About this project
$285,081
5,679
Video Games Live™ is an award winning immersive world touring concert event featuring music from the most popular video games of all time. Created, produced and hosted by world renowned game industry veteran Tommy Tallarico, top orchestras and choirs around the world perform along with exclusive synchronized video footage and music arrangements, synchronized lighting, well known internet solo performers, electronic percussion, live action and unique interactive segments to create an explosive one-of-a-kind entertainment experience.
Picture the energy and excitement of a rock concert mixed with the power and emotion of a symphony orchestra combined together by the technology, interactivity, stunning visuals and fun that only video games can provide. Completely synchronized cutting-edge video screen visuals, state-of-the-art lighting and special fx, stage show production and special on-stage interactive segments with the audience dazzle crowds of all ages – gamers and non-gamers alike.
The Kickstarter campaign will help us raise the funds to create and produce our third album which we have titled "Level 3". This will be a studio recording (not a live recording). Our hope is to be able to obtain funding for our stretch goals so we can produce a full length live concert motion picture as well. Over the past decade Video Games Live has helped to legitimize video game music and has shown the world the creative, cultural and artistic side of gaming. Although VGL has obtained a lot of accolades and success, the music industry and record companies are VERY different and no music or record company is willing to invest the budget needed to accomplish our goals and put out a top quality product that we and the entire game industry can be proud of. They don't believe in the culturally artistic significance of video game music and they don't believe that people are interested in listening after the game is turned off. And that's where YOU come in!
This project is open for funding for EVERYWHERE AND EVERYONE in the world! We will ship anywhere and there will be absolutely no region coding, etc. PAL versions of the DVD/Blu-Ray will be made.
Video Games Live: Level 3 will be the 3rd album of symphonic & rock video game music from the award winning 10 year+ world touring Video Games Live concert series.
The album will be recorded in a world famous recording studio with a 60 - 72+ piece orchestra, 60+ person choir and full rock band consisting of world famous game composers from around the world.
Each music segment in Video Games Live is personally arranged and orchestrated by the original composers and also uses input from the actual game designers & producers and game developers & publishers.
The album track list will consist of NEVER BEFORE RELEASED Video Games Live music arrangements from potential game franchises such as Final Fantasy, Chrono Trigger/Cross, Shadow of the Colossus, Skyrim, Journey, Monkey Island, Destiny, DOTA, Assassin's Creed, Earthworm Jim, Silent Hill, Zelda, Mario, Pokemon, Super Smash Bros., Metroid, Donkey Kong Country, Mass Effect, Katamari Damacy, World of Warcraft, StarCraft, Diablo, BioShock, Beyond Good & Evil, Metal Gear Solid, Street Fighter II, Uncharted, Portal, Tetris, Red Dead Redemption, Devil May Cry, Megaman, Soul Calibur, Resident Evil, Pac-Man AND MORE! (final setlist to be contingent on game publisher approval). The goal is to have between 15 - 18 tracks on the album. The album will also contain a video game song remix by world famous composer/DJ/artist BT!
Target release date is February 18, 2014.
UPDATE August 26th: MONKEY ISLAND CONFIRMED!
[EXCLUSIVE NEVER BEFORE RECORDED OR RELEASED ARRANGEMENT!]
Will include original LucasArts members performing on the track!
Here's the mock-up arrangement:
UPDATE September 2nd: STREET FIGHTER II CONFIRMED! [EXCLUSIVE NEVER BEFORE RECORDED OR RELEASED ARRANGEMENT!]
UPDATE September 4th: SKYRIM CONFIRMED!
UPDATE September 6th: JOURNEY CONFIRMED!
[EXCLUSIVE NEVER BEFORE RECORDED OR RELEASED ARRANGEMENT!]
UPDATE September 7th: SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS CONFIRMED!
[EXCLUSIVE NEVER BEFORE RECORDED OR RELEASED ARRANGEMENT!]
UPDATE September 7th: BEYOND GOOD AND EVIL CONFIRMED!
[EXCLUSIVE NEVER BEFORE RECORDED OR RELEASED ARRANGEMENT!]
UPDATE September 8th: TETRIS OPERA CONFIRMED!
[EXCLUSIVE NEVER BEFORE RECORDED OR RELEASED ARRANGEMENT!]
UPDATE September 8th: SILENT HILL 2 CONFIRMED!
[EXCLUSIVE NEVER BEFORE RECORDED OR RELEASED ARRANGEMENT!]
