When we think of the creative minds behind a film, we often envision directors, screenwriters, and composers. And when it comes to film trailers, we often assume they’re being crafted by the same people working on the film. However, there is a group of talented individuals who work diligently behind the scenes, weaving together visuals and music to create the captivating trailers that draw us into the cinema. The role of music in a trailer plays an essential element in capturing our attention and building anticipation. But, the creation of a successful theatrical advertising campaign isn’t just about finding the perfect music and visuals, it’s about the marriage between the two. Behind every powerful trailer lies a team of talented individuals, and among them, the trailer editor stands out as a master of both sound and visuals. 
It's time to shed light on the trailer editors and acknowledge the immense amount of work they put into crafting music that elevates the trailer-watching experience. These individuals are not only video editors but also music editors, wearing multiple hats to bring us those exhilarating previews.
In the world of film, music holds immense power. It can intensify emotions, convey the mood, and transport the audience to different worlds. The same holds true for trailers, but here's the catch—trailer editors aren't just selecting and placing existing music tracks. They are often involved in the creation of original scores that perfectly complement the visuals.
What makes trailer editors extraordinary is their ability to seamlessly merge the worlds of music and film. Many of them have a musical background before they entered the realm of trailer editing. This unique blend of skills allows them to understand the rhythm, tempo, and dynamics necessary to create a captivating trailer experience.
In the film industry, there are typically separate roles for a music editor and a video editor. However, when it comes to trailers, trailer editors take on both responsibilities. They carefully select or create music that syncs flawlessly with the visuals, ensuring that every beat, every note, and every chord aligns with the on-screen action.
Not only do trailer editors handle the music, but they also become sound designers. They immerse themselves so deeply into the trailer that they instinctively know what sound effects are needed to enhance the impact. Combining their music editing and sound design expertise creates a harmonious fusion that resonates with audiences.
One of the notable trends in trailer editing is the rhythmic cut. It's a technique that synchronizes the visuals with the music's tempo and creates a powerful connection between the two. You've likely seen trailers where the gunshots, explosions, or even footsteps align perfectly with the beats of a song, creating a thrilling and engaging experience. This rhythmic approach is often executed by the trailer editor, who orchestrates a symphony of sight and sound.
Trailers wouldn't have the same impact without their artistry, and we might not be as captivated by the movies they promote.
Next time you watch a trailer, take a moment to appreciate the seamless blend of music and visuals. Remember that it's the trailer editor who meticulously crafted that experience, who fused the power of music with the art of storytelling. Their work is a testament to their passion, creativity, and the transformative nature of music in the world of cinema.

Heroes of Film Trailers

The Unsung Heroes of Film Trailers

In a marketplace where new music is coming out every second, it can be overwhelming for <a href="https://www.sencit.net/services/music-supervision" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">music supervisors</a> and editors to choose the right tracks for their projects. Having trustworthy connections with the people who live and breathe music can be an easy way to master this saturated market and focus on what’s important. But, in an industry where music libraries are a dime a dozen, how do you know you’re getting what you need?
Before founding Sencit, I started my career in trailer music as a representative for Groove Addicts and @Ninjatracks first library, Full Tilt, experiencing firsthand the stigma around sales representatives and how they can easily be seen as spammy and rabid for a music placement. I witnessed my peers treat the job like they were a car salesman versus a valued resource. I quickly learned the difference between the two and opted to become the latter, which resulted in successful campaigns and trusted relationships with clients. What was my trick? Understanding that the role of music library rep exists to help the creator find the music that is going to help achieve their goals, and to facilitate everything around that.
This understanding allowed me to better grasp the nuances and needs of the people my entire role was serving. With that, I provided only music that was specifically relevant to the project at hand. I held back music if it didn’t fit, and chose to work at the rhythm of my clients - not the other way around.
Music libraries have historically received a reputation for being one of many - a resource to simply pick and choose from, nothing more. But in the ever-evolving industry of <a href="https://www.sencit.net/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">theatrical advertising</a>, overcoming this perception means building a platform that creates an intrinsically valuable experience with music and serving the project at hand their number one priority.
Working with a rep who understands how to serve a project and the needs of the individual music supervisor, trailer editor, creative director, producer, and entertainment marketing executive, not only positively impacts the overall experience, but elevates the final product: your campaign.
Good music representatives provide valuable insights and indicate music that is relevant to each individual project. It’s key to respect the rhythm of the clients, and never push new company releases or label priorities.
At Sencit we do this by creating a business model that supports helping where we can, and taking a seat where we cannot, and we are constantly evolving to provide the best service to our clients.
We have evolved from a music library into a full services music solutions company, so having a solid team is complemented with a methodically organized library, and an accessible catalog. All the resources are created to smooth out the process for them and for you. If you’d like to learn more about our approach, contact <a href="mailto:morgan@sencit.net">morgan@sencit.net</a>.

