EP 126: Steven Vincent, VP Music & Soundtracks at Disney Branded TV

01/14/21 • 14 min

Hometown To Hollywood w/ Bonnie J Wallace

Steven Vincent, VP Music & Soundtracks at Disney Branded TV

Today my guest on the Hometown to Hollywood podcast is Steven Vincent, Vice President of Music & Soundtracks at Disney Branded Television. He is the man behind the music you love from not only the Disney Plus and The Disney Channel, but also Disney XD, ABC Family, and more, since 2007.

Steven Vincent advises and collaborates with TV series and TV movie producers on script development and creating original music, as well as licensed songs. He works with recording artists, songwriters and composers in conjunction with Disney Publishing, Disney Music Group and Radio Disney as well as external labels, publishers and management.

On the talent side, he has supervised the TV music careers of Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, Jonas Bros, Zendaya, Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, Bridgit Mendler, Bella Thorne, Ross Lynch, Laura Marano, Zac Efron & Vanessa Hudgens.

Vincent has a degree in Music Composition from UCLA, and studied film scoring with Walter Scharf, David Raskin & Fred Karlin while winning scholarships from BMI and ASCAP. He has also worked as a film composer, arranger, producer, conductor and musician.

We discuss what he does in his work, what it’s like to work with young talent, how he creates the sound of the Disney shows and movies you love, advice for young talent (both songwriters and actor/singers) and much more. This is a fascinating dive into the world behind the music from so many of your favorite soundtracks— including The Cheetah Girls, Camp Rock, High School Musical, Disney Descendants, and much more. Join us!

Some of my favorite quotes from our conversation:

“Leave your ego at home. You’re there to serve not just your vision, but the vision of the director, producers, writers, and the studio.”
“In some ways, my job is figuring out what each new show or musical should sound like.”
“I meet songwriters all the time... there are always new creative voices coming.”
“I remember the first thing we did with Bella and Zendaya... Bella was really nervous, and Zendaya would stand on the other side of the glass and cheer her on.”
“It’s about setting people up for success. That’s a lot of my job. Trying to nurture people and inspire them & provide them with the tools they need to be as successful as possible.”
“They’re very determined, driven people. They just happen to be kids at the time.”
“If you want to become a good songwriter, write a lot of songs... try and write one great song a week.”
“If you want to work in music, be a musician. Don’t just be a singer.”
“If you want to be a songwriter, you want to express something that somebody else is going to care about.”
“If you want to be a singer that matters, that’s successful... learn how to use your instrument. The voice is very much an instrument.”
Find any opportunity to perform in front of people. All of it counts. All of it helps prepare you.”
“I’m all about creative expression... I think it’s really important in being a complete person.”

Feeling inspired? Take Steve Vincent’s advice to heart and try writing a song this week! Or singing in front of an audience, even if it’s just your family in the living room. Or writing a poem or learning an instrument. As he says, you can learn a lot of this online, even from YouTube. If you are serious about a career as a singer, take voice lessons so you learn how to safely use your instrument. If you want to be a triple threat, learn some basic dance.

And if you need a little help navigating the industry, invest in an online consultation with me. A single session can set you up for success and help you avoid the painful pitfalls that can cost you precious time as well as money.

Steven Vincent, VP Music & Soundtracks at Disney Branded TV

Some of my favorite quotes from our conversation:

“Leave your ego at home. You’re there to serve not just your vision, but the vision of the director, producers, writers, and the studio.”
“In some ways, my job is figuring out what each new show or musical should sound like.”
“I meet songwriters all the time... there are always new creative voices coming.”
“I remember the first thing we did with Bella and Zendaya... Bella was really nervous, and Zendaya would stand on the other side of the glass and cheer her on.”
“It’s about setting people up for success. That’s a lot of my job. Trying to nurture people and inspire them & provide them with the tools they need to be as successful as possible.”
“They’re very determined, driven people. They just happen to be kids at the time.”
“If you want to become a good songwriter, write a lot of songs... try and write one great song a week.”
“If you want to work in music, be a musician. Don’t just be a singer.”
“If you want to be a songwriter, you want to express something that somebody else is going to care about.”
“If you want to be a singer that matters, that’s successful... learn how to use your instrument. The voice is very much an instrument.”
Find any opportunity to perform in front of people. All of it counts. All of it helps prepare you.”
“I’m all about creative expression... I think it’s really important in being a complete person.”

Previous Episode

EP 125: Dave Thomas Brown & Amelia Bay, Broadway Actor & Hair Artist

My guests today on the Hometown to Hollywood podcast are Dave Thomas Brown and Amelia Bay.

Dave is a triple threat whose roles on Broadway have included Elder Price in The Book of Mormon, Josh in Clueless the Musical, David Van Patten in American Psycho, JD in Heathers the Musical, and many more roles in touring and regional theatre. He played Elder Price on the West End in London as well as on Broadway.

Amelia is a professional hairdresser and wig maker for both Broadway and TV. Her credits include Law & Order SVU, Monsterland, Marvelous Miss Maisel, Be More Chill, She Loves Me, The Book of Mormon, and Aladdin.

