Fire at Universal Damages Video Vault! (1 Viewer)

[David Rain]

Isn't there a way to store such important material in fire-proof vaults ?

 

[Hank Dearborn]

The big, major acts are probably looked after with backups elsewhere and in other countries. What is going to be lost forever are the many smaller, less popular artists whose material may not have been released overseas. I'm currently working on a CD release for one such act and I fear their masters may be gone for good, including several unreleased songs.

 

[Charles Ellis]

How do we even know if this is true? Let's wait for the smoke to clear (literally and figuratively), and then the damages can be accessed. BTW, all the TV reports make NO MENTION of any audio material damages.

Another thing- why would Universal store so much audio/video material so close to the rides and the soundstages? Logically the vaults should be far away from those areas. Tsk, tsk, tsk!

 

[todd s]

Why yes!

Underground Vaults & Storage - Secure Storage

 

[Corey3rd]

beancounters see a warehouse is a warehouse. They want to squeeze as much stuff into a space and save a dime so the bosses can get their million dollar bonuses. A building with this much valuable content shouldn't be stuffed next to theme park rides and active locations.

 

[Ethan Riley]

Richard Carpenter saved everything; I know him personally and keep in mind that he's digitally remastered his catalog in the past few years. The biggest loss from this fire is--to my mind--the Clock Tower set from "Back to the Future." I just keep thinking of that old lady from the first movie shouting "SAVE THE CLOCK TOWER!" ...for all the good it did her...

 

[Rob_Ray]

That's among the least of the potential losses, being made of plywood, brick and mortar which can be rebuilt in a matter of weeks. But none of the artists from Al Jolson to Buddy Holly have any plans to return from the grave anytime soon to re-record any unreleased tracks that may have been stored there.

 

[Bob Hug]

Interesting sidenote . . . . Universal Studios has its own fire station, Station 51, named after the fire station in the 1970s series Emergency! which Universal produced.

the studiotour.com - Stage 12 - Universal Studios Hollywood

From Uni's own site:

the studiotour.com - 2008 Fire

 

[Corey3rd]

reports are now that UMG had moved their Masters from that vault so that nothing was lost. Hits magazine has posted:

MASTERS NOT DESTROYED BY UNIVERSAL FIRE: Reports that this weekend’s fire on the Universal Studios back lot destroyed a video vault which housed thousands of original Decca, MCA and ABC recording masters, including a wide range of music from Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters to Judy Garland and the Carpenters, are unfounded. A UMG spokesperson insists: "Thankfully, there was little lost from UMG's vault. A majority of what was formerly stored there was moved earlier this year to our other facilities. Of the small amount that was still there and waiting to be moved, it had already been digitized so the music will still be around for many years to come. And in addition to being digitized, physical back-up copies of what was still left at that location were made and stored elsewhere." (6/2a)

 

[Charles Ellis]

WHEW! Saved by the bell! A few more months in that place and so many audio masters would've been lost!

 

[TravisR]

I can't believe that Nikki Fenke's blog was wrong... again.

 

[Hank Dearborn]

That's what they are claiming anyway. Who knows where the truth actually lies. I'm hearing from some of my sources that Andy MacKay, the head of Universal music is supposed to be completely distraught over what was lost. Somehow if it is as minor as they are trying to spin it, I doubt he would be so upset. I have a feeling we may never learn the absolute answer but I think far more burned up than they will ever admit.

 

[Stephen Bowie]

This was apparently sent out in an e-mail to theaters with upcoming Universal repertory bookings and appears to contradict what Uni was telling the press:

 

[Hank Dearborn]

I am talking to some of my inside sources and this is way worse than Universal is telling anyone. They are really spinning this big time. Anything that they had 2-inch masters on, those are gone forever. For instance, the show Don Adams Screen Test, gone. Any specials, such as the Herb Alpert one, that they had a 2-inch tape on, gone. As for filmed TV shows, all of the transferred videotape masters are gone. Yes, they still have the original film elements but considering their astronomical in-house costs, are they really going to bother with many of these shows? I doubt it. So companies that are relying on existing tapes for their releases like Shout, Timeless and Arts Alliance could be out of luck.

As for the music that was lost, which is also being covered up, such things as The Carpenters unreleased recordings all burned up. Right now Universal is reporting it their way but as the artists start to find out about their recordings being destroyed you are going to hear it.

 

[Joe Tor1]

Does this mean what I THINK it means for shows like IRONSIDE and MC HALE'S Navy -- both of which I collect from Shout Factory?

Can anyone confirm or deny? Also, how does this affect the wonderful WOODY WOODPECKER sets that have been emerging from Universal?

 

[Robert13]

I just posted the same thing about Kate & Allie. Hopefully, when the show is licensed out, the entire series is sent. Otherwise, it could mean trouble for the remainder of series Universal has licensed out.

 

[MatthewA]

I would doubt that they would have all the tapes in that case, since Kate & Allie is only syndicated domestically by Universal while owned by FremantleMedia. They probably didn't receive the originals when they made the edits for syndication back in the 1980s. Even so, as I have said countless times, most videotaped shows have 3/4" copyright deposits stored at the Library of Congress (and I pray that they're following building and fire codes to the letter over in D.C.). Filmed shows used to have prints sent to the LoC, mostly 16mm, but some in 35mm.

It's shows produced and owned by Universal that are at the greatest risk. That means any videotaped show or filmed show that was edited on videotape could be lost if what Hank is saying is true. No offense, Hank, but for once I sincerely hope you're lying.

Plus, they claim to have backups. Is that also untrue?

God, this feels like a bad dream come true.

 

[Ethan Riley]

Hank, with all due respect, you don't know the facts and you're letting it get out of proportion. Just let the real info come in before you get everybody all upset. Richard Carpenter says he still doesn't know what was lost, but that he has copies, backups and some masters of everything he ever recorded. That's one good thing, eh?

 

[MatthewA]

He had the foresight to do so. Other musicians didn't think that far in advance, but some did.

We won't know all of the facts for some time to come. Whether Universal will be forthcoming with them is another matter.

 

[Corey3rd]

other musicians are contractually obligated to turn over the Masters since they are property of the record company.

This is looking like a complete disaster and by the folks at NBC-Universal downplaying the disaster, it might get them in trouble with the SEC since they were attempting to lessen the loss of destroyed assets by making it sound like only dupe videotapes were destroyed