Ever wonder how music is chosen for a certain television show? As the music supervisor for “The O.C.”, Alexandra Patsavas has one of the coolest gigs around. But while she receives submissions from some great bands, she admitted in her interview with Mike Farley that she also also gets bombarded by some crappy music. Even with those distractions, Alexandra has developed a reputation for putting new artists on the map and helping to launch their careers.
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“Bullz-Eye: …what do you look for in a band or in a song?

Alexandra Patsavas: I don’t know. I just want to like it. Music is so personal. I don’t know how to really define what it is that I look for, but I definitely know it when I hear it.

BE: Just something that moves you personally?

AP: Yeah! Or you look for music that will sit well under dialogue. It’s a very different set of criteria to look for music that works with a picture. You’re enhancing something that’s already there. So it’s different, you’re not listening for a full album; I’m listening for a song. It’s just different.

BE: Do you get bombarded with submissions from crappy bands?

AP: Yes! (laughs) But I also get bombarded with submissions from really great bands.

BE: (laughs) Right. What would you say is a percentage of what gets used from what’s sent?

AP: Well what actually gets used is such a small amount. I think I probably keep about 50 percent of what comes into my office. But as far as what actually makes it to air is unfortunately a really small percentage because we can only use so many things. Really good music doesn’t get placed sometimes just because the appropriate scene didn’t present itself for whatever reason. It might be a great song by itself, but with the dialogue wasn’t quite the right mood.”

Read the rest of Mike’s interview here.