Music rep

The True Value of a Music Library Representative

These days, trailer audio seems to be finding its way into all types of media. It’s not uncommon to hear braaams and drones in a video game soundtrack, or reverb-heavy single piano hits in a tense reality TV moment. On one hand, it’s a sign that trailers are a bigger deal than ever. However, it also signals a dilemma for those of us working in trailer soundtracks: in an over-saturated entertainment landscape where anyone can sound like a big movie trailer, how do we continue to deliver audio that elevates the I.P. to a larger-than-life, once-in-a-lifetime event?
It stands to reason that the more pervasive the tricks of our trade become, the less impact they will have on audiences going forward. In this article we’ll discuss what creatives need to do to evolve with an audience that has come to expect more from trailers than Carmina Burana and synth drones.
Changes in the <a href="https://www.sencit.net/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Movie Advertising</a> Industry
Today’s core demographic of moviegoers (18–25-year-old’s) presents new challenges for marketers. They block popups more frequently, click out of ads sooner, and have a higher sensitivity to overt marketing than prior generations. In an age when more people are consuming trailers online, entertainment marketers need to take greater steps to hold audience interest. 
The trailer industry would be smart to listen to studies like <a href="https://kantar.no/kantar-tns-innsikt/new-marketing-for-a-new-generation/">this one</a> from Kantar Millward Brown’s AdReaction, which warns: “the only way forward is for brands to create content that will stop Gen Z in their tracks.” While loud, attention-grabbing bumpers that play ahead of trailers are a step in the right direction, the best way to keep your audience from clicking out prematurely may be through more original, unexpected creative choices.
Originality in Trailer Music
Once upon a time, “Gimme Shelter” communicated the raw, anti-establishment sentiment at the heart of every Martin Scorsese film. But after being featured in countless trailers, the song has come to mean something very different to a younger audience: “buy this.”
Audiences want to be surprised by a trailer’s use of music. Music supervisors have begun leaning toward songs that push genre boundaries or create a sense of irony in relation to the image. In some cases, music can communicate more to an audience when used as a counterpoint. One of the greatest uses of counterpoint can be found in the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yt7ofokzn04" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Battle of Los Angeles trailer</a>. Rather than match the adrenalized action, music supervisors juxtaposed the explosive violence of war with a breathy, emotional composition, creating a more poetic connection between sight and sound, which in turn actually makes the action feel even bigger.
With moody cover songs and trailerized classic hits becoming common across all mediums of advertising and entertainment, moviegoers want authenticity and originality from their <a href="https://www.sencit.net/">trailer music</a>.
Is it any coincidence that after years of smothering iconic songs with custom percussion and epic strings, the trailer world is suddenly seeing an uptick in clean, unmanipulated needle drops? 
Originality in Trailer Sound Design
Because trailer audio has become so pervasive, audiences have become more sensitive to over-exposed, cookie-cutter sounds. These days, those basic braaams that add tension and scope to the film are likely to earn you more eye-rolls than likes on YouTube. While creating a larger than life world remains an important part of what we do as composers and sound designers, “big” can backfire when it takes precedence over originality (a lesson we all learned a few “In a world…” voice overs too late). Not to mention, in the age of streaming, those huge sounds that play great in Dolby-equipped theaters are bound to lose a little emotional impact when experienced through earbuds and tiny iPhone speakers.
Think about it: how can you expect your film to feel like a once-in-a-lifetime event when your trailer is full of Kontakt library sounds that anyone could purchase for a few hundred bucks? At Sencit, our sound design is 100% originally sourced. This means recorded from scratch, manipulated organically, and impossible to duplicate with a patch. Sure, it’s quicker and easier to copy and paste, but the longer we, as music supervisors and composers, cling to the same old library sounds, the more they sound like…well, marketing.
Today’s audience is weary of being sold to and talked at. While signature sounds and proven techniques will never completely disappear from trailer soundtracks, audio creatives must continue to surprise their audience with creativity and innovation. The challenge for all of us going forward is to create audio that eventizes the content we’re selling, without falling back on the sounds and songs that have become standard fare across the media landscape.

