Well, dear readers, it was another jam-packed and fun-filled day of busy, busy, busy (that is three busys). I somehow managed to sleep until nine, which was nice, although I had a very odd dream that made no sense on any level that I could figure out. I posted the details in yesterday’s posts. I had no time to do a jog nor did I feel like doing one, so I got ready to head to my eleven o’clock appointment at a motion picture studio. I arrived, parked on the lot, and walked to the building where I’d be choosing photographs for our release. The lady who got the material ready for my perusal was very nice. I began looking through a book of film stills on the Holy Grail title. These were wonderful photographs, and several of them I’m quite certain have never been seen, including some wonderful behind the scenes shots of the film’s stars and director. I chose ten stills – we’ll use only a few in the booklet but for those who actually take the time to look carefully at the Kritzerland release pages, you know that we put a link to all the stills we may have and other extras that don’t make the booklet. So always be sure to click on any live links that say “Production Stills” or anything like that. And the best part is that if you like any of the photos you can download them. I then moved on to the second title – I chose five stills from that film, but interestingly they didn’t have any of the color stills that I know were done, several of which are on eBay, so I, in fact, bought two and will donate them back to the studio when we’re through. They also didn’t have any key art on either film (the poster art), so I’ve got posters on both on their way to me. I was there about an hour and then I came directly back home, where I began attaching labels to over three hundred boxes. Then Mr. Cason Murphy joined me and we addressed a whole slew of packages, and then he printed out postage and attached them to a few packages before he had to toddle off. By that time it was almost four and I was quite hungry, so I went to Jerry’s Deli and had my usual turkey sandwich and fries. Then I picked up some mail and then I came back home. I then downloaded the first half of the new Kritzerland master and listened to it – so much fun and it sounds really good. I was very pleased indeed. This one was particularly time consuming. The cues were all there on four-track session tapes, but they were in little pieces and had to be mixed and then edited together the way they were in the film. Luckily, we had one tape that contained the music as used in the film – lousy quality on that one, but a perfect guide. I’d also made the mastering guy a really clear editing road map. But there were overdubs to be dealt with and the whole thing just took a really long time and I know it was a bit frustrating for him, but the result is fantastic and the second score is much easier to deal with (this is for the release I announced here yesterday). We also found one additional bonus track, so that’s nice. Doing these is not always just a matter of picking up tapes and transferring them. That’s the first step, of course. I pick up the tapes. I listen to a little of them at the transfer place to make sure the quality is good and that we have everything we need. Sometimes we don’t, sometimes we do, and sometimes we find really interesting surprises. Once I say go, then the tapes are transferred and sent to the mastering guy. If it’s just a CD redo of an LP then it’s fairly straightforward. But if it’s something that’s never been out before, then I have to watch the film, find the corresponding cues, and do an edit road map to make things easier. Sometimes that goes quickly and sometimes it doesn’t, especially if they’ve mucked around with the score in post-production, which happens quite frequently. Then the mastering guy has to use my road map, load all the material into pro-tools, then slowly put the whole thing together and, if it’s multi-tracks, mix them (we haven’t had anything over four tracks so that part is relatively simple). Then he has to find an EQ that I’ll like and if necessary add some room ambience if the recording is dry and ugly. Then he sends the whole thing to me, I listen, I finesse, and then he finally makes the master and sends it off. Meanwhile, my designer and I have been attending to the booklet and getting all that done. Many labels from the time they sign their license to the time they issue the CD take anywhere from three months to a year – in fact, that’s what all the labels who do these limited editions do. But I don’t have that luxury and it always amazes both me and our consumers that from the time I license and get the tapes to the time I announce is usually no longer than four weeks – in the case of Taras Bulba it was less. And that is an anatomy of a CD.
I finished attaching postage to all the other single order packages, so I don’t have to do any of that today. I then sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night I watched another thirty minutes of Braveheart and I’m now finding it quite irritating with its completely unnecessary over-the-top violence – we get it Mel, no need to keep shoving it in our face. And did they really use the ‘F’ word back then? Seemed a little bogus to me. Did you know there are people, and a lot of them, who think this is the best film ever made? It just makes you scratch your head. Certainly the Blu-Ray looks good, but I just don’t know if I want to subject myself to another ninety minutes of bloodletting. We shall see.
After that, I listened to two potential Kritzerland releases – one is a no-brainer if I can get the license, the other is, I should think, a lot iffier.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I need to get my beauty sleep because I don’t think I’m looking so beautiful these days.
Today, I have a meeting at eleven-thirty, and then I’m back and I’ll do liner notes for the next release (one of the things I did yesterday whilst supping was to map out the next six releases and when they’ll be announced), and get that out of the way. I have to have a few telephonic calls and do a few errands and whatnot, but I’m hoping the afternoon will be fairly free of work. We shall see.
Wednesday I have a work session with the lyricist of the long musical, and Thursday morning CDs arrive and they’ll all get shipped out pronto.
Why don’t we all put on our pointy party hats and our colored tights and pantaloons, why don’t we all break out the cheese slices and the ham chunks, why don’t we all dance the Hora or the cha-cha-cha, because today is the birthday of our very own JMK. So, let’s give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to our very own JMK. On the count of three: One, two, three – A BIG HAINESHISWAY.COM BIRTHDAY CHEER TO OUR VERY OWN JMK!!!
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do a jog (I must!), I must have a meeting, I must do errands and whatnot, and I must write liner notes. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your all-time favorite comedy plays? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland.