Interview with Composer Steve Jablonsky: Transformers, Michael Bay, Music, Life

VirusCarnage wrote:I don't quite understand the appeal for CDs anymore, I find digital to be much more convenient. It seems like making a CD version of the score would just be a waste of money imo.

I've listened to the score over 20 times (not even kidding lol) and my Favourite tracks are: I'm an Autobot, Optimus is Alive, Cemetery Wind, The Creators want you back, The Legend Exists, Dinobot Charge, and Honor To The End.

Steve Jablonsky wrote:I’ve received a lot of questions on Facebook and Twitter asking why the TF4 soundtrack was removed from iTunes. Here’s the short-ish answer: The AFM (American Federation of Musicians) has rules regarding soundtrack releases and re-use fees. One option they offer is the option to produce and sell 14,999 units without any additional re-use fees. Once sales hit 15,000+ units, additional payments kick in. The number 15,000 was chosen I believe because a good selling soundtrack generally sells around 5k-10k units, so this option provides most union film productions the opportunity to release a soundtrack and sell up to 15k units without incurring any additional re-use costs.

Now because you guys are so awesome, the TF4 score hit 15,000 units really quickly. I honestly had no idea the score had been pulled down until fans started contacting me asking why the soundtrack had vanished from iTunes, only a couple months after the release of the film. I suspected the 15k limit was the reason, a little investigation proved that to be the case.

Some of you have asked another great question: why are TF1 and TF2 still available? For both of those scores, the people responsible for paying the additional re-use costs chose to go ahead and pay them. In other words they allowed sales to go beyond the 15k limit. Different people are in charge of TF3 and TF4, and they have chosen not to pay the additional costs, which is why neither TF3 or TF4 are available any longer. It’s strictly an economic decision. The additional re-use costs can and do add up to significant numbers, especially with scores like Transformers. These movies are huge with a ton of score, and I hire a lot of very talented musicians to perform, which results in even higher re-use costs if we go beyond the 15k limit.

I have had many many discussions about this topic, unfortunately it is out of my hands because I am not the one responsible for paying the re-use fees. For those interested in a physical TF4 CD I believe La La Land records has some unsigned copies left (sorry the signed ones are all gone). After these are gone, the TF4 score will no longer be available. The TF3 score is already gone. My hope is that we will figure out a way to re-release in the future, but for now this is the situation.

This topic is very close to my heart. It’s really hard to put so many months of work into a score and then hear from people all over the world that they would love to purchase your music but they cannot because it’s not available. These are good people looking to buy this music, asking me what happened where did it go, and I don’t have a good answer for them. I’m hoping with more discussion we can find better ways to address this issue. I do believe there are better ways, where everyone can benefit without fans being left out in the cold because they didn’t buy the score fast enough.

thanks

Steve

Mr_Autobot411 wrote:um just download it............

who buys music anymore ?? lololol

MegaDump wrote:As much as I dislike the movie-verse, I feel for Mr Jablonsky. Is it any wonder the music industry is suffering due to illegal downloading? A ten-second search on Google provides an huge list of free (illegal) download sites. The industry is pretty much encouraging this in preference to legal purchases.

RAR wrote:Has there ever been an explanation for why Age of Extinction barely has any Music in it - it goes quiet for minutes at a time - the end sequence is especially lacking Music for action scenes.

From what I've been able to find out the total amount of written music for AOE is tiny compared to any of the previous Movies.

I know some people like that audio consistency of the Movies, but it looks like Jablonsky had many of his best ideas in 2007 (by copying The Magnificent Seven score).

The Dinobots deserved their own much more distinct theme.
Bay needs to be much braver with the scores he commissions and have less of the generic music that so plagues Marvel Movies in particular but blockbusters in general these days.

I don't think Steve was given barely any time to write them either which never helps either - That used to be the reason why Videogame Music sometimes sucked more than it needed to due to a "lack of time".

I'm happy with Steve's work - just give the guy more time, let him interact with the writers and CGI artists, give him the story boards and tell him to let loose a bit.

I know he can do better than 'Bland' if allowed to, I don't think his post 2007 Transformers scores are bad all of them have some good in them - just that they are not as good as some of his Videogame scores have been I feel when taken as a whole and as contentious as it might be I also prefer the TF Prime TV shows's score too to the Movie Music when taken as a whole not that I dislike Steve's work I listened to him before he even got the Transformers Gig much as I did Michael Giacchino before he got much more well known.

I did hear something once that one reason why score's (and music in general) sometimes vanish is to do with having to pay an artist more if the music sells over a pre-set amount so the music is withdrawn to avoid higher royalties having to be paid to them.

I don't know if that is relevant though in the case of Steve.