Coincidentally, this is how I'm doing my short. I bought a cd a coupla months ago and one of the tracks, it's instrumental, inspired the story. Essentially, it's a music video.

It definitely does provide a map for the film. I guess I'd call it a "musical script." The shot list reads like:

:00 - :12
shot of blah-blah-blah

:12 - :17
shot of blah-blah-blah

One big problem that I'm encountering is that there is one little sequence I want to include to help the story, but it doesn't fit. The music never allows for the particular visuals I have in mind. It would be awkward.

Once I'm finished, I'll actually have two different versions. Because the music is copywritten, I'm gonna have to create a score identical in rhythm. So one with the copywritten music and one with matching original score. This would be the one I'd "send out " if it's any good.