January 26th, 2012 The Committee
I. OH WHERE, OH WHERE HAS OUR QUORUM GONE?
II. JUSTIN’S WRAP-UP
III. COMMENTS
IV. EVENTS
=================================
I. OH WHERE, OH WHERE HAS OUR QUORUM GONE?
Once again there was no quorum at Monday’s
Local 47’s general membership meeting. The meeting
was chaired by VP Acosta and after calling the meeting
at 7:10, he had the officers give reports as well as a
report from the newly formed Freelance Musicians
Committee. There were little more than 10 members there
besides the board and committee members.
The FMC laid out a list of goals. More on these as we get
the information.
THE COMMITTEE
================================
II. JUSTIN’S WRAP-UP
Dear Committee,
This latest issue is so Feiry! so much participation!
The purpose of Mr. Justin Goode Business was this: if Mr. Cheerful
had made these claims of impropriety against the RMALA, then
he would just seem a whiner; whereas if Mr. J.G. Business makes
them, he is a real RMALA jerk, but being a hero in his own mind,
a possible focal point of justifiable anger against the RMALA.
Thank you for putting up with him. I myself loved to hate him.
Here then is his last bombastic installment, after which Mr.
Cheerful will get on with the further dissemination of incendiary
information. JGB is in rare form (and stilted style); as over the
top as is humanly possible.
I will not do this ungainly type of prose again, I promise.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Mr. Justin Goode Business here.
It has come to my attention, through an elaborate network
of cut-throats and scum-bags, that Mr. Cheerful intends
to spread unfounded and vicious mis-information about the
history of the music union and the collusion of the RMALA
in the deliberate destruction of the music industry in Los
Angeles. Believe not a word of it my dear friends! We, in the
upper echelons of the RMALA, are the true keepers of the
Film Music Faith. I mean, what would it benefit us to keep
you in the dark?
In my previous article, Mr. J. G. Business resolutely and
undoubtedly, decisively debunked Mr. Cheerful’s upcoming
ill-conceived list of grievances against the RMALA that the
lowly (AFM but non-RMALA musicians) have pulled out of
their butts, in an effort to cover up for their lack of musical
talent and dedication.
Now to pre-emptively address some of Mr. Cheerful’s
direct (and future) accusations.
1. The RMALA has used its voting Monopoly to disenfranchise
the bulk of the AFM membership: False, the last time I checked,
the entire membership could still vote. Come and vote. Where
are you? If you truly out-number us then at least pretend
to give a $#!†.
2. Pledged fealty to non-musician contractor: And for good
reason.
3. Used unscrupulous business practices to put others in
town out of work: Already covered in my last illuminating
article. Keep up people!
4. Adopted a One Studio/One Orchestra premise: Not true,
that’s just the way it has worked out. Our original idea was
to have only one orchestra, the one-studio thing is just a
happy co-incidence. Sorry that all you other studios are not
needed anymore. You would have perished by now anyway.
(Why am I addressing a corpse?)
5. Engaged in totally non-union like behavior: The union is
run by election. If you do not like the way it is run then show
up and vote: otherwise shut up.
6. We swoop down like hawks and steal the work from younger
musicians: OK, our leaders do, but most of us just take the
jobs we are called for. Entertainment is a tough business. We
are under no obligation to turn down work. If you have a
problem with the carrion-eating vultures sitting atop our ladder,
vote them out.
7. We keep a secret black list of “enemies:” Prove it, losers.
8. The RMALA has bought the leadership of Local 47 and
the National AFM: To the victor go the spoils. So start voting
or be quiet. Or maybe just show up. Or maybe just bow out.
Face it, you have been vanquished, now surrender!
