Jenn shares the intricate journey behind music supervising Uncharted, the Alicia Keys-backed documentary. From managing real-time songwriting camps and using artist-created music as score, to negotiating rights with major labels, this episode is a deep dive into storytelling, activism, and collaboration at its most intense.
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A raw and reflective discussion on navigating your first big film gig, overcoming self-doubt, and confronting toxicity on set. Leyla and Jenn open up about feeling like imposters, working in male-heavy teams, and the importance of standing your ground and leaning on your community.
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This episode dives into the muddy waters of music licensing around loops, samples, and Splice packs. Amelia, Jenn and Leyla unpack common misconceptions, explore the art of negotiation for tight budgets, and share practical wisdom onsecuring high-quality tracks without compromising relationships or rights.
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This episode tackles the high-stakes world of sync for live shows and fast-turnaround productions. Jenn and Leyla share wild stories, from last-minute clearances and artist mishaps to educating filmmakers about music licensing. It's an honest, sometimes hilarious look at the chaos and complexity behind the scenes of sync.
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In this dynamic premiere, Amelia McCloskey dives into the origin stories of powerhouse music supervisors Jenn Smith and Leyla Flores. From Craigslist gigs and American Idol to music-filled childhoods and launching companies from scratch, the episode explores how passion and persistence shaped their journeys in the sync industry.
👉 For exclusive insights, resources, and sync opportunities, visit: www.ultimatesyncaccess.com
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This is Season 8 of Ultimate Sync Sessions. Host Amelia McCloskey sits down with two powerhouse music supervisors, Leyla Flores (Loud Music Brokers, Mexico) and Jenn Smith (Rat Dance Party, USA), for a deep dive into the realities of sync licensing and creative supervision across film, TV, and live shows.
From Jenn’s journey from theatre to American Idol, to Leyla’s rise from graphic design into the Latin sync market, the conversation touches on personal pivots, licensing nightmares, imposter syndrome, and navigating male-dominated rooms.
Packed with real stories, laughs, lessons, and bold truths, this episode is a must-listen for anyone trying to break into the world of sync — or survive it.
👉 For exclusive insights, resources, and sync opportunities, visit: www.ultimatesyncaccess.com
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In a reflective finale, Mike shares career-defining lessons and timeless advice for aspiring supervisors. He discusses integrity in creative choices, lifelong learning, and why passion and good taste will always outlast trends. His mantra: “Forget the title, focus on the work.”
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Mike offers invaluable advice to artists, labels, and publishers on pitching music for advertising. From perfect metadata to personalised outreach and well-curated playlists, he reveals what grabs a supervisor’s attention and what guarantees a delete. Practical, honest, and full of insider wisdom.
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Diving deep into his portfolio, Mike discusses the creative and technical process behind iconic campaigns like Hennessy’s “Maurice Ashley”. He breaks down how originality, collaboration, and relentless experimentation shape award-winning work and why the best advertising music never sounds like an ad at all.
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Mike opens up about the realities behind success, late nights, relentless work, and the blurred lines between passion and burnout. He reflects on how his drive shaped his career and relationships, what fuels his motivation, and how true creatives never stop chasing the thrill of a perfect song–to–picture moment.
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Mike recounts his unconventional path into music supervision, from dreaming of being a rock star to discovering a career that merges creativity, sound, and strategy. He reveals how his deep musical knowledge and love for discovery led him to establish Droga5’s music department, transforming how the agency approaches sound in storytelling.
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In this season 7 of Ultimate Sync Sessions, Amelia McCloskey sits down with Mike Ladman, Music Supervisor at Droga5, to explore his creative journey from record store clerk and DJ (“Puppy Hiccups”) to leading one of advertising’s most acclaimed music teams. Mike shares insights into building a music department from scratch, curating award-winning campaigns for brands like Under Armour, Google, Meta, and Hennessy, and balancing creativity with the demands of brand storytelling.
He opens up about the challenges of supervision, the art of collaboration, what makes a perfect sync moment, and the value of intuition, persistence, and passion in the fast-evolving world of music and advertising.
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Ultimate Sync Access | Sync Stories with Jenn and Kyla
Episode 05: How to Pitch Music that Gets Heard
Practical guidance for creators: both Jennifer Noya and Kyla O’Donovan explain what makes a pitch stand out, concise emails, accurate metadata, downloadable WAV/MP3s, and knowing the brief/budget. They share dos and don’ts on follow-ups, how to build trust with supervisors, and why patience and organisation pay off in the long run.
