Masters of the Air | Official Trailer

Sonically, the Official Trailer for Masters of the Air is broken into five distinct sections which flow from one into the next: a micro-teaser; an ambient love theme; a suspenseful build; an air battle sequence filled with combat sound design; then a triumphant rendering of the earlier love theme. Masters of the Air is an upcoming Apple TV+ miniseries about US Air Force pilots and their raids over Nazi Germany, starring Austin Butler (The Bikeriders, Elvis).

First, we open with a five-second micro-teaser, supported musically by what honestly feels like typical cinematic instruments doing their best impression of the intro stinger for a news broadcast. Percussive large drum strikes and white noise risers reminiscent of snare drum rolls accompany single upper register notes on a tone similar to a muted piano.

Next, from 0:05-0:37 the trailer presents Austin Butler’s character and his love interest, showing the life this pilot leaves behind. A reverberant electric guitar plays the first four notes of a D major scale (heard beginning at 0:11, and again at 0:29). The first three notes of this melody—the D drawn out—are supported by reassuring and glistening harmonies above and below, but when it reaches the climactic fourth note, a G (at 0:17 and again at 0:34), all the musical harmonies as well as the sound design disappear, feeling as if this highest note has been abandoned. Musically, this elevates the plot for two reasons: 1) rising melodies can be associated with flying or ascending to heaven, so the rising scale here aligns well with a story about planes; and 2) this melody, which rises with confidence then at its highest point suddenly feels completely alone, mirrors the intensity and terror of the coming air combat.

At 0:37 we pivot to the pilots’ mission briefing. The fast pulsing bass synth that enters is a musical device you might expect to accompany a Jason Bourne-era car chase. This pulsing sound evokes the feeling of a racing heart, before fading low in the sound mix to make way for expositional dialogue. The music here is subtle and understated, save for a few risers and accents from a large drum. The suspense builds, as we’re shown the high stakes of this fight.

Until 1:03, this trailer hasn’t really shown us the fight yet (except in the micro-teaser). At 1:03, there is a complete sonic change of tone as we pivot to war combat scenes. All is silent at 1:03: no music, no sound design, no dialogue. On screen we have an eye-level shot of a fighter pilot in action. And then the following 14 seconds bring only the sounds of explosions, artillery, and shouting.

Next we pivot musically to the fifth and final section of the trailer. At 1:15, there is a reprise of the two lines of dialogue heard in the micro-teaser, accompanied by two high register notes on piano, an A, the same pitch heard in the micro-teaser, and a cadential D. From 1:21 to the trailer’s end, the music repeats the same ascending 4-note motif from the beginning, an orchestral string section majestically walking up the D major scale three times before using another cadence to resolve (this happens twice). Accents on large drums here give a feeling of grandeur. At the end, over the title card, we come full circle and hear the same reverberant electric guitar playing the ascending motif, but now feeling harmonically supported, resolved, and confident.

Masters of the Air premieres on Apple TV+ January 26th.

— Jack Hui Litster