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I think what needs to be done is to do it like "normal" CDs -- announce a title, but DON'T say how many copies it's limited to. Press more when you need to. I think more of the problem is the need to buy 'right now' because it might sell out by tomorrow.
Actually it's really other labels that ought to do this, and it'd probably help FSM even if they (FSM) didn't -- I think THAT is really what FSM's sales are slow, the other labels are releasing all these 1000 and 1200 edition discs, that everyone is buying all those. If EVERYONE released, say, 2500 discs (even if they actually don't press that many for quite a while) I think sales would be more even across the board, less people would pay too much for OOP stuff, and more titles would be allowed to be in the catalog for longer.
But I'm not an economist.
No, you're not. The licensing fee, as has been stated here many times, escalates a LOT for 2500 units. And at the escalated price and given the fact that few titles sell 2500 units, the label loses money. At 1000 units, a sellout means there is a small, finite amount of money to be made. And I'm here to tell you that the more these 1000 unit runs DON'T sell out the faster the labels will stop releasing certain titles altogether.
Forgive my ignorance here, but why can't the licence fee be conditional on the actual number of units that are pressed.
A flat fee could be paid to studios and if only 1000 is pressed that is all they get. They have nothing to lose as they still get a fee.
If 1500 are pressed then the studios obviously get a higher fee. If 2000 are pressed they get an even higher fee. I realise this would be great for consumers as it would stop speculators buying up titles if it was not known how many were going to be pressed.
Before people say this is unworkable - isn't this the way it is going to be with downloads anyway - the more that get downloaded on iTunes they more that will ultimately go to the studios.
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What would people think about us converting 3000-unit limited editions into 5000, 8000 or 10000-copy editions?
Lukas
Is the demand there?
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Posted: |
Nov 1, 2010 - 4:56 PM
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By: |
SchiffyM
(Member)
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I would not presume to tell you your business, Lukas, as the complexities and variables of what you do are not things I'm privy to. (Neither, quite obviously, are most people here.)
I can only tell you as a consumer that, for me, I have to be choosier than I was back when I had an FSM CD subscription. Not only are there more CDs than ever, not only is money tighter, but I am a mere mortal human, and my time on this planet is finite. I am not a collector -- I feel no great need for ownership of a physical thing, though I still do prefer CDs to downloads. (It is my understanding -- but again, I don't know your business -- that under your current deal, at least, the studios retain download rights, so this is not a profit area for you, anyway.)
90% of the time, any specialty label CD I buy (FSM, Intrada, La La, BSX, Kritzerland, Tadlow, what-have-you) I buy within the first couple of weeks of availability, regardless of whether I fear a sell-out. There was a time when I would impulse-purchase a CD for fear of missing out, but those days are long gone, and I've got a dozen impulse-purchased CDs right here that I'm in the process of selling because impulse is not a reason to buy something.
If pressing half or a third as many copies of a CD reduces the license sufficiently to make these CDs profitable, and inspires some buyers to actually pull the trigger on a purchase, I say go for it. If putting all liner notes online exclusively (or drastically scaling back any liner notes, printed or online) reduces costs sufficiently to make these CDs make sense, do it. If jamming two scores onto one CD for the price of one is no longer an affordable option, do what you've got to do. I like liner notes, I like bigger print runs, I like bargains, but I purchase a CD if I want the music on it, and not because there's a thesis about the music, or because the CD is filled to capacity.
But again, maybe your ideas are completely different. Because I don't know your business.
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What would people think about us converting 3000-unit limited editions into 5000, 8000 or 10000-copy editions?
Lukas
Is the demand there?
YES.
lk
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Posted: |
Nov 1, 2010 - 5:02 PM
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By: |
Thor
(Member)
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I think clarity is always good - it's not the labels that will be offering the digital downloads, it's the studios - the labels will get no revenue from it.
Many here will recall my call to arms one year ago, when I saw the glut that was beginning to happen. Finally, everyone is now understanding what I was talking about, and I hope it's not too late. I asked for a summit meeting of the labels a year ago (these posts are all here on the FSM board, and there have been quite a few of them from me over the last year), which no one seemed interested in doing. Well, here we are.
Dude, I said this YEARS ago, way back when the specialty labels started multiplying.
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Posted: |
Nov 1, 2010 - 5:05 PM
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By: |
jonnyquest
(Member)
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Lukas,
I'm recovering from eye surgery so fortunately for you I'll keep it short! Thanks for fielding suggestions from the loyal.
I don't have any new ideas, although some version of Pre-Ordering seems to make much sense. I prefer a physical CD and liner notes and all that, but I'll continue to buy no matter the format. Selling down your stock makes sense, as much as I fear something I've been saving up for could disappear.
Whatever you decide, FSM is INVALUABLE to many of us, and we'll change with you for the sake of preserving what we love the most - music which we cherish and couldn't be obtained anywhere else. Sure, I despair at the idea of the FSM experience being altered by changing economics, technology and so forth. But I recall the (sad) last days of the hard-copy magazine, which I'd been loyal to since the newsletter days. At first it seemed unthinkable that we'd never have another issue. But look at all the brilliant places you've gone because, in fact, you DID make such a profound change.
I'll stay glued to the site in future days and weeks to see what you decide. Best of luck and thank you, sincerely, for everything. -- Mike
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What would people think about us converting 3000-unit limited editions into 5000, 8000 or 10000-copy editions?
Lukas
If it's a title that will sell that many, then go for it, but you'll have to use your best judgment as to whether it makes financial sense, of course.