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Movie Trailers in the Age of Originality

Music Licensing in a Streaming World
In December of 2020, Warner Brothers announced plans to release its entire 2021 slate on HBO Max the same day the <a href="https://www.sencit.net/licensing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">films</a> hit theaters. It was a fitting end to a year that saw Disney reinvent itself as a premium streaming service, Viacom consolidate its entertainment arsenal under the Paramount+ banner, and <a href="https://www.forbes.com/advisor/personal-finance/americans-are-cord-cutting-in-record-numbers-and-its-not-slowing-down-anytime-soon/#:~:text=2020%20survey%20by%20market%20research,to%20a%20streaming%20video%20platform." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">more people than ever</a> cutting cords with their cable company. The rise of streaming is upon us. Let’s take a look at the way it’s reshaping how trailers are made and used, and how those changes could affect those of us working in trailer audio.
A New Way of Marketing Films
Traditional studios and streamers have very different marketing goals. Studios sell movies, streamers sell a service. Studios use trailers to fill seats in a theater, streamers use them to fill subscriptions. Studios build movie campaigns around theatrical release dates, using A/V, posters, and digital pieces to eventize and drive awareness to the film’s opening weekend. Streamers often take <a href="https://cinematicslant.com/2019/08/23/streaming-originals-could-change-how-movie-marketing-campaigns-are-run/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the opposite approach</a>, reserving the bulk of online ad buys for after a movie or show is available to stream. Essentially they’re saying, “We have this, it’s right here waiting along with a bunch of other good stuff. Come have a look.”
Additionally, streamers distribute their trailers almost exclusively online, and don’t have to adhere to MPAA rules that limit run-time and messaging. As more titles shift to online releases, expect more trailers to eschew the restrictions of theatrical exhibition and go all in on the online audience.For example, the trailer for The Suicide Squad clocks in at a robust 3:17. We could even see marketers turn the form on its head and create collections of <a href="https://cinematicslant.com/2019/08/23/streaming-originals-could-change-how-movie-marketing-campaigns-are-run/">shorter trailers </a>that better serve online attention spans, each offering its own self-contained value proposition. Per our post from last week, video games are already doing this.
Such changes in form, function, and the ways trailers are shared could create new possibilities in how these pieces are scored. Remember the days of “Trailer Music,” when every marketing exec wanted an epic, driving, cinematic cue that played great in large, packed Dolby-equipped theaters? As the industry moves away from theatrical releases, clients and composers are rethinking the formula. Instead of mimicking campaign choices of recent box office hits, studios are asking, “What piece of music or sound design is best suited to tell our specific story?” As a result, music supervisors are enjoying a little more creative license to tell cinematic stories in new, unexpected ways through less conventional music and sound design choices.
 
Changes in the music licensing business
This begs the question: what do these changes in the form and function of trailers mean for the business of entertainment advertising? How can those of us working in trailer audio stay ahead of the eight ball and take advantage of the reshuffled deck?
It’s a strange time in our business. Studios are merging and restructuring under streaming banners. License agreements are ending up on new desks. Rates are being restructured by attorneys you’ve never met. The collaborative process we’re used to is undergoing major changes. But, what seems like a time of unprecedented challenges, might also be an opportunity to evolve your business and strengthen your most important client relationships.
For example, one of Sencit’s long-time major studio clients recently asked for our help on a project, but at a significantly lower rate. Rather than express misgivings, we came back to them with a number that worked for both sides. With client and vendor operating from a place of mutual trust, we were able to take our collaboration to new heights, creating a new workflow that facilitated even more creative exploration than before. In the end, Sencit finished over 60 pieces of sound design on the project, far more than we originally signed up for or thought possible. It was a big win for everyone involved.
It’s not just the production companies and artists trying to ride the waves in the ever-changing streaming landscape. Everyone in the industry is trying to find their footing. In times like these, it’s important to use the winds of change to your advantage. Be more than a vendor, become your client’s partner and confidant a trusty consigliere whose expertise and experience in the trenches can help guide them through turbulent waters.
Not only will this help your client feel more grounded, it’s a great way to increase your value and build trust.
What Lies Ahead for Movie Trailer Music?
While there is less premium work in the age of streaming, the sheer number of movies and series being released is staggering. More content means more trailers, which could mean more opportunities for those of us working in trailer audio. At the very least, it’s a good excuse to get your music and sound design into the hands of more editors, creative directors, and clients. And while there is little doubt that streaming is here to stay, let’s not jump the gun on declaring the death of movie theaters just yet. Studios have been holding back tentpole titles for over a year and are prepared to wait longer if it means releasing them into sold-out theaters. Perhaps after months and months of watching content on our televisions, audiences are more ready than ever to make movies a destination again.

