Why Some Songs Work Onscreen and Others Don’t: Pitch Perfect, The Devil Wears Prada + Wednesday

What makes one song perfect for a scene while another, even a great one, just doesn’t work?

Justin Tranter sits down with music supervisor Julia Michels and songwriter, producer and arranger Alana Da Fonseca to break down the judgment behind the music in Pitch Perfect, The Devil Wears Prada, Wednesday, Off Campus and more.

They get into testing whether “Toxic” would still connect with a younger audience, knowing instantly that KT Tunstall’s “Suddenly I See” belonged in The Devil Wears Prada, reinventing “Paint It Black” for cello, and why writing for screen means serving the story instead of protecting your song.

Along the way, they unpack taking notes without ego, navigating directors and creative politics, and why the best song you’ve ever written can still be completely wrong for the moment.

Credits:

Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter

Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart

Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart

Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart

Director: Morgan T. Stuart

Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary

Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri