Scoring and Supervising: Solving Musical Pitfalls for Producers
Industry experts share common roadblocks, solutions, and tips for producers working with original composition and licensing.
If music has been proven to be one of the greatest contributors to a film’s success, why is it an afterthought for so many producers? For many, original composition is daunting, and licensing pitfalls can pose challenges for amateur and experienced producers alike. To combat these roadblocks, we’re presenting an expert panel composed of a licensing expert, a composer, a music supervisor, and an indie producer; all of whom have faced these issues and found ways through them. Our goal is to share our industry experience, provide solutions to core pitfalls, and help demystify music integration within film.
Moderator:
Matthew Smaldone, Brand Experience and Events Coordinator, FMSMF
Speakers:
Tammy Ari, Film Composer, Pianist
Dan Slater, Director
Mikaila Simmons, Music Supervisor, Roly Poly Music
David Quan, Manager, Licensing Administration, Warner Music Group
Presented by
Film Musicians Secondary Markets Fund
Speakers
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Dan SlaterDirectorDan Slater is a Toronto based director known for his feature films (White Night, Ashes) as well as his work in the Toronto indie music scene (MONOWHALES, Birds Of Bellwoods, Dahlia) He is a past recipient of the Irving Avrich Award for emerging filmmakers at the Toronto International Film Festival for his short film “Fin” and has received several awards for his feature films, including best international film, best screenplay, and best cinematography. Dan is the co-founder of West&SOCIAL, a commercial agency devoted to promoting socially-conscious products and businesses, as well as West Film, the music video and film division of West&SOCIAL. With his company, he has produced dozens of music videos, had films screened in festivals across the world, as well as distributed, (Rogers, Bell, iTunes) and helped young entrepreneurs grow their business through advertising their brand. Above all else, Dan is dedicated to producing thoughtful charter driven content focusing on stories that inspire.
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David QuanBoard of Directors AIMPDavid Quan is a 30-year veteran of the music industry and is an expert in all facets of Music Publishing. He has worked for such notable companies as Greater goods, Leiber & Stoller, All Nations Music, Warner/Chappell, BMG, Universal Records, PeerMusic, Angry Mob Music, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and NBCUniversal. Quan holds a BS Degree in Marketing from the California State University, Los Angeles and an MBA with a concentration in Corporation Finance from USC. He currently serves on the board of the Association of Independent Music Publishers, and he was a two-term President of The California Copyright Conference.
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Matthew SmaldoneBrand Experience and Events Coordinator, FMSMF“Matthew Smaldone is an independent producer and director best known for his work on The Scars of Our Hands, Bonding with Jefferson White and Tate Donovan, and The Fabulous Mr. Stilts (in post-production). After moving to Los Angeles from Colorado, Matthew began working as the brand experience and events coordinator for the Film Musicians Secondary Markets Fund, where he is able to further promote industry education in the local Los Angeles community. For his most recent film, The Fabulous Mr. Stilts, he reached even further, building a team from LA, New York City, Colorado, and France. As an international producer and Los Angeles-based industry professional, Matthew couldn’t be more excited to moderate a panel for the American Film Market.”
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Mikaila SimmonsMusic SupervisorMikaila Simmons is an award-winning Canadian music supervisor with over thirteen years of experience in the field. She has sourced everything from eighth-century Belarusian folk music for Vikings to undiscovered Inuit hip hop for The Grizzlies. She’s lent her expertise to amazing projects such as Below, Forbidden Fruits, The Handmaid’s Tale, and Fellow Travelers. She has overseen on-camera performances, produced custom songs and remixes, and interweaved licensed music with score.
As a proudly queer, neurodivergent woman, Mikaila is passionate about showcasing under-represented, emerging or undiscovered musical talent. She has a knack for finding modern breakout artists and unearthing forgotten songs of the past. Above all, Mikaila is a lover of music, storytelling, and the profound relationship between song and screen.
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Tammy AriFilm Composer, PianistTammy Ari is a Sri Lankan-Australian film composer and pianist, known for her scores for In Her Nature (PBS), For Winter and Drug Lords: The Takedown (National Geographic), and Tripped Up (Lunch Hour Productions). Now based in Los Angeles, she has earned nominations from the APRA Screen Music Awards, Music+Sound Awards, and Hollywood Music in Media Awards.
A rising voice among a new generation of composers, Tammy was selected for the 2025 Women in Film Fellowship, the Television Academy APPI Council, the 2025 ScreenCraft Works Cross-Border Mentoring Programme, and APRA AMCOS’ 23% mentorship program. Her collaborations include Grammy Award–winning artist Jacob Collier (Reflection: A Walk with Water) and Oscar-nominated composer Kris Bowers (Dreaming Freedom), along with freelance work for top production houses including Quincy Jones Productions and Remote Control Productions. She previously worked under Michael A. Levine (Siren, Disney Freeform; The Son, AMC Studios) and founded the non-profit production house xPropelr.
