Netflix’s Dark Desire: a recipe for success – Music Supervisor

During a hot day of August 2020 I was blessed with an amazing discovery: my music had been used on a Netflix show. And not just any Netflix show… Oscuro Deseo (Dark Desire in english-speaking countries) is one of the most successful Netflix shows of the year. It sits at the 3th place in the list of most viewed show on the platform for the whole year globally (at the time of writing) and it reached this position in just about a month!

The show has been widely praised for its soundtrack and this gave me the idea of starting a mini-series of interviews to discover what is the recipe of success in the era of VOD while exploring how different professionals approach music during their creative process.

Hopefully this will inspire fellows readers to start a path that will lead them to having their music on the next big hit!

Mauricio Gonzo Arroyo – Music Supervisor

Hi Mauricio and thank you for your availability.

Thank you Giovanni for your music, that was very helpful, and for inviting me to this interview.

Oscuro Deseo has been praised for the quality of its EDM and elettro-pop soundtrack. What was the process that lead you to put together such a sensational line-up of indie artists?

It is always a pleasure for me to work with independent, up-and-coming artists; but I am also not against using the classics or very well known pieces. For examples the show features music by Louis Armstrong.

My process is rather long and not at all conventional; especially when working on this kind of project where there isn’t a bespoke score. I browse through many many pieces for endless days, looking for the rhythm, the lyrics, the tempo and the function that I feel would fit nicely with every scene needing music. Most of the times a song lyrics help us tell what is happening in the story, but often the director’s opinion can be divergent: sometimes he/she doesn’t care as much about the lyrics content or they think the theme you have selected is not ideal. That is why I try to propose 3 or 4 options for every scene. Sometimes I bring even more options to meet the director’s angle.

After presenting my options I root for them as much as possible and if the director doesn’t like them or simply doesn’t feel connected to them I stop insisting and let go. Sometimes it’s though because your choices carry your stamp, your signature. You know that the song you are proposing is the right one for that moment, but you need to keep in mind that you’ve been commissioned to work on the project and this should not stop you from enjoying it.

I am very lucky and grateful that a piece I composed was selected for the soundtrack. I remember thinking carefully about the musical elements as well as other details such as the track’s title or the album artwork. What are the elements that capture a music supervisor’s attention first?

As I mentioned before I look for lyrics, rhythms, intentions and, above all, quality according to the scene, the psychological profile of the characters and the overall story. I look for music that amplifies the feelings infused by the pictures. It’s like adding a delicious ingredient that helps serving a richer dish.

Do you have any tip to give to those who’d like to start a career as a music supervisor?

Listen to music in all styles, from all eras, every hour of every day LOL. Try to have silence on scenes that you like. Experiment with different kinds of music, with different intentions. Only with practice you’ll find your voice, your signature.

Watch films and series of all eras and genres. Analyse where a song or a score enters in the scene and where it ends. Why, how and what the song says. What the mood of the score is. What feeling the music conveys to you along with the pictures.

If you are not familiar with them I advice to check the work of the following directors, and the music supervisors they work with, that in my opinion have an exceptional musical taste:

Paolo Sorrentino, Jim Jarmusch , David Lynch , Tarantino, Wong Kar Wai, Kubrick, El Negro Iñárritu, Almodovar, Luis Mandoki and the many other directors that love using great pieces for their projects.

Above everything else start working with what you can and with who you can. In the beginning contemplate to work for free, in a short film, or a commercial for a college radio, along with fellow film school mates. This will help you relate to the medium. Send your CVs to music supervisors, directors, producers, editors etc… Take nothing for granted, you’ll hear lots of NO but everything else is a victory.

Do you have any tip for songwriters/composers who hope to get in a music supervisor’s address book?

Of course, you can find my contact info on my IMDb page. I’d be happy if you wanted to share a link with their music with me.

It is also a good idea to have your music on an important catalogue/library. They are the places where those of us who look for music find high quality, easy to license pieces at moderate price-points. This is a very important detail as many times publishers and record labels (owners of the masters) sell their rights for very high amounts, and often a music supervisor doesn’t have a large enough budget to afford them.

We can’t wait to see, and hear your next projects. Thank you so much for this interview!

Many thanks my dear friend Giovanni. The project featuring my work coming out next is Nuevo Orden, by Mexican director Michel Franco. It will be presented during the Venice Film Festival first and many important festivals next. It’s an amazing film, Michel is a wonderful director. He already won prizes at the Cannes Film Festival and many other. Be sure to watch it!

I also have many more projects on track for the end of the year or the beginning of the next, when this Covid-19 crisis will be under control. A new film by the Mexican director Luis Mandoki—he directed big Hollywood stars in the ’90 on films such as When a Man Loves a Woman, White Castle and many more. A couple of huge series for Amazon and many more projects that I’ll gladly share with you in the future, and for which I’ll propose some of your pieces my dear Gio!

Abrazo enrome, gracias!

With more than 25 years of experience in the music industry. Pioneer of the production of musical events in Mexico. Mauricio Arroyo led the production and promotion of concerts for artists such as INXS, Bob Dylan, Sting, Chuck Berry, BB King, Iron Maiden, The Ramones, Depeche Mode, Peter Gabriel, among others. He was Label Manager of the record label EMI for El Gran Silencio, Manu Chao, Héroes del Silencio, Nacho Cano, Jarabe de Palo, Los Pericos, Plastilina Mosh and more. He worked as Producer, Tour Manager and Manager for artists such as Héroes de Silencio, Soda Stereo, Shakira, Molotov and Café Tacuba. In 2016, he formally entered the film industry as a Music Producer and Supervisor and has since worked in both seasons of Diablo Guardián and a couple of long feature films. Currently based in Mexico City.