Make your trailer look as good as it sounds Just make sure you get the transition right, tempo-wise. If there’s a sudden change in mood or tempo in your trailer, it can be worth using several music tracks to clearly mark the shift or contrast. Give your composer draft edits of your trailer to work from, so that the music can be adjusted to hit the right marks. The structure of that track can be your guideline when editing – and if it doesn’t quite fit, tweak the music or your editing so you’re hitting the key transitions and get the flow just right. If you find a track that really fits the tone and style of your trailer, you’re getting a lot handed to you. People have shockingly short attention spans – so keep your trailer short, sharp and to the point. Say you’re showing ten scenes from your portfolio – make sure to get the sound effects down for each of those scenes, as it really adds a lot. Oh, on a side note: If you’re working on a project showcase, don’t skimp on the sound design. Here’s a recent trailer I really enjoyed – I like how it combines music, sound design in a rhythmic way:
For inspiration, here’s IFC’s collection of the greatest movie trailers of all time. Chances are that it plays a major role in the structure and editing. Have a favorite trailer? If so, spend some time studying how the music is being used. Use the flow, tempo and timing for your key points in the trailer. Perhaps your composer already has a track available you can work from – otherwise, ask the composer to do a draft version so you can get the ball rolling. The type of music you select is vital to the tone you’re setting, so find a reference track (or reference trailer) as early as possible and present it to your composer to key him/her in on the style you’re looking for. He’s created custom film and trailer music for a range of best-selling films – and here you can hear some of his work:įor custom trailer music or licensing, contact Simon here. It gives you a level of flexibility, tweaks and adjustments you just can’t get the same way with the other approaches.Ĭheck out some of the tracks by award-winning Epic Sound composer Simon Ravn below. I’ll recommend that you bring in a composer, as this allows you to get exactly the trailer music you’re after. There are many ways to source music for your trailer, from royalty-free music, special trailer music collections to custom compositions for your trailer.
Read on for tips and ideas on how to make your project sound great with the right trailer music: 1. It dramatically affects how your trailer is perceived – and having the right music is essential to creating the right flow, feel and tone. When you’re creating a trailer, music is a key ingredient.