9. Hypocritical RMALAers do dark dates, too: OK, its true. But
so do you. We do not target you at all when you do dark dates;
unless you try to steal OUR gigs, or unless you try to undermine
OUR business model, or unless we want to steal YOUR gigs for
ourselves, or unless we want to scuttle YOUR gigs to keep our
own prices high, or unless we want to scuttle YOUR gigs just to
keep all you other talented local musicians from gaining valuable
recording experience, or unless we want to scuttle YOUR gigs so
that producers continue to be unaware that there are other great
musicians in Los Angeles (hell, we’ve invested 30 years of
ceaseless work in promoting the illusion that we are the only
game in town, and we do not want to upset that little apple
cart just now,) or unless we just want to be petty-little-$#!†s
and stick it to YOU just because WE can, you Inconsequential
Peons. Knaves, Churls, Serfs, Poltroons, Jesters, Boors, Peasants,
Scalawags, Varlets, Rapscallions; the undeserving mass of the
whole lot of ne’er-do-wells that make up the teeming underbelly
of worms that is the bulk of the Los Angeles AFM membership.
Nobody who is Anybody-At-All in the entertainment industry loves
you even one tiny little iota, so crawl back under the fetid rock
from whence you came!
Not even one unimportant soul has been physically threatened
or intimidated by the RMA. Merely threatening our fellow musician’s
future careers has proven to be an effective means of control, at
least up until now.
For Christ-sakes, we are not Vlad the Impaler, out to hang all
the barbarians on a meat hook through a rib. We are more like
William the Conqueror, we chop the heads off a few Rebellious
Leaders, and display their punishments publically in the Overture
Wall of Shame, as a warning to other dissatisfied upstarts. This
usually sends the peasants running back down the mountainside
to hide out in their mud huts where they belong.
The non-union, outside deals that WE negotiate, do not undermine
our business model with our primary clients. So, you 99%, poverty
stricken musical share-croppers, take all the dark dates we decide
to allow you (or do not find out about,) and SHUT the Augmented-
Sex-Chord (F-E-C#-K) UP!
The bottom line is this: We have found a business model that works
for us. No one is stopping anyone else from doing the same. All we
are saying is that if you want to be a union musician, and do movie
dates in Los Angeles, then you have to charge the union scale that
the RMALA decides upon, without benefit of your sorry-∆$$ input.
Your puny equal-rights ideas would only screw up the business for
your superiors anyway. If you cannot charge our rates, then quit the
union, vote us out, or start doing something else for a living. The
unforgiving world of professional music is clearly not for you anyway.
The problem with the Kate & Leopold orchestra was that you tried to
circumvent OUR “A-thor-a-tay!”
The problem with the New Era orchestra was that it tried to be both
union and non-union at the same time. Who can blame the union for
defending itself. Most of you Pathetic Wannabes were allowed back
into the fold anyway, though why you would want to rejoin is beyond
me. The AFM doesn’t do anything for you. First, think about it; what
does it do for you? Then quit!
There is nothing stopping you from forming the non-union Southern
Seattle Symphony right here in Los Angeles. If you are really as good
as you think you are, then quit whining and just do it. We will still be
around to compete with you; you unqualified, wannabe, hacks. We
will compete head to head.
But you better wear a Kevlar vest, ’cause we’re gonna backstab you.
Count on it!
After all: it’s just good business.
++++++++++++++++++++++
And now, having set the record straight for the benefit of my bon
amies down at the RMALA; and through my hard nosed tactics, for
which I will ingratiate myself to my superiors, and insure myself a
permanent chair in “The Orchestra,” I must at this time bow out of
my temporary writing assignment, and resume my position as Head
of the Dirty Tricks Department; a wholly owned subsidiary of the
RMALA. (A position for which I receive Principal Pay!)
May I say that it has been a real pleasure for me to communicate with
those musicians so very far beneath my grossly elevated station. Your
feral yearnings of an un-requited better life have been a breath of
fresh air to me. (I would not trade places with you unlucky bastards
for all the American money in China.) And now, I shall try with all my
might, not to get a nosebleed as I once again ascend to my lofty perch,
which you pathetic mud-hut dwellers can only aspire to.
A fond farewell from the self-appointed, and finally
fully truthful, spokesperson in defense of the RMALA:
Mr. Justin Goode Business, S.R.P. (Self-Righteous P****)
==========================
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January 20th, 2012 The Committee
I. DUPLICITOUS PRESIDENT REMAINS
II. AN OPEN LETTER TO THE FILM MUSIC COMMUNITY
III. JUSTIN GOOD BUSINESS - PART II
IV. COMMENTS
V. EVENTS
=================================
I. DUPLICITOUS PRESIDENT REMAINS -
RMA RANK AND FILE TURN A BLIND EYE
Not surprisingly, The RMA rank and file sheep allowed the
re-election of their duplicitous President Pete Anthony to
remain in office as President of the RMALA. Mr. Anthony
will continue to talk out of both sides of his pocketbook
and the RMA no longer has any moral standing to object to
anyone doing non-union work.