Streaming Blog Alt 2

Films distribution has shifted to streaming.  What does that mean for the future of film trailer audio?

The significant cinematic sound found in movie trailers requires a certain size and impact in order to generate excitement for a film. And though many songs are a perfect match for a trailer with their lyrical content and tone, more often than not they lack the size and dynamics necessary to make the trailer feel, well, like a trailer. To achieve that impact, additional music and <a href="https://www.sencit.net/">sound design</a> needs to accompany the song. That’s where an overlay comes in. 
For example, in the movie John Wick 3, an action-packed ride starring Keanu Reeves, the classic recording of “The Impossible Dream” would sound very familiar. But, simply laying the song into the trailer would not create the dynamics necessary to evoke the emotions provided by Brett Sorrentino’s <a href="https://www.sencit.net/projects">tailored version</a> of the song. 
What drives the intensity behind action trailers like John Wick? Music and sound design. The impact of the trailer is enhanced by the cinematic refinement of the song, using various music editing and composition techniques commonly referred to as an “overlay.” Now, let’s take a quick look behind-the-scenes into the art of the overlay as created by film trailer editors and composers.
The Editor’s Dilemma
 Typically the <a href="https://www.sencit.net/">movie trailer</a> editor or a video game trailer editor must find the perfect song with the right attitude and lyrical content to convey their story. But does the song also have the desired dynamics and the vital “wow-factor” to create excitement for the movie? Usually not. So what now?
The Solution
This is where a composer comes in to create an overlay. A composer will enhance the emotional effect of the chosen song by writing a new piece or sections of music in the same key, as well as create sound design elements to emphasize key cuts and moments in the trailer. The additional sounds and tracks, when laid alongside the initial song in the editor’s timeline, will elevate the music to reveal the intended energy essential for a high impact movie trailer. 
What’s the Process of Creating an Overlay? 
Every project varies depending on the unique qualities desired by the guidance of the editing team. While one project may require high impact drums or orchestral treatment, another project may reimagine existing synth or guitar sounds through enhanced instrumentation to embody the goals of the editor. To establish the proper mood, an Act 1 section could be composed to set the stage for the body of the overlay and allude to the primary song. Once the palette is determined, the composer and trailer editor must work together to make the music function as a utility, pushing the story forward through lyrics and musical moments, while maintaining ease of emphasized cuts and dialog. 
But what happens if the overlay doesn’t elevate a particular section in the trailer? A good solution to this would be to compose an entirely new short piece of music, accomplishing the goal of that section and creating cohesion in the audio bed. 
Why Overlays Are Not Equivalent to Remixes
Overlays are not remixes. The biggest differentiators between the two are intent and context. An overlay is specifically created to be used in-context of the specific trailer, alongside a song. Independent of an overlay, a single trailer may have 10 pieces of music and 100 pieces of unique sound design, all compiled together by the editor to create their sound bed. Essentially, a good overlay is making the editor’s job a bit easier by providing an organized arrangement and cohesive custom sound bed. 
For ease of use, the composer of the overlay may incorporate the original song into deliverables to the editor, identifying where the two pieces of music fit best together alongside the picture. But the intent is always for the mix to be used in context of the trailer bed, not as a standalone song.
A remix is a chopped up song converted into a new piece of music that stands on its own. Remixes are popular in EDM and hip-hop, creating new interpretations of a song. An overlay is a separate piece of music created on a bespoke basis, designed as a tool to be used within the editor’s trailer, making the trailer come alive. Again, intent and context are two key differentiators of the overlay and the remix.
An overlay is created on a bespoke basis for a specific trailer, but in some cases, composers do create trailerized remixes of songs, such as Sencit’s Ides of March Vehicle remix and All-4-One I Swear remix, which do stand alone outside of the context of a specific trailer. Despite the similarity to overlay in cinematic styling, these two examples are considered remixes because they fully incorporate the original recording into the creation of a new recording with the intent for the track to stand on its own as a new recording.
Now you know what an overlay is and how it is different from a remix. If you’re looking for help with either, take a look at Sencit’s <a href="https://www.sencit.net/services/bespoke-music">Bespoke services</a>.

