Intrada Soundtrack Forum

…is a challenge indeed. Many of them already know everything there is to know about producing them. Everything. Many others know nothing but feel they’re entitled to know everything. Everything. For the few remainders, here’re a few Intrada guidelines:

1) Licensors are the law. They own the music. They can choose to make it available… or choose not to. We can ask but it’s their ballgame.

2) We are artist friendly. We have been since day one, we still are. If a composer (or estate) says not to include 6M2A on our album, we don’t include 6M2A on our album. Unless a licensor overrides them. That is rare. In any case, I can argue but 1) and 2) will always prevail. I did win once… on Night Crossing. That is even rarer, though. I think it only happened that once.

3) After 1) and 2) are satisfied, creative decisions typically go to me. I usually like to include everything that survives on tape, in the order it appears in the movie. But not always. Sometimes I might want to hear things in a different order. I have a lot of skin in the fight so my opinion carries a lot of weight. Sometimes I will ask Roger what he would like. He has a lot of skin in this fight, too. Not as much, though.

4) Albums are getting really long now. 70 minutes. 90 minutes. 145 minutes. Even more minutes. Jerry Goldsmith once told me “Doug, they want every bloody note. They even want the orchestra tuning up. It’s ridiculous.” I am not making this up. It was at our Rio Conchos session. He didn’t like those collectors. He wouldn't obey their wishes. Ever.

5) I’ve learned no two collectors agree on the best way to produce an album - even when they try to agree. Each feels their version should prevail. When I’m done listening to them, I proceed with my version. It always prevails.

6) I love this music. The old music, the new music. Sometimes I really like a cue, a whole lot. If I really really really like a cue a whole lot, I might include it two times. I guess the opposite is true, too. If I really really really don’t like a cue, I may not include it at all. Yes, the former happens sometimes. The latter rarely does.

7) Every licensor has similarities. Every artist has similarities. The former collectively own the scores. The latter collectively write them. But after that, the differences show up. One licensor may require source cues be included in the program, another licensor may request they be removed. Sometimes the licensors and the artists do not agree on where or when or even if the source cues will appear. The former usually prevail. But not always. Sometimes the latter prevail. On rare occasions, a coin is tossed and Intrada gets to decide. But that does not happen often.

A few “inside baseball” points to ponder.

a) Crossfades are my friend, except when they aren’t. Musical architecture matters to me a whole lot. If marrying two cues makes me happy, I will probably do it. If marrying two cues does not make me happy, I probably won’t. Sometimes I have married two cues on a project and years later divorced them on a reissue because they just couldn’t work out their differences.

b) I hate compressing audio and normalizing audio and doing things to audio that results in compressed audio or normalized audio. I hate it. Did I say I hate it? I hate it. Many a terrific score ihmo has become a dreadful listening experience because the quiet cue with a gentle oboe and solitary harp sounds just as loud as the following cue with 89 players blowing away. Many a terrific score imho has also become a dreadful listening experience because the audio level is cranked up as loud as possible just so it can be louder than… well, louder than what? Louder just to be louder I guess. Maybe it's just for the earbud folks. Maybe it's just for the people who like distortion. Whatever. To me that kind of mastering is cretinous. Think of This Is Spinal Tap. These go to eleven.

Bottom line, again imho. We all love to listen to this music. It’s why Intrada (mostly) produces these albums, it’s why you (mostly) purchase them. When the albums we and other labels produce and the albums you love are one and the same - well, it feels like nirvana. That doesn’t always happen. But sometimes it does.
--Doug

Some background is always welcomed. I'm a born-again film score collector trying to rebuild my collection so it is interesting hearing details of how these releases come about.

I do appreciate CDs with great dynamic range available because all these LOUD brickwalled albums esp with popular music these days is just ear bleeding. I think it must be because everyone downloads everything sadly.

Jerry Goldsmith is my favorite composer and I don't need to hear the orchestra tuning up but I like for any score to get as much of the music that is available within reason. I understand some cues possibly the artists just isn't fond of and would rather have it left off. I do like Source music cues esp the jazzy ones from the 60-70's.

Would be interesting to know if there are any heavily sought after scores that people keep begging for that are currently an absolute NO.

as someone who is trying to rebuild their collection of Intrada, FSM, VS, and many other labels of CDs I sold off years ago I always appreciate a re-issue. Some Intrada titles that come to mind that are so mind-blowingly expensive currently is Body Double. I can't pay 250-300.00 for that title. 2001 a space odyssey the Alex North recording that I know is available as a CD-R on amazon.. I would rather have the pressed Intrada disc. For that title I may end up without a copy. and 9 to 5 I would love a re-issue hard to find a MINT sealed copy of that one for a decent price. and I LOVE love LOVE the cover arts for most all Intrada titles 9 to 5 is no exception. It sounded like Dolly was very kind and a pleasure to work with on the release of the CD those years back.

Please feel free to post more behind the scenes revelations!

Hi Doug, Stu Phillips here.

Just read your post about the trials and tribulations of running a label like Intrada. You are indeed a "hero" in my book. But then. I think that you already knew that.

Keep all of this good stuff coming. Glad that our couple of endeavors produced some positive results. Sold out always sounds good to me.

Best wishes to your beautiful wife and say hello to Roger.

Stu

Thanks for posting Doug! I love film music and love all that you do.

Stu, thanks for chiming in as well. Thank you for BSG and Buck Rogers!

Hi Doug

I'm just so grateful that a label like Intrada exists.
From someone who loves this music too, it's simply amazing to have these wonderful scores released in the first place.
There may be hurdles & brick walls to get over but your hard work really pays off.
So thank you kind sir.
@ Stu (aka bsgkr) a huge thank you too for allowing a label like Intrada to show case your wonderful work. I'm lucky to own the BSG / Buck collections & they are wonderful presentations. Hope to hear someday more from the likes of The Fall Guy & Spider-Man strikes back , but as Doug's initial post claims one step at a time.

Doug, I'm glad your post has given me another reason to say, THANK YOU. I'm sure you and Roger and all the hamsters don't hear it anywhere near often enough. The history of Intrada is one of impeccable taste and sensitivities to the vast majority of film music enthusiasts. (Of course, I have my own personal reason for undying gratititude--your release of ON THE THRESHOLD OF SPACE / THE HUNTERS--but beyond that the list of scores you have gifted us with would truly bloat out the length of this thread.)

Suffice it to say, Intrada is one of "soundtrackdom's" treasures and your decisions have never been questioned on my part.

Very interesting post Doug. I have no complaints with Intrada, just grateful for all the wonderful CDs you have issued. A special thanks for all the Rozsa CDs and Golden Age CDs you released over the years.

Please keep the CDs coming!

I can never say "thanks Intrada" enough for all the great releases. Thanks!

Intrada is the label that does its best to satisfy all soundtrack aficiandos, young and old. They will do scores that were recorded decades ago and scores that are very recent. And what I like best ? They don't cry about poor sales from great composers of the past. They haven't abandoned those who love the golden age. I thank them for that.

You guys are offering up some really nice words. It's kind of humbling. I should add that Monte has been visiting our shop for many years, always appreciative of every "golden age" release that comes in. Thank you, Monte. Thank you everyone in fact!
--Doug