What kind of ethical blinders must Mr. Anthony have in place
to remain as president? Enjoy those mirrors, Pete.
After all folks, if it’s OK for the President of the RMALA to
do scab work in Europe repeatedly, and those he’s supposed
to serve jump off the cliff like lemmings, they have no business
telling anyone about doing non-union work to pay their bills.
Will the AFM or Local 47 file the $50,000 fine as the bylaws
state? Of course not, they’re as culpable in this situation as
the RMA, since they cannot bite the hand that controls them.
As far as we’re concern, no charges from this point on levied
against any AFM member for doing non-union work are legit.
If they do charge you, demand to see the RMALA President’s
cashed check. If they don’t produce it, refuse to pay the fine
and sue them if they persist. This Local deserves no better
treatment considering their own culpability in this joke of
a policy.
Perhaps the rank and file were afraid to speak up, which is
how most corrupt regimes stay in place, or perhaps only the
CORE RMA showed up to the meeting.
Either way, we know the Hunger Games situation was
brought up, as it should have, as well as McPhee and
Water Horse.
The RMA rank and file should be ashamed that they
have allowed such a farce to continue. You’ve even given
up the rights to complain, since you had a chance and did
nothing.
Overall though, this tells us more about Pete Anthony than
the RMA, and it doesn’t bode well for him. You know where
his true loyalties are. He even had the gall to remain as a
delegate to the convention….. SHAMELESS.
THE COMMITTEE
———
FINAL TALLY FROM LAST NIGHT’S RMALA ELECTION
President Pete Anthony
First Vice President Marc Sazer
Second Vice President Jennie Hansen
Secretary Elizabeth Hedman
Treasurer Bill Liston
Director Steve Dress
Director Alex Iles
Director Jen Kuhn
Director Wade Culbreath
Director Bill Reichenbach
Director Jay Rosen
Director Sarah Thornblade
Director Dave Wells
Delegate to the RMA Conference Pete Anthony
Delegate to the RMA Conference Elizabeth Hedman
================================
II. AN OPEN LETTER TO THE FILM MUSIC COMMUNITY
The Coalition for Scoring in Los Angeles
Dear Mr. Hair and the film-music community,
In light of recent events and press related to the scoring
of motion pictures and television by foreign orchestras,
we, a concerned group of working composers and music
supervisors felt the need to give our unique perspective on
the situation as well as offer some food for thought in
hopes of achieving our mutual goal of bringing more
recording work back to the musicians of Los Angeles,
assuring a fair wage and proper benefits, all while
delivering the highest quality music to the producers
that hire us.
Before any progress can be made, the AFM needs
to fully understand the reality of the global scoring
marketplace. The ONLY issue that any production
company has with the AFM is in regards to back end
and Special Payments, NOT cost. 99% of all non-
union scores are done on package deals to the
composer where the composer has the right to
record wherever he or she wishes and any money
spent on that recording comes out of the composer’s
fee. If the composer ends up going over budget, the
composer covers those costs, NOT the production
company, so there really is no issue with musician
fees or the cost of benefits, health & welfare, or any
other union guidelines. The good news is that even
if it costs them more money, almost every composer
we spoke with said that if it was left up to them, they
would stay in Los Angeles, for speed, ease, and quality.
In regards to Lionsgate’s Hunger Games, your
statement said that all of the other crafts on the
movie were done union and that they should do
the honorable thing and treat the musicians the
same way, but the unfortunate truth is that,
they have no choice but to comply with SAG
and DGA/WGA rules. Yes, actors, writers, and
directors often get residual payments based on
the performance of the movie, but if Brad Pitt,
DiCaprio, or Spielberg don’t show up, there is
no movie. Period.