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The Art of the Overlay

The pandemic shook up a lot of life as we knew it, including the trailer industry. While theatrical releases were hit hard by social distancing, video games have enjoyed <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattperez/2020/08/10/video-games-set-record-second-quarter-spurred-by-pandemic-sales/?sh=6ad37f86f4e5">unprecedented growth</a>. In the era of staying at home, a single game can provide hundreds of hours of interactive entertainment and a myriad of ways to connect with friends and family. Couple that with the emergence of next-gen consoles—which offer a serious bump in technological capability—and we might just be looking at the next golden age of gaming.
 Trailer Audio in Films vs Video Games
This dynamic begs the question: what does the rise of video games mean for those of us working in trailer audio?
First, the basics.
While video game trailers often borrow tropes and trends from traditional theatrical trailers, there are important differences between the two mediums being marketed. While <a href="https://www.sencit.net/licensing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">film</a> offers audiences two hours of passive engagement, video games contain an abundance of content that can be accessed through a range of active engagement styles. This means game marketers have to create far more A/V assets—story trailers, walk-throughs, etc.— to sell audiences on each title.
In <a href="https://www.sencit.net/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">film and TV marketing</a>, the campaign is king. Studios hone a cohesive tone and singular message, and all marketing materials become aesthetic descendants of that north star. But gamers tend to be more immersive consumers than the traditional theatrical audience; and so game marketers need to operate across a greater number of diverse platforms. The result is more horizontal movement within the campaign across channels like Twitch, Reddit, and vlog communities. Each video game trailer, TV spot, digital spot or live experience takes on its own identity and tells a story that stands alone from other pieces in the campaign. This allows for more localization, more experimentation, and more adjusting on the fly.
For example, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SSYzl9fXOQ">Diablo 4’s</a> marketing team eschewed the standard 1-2 minute announcement trailer in favor of a chilling 9-minute cinematic short film. Nintendo created an abstract art film to launch its campaign for Switch hit <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxcUZU0vtLE">Kentucky Route Zero</a>. The <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26tay8lMZW4">Resident Evil: Village</a> announcement trailer begins in typical survival horror fashion, but then takes an unexpected turn—teasing the environment, characters, and iconography in the process.
Because the video game marketing model is more fluid than its theatrical counterpart, clients and creatives in trailer audio have more freedom to craft bold ideas that resonate.
Case in point: Bethesda’s Gameplay Trailer for Deathloop, which forgoes traditional gameplay for a stylish, music-driven descent into the gaming world. Rather than synching an existing track or creating a cover song, Bethesda tapped Sencit to write, perform, and record the original <a href="https://www.sencit.net/services/bespoke-music">bespoke</a> song “Déjà Vu.” Driven by <a href="https://www.sencit.net/composers/kris-kovacs-2">Kris Kovacs</a> and FJØRA's performance and <a href="https://www.sencit.net/composers/brett-sorrentino">Brett Sorrentino</a>’s producing, the final trailer reads equal parts <a href="https://www.nme.com/en_asia/news/gaming-news/new-deathloop-gameplay-trailer-debuts-deja-vu-theme-song-2889859">James Bond</a> title sequence and high-concept music video. To push things even further, artists Future, Steve Aoki, and Madison Beers, created their own renditions of Déjà Vu, which generated greater virality for the campaign.
One thing we know for sure is that the entertainment marketing landscape has blurred over the last couple of years, but with that is an opportunity in video game trailer audio. More people than ever are getting their entertainment interactively right now. Bolstering this is the enhanced technology of new consoles that offer more than just upgraded graphics and unparalleled processor power. This means new places for <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/next-gen-consoles-ps5-xbox-series-x-time-loops-games/">creativity to grow</a> in games and the media we make to sell them. Since the gaming model is already built for experimentation across a diversity of platforms, sound artists should feel well-positioned to push boundaries and create audioscapes that stand out.
If you’re looking for audio for your next video game trailer release, explore <a href="https://www.sencit.net/search/results">Sencit’s catalog</a>.

Our Perspective

The Unsung Heroes of Film Trailers

The Unsung Heroes of Film Trailers

The True Value of a Music Library Representative

Movie Trailers in the Age of Originality

Films distribution has shifted to streaming. What does that mean for the future of film trailer audio?

The Art of the Overlay

The Rise of Video Game Trailers During the Pandemic

Licensing