Some of us moviegoers like to find an early seat in the theater so we don’t miss our favorite 20 minutes of the evening, the trailers. In my particular opinion, few other experiences can get my blood pumping like a sneak peek into an epic upcoming. A theatrical trailer’s editing, music selection, and general audio post-production are designed to do just that, and Daniel Lepervanche is in the midst of it all.
Lepervanche is a Venezuelan native who moved to Miami in the early 90s and grew up in a diverse community rich in culture, music, and art. He graduated with honors from Florida International University and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music technology. After college, he began his career in post-production, working as a sound designer, mixer, and composer with award-winning audio and music post-production studios.
After a solid career in Miami, he moved to Los Angeles with his family to join Cabin 21 Sound, a successful studio in Hollywood that specializes in production and post-production audio primarily for theatrical marketing, advertising, and content production.
Currently, as Director of Music at Cabin 21 Sound’s sound design and music division, C21FX, Lepervanche’s efforts are focused on the creative vision of the music and sound design catalog. He is responsible for strategizing and executing business development initiatives, promoting new album releases and current catalogs, and recruiting and nurturing a growing collective of composers and sound designers. He took the time to chat with us about his experiences in the industry.
What do you look for in a composer or sound designer when recruiting new talent for C21FX?Production value, feeling, and a keen sense of storytelling are our main focus when recruiting new talent. We look for writers who have a passion for the theatrical trailer format. We look for emotive, creative talent; someone who is technologically savvy, who brings the human element to their productions — someone who is willing to get to work and help to build something together. We look for collaborators who hone their skills by continuing to grow as writers, staying ahead of the curve with the latest technologies, researching the latest trends, exploring new creative ideas – people who are gearheads like us.
We believe in growing our roster of writers organically. We are a boutique shop, so we take thoughtful consideration of who we collaborate with in order to output carefully curated releases. We want to establish long-lasting working relationships with our writers, and nurture, develop, and grow with collaborators who are on the same frequency.
What trends have you noticed in musical genres or instrumentation for theatrical trailers?
One of the toughest aspects of this field is forecasting trends. We are constantly doing research, analyzing instrumentation choices, evaluating trends, paying attention to what’s current, and exploring new ideas in the attempt to serve the industry’s needs. Each trailer requires a particular tone, mood, emotion, and drive to augment and support the story. Ultimately we are storytellers who use music and sound design as our medium. We believe both elements have equal potential to serve the story.
We are currently exploring different genres and instrumentation. We are in the middle of developing albums that focus on sound design-driven, high-quality, orchestral cues; uplifting orchestral and piano scores with accompanying sound design elements; minimalist hybrid-orchestral arrangements with multiple breaks and emotional build-ups; multi-generational covers in different styles; and also with elevating epic-adventure and heartening fantasy compositions.
What should a composer or sound designer expect if he/she wants to engage in this niche in the film industry?
We feel this niche thrives on collaboration, communication, and networking. As we continue to learn and grow in this young field, there are a few key components that stand out: high production value, feeling, research, forecasting, exploration of ideas, and deliverability. Expect a lot of networking, promotion, and making friends. These are a few of the traits we value at C21FX.
Ultimately we are all in the same boat, our model is team-based, and the more we think of this model as a long-term venture, and that we’re building something together, the more we can let the creative process serve the needs of the industry. Moreover, in theatrical marketing, the pitching process takes time. Sometimes vendors might be cutting a trailer way before the final picture has finished, and that is just part of the process. Also, there are a lot of decision makers in the process, so in my opinion, patience and perseverance is key to succeeding in this niche.
Coming from a background in TV and advertising, what artistic, technical or business-related differences have you noticed between these and theatrical marketing?
I believe the cross-pollination of creative ideas constantly influences each discipline, and they all have their own unique challenges and payoffs. The rhythms, demands, formats, and workflows vary a bit, and the scope and scale also play big roles. Even though there are many variables that make each discipline unique, the essence of the craft is the same: using dialogue, music, sound effects, space, and time to serve the story.
For me, TV is definitely thrilling and exciting with a ton of pre-production, with the greatest challenge being the hard deadlines. There’s very little room for error and troubleshooting. Once you’re live, you’re live. There’s a programming schedule to adhere to, so it’s more like a theater gig. Once the curtain opens, the show must go on.
In my experience with commercial advertising, the process tends to be a bit more controlled, more curated. There’s a lot more room to explore storytelling concepts and intentions. The challenge might be the format and the length of time you have to convey a feeling or emotion and get the point across. For me, theatrical marketing feels a bit like a combination of both. The music and sound design aspects could take time to find their place in a trailer, but once the approval process has passed, you have the intensity and pressure of delivering high volumes of quality content in a short timespan. In addition to the theatrical trailer, there is a slew of TV, radio, and online spots that follow. Yet the sense of curated content, the time it takes to develop the campaign and storytelling, are very present from the moment of conception until the final delivery.
One aspect I have learned and value from theatrical marketing is the level of security and sensibility when it comes to protecting the integrity of the original story. We are given the privilege to work with material that has not been released yet, and we take satisfaction in keeping the content safe. We take pride in a spoiler-free, leak-free zone. As audience members ourselves, we care tremendously about the audience’s experiences.
Watch the C21FX Sizzle Reel:
Could you tell us about your personal experience when you moved from Magic City Miami to the City of Angels?
I am lucky to feel like Los Angeles has welcomed me with open arms. I moved to work with Cabin 21 Sound/C21FX — they gave me the opportunity to join their team. I have been working extra hard from day one to do what I can to help build something together, and to take our shop to the next level.
After a year and a half in LA, my family and I are still adjusting to the new city, assimilating the culture, exploring our surroundings, and finding our groove. We yearned for a learning adventure, to take the road less traveled, and grow from our experiences. We get homesick from time to time but we have been fortunate to find a friendly community out here, as well as connecting with friends and colleagues who have made the trek across to the west to try their luck in the major leagues.
Are there any expansion plans pending for Cabin 21 Sound and C21FX in the near future, maybe moving beyond theatrical trailers into a larger niche in the market?
Theatrical marketing has been good to us and continues to be our core. We will continue to do our best to nurture that side of the industry, yet it is natural for us to focus some of our efforts into commercial advertising as well, as both the theatrical and commercial disciplines share very similar principles. In addition to our solid sound editorial, custom music, and sound design experience, our mixing capabilities continue to strengthen and improve as we try to fill voids in the industry’s needs.
We are extremely excited to be moving to a new location and to continue our residency in the heart of Hollywood. We are in the midst of planning and building out our new home; solidifying our culture, intention, and direction; and paving the road for potential growth. We will continue to nurture our current relationships, build new ones, and be an integral part of shaping the future of our craft and industry.
Learn more about C21FX: cabin21sound.com/c21fx