While we all wish the AFM had this kind of power,
the truth is, we simply do not. The trades with
which we share the most similar stature, such
as cinematographers, editors, vfx, and production
designers, etc…do NOT receive any profit participation
in the films, ever, so to “go union” means they
pay once and are done. In fact, besides having no
residual costs, many of these unions allow their
members to openly take non-union projects
without penalties if there is no union job available
and the member needs to provide for themselves
and their family.
In order for the AFM to become a viable, if not
the PREFERRED method of scoring for these mini-
major production companies like Lionsgate, Summit,
Screen Gems, Regency, and others…it MUST realize
that it needs to embrace and educate them as to the
value of scoring here rather than blasting condescending
web videos and picketing production. Even with the most
ethical of Americans and the most sensitive of corporations
it is simply not realistic to think that in our world of dirt-
cheap, import filled Costco’s and Walt-Marts, people…
especially savvy business people with stockholders to
answer to, will choose to spend more or in our case, RISK,
spending more for a comparable product that they can easily
get elsewhere. You cannot “guilt” them into making what
they consider to be a poor business decision. You must instead,
show them that, in fact, scoring under AFM contracts in Los
Angeles is a smart business decision and then then work with
them to make sure they realize and recognize those benefits…
not only in terms of ambiguous artistic terms, but in
regards to financial bottom line, otherwise, there can be
no progress.
The original concept behind special payments in the 1960’s
was to attract business with lower, more affordable rates up
front with the understanding that if the film was successful,
a percentage of that success (profit) would go to the musicians
who contributed to the score in order to supplement their
original fees and add up to what would be considered a fair
wage. If you and your administration are indeed concerned
primarily with the fair treatment of recording musicians as
a whole and not just industry veterans who play on only
the largest studio films, then it stands to reason that there
should be an option for a contract on non-studio, low-budget
($30 million or less) films where a larger upfront rate (devised
by adding an average special payment amount over a project’s
projected life to the current up front scale) can be paid and
back-end could be avoided. At this point, with no obligations
to fulfill in the future, most producers will sign the assumption
agreement, and if not…the composer or music producer could
then do so. While there may be no huge surprise windfalls from
the occasional blockbuster, this will in all likelihood, average out
to a similar or even greater income for the vast majority of
musicians as well as a guarantee of pension, health and welfare,
and fair working conditions.
While we realize from past discussions that this is where the
RMA becomes rightfully concerned about the dangers of a
slippery slope, the union must also recognize the reality of
their unique situation and the inevitable direction of global
business. Technology is making the world smaller and faster
every day and we are afraid that if the AFM and Los Angeles
in particular does not begin to engage the smaller companies
and carefully craft mutually beneficial agreements with them,
then recording in LA will soon go the way of tech stocks and
Tower Records. In fact, one of the most important and
overlooked points when discussing runaway scoring and
production is that, besides losing paid employment to overseas
economies, every score that goes to Seattle, Slovakia, or
Prague makes them better. They gain experience, they gain
speed, and they gain funds to upgrade their facilities and
equipment. One needs only to look at Salt Lake City as an
example of the opposite. As less and less recording was done
there, the studio and it’s staff suffered, which then led to
poor sessions and diminished quality and now, no one
records there anymore.
When all is said and done, everyone we deal with just wants
to get the best score for the best price with the least amount
of hassle and paperwork. We truly believe that the best answer
for almost every production is still to record in LA with AFM
musicians. Almost unanimously, the composers we have spoken
with feel that they can record a score in half the time in an LA
studio as compared to overseas. When you compare those
costs while figuring in the costs of travel, lodging, and lost
composition time,… as well as take into account that the
producers and directors will all have the ability to be more
intimately involved in the scoring process, companies will
come to realize the benefits of staying local. When one also
figures in the higher quality sound stages, better microphones,
personnel, and equipment, as well as much higher quality
individual instruments available here, most composers feel
that even a smaller union orchestra here in LA will sound
bigger, better, and more precise than a larger group in a
second rate converted facility overseas.
It is our feeling, that if we can learn from each other, keep
an open mind, and work together to educate the production
community then we can truly bring scoring work back to the
musicians of Los Angeles and help our Hollywood community
not only survive but re-emerge as the leading producer of
musical scores for all media.
We urge you to seriously consider this matter and encourage
you to please enlist our support. Together we can bring film
music back to Los Angeles.