Dave and Amelia are business partners and are also engaged.

We do a deep dive on the importance of training, audition advice, how to get started on Broadway (whether you are an actor or an artist backstage), surprises, challenges, and advice for people who want this life. It was especially fun to chat with both Dave and Amelia, who bring such complementary insight into how the industry works.

Some of my favorite quotes from our conversation (see if you can guess which quote is from which one of them!):

"I fell in love with theatre because of CATS the Musical.”
“I never thought I was going to be a musical theatre actor.”
“I took that Shakespearean training and I put it into treating musical theatre like Shakespeare.”
“Sometimes those big flashy shows on Broadway don’t deal with the kind of real issues that shows like Heathers”
“I wanted to go to a school that specifically had a hair and makeup program, so that’s why I went to University of North Carolina School of the Arts.”
“I spent 4 years at a conservatory studying acting. The next 10 years were a continuation of that training.”
“I’ve always relied on the kindness of casting directors.”
“Casting directors are your lifeline.”
“You never know when your name is being tossed around after you leave the room.”
“Know your craft, go in confident, perform the material, bring something that’s uniquely you, & you will be remembered.”
“The best thing you can do as an auditioner is watch other people audition.”
“I auditioned for The Book of Mormon for the 1st time 4 years before I was on that Broadway stage... while I was doing ”
“My 1st job was Aladdin... then Jersey Boys... then it snowballed from there.”
“I literally walked the NYC streets with my resume, looking up stage doors, trying to figure it out. You just have to put yourself out there.”
“I got my dream role, & I played the lead in 600 shows of The Book of Mormon on 2 continents... & I still want more.”
“Drop your ego at the door. Be proud of being good at a lot of things.”
“Live a creative life. No matter what your profession is.”

Follow Dave and Amelia HERE:

Dave Thomas Brown

Website www.davethomasbrown.com
Twitter @davethomasbrown

Instagram @davethomasbrown

Amelia Bay

Instagram: @ameliabay

Their shared socials

Instagram: @BBandtheRV

YouTube: @BBandtheRV

The Line Learner App that Dave referenced can be found HERE

Dave Thomas Brown fell in love with theatre, singing, and performing because he was exposed to it as a child. Amelia Bay hung out with the theatre kids in high school in her small town and began doing the hair and makeup backstage, eventually running the department before she left high school. So often it's a lucky accident that introduces us to something that can shape our lives: the chance attendance of a live theatre performance, a trip to New York or Los Angeles. In my own life, it was seeing a community theatre production of Mame with a family friend that left me mesmerized and in love with acting... which eventually led to my own children falling in love with singing and acting because they grew up heavily exposed to it. Which led to a lot of amazing things that continue today.

If you or your child have a dream of performing professionally, schedule a consultation with me, and start the new year off with some positive action toward that dream. In just 60 or 90 minutes, we can answer questions you didn't even know you should ask, and create an action plan.

Next Episode

EP 127: Patrick Fabian, Actor

Today my guest on this episode of the Hometown to Hollywood podcast is actor Patrick Fabian. Patrick is truly a career actor, working steadily for almost 30 years, primarily in television. He is best known for his roles in Better Call Saul, Big Love, Veronica Mars, The Last Exorcism, Must Love Dogs, and Star Trek: Voyager. Recent guest stars include Lucifer, Code Black, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Grimm, Scorpion, The Newsroom, Longmire, Castle and Scandal. Patrick also played my daughter Dove’s father in the Disney Channel original movie Cloud Nine.

We discuss his training, how he broke into the LA market after college, lessons he’s learned over his 27-year career, advice for young artists, and much more.

Listen to the first 10 minutes here for free, or become a Friend of the Podcast for just $5 a month — and get access to the full interview, as well as access to the entire collection of over 100 other inspiring and educational episodes designed to help you succeed in the entertainment industry.

Some of my favorite quotes from our conversation:

“I arrive in California, I see palm trees for the first time, & I thought, ‘I am never going back.’”
“Class is to keep your tools sharp.”
“Don’t live beyond your means... that means you give yourself the opportunity to choose to do art, as opposed to waiting tables.”
“Being a professional actor to me means you have your union card.”
“My professors told me, ‘You need to work. If you’re lucky, you’ll get paid for something about 5 years out.”
“My job is to go in and show them I know how to act; then my job is to leave and let it go.”
“I believe that opportunities will come for you, and you will finally be able to go ahead and book work.”
“Nobody wants you to be an actor... you’re the one who has to want to be an actor, and you have to take the responsibility for that.”
“I’ve done some jobs that were just terrible... I’ve been terrible in them, they were terribly written, terribly directed... but then I’ve been in some really great things.”
“If you show them that you know how to act, you know your craft, & that you are good to work with... you have a real running shot of having a career.”
“You’re supposed to have disappointments, you’re supposed to fail. Things are supposed to not work out.”
“Being able to handle your disappointments and successes with equal grace would behoove you.”
“I love artists. Art is important. If you have chosen to be an artist, you have chosen a noble and a necessary profession.”