IMS Music Studio

I fixed the link above. This music is posted on SonicBids and they just changed their layout. Personally, I liked the old layout, but...   So I need to figure out this new page set-up and try to configure it to look right. In the meanwhile you can get there to listen to the music. "Completely" is posted at the bottom. I will be changing it around when I have more time.

Another Note: I am busy scoring the music. I've got about 60% of it scored with piano reductions for a number of the songs. There is still much to do in that regard and this is the primary factor in releasing the story-line.  I am fairly certain that the story will be released in the form of songs, more so than the published book, but I am still looking for a major publisher to step up to the plate.  We are beginning to work on a coloring/comic book, as this will be a very cost effective way to release the story-book.

I'm also beginning to work on the cycloramas for various purposes. More on that later.  AG

Thoughts on Producing

I have a discussion on Linked-in on the subject of Ancillary Rights. Well, I posted there this morning, only to have what I was writing disappear when Linked-in logged me out in the middle of what I was writing. So I will not be doing that again. Rather I am going to try to recover that train of thought here.

The issue was wether or not an investor or a producer should expect the Ancillary Rights to be attached to a property that is being produced on Broadway.  My argument is that all the Ancillary Markets are separate from, not only each other, but also from the theatrical runs.  Each marketplace is unique to itself and has specific finance and management concerns. Because of this I feel it is inadvisable to commingle the operations of  the core production with that of the ancillary markets.  From my standpoint, the ancillary markets provide income to the studio via a license to manufacture and distribute in which partners buy a license to a market, either exclusive or non-exclusive.  In that license certain terms and conditions are specified, one of which is that there will be a return to the studio which is represents as a certain percentage of the gross sales. Other terms will come into play that pertain to manufacturing, inventory, distribution and marketing, but the essential point is that the ancillary market will provide a return to the studio. It is the combination of licensing fees, deposits against sales, and actual percentage of the product shipped for resale that make up the income from any given ancillary market.  That income belongs to the studio alone, not any other investor or producer. It is with that income that the expenditures of the production are met, including the return to the investor, which is fixed under certain terms contained in the investment agreement(s).

The agreement structure for a production extends beyond the simple investment agreements, of which there are numerous types which may come into play. Each agreement which is involved in a production effects the other agreements, but there is a tiered structure in which the core product is placed at the top, for it is the source of the production.  All of the contracts represent the roles of the participants and the investors are but one group of people needed to implement a production.

This does not discount the importance of investment and the role of the investor, for surely financing is an essential part of a production and the agreement under which a person becomes an investor, is such that- the investor is rewarded for their essential contribution to the project as a whole.  But there are many other obligations that need to be met besides those of the investor who provides working capital. There are those investors who have contributed to the advancement of the production with resources and services other than working capital, by means of in-kind contributions of resources, supplies and facilities as well. Accommodation must be met in the production to compensate these people for their faith in the work which has or is being done.

And so, in addition to the simple fact that finance and management of the ancillary markets must remain separated for matters of practicality and good policy, the income derived from the ancillary markets needs to be provided to the studio/producer to manage as needed to meet obligations that are unseen by the investors who are not engaged in the daily operations, nor have been involved in the development process.

In the instance of The Gnomes of New Hope - this show has been in development since 1990, gradually progressing, as the resources allowed, to the point of fullness which it has reached. A great deal of time and money has already been invested in, not only the production, but the studio facilities with which this production can be implemented.

Therefore, the ancillary markets and all rights thereto are reserved and are not attached to a theatrical license to produce this show.  In fact, the theatrical production, meaning a first class, second class or regional, and even community theatre run can be viewed as an ancillary markets in themselves, since the composite of this show, although designed to be a theatrical presentation, is much larger that that and does not depend wholly on the theatre as an outlet. Rather it is the conjunctive effort of numerous marketplaces in a carefully timed implementation that brings about the success of this project.