Thank you for your time.
Musically Yours,
The C4SLA
[EC: WELCOME TO THE CAUSE C4SLA!!!
We've been saying this for years.]
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January 12th, 2012 The Committee
I. RMA MEETING, JANUARY 19TH
II. LOCAL 47 MEETING, JANUARY 23rd
III. TWO COMMENTARIES FROM DEADLINE: HOLLYWOOD
IV. JUSTIN GOOD BUSINESS STRIKES AGAIN - PART I
V. COMMENTS
VI. EVENTS
=================================
I. RMA MEETING, JANUARY 19TH
We received the following info concerning next week’s
RMA Meeting:
Anyone in the AFM can join the RMA.
Everyone in the RMA can for whatever office they want,
even in absentia.
You can also win in absentia–
You just need to have someone nominate you on the floor at the meeting,
or nominate yourself if necessary.
The RMA news section of their website is pretty abysmal.
2010. Nice. Way to be transparent!!!
http://rmala.org/pages/pubs.aspx
note: you must join the RMA by the last business day
BEFORE the meeting.. you cannot join/vote on the same
day for some reason.
=================================
II. LOCAL 47 MEETING, JANUARY 23rd
The LOCAL 47 General Membership meeting is Monday,
January 23rd at the Local 47 Auditorium.
Want to have a voice in our Local? Be there!
=================================
III. TWO COMMENTARIES FROM DEADLINE: HOLLYWOOD
Here are two of the comments included in the
DEADLINE HOLLYWOOD comments section of the
AFM/LIONSGATE article:
Ok, I’m just going to say this as straight as possible.
I’m a composer working in LA and a member of the union.
The union only costs me work. The union is directly
responsible for work leaving town and the reason we
currently basically down to two scoring stages instead
of 5 when I moved here 10 years ago.
Lionsgate is NOT a union signatory. They can score
the movie wherever they want. End of story. Furthermore,
Sony, Fox, Disney, etc. all score in different places as well.
London, Australia, Prague, etc. The LA musicians are NOT
the best recording musicians in the world. They are simply
the most expensive. If the union wants to be consistent,
they should be picketing every studio, because they ALL
record scores outside of the united states.
The reason LA musicians are not always used is because
the union contract and benefits are onerous, sometimes
far too much so to be able to afford to record here. So
the studio makes a financial decision on where they
want to record. The rest of us go where they tell us.
Should Pete Anthony be punished for working for JNH
who he’s been working with for years simply because
the score is not being recorded in the US?
Let me explain something to you. The union has never
got me a job ever. In fact, as a composer, the musicians
who play my music make more residuals than I do,
the guy who wrote it. Ask the union how much a
composer makes on the sale of a DVD copy. Nothing.
All the musicians that play on it however do get a cut.
Do you think that is really fair?
The problem here is one of entitlement. The music union
feels they are actually entitled to something. Guess what,
they aren’t. If Lionsgate is not a union signatory, they
can record the score wherever they want. You can picket
all day if you want - it makes no difference. Furthermore,
the whole reason Lionsgate is not a signatory is because
they do not like dealing with the union. So, honestly do
you really think the best way to approach this is to picket?
Really? How about you sit down with the studio and ask
them what you can do to repair the relationship? Instead
of coming out guns blazing with no leg to stand on.
I’m sick of suffering the consequences of the union’s actions.
They cost me work. There are less scoring dates in LA, there
are less musicians working and more and more musicians are
finding other lines of work and it’s not because of the
recession. Criticize me all you want, but I’m in the middle
of this every day and I see the direct result. It’s sad.
Oh, and just a little piece of advice. The London musicians are
every bit as good or better than the LA musicians. The reason
they work is because they are easy to deal with and they aren’t
being paid residuals on every project in perpetuity. Think about
that maybe before you picket and punish people like Pete
Anthony who is just trying to work with a great composer
who he’s had a relationship for years.
Some of us in this town want to make music and work. If
the music union was worried about its base, it would work
to make relationships with the studio better, give up some
of its entitlements and not be a confrontational ass.
That would help keep work in LA. Until that happens,
watch as more work continues to leave town.
———————
It’s Pete Anthony’s position as RMA-LA President that is
making this such an incredibly hypocritical move.
