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As a film music fan, I'm pretty much alone among the people I grew up with or know from school or work.
Of course, the internet helps us find like-minded people on-line. But in terms of people I met through school or work, nobody would identify as a film music fan—and most thought me weird for being in to it.
Then I noticed two such friends went to see Jurassic Park as a music-to-film concert.
Then I noticed another friend is going to see the Star Wars music-to-film concert.
I'd have bet money that if I'd mentioned the name John Williams to either of these people before this, they'd have said, "Who?"
Then I wondered, would going to a Jurassic Park music-to-film concert make you more likely to want to buy the Jurassic Park score CD? Will going to a Star Wars music-to-film concert make you more likely to pick up a Star Wars soundtrack CD?
So that's my question: is the music-to-film concert phenomenon driving any new people to the corresponding CDs?
Cheers
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Posted: |
Oct 20, 2018 - 10:17 AM
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By: |
andy b
(Member)
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Well it is a good point you make and I know for certain as I worked for some music companies that a concert always brings a bump in sales.
However, without any back up, I wonder if it would just lead to an attendee searching out the regular commercial CD rather than say the LA LA Land deluxe Williams scores. The regular release would be local and therefore not be bogged down with over seas mail and potential customs etc. and give the buyer the “highlights” they probably remember.
Of course, one thing may make the potential buyer look for more and again it may progress to further sales and interest. But what I would hazard a guess at and again this is without back up, the average non-score collector once they get a full 70+ minutes of music, they only recall certain parts and do tend to find the rest of CD pointless.
This I do know as a fact, I worked on Crimson Tide for the European release and a number of non-industry friends who saw the film asked about the music, when I got them a CD they then all asked, why is the “good bit” only on there twice? Of course, they were referring to the hero theme that accompanies Denzel Washington a couple of time in the film and the rest was deemed as OK but not what they wanted!
Sad but I think it will not convert the masses to buy soundtracks, but maybe bump a few commercial releases for the off film.
But a great post Stephen.
Regards
Andy b
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Posted: |
Oct 20, 2018 - 6:36 PM
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By: |
Col. Flagg
(Member)
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I have a lot of friends who are into film music - or I should specify certain genres within film music. I don't think any of them have been to these concerts, in part because the films and/or composers would not appeal to them (Bernard Herrmann aside).
BUT these concerts are a huge hit with the kiddies... specifically, millennials to those few decades older. The frequency of live-to-picture concerts in Toronto, for example, has increase dramatically in the past five years... and they nearly always sell out. It helps that the films on offer (The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Harry Potters 1-4, Jurassic Park, Vertigo, Psycho, ET, Jaws, Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Back to the Future, Amadeus, Casino Royale 2006, etc.) are clearly on the radar of young ones and their greying parents, of course. 
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This is a big issue with many layers. The simple point is that more film music is being performed than ever before, so how do we take advantage of that and increase the market for the recordings of the scores people have come to hear?
The big problem is that the orchestra gift shops want too huge of a percentage of sales for the smaller labels to put their stock there. And they want refunds on unsold products with the label paying the shipping both ways.
Another problem is that Film Concerts Live does not have a license to sell merchandise. Their business is not set up for it. Broadway musicals that go on tour have the merchandise table and person to run it go along with the tour.
So the whole model would have to change in order to make this viable. Disney Concerts CAN sell merchandise, which is why Star Wars albums are available at those concerts. But for the small labels, it's actually not even affordable to advertise in the programs, let alone get product to the venues. We've tried -- we got Home Alone to the Houston Symphony when it played in concert there a couple of years ago and the store reported that they sold more of a Star Wars re-recorded compilation.
Tough issues, but ones that are still being talked about. Definitely a wall to break down here.
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Posted: |
Oct 20, 2018 - 10:19 PM
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By: |
bobbengan
(Member)
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I think you guys are negating a larger issue, which is that most people just don't buy CD's anymore. I mean... They just don't. Most laptops don't even have CD drives any longer, ditto for cars as well. It's just a tech that's beginning to get phased out by both consumers and product engineers.
Speciality labels and enthusiasts aside, most people who will be attending these concerts (which I'd argue are mostly probably just casual movie buffs or people who have fond memories of some of the specific films themselves, not so much score-centric collectors) aren't going to rush out and find the film in an antiquated format - if anything, they'll pull up Spotify or Youtube, like to one or two highlights, and move along.
This all seems kind of obvious, if unfortunate, no...?
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Posted: |
Oct 21, 2018 - 1:50 AM
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By: |
Doug Raynes
(Member)
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The real issue is: why can't one obtain a CD of the music one's just heard in the lobby, before or after the show, or during intermission? You'd think it would be standard to include a "travelling display" with these shows, plus advertising onscreen gently reminding you that could can get a copy of the music in the very building where you're watching the performance. In such a scenario, you'd also think it'd be an excellent opportunity to showcase not only the original album releases, but also the expanded editions (on CD and even vinyl, where appropriate.)
There was such a stand when an all-Tiomkin concert was held at the Barbican, with various Tiomkin CDs on sale but there seemed to be very little interest. I don't think the average concertgoer, who may be interested in hearing a few major film themes as part of the concert experience, has much in common with soundtrack fans interested in having all the music recorded for the film on CD.
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Posted: |
Oct 21, 2018 - 7:50 AM
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By: |
OnyaBirri
(Member)
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BUT these concerts are a huge hit with the kiddies... specifically, millennials to those few decades older. The frequency of live-to-picture concerts in Toronto, for example, has increase dramatically in the past five years... and they nearly always sell out. It helps that the films on offer (The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Harry Potters 1-4, Jurassic Park, Vertigo, Psycho, ET, Jaws, Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Back to the Future, Amadeus, Casino Royale 2006, etc.) are clearly on the radar of young ones and their greying parents, of course.
Well, that explains it. I would be interested in only two of the films you mentioned. I'll let you guess which two.
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And there you go. The labels that put out the expansions only get physical rights and not digital. There certainly have been ideas put forth — ads in programs with QR codes that offer a discount or perhaps a free sample track etc. Then we find out how many thousands the ad will cost. Somewhere there is an answer. You guys who support this music and its cultural significance should all put your thinking caps on. Because we need to find the next generation of this market. And with so many thousands going to concert venues to hear it, there is a clear opportunity here. We just need to figure it out.
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Posted: |
Oct 21, 2018 - 4:29 PM
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By: |
Col. Flagg
(Member)
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There was such a stand when an all-Tiomkin concert was held at the Barbican, with various Tiomkin CDs on sale but there seemed to be very little interest. I don't think the average concertgoer, who may be interested in hearing a few major film themes as part of the concert experience, has much in common with soundtrack fans interested in having all the music recorded for the film on CD.
I'd normally agree, except that some composers have been known to be much more of a gateway film music "drug" to the general public than others. Williams' name is like this, and so is Giacchino's. You can thank the films and filmmakers they've been tied to for that.
But if they DON'T know Williams, some make the connection between "that Star Wars guy" and "that Jurassic Park guy"... and perhaps – although not always necessarily - so on. About ten years ago, Erich Kunzel conducted a Star Trek themed concert in Toronto – and the gift shop was buzzing for at least 45 minutes with those eager to pick up Goldsmith or Horner Star Trek music.
To Bob's point about the demise of physical media: I don't see this as much as he does, certainly not in a major city, and with these audiences. People still crave physical media, though it's now much more fashionable to crave LPs. Especially at events like these, where the "souvenir mentality" continues to thrive. And to some degree, we can thank the LP trend for re-educating or newly-educating those who were never aware they could actually make a choice to take a physical recording of this "compelling background music" home.
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