Netflix’s VP of Product, Todd Yellin, has revealed that the streamer almost selected the sound of a goat for its iconic sonic logo that debuted back in 2015.
Speaking on a recent episode of the Twenty Thousand Hertz podcast, Yellin discussed the yearlong process of creating the signature “ta-dum” sound that plays ahead of the company’s original series’ and films, explaining how the sound designers came very close to adding a totally different, quirkier noise to the end of the ident.
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#100 | Ta-Dum! It’s Netflix.
The never-before-told story behind the most recognizable sonic logo in the world. Plus, their second sonic logo by @HansZimmer that you may have never heard.
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“If we were going to do that call-and-response, that creating tension and then resolving it really quickly, I liked the sound of the goat,” Yellin admitted on the podcast. “It was funny. I thought it was quirky. It was our version of [MGM’s] Leo the Lion. So for a while, we were stuck on that goat sound.”
The goat never actually made it out of the pen but it was on the shortlist of sounds compiled by Yellin and Oscar-winning sound editor Lon Bender, who ended up creating a more cinematic noise after exploring countless versions, iterations and first impressions of the sonic Netflix logo.
“It’s a combination of music and of the sound effects of these knocks, which are my wedding ring, which I’m wearing, knocking on the side of a cabinet in our bedroom,” Bender said. “In order to add different qualities to it, I sweetened it with other things, which is normal for us in the film-sound industry.”
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The Netflix “ta-dum” quickly became one of the most iconic sonic logos of our generation. The ident prefaces all of the streaming giant’s original content, which they spend enormous amounts of money on in a bid to stay ahead of competitors in the crowded streaming landscape. In fact, it was projected that Netflix would be spending $17.3 billion on new content in 2020, up from $15.3 billion last year.
To get a better sense of what Netflix is getting in exchange for its expenditure, check out everything that is new to Netflix this month to fill up your watchlist, take a look at our rundown of the biggest shows coming to streaming in the second half of the year, and discover more about the very best original movies on the streaming service to listen to that classic “ta-dum” sound again.
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Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.
Source: IGN.com Netflix: The 'Ta-Dum' Sound Ident Almost Included a Bleating Goat