But in addition to that, rules mean something. Words
mean something. And Bylaw 15 means something,
unless the AFM now is giving members the right to
selectively obey or disobey any and all bylaws as each
member may see fit to do. Without rules and the
enforcement of them, there are no rules, and there
is no organization, just a bunch of wishful thinkers.
If enough orchestrators are unavailable to work outside
the AFM, their composer bosses will get the message
and maybe, finally, we’ll see some pushback to the
race to record outside LA. Then again, maybe one day
the AFM will realize that driving work out of town by not
offering any type of practical buyout scale for film and
TV work (unlike the London musicians union which offers
an effective buyout of all major usages) is not necessarily
in the best interests of its members at large.
It doesn’t matter whether its musicians or any other service,
arrogantly claiming “we’re the best so we don’t have to
be competitive” is simply not working any more.
The bean counters at the studios look closely at every
dollar, and more and more cities like London are
looking very competitive - not because their scale
wages are much different than here (they aren’t) but because
they allow the studio to pay once for the music for all
primary usages, instead of demanding as the AFM does
that the studio keep their accounting books open for
years and years into the future to deal with all the strings
attached with the AFM contract in terms of future monies
paid to the musicians who recorded the score years or
decades ago. Kudos to the AFM for negotiating that decades
ago, but what might have been competitive so long ago
when LA had a monopoly on skilled recording musicians
for film/TV is simply not competitive any more now that
skilled recording musicians exist in London and elsewhere,
and are willing to offer a buyout scale. It’s simple economics,
and all the protesting and complaining in the world is not
going to change that simple economic truth.
The AFM is no more immune to globalization than any
other US labor union.
=================================
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January 6th, 2012 The Committee
I. MEETINGS AND CONSEQUENCES
II. CHECK YOUR LOCAL 47 DUES STATEMENTS FROM DECEMBER
III. A REMEMBRANCE OF ISRAEL BAKER
IV. COMMENTS
V. EVENTS
=================================
I. MEETINGS AND CONSEQUENCES
This month, the RMA meeting (January 19th) will precede the
Local 47 membership meeting ( January 23th).
The Rank and File of the RMA have a chance to set straight
a gross conflict of interest at their meeting, which will
include an election.
We would urge current RMALA president Pete Anthony
to realize the insurmountable conflict of interest he has
been involved in and is currently in and bow out of the
RMA election, but why should he?
After The Waterhorse: The RMA members did nothing
After Nanny McPhee: The RMA members did nothing
After the Hunger games:
We shall see.
AFM President Hair lambasted “The Hunger Games”
because it was being recorded overseas, whether
he knew the President of the RMALA Pete Anthony
was involved in that movie is unknown, but perhaps
its finally time for the rank and file RMA members
to stand up to the hypocrisy.
In fact, the AFM was planning to picket Lionsgate
yesterday (Thursday) Did Mr. Anthony have the
unmitigated gall to show up?
You deserve a president who will actually walk the
walk, not speak out of both sides of his pocketbook.
Do you, as the rank and file, have the guts and the
fortitude to speak up and put someone new in?… or are
you afraid you might find your work gone if you dare
do the right thing?
We’ll find out on January 19th.
TAKE ACTION
As long as the President of the RMALA disregards the
mission statement of the RMA, the AFM and BYLAW 15
working on NON-UNION films, anyone fined by the Local
or the AFM for working non-union should file suit
against the Local/AFM for selective enforcement and
NOT pay the fine, since any fine, in our view, is null
and void unless equally enforced on all members.
LATEST DEVELOPMENT: WEDNESDAY NIGHT, JANUARY 4th
We’ve been informed that the AFM/LIONGATE story was
picked up by the Hollywood Blog “DEADLINE HOLLYWOOD”.
You can read the story here:
http://tinyurl.com/7j7hkyh
Interestingly, there is information in the story we’d not yet had
or reported, so there’s action out there by others upset by the
situation as well. Could the membership be waking up?
Let’s all hope.
