didn’t really. We picked that “Hold Fast To The Right” version and while we did play around with some more contemporary ideas earlier on, those were ruled out after a few weeks and we really honed in on the vintage sound we landed on. Since we had so many song moments I was grateful that Sam and Max picked a vibe they wanted to go with so we could find ideas that would fit even quicker. 

PH: How do you believe the distinct soundtrack contributes to the audience's understanding and experience of the film? Are there specific scenes where you feel the music particularly enhances the narrative?

Katy McIlvaine: The needle drops increase as we fall further and further under Solange’s influence. It’s a slow ramp up, but a lot of the songs happen during incidents with her - especially when we can’t quite tell where reality begins and ends - so the use of these kinds of songs increase as we go through more of those moments. The fact that the songs aren’t part of today’s daily playlists really helps to play up that feeling that we’re not in another world but it doesn’t feel like our reality. The scene with Dottie West’s “I Believe” is the strongest example of that. I don’t want to spoil anything, but it’s definitely a scene when we feel under Solange’s influence and aren’t sure just how powerful she is!

PH: What advice would you give to those looking to break into music supervision? Are there any key skills or experiences that you believe are essential for success in this field?

Katy McIlvaine: The highest priority is nurturing your network of filmmakers. You can know everything there is to know about the music industry but if you don’t know anyone who will hire you for that expertise, that knowledge won’t do any good. The next priority is an understanding of the clearance process, or at least having a mentor who can help and answer questions you might have. From there, just build relationships with different labels, publishers, and musicians!

PH: After working on The Front Room, what themes or genres are you excited to explore in your future projects? Are there any particular artists or styles you hope to incorporate?

Katy McIlvaine: I loved working on a film that starred Brandy. I’m really looking forward to working on more films that are by and about strong women characters!

PH: Lastly, what drew you to work on The Front Room, and how does your personal connection to the music and themes of the film shape your approach as a music supervisor?

Katy McIlvaine: It was all about the crew! I had worked with Justin Scutieri, the post supervisor, before, and so he thought of me when they were putting together the crew. As a Music Supervisor, you don’t necessarily pick the project by the sound. Each scene and each character can have a different creative need, so you definitely have to be able to jump into anything that the script calls for. That’s my favorite part! I get to do deep dives into genres I’d never expect. And I can’t wait to find out what’s next!