UPDATE September 9th: Super Mario World (NOT CONFIRMED)
[EXCLUSIVE NEVER BEFORE RECORDED OR RELEASED ARRANGEMENT!]
No guarantee that this will make it into the final project. Must get Nintendo approval.
UPDATE September 10th: World of Warcraft - "Invincible" CONFIRMED!
UPDATE September 10th: Diablo III - "Leah" CONFIRMED! [EXCLUSIVE NEVER BEFORE RECORDED OR RELEASED ARRANGEMENT!]
(One minute sample example)
Here is footage and the trailer from our last album and Blu-Ray/DVD (Video Games Live - Level 2) which is ranked in the top 10 of all-time PBS Specials!
Japanese Video Game Composer Party for Tommy Tallarico in Japan! Here is just a small sampling of some of the people whose work will be featured on VIDEO GAMES LIVE: LEVEL 3!
We want to film the new Blu-Ray/DVD/motion picture in Latin America during our big tour beginning at the end of September (Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Peru, Mexico City). The fans in Latin America are VERY loud, VERY excited and VERY passionate about Video Games Live. Here is just a small taste of what it is like at a Video Games Live show in Latin America!
WHERE'S THE MONEY GOING?
The album will take at least 2 full studio days to record. An orchestral recording of this nature is based on 3 hour sessions. We will need a total of FOUR 3 hour sessions (12 hours total). Salary costs for top of the line highly skilled orchestra musicians range between $350 - $500 per person per 3 hour session. For a 72 piece orchestra the cost for a 2 day session (just for the musicians) can easily reach $125,000 - $150,000. Choir is another big consideration and choir budgets can widely vary anywhere from a few thousand dollars to $20,000. A top-of-the-line recording studio (including ALL costs) will be approximately $5,000 per day ($10,000 total). Mixing with a top Hollywood film (& game) audio engineer (one week including studio and assistants) = approximately $15,000. Mastering will take place at the most famous Mastering Studio in Hollywood (Bernie Grundman's) by one of the most highly regarded mastering engineers in the business... Patricia Sullivan. Patricia has personally worked with and mastered films by John Williams (including Star Wars & Indiana Jones films), James Newton Howard, James Horner, Danny Elfman, Hans Zimmer, John Powell and Mark Isham. Mastering budget for this type of project could go upwards to $7,500. Other parts of the budget will include things like Album Art ($5,000), CD manufacturing based on 7,500 initial units ($5,000), Music Licensing/Mechanical Licensing to the Game Publishers, composers, right holders, etc. based on 7,500 initial units ($15,000), Kickstarter & Amazon fees (10% = $25,000), hiring of a PR firm in both North America and Europe, Shipping & Handling of goods, added physical products at certain tier levels, etc.
Musicians (symphony & choir) = $130,000 - $160,000
Recording Studio = $10,000
Mixing = $15,000
Mastering = $7,500
Album Art/Liner Notes = $5,000
CD Manufacturing = $5,000
Music Licensing/Publishing/Mechanicals = $15,000
Kickstarter/Amazon fees = $25,000
Project PR (Worldwide) & Marketing (Advertising) = $15,000
Domestic U.S. Shipping & Handling of Rewards = $5,000
Physical Reward products (hats, print-outs, keychains, etc.) = $12,500
Location Rental & Celebration Events = $5,000
TOTAL = Approximately $275,000
Video Games Live is not making any money from this project. Our goal is to continue doing what we love and bringing it to the people who care (as well as introducing game music to people who don't!) In fact, Video Games Live and Tommy Tallarico will be personally helping to fund the project outside of the Kickstarter campaign. The initial $250,000 does NOT cover all of the expenses associated with the project.
Video Games Live has produced 2 highly successful and Top 10 Billboard ranked albums in the past as well as a Top 10 worldwide released PBS Special and DVD/Blu-Ray. Tommy Tallarico was the very first video game composer EVER to release a worldwide video game soundtrack album (back in 1994 with Capitol Records) and has composed and produced 10 highly acclaimed albums since. This project will NOT go over budget and WILL be delivered on time!
The main idea behind our project is to give back as much as possible to donors by AT LEAST QUADRUPLING THE VALUE of the amount pledged! You can also view our epically long REWARDS VIDEO below that details, shows and explains all of the different Tiers (Reward video does not include the ALL DIGITAL tiers as they were not available when the video was created).
Rewards Video:
NOTE: Reward video does not include the ALL DIGITAL tiers or the STAGE 1-3 tier or WARP ZONE 2 as they were not available when the video was created.
