"I don't use composers. I research music the way I research the photographs or the facts in my scripts"

Ken Burns is a documentary filmmaker who is understood for his use of archival video and pictures to tell stories. In this quote, he is discussing his method to music in his movies. He does not rely on authors to produce the soundtrack for his films, but instead researches music to find the best pieces to accompany his visuals. He deals with music the exact same way he deals with photographs and facts in his scripts, as an important part of the story he is trying to inform. He is recommending that music is just as crucial as the visuals and realities in his movies, and that it must be treated with the exact same level of care and attention. By looking into music, he has the ability to discover the perfect pieces to develop the desired atmosphere and emotion in his movies.