Choosing music against the cut

Choose the music against the cut, never in a player on its own [proven, thinly: Suno as the source, finished outside Suno].

1. Write the music brief from the assembly, with the voiceover and dialogue in place (see Music → The music brief). A music-first film skips this: its track is already locked.

2. Make, shortlist and measure three options as Music → Music takes and the shortlist sets out.

3. Lay each shortlisted option against the cut on its own track, one audible at a time, its stems muted beneath it.

4. Your ear decides, each option heard against the cut on your director's-cut page (see Editing → The director's cut and the client's rough cut). Re-cutting picture to suit a track is a deliberate decision.

Why: music chosen in the player has failed once fitted to the edit.

Sources

• See Music → Music takes and the shortlist for its sources.