Here's a handy text based matrix for all the Reward Tiers! For best viewing, please download it from this link: http://i1.minus.com/i4dUY3YFm7mfc.png
THERE ARE EVEN MORE REWARDS but we can't post them here because they're too big! For premium corporate sponsorship rewards past $10,000, go to http://www.videogameslive.com/index.php?s=kickstarterpremium
$400,000 - Mini documentary and interviews with game composers & designers on the making of the album as well as a behind-the-scenes look filmed during the upcoming Video Games Live Latin America tour taking place this fall. Upon funding of this goal, EVERYONE who pledges will get a special and exclusive digital version of this documentary (we ask our fans to please NOT publish this publicly out of respect for the people who backed the project).
$750,000 - A live full length feature film and
documentary of the music, making-of, interviews with
composers/designers,
history of game music, etc. to be recorded during the upcoming Video
Games Live
Latin America tour taking place this fall. If we hit the $750,000
stretch goal then all tiers from $25 and up will receive a digital
version of the film and all tiers from $40 and up will include a
physical Blu-Ray/DVD combo of the movie!
TO
BE CLEAR... The VIDEO GAMES LIVE: LEVEL 3 album will be a studio
recording and NOT a live recording. The movie on the other hand WILL be
a live video recording (and documentary) of a number of shows filmed in
Latin America. Depending on funding and stretch goals, we may include a
special download album of the live recordings from the film as well.
The main goal of Tommy Tallarico (23 year video game composer veteran and creator/producer of Video Games Live™) has always been to prove to the world how culturally significant and artistic video games have become as well as helping to usher in a whole new generation of people to appreciate the arts.
Please watch this very informative and important video that will give you incredible insight as to what goes on in creating such an event and the passion behind it (courtesy of Game Informer).
Incorporated in 2002, Video Games Live™ is the first and most successful video game touring concert in the world having already performed over 275 shows in 27 countries on 5 continents. Over 1 million people have experienced the show live. Video Games Live™ has previously released 2 albums worldwide (both of which debuted in the Billboard Top 10) as well as an award winning full length feature DVD/Blu-Ray. In 2010 the show aired nationally on PBS and quickly became one of the top rated PBS Specials of all time. Video Games Live™ continues to break new ground and thrill audiences worldwide with brand new content each year.
Press Quotes
"Captivating! Bombastic!" – NY Times
“Beautiful performance!” – USA TODAY
“Simply breathtaking!” – IGN.com
“Ingenious and fantastic!” – Los Angeles Times
“Thrilling!” – The London Times
“Incredible! Dramatic!” – BBC News
"Video Games Live is a feast for the eyes and ears!” – Seattle Times
“A digital and musical sensory overload!” – The Village Voice
“Incredibly compelling, powerful and emotional.” – The Washington Post
“Brilliant! Infectious! An eclectic mix of the fun, the classical and the grand.” – London Daily Telegraph
“Uplifting and exciting!” – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The original Video Games Live Hollywood Bowl Launch Trailer
Tommy Tallarico is a veritable video game industry icon. As one of the most successful video game composers in history, he has helped revolutionize the gaming world, creating unique audio landscapes that enhance the video gaming experience. He is considered the person most instrumental in changing the game industry from bleeps & bloops to real music now appreciated worldwide by tens of millions of fans. As a well-recognized on-air television personality, live performer and composer, Tommy brings his in-depth knowledge, years of experience, and love of cutting edge multimedia and video games to the masses. Tommy has worked in the gaming industry as a designer, product manager, producer, writer, games tester and heads of both music and video departments.
An accomplished musician, Tallarico has been writing music for video games for more than 23 years. He has won over 50 industry awards and has worked on more than 300 game titles; to date, they total sales of more than 100 million units and over four billion dollars in revenue. No one in the history of the video game industry has ever worked on more titles and projects. In 2008, he was enshrined in the Guinness Book of World Records with a two page feature article and interview and currently holds 3 Guinness World Records including the person who has worked on the most commercially released video games. In 2012 during the Game Developers Conference he received a Lifetime Achievement Award and is also in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C. for his contributions to the game industry. In 1994, he founded Tommy Tallarico Studios, the multimedia industry's largest audio production house. Tommy is a cousin of rock star legend Steven Tyler (nee Tallarico) and in 2002 Tallarico’s music was used as the opening song for Aerosmiths' “Girls of Summer” world tour. His top titles include Earthworm Jim, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, Disney’s Aladdin, Spider-Man and Metroid Prime as well as top selling popular game franchises such as Sonic the Hedgehog, Pac-Man, Madden Football, Mortal Kombat, Time Crisis, Unreal, Lineage, James Bond, Blitz Football, Knockout Kings, Test Drive, Scooby Doo, WWE & Twisted Metal. His score for Advent Rising has been noted as "one of the greatest musical scores of all time" by websites such as Yahoo, Gamespot and others.
