Trailer Publishing Stems Submission

[Daniel Petras]

For anyone with experience in this, is there a certain way you submit your stems? The publisher has asked me to submit my stems for my tracks and it's my first time. Although, I have an idea on what to do, I want to get it right the first time. Most of my tracks are heavy sound design with a couple orchestral/hybrid ones. I'm using Reaper as well.

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[Maxime Luft]

The way you name your stems is probably the most important thing to consider here.
It has to be clear and look clean, so if your publisher didn't tell you anything about it I would go with something like:

[Your_Name]_[Track_name]_01_strings
[Your_Name]_[Track_name]_02_brass
[Your_Name]_[Track_name]_03_percussion
etc...

Here an example from one of my tracks where the publisher also asked for a few additional mixes (actual stems start at _04).
Also do not hesitate to split all your sound design into several parts, just like you feel it's right

 

[Jeremy Spencer]

Also, make sure they will all line up exactly the same on the editor's end, and in the correct sample rate (typically 48/24).

 

[JohnG]

Also do not hesitate to split all your sound design into several parts, just like you feel it's right

that is good advice. Another way to say something similar is to consider anything that "pokes out," or is conspicuous that a client might ask to have removed. The trailer shops would always prefer to have anything split out that a client might not like, whether that be something obvious (like choir), or something that could grow dated (like a prominent synth line or a prominent piece of sound-design).

It's worth remembering that today's trendiest thing tends to age poorly, as time passes.

 

[Daniel Petras]

Thank you all for your advice!