Dos Brains

Dos Brains is a music production house based in Santa Monica, California, founded in 2011, that specializes in music and sound design for movie and video game trailers. The company operates seven label imprints distributed worldwide and employs approximately 10 people across five countries including the US, Spain, Italy, Hungary, and France. The company generates an estimated $4.1 million in annual revenue. Best suited for composers who create epic, cinematic trailer music and sound design.

How Dos Brains Works

Dos Brains operates as a multi-label production house. Each label targets a specific style of trailer music and sound design.

The process works as follows:

1. Label structure: Dos Brains runs seven labels. Silver Screen covers epic orchestral themes and soundscapes. Third Rail targets rock and alternative. Heavy Melody focuses on hybrid orchestral. Rogue Souls delivers emotional hybrid orchestral and electronica. End Of Silence covers darker, intense styles. Gearbox provides trailer sound design elements. Volts rounds out the catalog with additional electronic and high-energy content.
2. Composer roster: The company signs composers from around the world to its labels. Composers create music specifically for trailer use.
3. Worldwide distribution: All labels are distributed worldwide, making tracks available to trailer houses and music supervisors globally.
4. Sound design integration: Dos Brains produces both music and sound design. The Gearbox label offers trailer-targeted sound design including loops, drones, braams, and thematic elements.
5. Trailer-specific production: All music is produced with trailer editing in mind. Tracks include build-ups, drops, and edit points that sync to picture cuts.

Real-World Example

A trailer house needs music for a blockbuster action film trailer. They search the Silver Screen label on Dos Brains' distribution platform and find a 2-minute epic orchestral track with a build-up and massive drop at the 90-second mark. The trailer editor cuts the picture to the track's structure. The licensing fee for a major film trailer use typically ranges from $2,000 to $10,000 depending on the film's budget and the trailer's distribution. Dos Brains clears the license through its distribution network.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

Dos Brains represents the trailer music niche, a specialized segment of sync licensing with its own conventions and revenue model.

Consider these points:

• Trailer music is a distinct skill: Trailer music follows specific structural conventions (build, drop, edit points). If you can produce this style, Dos Brains offers a platform.
• Label specialization: Each Dos Brains label targets a specific style. This means your music sits alongside similar tracks, making it easier for supervisors to find.
• Global distribution: Dos Brains distributes worldwide. Your music reaches trailer houses in every major market.
• Sound design demand: The Gearbox label shows that sound design is a revenue stream alongside music. If you can produce both, you increase your value.

Drawbacks / Things to Consider

• Narrow specialization: Dos Brains focuses almost exclusively on trailer music and sound design. If you produce songs, indie rock, or pop for general sync, this is not the right platform.
• Work-for-hire model: Trailer music labels often operate on work-for-hire or exclusive publishing terms. This means you may give up ownership of your compositions. Review terms carefully.
• Competitive niche: The trailer music market is crowded with established players like Two Steps From Hell, Audiomachine, and Position Music. Dos Brains competes against these names for supervisor attention.
• Limited team size: With approximately 10 employees, Dos Brains has a small team. Active pitching capacity is limited compared to larger production music companies.
• No open submission portal: Dos Brains does not run a public submission form. You must contact them directly with a portfolio that fits their label styles.

Related Resources

• Sync Licensing Companies Directory
• Sync License Glossary Term
• Sync Licensing for Independent Musicians: Complete Guide (2026) for understanding the sync industry
• Library Music and Production Music for Passive Income for the production music revenue model
• Work for Hire Agreements: What Musicians Need to Know for understanding work-for-hire contracts
• Sync Licensing Fee Calculator to evaluate trailer music licensing offers
• Visit Dos Brains for inquiries