Tallarico has been featured on numerous national and international television shows, appearing repeatedly on CNN, FOX and MTV. Tommy hosted, wrote and co-produced the top rated and very popular Reviews on the Run/Judgment Day television show as well as the longest running award-winning video game television show, The Electric Playground (www.elecplay.com), which has been on the air since 1997. The show is syndicated worldwide and airs daily in prime-time. The Electric Playground won the 2001 Telly Award for “Best Entertainment Cable Program”. In 2006, Tommy hosted and helped to launch the worldwide Championship Gaming Series for DirecTV. His national television debut came in 1994 when he was featured and asked to guest host ABC's "In Concert" television program which included artists Peter Gabriel and Todd Rundgren. From 1991 to 1994, he headed Virgin Interactive’s music and video division, and executive produced numerous video game green screen shoots for films including “Demolition Man” where he worked with Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes and Hollywood producer Joel Silver.
In 2002, Tallarico created the critically acclaimed Video Games Live (www.videogameslive.com), an immersive, audio and video concert experience celebrating video games. Video Games Live features music from the greatest video games performed by top orchestras and choirs around the world combined with synchronized video footage, lasers, lights, special effects, interactivity and live action to create an explosive and unique one-of-a-kind entertainment experience. Video Games Live is the first and most successful video game touring concert in the world having performed over 250 shows in 25 countries on 5 continents. The debut performance was launched on July 6th, 2005 at the world famous Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles with the LA Philharmonic. Over 11,000 people attended making it the biggest video game concert in the world at that time (since then they have performed to over 40,000 people in places like Taiwan and China). Most of the game music played during the initial launch of the show (Halo, Sonic, Warcraft, Tomb Raider, Myst, Kingdom Hearts, Tron, Advent Rising, etc.) had never been performed live anywhere in the world. Since then over 1 million people have experienced the show live. On October 30, 2005 they broke new ground once again by putting on the very first video game concert in Canada (Vancouver). They followed with groundbreaking first ever game concert performances in countries such as Brazil, New Zealand, Spain, Mexico, England, Chile, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Scotland, Ireland, Portugal, Poland, Wales, United Arab Emirates & France. Video Games Live was also the very first American video game concert to perform in Asia (Korea) and the first non-Japanese game concert to perform in Japan. In 2007 they were recipients of a major industry award in Brazil for "Special Breakthrough Achievement" following their performances in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo the year before. Also in 2007 they helped to launch the $1.8 billion LA Live Nokia Theatre in downtown Los Angeles and had their national television debut on Spike TV. In 2008 they released the highly anticipated album entitled Video Games Live - Volume One, recorded at the world famous Abbey Road Studios in London, the album debuted at #10 on the Billboard charts. It was the first video game compilation album to ever be released worldwide and won BEST SOUNDTRACK ALBUM awards from IGN.com and the Game Audio Network Guild. In 2010 a 90 minute national PBS Special was aired in over 90 million households across America. A Blu-Ray, DVD and album were released. It was the first time that music from franchises such as Mario, Zelda, Sonic and Megaman were released outside of Japan. The second album (entitled Video Games Live - Level Two) debuted at #8 on the Billboard Charts. With literally 100’s of ticket buyer reviews on Ticketmaster.com, Video Games Live boasts an impressive and outstanding 4.6 (out of 5) rating. There are currently over 30,000 unique videos of Video Games Live performances on YouTube which total over 100 million views. Sponsored and endorsed by some of the top corporations in the world, the Video Games Live concert event continues to tour the world, break new ground and thrill audiences worldwide with brand new content each year.
Tallarico was the first musician to release a video game soundtrack worldwide (Tommy Tallarico’s Greatest Hits Vol. 1 – Capitol Records). He has released over ten video game soundtrack albums since, including the highly acclaimed James Bond Tomorrow Never Dies, MDK and award-winning Advent Rising and Earthworm Jim Anthology. Tommy was one of the first musicians to ever use live guitar and 3-D audio in a video game (The Terminator), and was instrumental in bringing true digital interactive multi-channel 5.1 surround to the gaming world. He has performed and sold out shows on the biggest and most prestigious stages in the world including London's Royal Festival Hall and Hammersmith Apollo, the Olympic Park Stadium in Korea, the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., WolfTrap, Hard Rock Live in Orlando, Pan-Chiao Stadium in Taipei, the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas and multiple shows at the Hollywood Bowl attended by tens of thousands of fans. In 2004 he performed the grand finale music act on national and worldwide television (E! Entertainment, G4TV) with BT & Mobius 8 for the G-Phoria awards show. In 2007 he performed along with Kid Rock and the Foo Fighters during the nationally televised Spike TV Video Game Awards show.