👉 For exclusive insights, resources, and sync opportunities, visit: www.ultimatesyncaccess.com
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Ultimate Sync Access | Sync Stories with Jenn and Kyla
Episode 04: The Impact of Hollywood Strikes
Jenn and Kyla discuss wider industry turbulence including strike knock-on effects and shrinking mid-budget work and what that means for freelancers and artists. They also celebrate the wins: the joy of securing first syncs for indie musicians (Kyla describes giving newcomers key placements) and Jennifer talks about navigating changing budgets and formats while helping artists access long-term royalties.
👉 For exclusive insights, resources, and sync opportunities, visit: www.ultimatesyncaccess.com
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Ultimate Sync Access | Sync Stories with Jenn and Kyla
Episode 03: From Indie Bands to London Syncs
A deep dive into early career work: Jennifer discusses managing indie rock bands in Venezuela, grassroots touring and staging festivals, and how that hands-on experience translated into licensing and clearance skills. Kyla reflects on maintaining creative networks and how different markets (local scenes vs major hubs like London or Vancouver) shape a supervisor’s approach to pitches and placements.
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Ultimate Sync Access | Sync Stories with Jenn and Kyla
Episode 02: The Hard Truths of Sync
This episode digs into the practical side of freelancing: managing budgets, handling creative differences, and making difficult calls to protect a production. Both Jennifer and Kyla share how mentorship helped them, why diplomacy matters when negotiating with producers, and tips for staying resilient when workloads spike or dry up.
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Ultimate Sync Access | Sync Stories with Jenn and Kyla
Episode 01: From Dental Assistant to Music Supervisor
In the opener, hosts and guests trace their routes into music supervision. Jennifer Noya describes her Latin roots in Venezuela and how early grassroots music work led her into rights and supervision after moving to the UK. Kyla O’Donovan recalls a performance and theatre background, a non-music career detour, then returning to study and pursue supervision. Together they compare influences, early challenges and the serendipitous moments that brought them into sync.
*****
Season 6 of the Ultimate Sync Sessions Podcast explores the fast-changing world of music supervision and sync licensing. Hosted by Amelia McCloskey, this season features candid conversations with Jennifer Noya (Latin-born, UK-based Music Rights Consultant & Music Supervisor) and Kyla O’Donovan (Director, Head of Sync & Music Supervisor at JTN Music Canada and founder of All T’Hat Music in Vancouver, Canada). Together with other industry guests, they share practical insights into freelancing, rights and clearances, creative collaboration, and how artists can get heard, offering listeners a global view of the people shaping music for film, TV, streaming and advertising.
Jenn has worked on high-profile UK productions, including The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy (Apple TV+), Dead in the Water (Prime), The Family Plan (AppleTV+), and This England (Sky Atlantic). During a bit more than a decade at ITV, Jenn served as Senior Music Manager for Non-Scripted Productions and contributed to various entertainment shows such as Dancing on Ice, Billie Eilish: Up Close, V Festival 2020, Comedians Giving Lectures, and 24 Hours in A&E, among others.
A few of Kyla’s music supervision credits include the feature film on Apple TV "Re: Uniting", The National Film Board of Canada’s "Anything for Fame". Netflix’s gem of a series "Firefly Lane”, where she did music clearance, the unscripted series "Farming for Love" on CTV, a short film entitled “Youth Is Wasted on The Young”. As well as a fair share of feel-good TV movies and independent short films.
👉 For exclusive insights, resources, and sync opportunities, visit: www.ultimatesyncaccess.com
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Ultimate Sync Access | The Man Behind Burberry's Signature Sound
Episode 06: Behind the Scenes of Global Campaigns
The series closes with a look at high-profile campaigns, where music supervision plays a strategic role in creative direction. Dave shares insights into working with directors, designers, and brand teams to ensure the soundtrack complements and elevates the visual and narrative goals. He also reflects on the art of collaboration and the trust required to bring bold creative visions to life.
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Ultimate Sync Access | The Man Behind Burberry's Signature Sound
Episode 05: Curating Burberry’s Runway Sound
Dave discusses the unique demands of working in fashion, from curating catwalk playlists to creating immersive brand events. He explores how music can become a signature for a luxury label, influencing perception, enhancing storytelling, and connecting emotionally with audiences in ways that visuals alone cannot achieve.
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Ultimate Sync Access | The Man Behind Burberry's Signature Sound
Episode 04: Finding the Sound for the Brand
This episode charts Dave’s shift from running events to specialising in music supervision. He explains the creative process of selecting music that captures a brand’s identity and the importance of understanding both artistic and commercial needs. It’s a deep dive into the precision, creativity, and cultural sensitivity required to get it right.
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