THE COMMITTEE
———————–
COMMENTS
This story really touched a nerve with our readers:
Here are comments we received about it:
So, the AFM will picket Lionsgate because they recorded
“Hunger Games” overseas. Perhaps instead they should
be in front of RMA-LA President Pete Anthony’s house
picketing the fact that he sold the rest of the membership
down the river to fatten his own wallet by taking money
to orchestrate for this film - a selfish move that directly
enabled Lionsgate to use overseas musicians playing
from Pete’s own orchestrations. Sadly, loyalty and
solidarity count for nothing with the RMA-LA, and this
selfish move has utterly undercut any hopes the AFM
has of any sort of meaningful protest against overseas
recording when THEIR OWN GUYS are working on the
same films.
Bylaw 15 is very clear - Pete Anthony is in direct violation,
and should be sanctioned by Local 47 immediately as a
signal to the industry that the AFM will not tolerate blatant
disregard for their most fundamental and important rules.
This guy has a long history of working on projects recorded
in Seattle and overseas, and it is the height of hypocrisy that
a mercenary like this be put in charge of the group that is
trying to keep recording in LA. What a joke.
———————-
Interesting timing of the Hunger Games thing in light
of the RMALA elections in 3 weeks.
All eyes will be on Vince and Ray now - will they
enforce Bylaw 15, or will they give the guys who
installed them both a “pass” and look the other way.
Will they even publicly rebuke Pete for working on this
blatantly non-AFM film? The “pairing” scheme that was
brought to light back during the Waterhorse incident
clearly shouldn’t apply here since the AFM President
has already condemned the studio for not using AFM
musicians.
———————-
When our union has a different set of standards for
a perceived different set of members…there is
trouble in River City.
A union that allows itself (gee go figure) to write
vague bylaws (that is always the excuse when the
“we know who WE are club” doesn’t have the votes
and then someone ..whom the regular meeting attendees
has never seen asks that the resolution be sent back
to committee… A brilliant no brainer becasue nobody
wants a fight on the floor and the “WKWWAC want to
go home), and interperate those bylaws in favor of
whatever outcome the ruling powerbase wants at a
particular time… is just what we get from
Washington.
It is why every word counts. Try and figure out what
the last set of Resolutions really did for our Biennial
Elections! It was very telling that only Lewis could
respond to any questions from the membership
present.
For the life of me, I can’t understand why Brian O’Connor,
Chair of the Election Board, couldn’t explain the
resolutions presented. Really? Is that a joke?
————————————
It would be interesting to see RMA vs AFM/Hair
over this issue. I would definitely buy a ticket
to that game!
————————————
stir it up - Ray Hair just made an enemy with
Lionsgate most likely - you cant go viral on
employers these days - you have to win their
friendship
==========================
II. CHECK YOUR LOCAL 47 DUES STATEMENTS FROM DECEMBER
COLLEAGUES,
Recently a letter was sent to some but not all work dues
paying members.
The letter explains:
Dear Member.~_
Due to a computer breakdown, the batch of monthly work dues
statements scheduled to be mailed on November were not printed
or mailed. If you normally receive your statement in the first week
of the month, you will not receive a statement in November.
Instead you will receive two months’ worth of statements in the
first week of December.
Any fines or late fees accruing during November will be waived
and I will be flexible if you need extra time to pay.
The problem has been fixed and statements are now going out
normally. Having said that, please accept my apologies on behalf
of Local 47 for the inconvenience. I very much appreciate your
patience and understanding. If you have any questions or wish to
discuss it, please don’t hesitate to call
——————–
THE PROBLEM?
Not all work dues paying members were sent the letter, and not all
work dues paying members had the November late fee removed.
You may very well have paid late fees on a statement you didn’t
get.
Like many of us, you might simply pay the bill without looking
closely enough.
Please check your dues statement to make sure you’ve haven’t
been overcharged.
With the recent problem of some employee’s checks being
shorted, we thought you should know immediately.
THE COMMITTEE
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December 30th, 2011 The Committee
I. THE HUNGER GAMES: ROUND II
II. VIOLINIST ISRAEL BAKER PASSES
III. MORE ON NY JAZZ PENSIONS
IV. MORE ON LIONSGATE
V. COMMENTS
VI. EVENTS
=================================
I. THE HUNGER GAMES: ROUND II
If you haven’t yet, you should take a look at Ray Hair’s
recitation on youtube concerning the film. “The Hunger
Games”. Then read the comments. It can be quite eye-
opening.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjeJph1gJSo
In it, he says how unfair and wrong it is for this film to be
recorded out of the country, and that somehow, since the film
took advantage of the State’s tax breaks for filming, they were
obligated to record here.