Tommy is the founder, Chairman of the Board and CEO of the Game Audio Network Guild (G.A.N.G.), which is a non-profit organization educating and heightening the awareness of audio for the interactive world (www.audiogang.org). With over 2,500 members representing over 35 countries since its inception in 2002, G.A.N.G. has quickly become known as one of the strongest and best examples of helping the game industry community. Tommy is an Advisory Board member for the Game Developers Conference, a Governor for the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS/GRAMMY's), a spokesperson for the Entertainment Consumers Association, a proud member of the International Game Developers Association and a nominating peer panel leader for the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences.
Tommy is involved in many community, non-profit, scholastic and charitable organizations which include the Hollywood Arts and GRAMMY In The Schools. In 2007, Tommy's many charitable works were recognized by the Hollywood Arts organization when they chose him as the first honoree and recipient for their now annual Dream Awards. The IDG video game industry white paper mentions Tommy (along with Bill Gates) as one of the people who contributed the most to the advancement and growth of the industry in 2003. In 2009, he received the prestigious "Ambassador Award" during the Game Developers Choice Awards which was only the 2nd time the award had ever been bestowed. That same year he was chosen as one of the Top 50 Game Industry People by Game Developers Magazine.
Born February 18, 1968 and raised in Springfield, Massachusetts, he moved to Southern California on his own at age 21 to pursue a career in entertainment. Homeless with no means of financial support, Tommy was discovered in a music store and started working in the video game industry within 3 days of arriving in California. All 4 of his grandparents came to America from Italy in the early 1900's and instilled a great sense of hard work, compassion, appreciation, passion, dreaming, creativity, sense of accomplishment and love for others that he has carried with him his entire life. Tommy is a proud vegan and has been a spokesperson, supporter and contributor for many animal rights organizations. In his spare time he enjoys nature, photography, traveling, cooking, video games, comic books, backgammon, being a kid and meeting new people. His popular website www.tallarico.com has received over 250 million hits by more than 10 million unique users.
Here is the video of Tommy's recent TED talk explaining the cultural significance of video games and they're importance as art.
Risks and challenges
Video Games Live has produced 2 highly successful and Top 10 Billboard ranked albums in the past as well as a Top 10 worldwide released award winning PBS Special and DVD/Blu-Ray. Tommy Tallarico was the very first video game composer EVER to release a worldwide video game soundtrack album (back in 1994) and has composed and produced 10 highly acclaimed albums since. This project will NOT go over budget and WILL be delivered on time!
Because we have done this same kind of project multiple times in the past, we know exactly what the challenges for this project are (and how to overcome them). The toughest part in doing the project will be to get the game publishers approvals for the project. That being said, Video Games Live was the FIRST in the world to officially perform music from game franchises such as Kingdom Hearts, Halo, Warcraft, Sonic, Myst, Tron, Metal Gear Solid, Tomb Raider, StarCraft, Diablo, Civilization, God of War, Skyrim, BioShock, Mass Effect, Silent Hill, Shadow of the Colossus, Assassin's Creed, Uncharted, Street Fighter, Megaman, Resident Evil, Tetris, Earthworm Jim, Journey, DOTA, Red Dead Redemption, Destiny, Monkey Island and MANY MORE! Video Games Live was also the FIRST to license music and synchronized video for an album and DVD/Blu-Ray release outside of Japan from companies such as Nintendo, Capcom, Sony, Konami and Sega!
Video Games Live creator/producer Tommy Tallarico has been in the industry for over 23 years and has worked on over 300 video games (a Guinness World Record!). He has worked with and created games with every major publisher and game developer over the years. This is one of the main reasons why Video Games Live is able to get so many approvals and why it is the only show in the world with so many different games by so many different publishers and developers. But it is still a long process that has many time challenges. In order to get the album/motion picture out within the targeted time-frame (February 18, 2014) sacrifices to the preferred setlist may need to be made. This is part of the reason why ALL of the tracks listed in the description section will be sought after.
Questions about this project? Check out the FAQ
Support this project
Funding period
- (30 days)