How To Use Story Beats to Structure Trailer Cues | 52 Cues Podcast, 2024 Week 35

In this episode, Dave explores the fascinating connection between storytelling and music structure, particularly in trailer cues, and he breaks down how narrative beats, like those found in novels or movies, can apply to the form and structure of production music.
Save The Cat! by Blake Snyder
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[@MaPa60]

This is a brill topic, what a super tool! We could learn so much from studying dramaturgy, and get inspiration for a lifetime. There is so much more in the depths of this. You did a great job translating StC to music!

[@superblondeDotOrg]

Novel writers, nanowrimo is coming up soon. 52 paragraphs, 52 chapters? The word "music" was originally supposed to include the muse of words. 17:00 Musicians could use more focus on studying form, as music studies is entirely focused on the tiny granular, individual notes, sometimes phrases, lucky if any attention is paid to sentences, and very little on larger structure. However this assumes someone is listening to cues sequentially. Which they are not, they are cut up by editors into sectional slices. So ultimately production cues should not need a story structure / linear Act form at all, instead, just concatenate different takes of the [A] separated by silence, allowing editors to cut out whichever [A] variation they prefer.

[@dafingaz]

Send me the trailer brief. 🥹

[@JazzStan]

Funny thing - I was listening to this podcast while in line at the post office, mailing off a couple cases of books. I started reading "Save the Cat" a couple of years ago - with the goal of converting my book ("The Glumlot Letters") into a screenplay. But I've been too busy (sounds like an excuse, no?) with music to put that plan in action, but it is still on my 'hope-to-do list.' I also hope to run into you at PMC in a few weeks! ~JazzStan

[@52Cues]

Let's connect for sure! Thanks so much for the comment and for watching/listening!

[@dafingaz]

Great track. I usually start trailer tracks with the percussion and fx. lol. If you want me to join the community for a bonus session and add those to this track, let me know. 🥹