The ongoing problem, as I've heard from Doug and Roger at Intrada (and I've said this repeatedly), is that there can be a weird, steep dropoff for any given title past a certain amount -- and it's completely unpredictable. You might release a less-well-known Jerry Goldsmith score, press 3000 copies, and sell 2500 of them the first week... and then take 5 years to sell the remaining 500. If that continues to happen, then after a few years you have literally thousands of different titles that are eating up shelf space and cash flow, and with ongoing titles in production, you cannot afford to keep doing that. So, you make the best guess you can.
(That's why people who scream, "but you should've known that Score XYZ would've sold 2000 copies in 24 hours -- why didn't you press 3000?!" really don't know what they're talking about.)
Even after 20+ years in the business, Doug has said that it still sometimes surprises him what sells out instantly, and what sits around for several years. (Personally, I'm astonished that Monsignor or the Amazing Stories CDs didn't sell out immediately.)
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It's interesting to bring this up, since we do see the market flooded to a degree.
I myself feel that I have to be selective about the scores I purchase, from any label.
I've reached the point, and some here may also have the same situation, where I have basically every score I want, with a couple of minor exceptions.
I've also noted that the Ron Jones Project and the Blue Box, two outstanding releases that I greatly covet, are simply not in a price range I can easily justify in the grand scheme of my own finances.
They are absolutely worth the asking price, but not within my personal affordability margin.
Perhaps, at the end of the day, this is the reason why the Ron Jones Project is not selling as well as you'd hoped.
You are releasing a large number of scores, many of them coveted, but the market is running out of scores to release that collectors and enthusiasts really want.
The market may very well be dying as much from over-saturation as it is from the general death of the CD as a format.
For me, this is a sad thing to contemplate, and we're not quite there yet, but there it is.
Perhaps you may work with the studios to obtain download supply rights along with the physical CDs, so that the CDs can be distributed as a limited edition, while you can supply a digital booklet with a lossless download of the score for the longer term.
I'm not sure how well the Star Trek II and Star Trek III CDs are selling, but I suspect they are going really well, showing that some titles will peak.
I'm not sure what or how to advise, as I'm only a man buying CDs of the music he loves, as it is released.
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Dear Lukas,
thank you for asking for our thoughts on this. So are there too many CDs out there? I'd say YES and NO. Yes, there are too many GREAT CDs out there released by FSM and the other labels. Being interested in many different eras and styles of film music, it's getting more and more difficult for me to keep up with the current pace of releases. For example I haven't finished listening to your FANTASTIC Rózsa box set because there have been so many 'distractions' from other great new releases. I know, the fruit always tastes better on the next tree... But seriously, due to the fact that I nearly missed out on some limited releases (mainly from the Varèse club and Kritzerland) that I definetively wanted to get, I tend to panic each time I read about "cutting back" or "moving to digital"...
So in this case I'd say NO, there are not too many CDs out there, keep them coming!
Like previous posters have suggested, I would also welcome a pre-order solution in the future without knowing the edition's limitation size. This way I'm not influenced by a low print number of let's say a 1000 (I'm always alerted when Bruce posts a new Kritzerland title, though ) and can concentrate on the music and decide if I really want it. This makes me remember the good old 'golden' or 'silver' age club offer that FSM had at the beginning... there was also the possibility to take 'everything', which I did... and by doing so, I discovered many wonderful scores I otherwise would have overlooked.
So, Lukas, if you decide to re-launch the subscription-based CD offerings, I'm definetively in!
What about digital downloads? I don't want them and I'm not going to buy them unless they are offered lossless and with artwork that I can print out myself. I think I'm old-fashioned, but I still want something to put in my CD rack..
Just my 2 cents.
Gute Nacht from Germany,
Uwe
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Posted: |
Nov 1, 2010 - 5:36 PM
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By: |
bdm
(Member)
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Having smaller or larger runs are a decision you would have to make Lukas, based on your experience in the market; finances are a priority when it comes to product.
I personally don't feel there are too many cds out, but I only purchase the scores/discs that appeal to me.
There are others out there that feel the urge to "collect" - i.e. buy every disc - but I feel they are the Few that drive an aspect of the market: the sell out of a 1000 - 1500 unit releases (especially when there is a general desire for that score amoung the Many who just buy what are "their grails").
However, I need to acknowledge that we are a "niche market" with niche buyers, so if there are too many choices, the niche buyers will go with what appears to be the priority release (what they feel may sell out vs. what we really want that may be around for awhile).
My taste is Goldsmith & Williams with a few "grails" from others that I would buy in a second. Other releases appeal but I will ge them later, if at all (usually when I have a few discs on order and the postage will encourge an extra disc to save on said postage - I am waiting for the FSM POLTERGEIST so I can package HAWAII 5-0 with it; if 5-0 was a very limited run then I may have bought it already [though it's also on itunes so I could have bought the download, but I am one of those dinosaurs that want the actual disc with artwork and liner notes]).
Markets are changing, the niche market is changing (aging and adding new fans - who have differring tastes to downloads and discs etc), and it's a tough road to keep profitable and productive.
Do what you feel will best keep FSM releasing scores - I have many in my collection, and hope to add more.
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I'm more or less happy with the way things are, but I could see how things could get difficult if all labels worked the Intrada/Kritzerland/Varese way. I wouldn't even mind to miss out on one or another interesting title, if digital downloads were a real alternative. But as long as we don't get lossless downloads it isn't.
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