 So in response to the line of conversation being conducted in the Theatre Producers forum on Linked-In, the ancillary rights to a project would very likely be attached to the core product if there are no other obligations or the ability to implement or pursue other markets, but in the instance where, as in this case, development has taken place over a period of years and the numerous markets are already identified and under pursuit via a clearly defined organizational structure, then those ancillary markets must remain separated from the core production, for the reasons sited.  Remembering that the ancillaries do contribute to recoupment, but that no rights to those markets exist with the anyone but the licensee to the market, under the terms of the license and that direct participation, gaining greater advantage  in any market, requires investment in that specific market.

There certainly is more to be said on the subject.  AG

SortaGnomic Crafts

One aspect of our marketing for

 The Gnomes of New Hope is 

The Gnomeville Art & Craft Guild

We have been developing a catalogue of products, 

putting together a showroom and an exhibition area at the studio  

and building the prototypes for a number of our products. 

Here is one of them.

I like to think the flyer is self explanatory and there is an order form below. 

At some point I hope to inventory 25 -50 of these chairs, so they will be ready for shipment at any time.  So far I am still in the prototype stage with this and I am trying to work out the shipping box as well as some other hardware components. This chair will be sold as a kit.

 If you would like to purchase any number of these kits, do let me know.  

I would like to have a distributor buy a couple of hundred

 so I can get the production up to speed. 

I will take order for any quantity. 

Delivery is not fixed as yet

but the manufacturing process is almost refined.

there  is a price listed  on this copy of the order form

but that price will need to be confirmed.

I will proceed with that if you contact me.

AG

"Completely" a duet between Zach & Ferny

Well, we've posted the first lyrical song from 

The Gnomes of New Hope:Zach & Zebby's Grand Adventure. 

 If you use the IMS Music Studio Link above it will take you to 

the Sonicbids EPK (electronic press kit).

Zach

Completely is listed in the audio section. Some folks have said they have had trouble getting it to play.  I have not found that to be the case though. The song is posted as an MP3, but it was made using iTunes and the artwork is also attached to the file, 
making it a larger file, so that might be why.

The album for The Gnomes of New Hope is titled "Gnomespheres"
and our initial plan was to release it as an instrumental album which only contained selections. I'm beginning to think that we will be producing the music for  entire show under that title.

Ferny

As it stands now, Gnomespheres consists of eight listed songs and two bonus tracks. The selections are the instrumentals which are easier to listen to, being that the majority of the music in this show is choral and as many as 12 parts at times.  What that means is that the instrumentation is structured to represent the voices, in addition to the accompaniments.  Although the music is clear to us (meaning those of us who either wrote it or understand what is going on in the song) to the uninitiated listener the music can sound a bit complex and confusing.

So... that means that in those instances where the music has a complex structure and depends upon the vocal expression for clarity, it is inadvisable for us to reveal the music without the vocals. I know that I am personally very weary of listening to the instrumental music a thousand times (at least!) without the lyrics being sung, so moving forward into recording the lyrics is very important right now. I am proceeding with the piano reductions and arranging the orchestral music for piano and other instruments to represent the voices. I will post a discussion on the recording process and what we are doing with the studio facility on The Gnomes of New Hope and the IMS Producing Partners pages, respectively.

 I think you will enjoy "Completely". We are very happy with the way it turned out and amazed at what a difference it makes to the music to finally hear it sung the way it was intended by two wonderful singers - Nathan Odhner & Justine Buss. I will post their bios on the Gnomes of New Hope page when they give them to me.

We are now working on the Overture which is being composed in three movements. Essentially a Prelude (the Overture, a synopsis of Act I), Interlude (Entr'acte, a synopsis of Act II), and Postlude ( a lead-in to, and synopsis of, the Finale).

There are a few other pieces which need to be completed as well as a number of songs which still need to be arranged, one of which is a flute composition titled the Starlight Concerto, which I am working on as a larger piece for myself and expect to have an abbreviated version for use in the show.  Oh and by-the-way, it turns out that there are a total of 65 musical numbers in the show, some of which are short bridges and background music. I will get into the specifics of the music another time.

So there's a bit of an update. I will be trying to update the other blogs whi other pertinent information. AG