Music, Focus and the Structure Behind Great Trailers

Hello Friends,

This week, we’re diving into how music is scientifically proven to boost focus, creativity, and output—and why structure is just as critical when it comes to film trailers. From new studies in neuroscience to the way a trailer’s musical arc can shape an entire story, it’s clear: sound isn't just background noise, it’s the driving force behind emotion and engagement.

As I briefly mentioned last week, we’ve got some new endeavors specifically for composers and music producers coming soon. Stay tuned!

PROJECTS

Hyped to hear Big Stepper, a track Darby Phillips and I made, featured in the trailer for The Accountant 2!

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Cool to share that our sound design made it into the campaign for The Alto Knights!

It’s not really news to most of us that music can shift how we feel or help us lock in when we’re working. But lately, there’s been some new research putting numbers to what we’ve kind of always known, music actually does boost things like focus, mood, creativity, and overall output.

Here’s a quick breakdown of what the studies are saying and why it might matter if you’re a creator, part of a team, or just someone who keeps a soundtrack going in the background.

When it comes to film trailers, structure is everything. The ones that really land usually follow a clear musical arc—and a lot of the time, that arc starts with music made specifically for trailers.

If you’re cutting trailers, knowing how to use these kinds of cues can make the whole process smoother, more creative, and way more intuitive.

Let’s break it down.

That’s it for this week!

-Nathan

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