American Magazine March 2015

top picks
Libby Umstead’s path to
Tinseltown unfolded like one
of the Hollywood scripts that she
sets to song as a music supervisor.
While driving cross-country in
2005, Umstead, CAS/BA ’04, had
a serendipitous meeting
in a Memphis bar with a
screenwriter who introduced
her to Dana Sano, founder of
Santa Monica–based Zenden
Entertainment. Umstead, a lit
major and longtime music lover
(she knew she wanted to pair
music with movies after seeing
Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet
in ninth grade), has been working
with acclaimed music supervisor
Sano ever since.
Umstead—whose own iTunes
collection numbers more than
300,000 songs—works with
directors and composers to craft
soundtracks for films and TV
shows, securing the rights to each
selection. “We’re always looking
for the goose-bumps moments.”
Her credits include Horrible
Bosses, August: Osage County,
and the highly anticipated Fifty
Shades of Grey, which
hit theaters in February. The
soundtrack to the erotic drama,
based on the best-selling novel
of the same name, features songs
by Beyoncé, Ellie Goulding, and
The Weeknd.
Umstead’s favorite
soundtracks:
1. THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION (1994)
Music can be transcendent. The prisoners
and guards have a unifying experience when
“The Marriage of Figaro Duettino” plays on
vinyl in the library scene. Tim Robbins took
that piece to solitary confinement.
2. LONE SURVIVOR (2013)
I watched this on a plane and the
flight attendants kept checking on me
because I was sobbing hysterically. The
orchestration and electronic elements
made it very modern.
3. AMADEUS (1984)
For Mozart, music was a friend, lover, foe,
challenge, and chase. The filmmakers did
an excellent job of using his masterpieces
to show all those nuances.
4. THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY
(2003)
Howard Shore just did an incredible job of
creating an epic score with soft, whimsical,
ethereal, magical elements without being
sappy. He carried those themes throughout
the trilogy and built on them.
5. ROMEO + JULIET (1996)
I have a musical theater background, so I
love drama. Pairing an old story with new
music was revolutionary.
6. MONEYBALL (2011)
Mychael Danna did an amazing job with the
score, which was more on the minimal side.
“It’s a Process” is a gorgeous score cue.
7. THE LION KING (1994)
Along with Aladdin and The Little Mermaid,
The Lion King redefined animated movie
soundtracks. It featured an all-star group of
musicians and composers and introduced
scores of children to Elton John.
8. AMERICAN HUSTLE (2013)
As music supervisors, the goal is to give
the audience a sense of time, place, and
tone. We create a sonic atmosphere in
which to experience the story. American
Hustle did just that with such elegance.
9. PULP FICTION (1994)
It’s crazy, it’s cool, it’s very Quentin.
The scene where Uma Thurman and
John Travolta dance to Chuck Berry’s
“You Never Can Tell” is great.
10. THE SOUND OF MUSIC (1965)
I grew up with this one. It’s magnificent
and timeless. Maria brought happiness to
the Von Trapp family because she brought
music to their hearts.
—Michael Menachem, SOC/BA ’04
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Umstead’s favorite soundtracks.
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PHOTO OF UMSTEAD BY ADRIAN TOYNTON
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AMERICAN.EDU/ALUMNI 47