What’s next?…
ROUND II
Inside sources on the film have told us:
WHO COMPOSED THE SCORE FOR THE FILM?
JAMES NEWTON HOWARD
But as anyone who reads this blog knows, composers go where
they are told to go. Most of the time they have no choice in the
matter, and though many composers are AFM MEMBERS, there
is no “Composers” union, so no rules have been broken.
If Mr. Howard won’t go, there are countless others who will.
———
WHO ORCHESTRATED THE FILM? - wait for it…..
None other than the grand Pooh-bah of the RMALA, Pete Anthony.
That’s right folks. Not just an RMA member, not just an RMA officer,
but the PRESIDENT OF THE RECORDING MUSICIANS ASSOCIATION
OF LOS ANGELES (RMALA) just orchestrated a film that went out
of the country (as he had done many times before), and orchestration
IS covered by Union Contracts. There’s also a $50,000 fine for doing
that work, though some mouths have been wagging, saying out of
the country is fine(See Bylaw below.).
Were Los Angeles AFM Local 47’s president Vince Trombetta and AFM
president Ray Hair caught with their pants down? Did they know?
Would that YouTube video exist if they knew?… since Mr.
Hair is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the RMA?
Again it is demonstrated in neon lights that Loyalty and Unity end
at the pocket book. It’s the CORE RMA way!
That’s a big OOPS for Ray Hair. Should have thought it through,
Ray!
AFM BYLAW 15 states:
“No AFM member may perform services (whether as composer,
arranger, copyist, proofreader, instrumentalist, leader, contractor,
cutter, editor, or in any other capacity): (1) where the product
of the services is intended to result in, or be embodied in, recorded
music made outside of the United Sates and Canada and the
possessions of either; or (2) for the purpose of producing,
editing, or dubbing recorded music except where expressly
authorized and covered by a contract with the AFM or when
expressly authorized by the AFM.”
Did the AFM authorize Pete Anthony to do this job?
We don’t think so. If they pull a retroactive stunt to
cover him, what does that say about who the AFM
is really loyal to?
Quote from ex-AFM President Tom Lee on recording outside AFM:
“No union relishes the prospect of disciplining its members,
but no union can allow its members to erode the hard-fought
benefits that union membership provides. While most of our
members understand the importance of maintaining solidarity
on this fundamental point, those who do not make it harder
on those who do.” Tom Lee - July, 2006 International Musician
Will the AFM step up and go after the BIG POLITICAL DOGS as
much as they go after the rank and file player who does a
church job to pay their mortgage? Will the inner circle folks
have the rules once again not apply to themselves, just everyone
else.
THE SILENCE IS DEAFENING
Will all the RMAers whose work has vanished stay silent yet again?
More than likely yes.
THE IRONY
There really are no more than twenty or so, hard-core old
school RMAers that are responsible for our state of affairs,
their business model, the business practices, the disastrous
results of which we all feel every day.
Just as in “A Bug’s Life”, if only the rank and file RMA could
realize how overwhelmingly they outnumber those with their
greedy mitts on the power they could boot the lot of them,
just as the membership of LOCAL 47 could out vote the RMA
sheep every night of the week if they showed up to
meetings.
In the end, we are all responsible for allowing our union to
become so corrupted and twisted.
THE COMMITTEE
=================================
II. VIOLINIST ISRAEL BAKER PASSES
Violinist ISRAEL BAKER, who was concertmaster under Bruno
Walter, Erich Leinsdorf, played with Haifetz and Piattigorski and
who performed and recorded, among others, Zeisl’s violin sonata,
Schoenberg’s Fantasy as well as the Violin Concerto, Stravinsky’s
Pulcinella and l’Histoire du Soldat, passed away on December 25th,
2011 at the age of 92.
He was a legend and an fixture in the Hollywood musical scene for
decades.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blXhmKzYwB0
More details when we get them.
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December 23rd, 2011 The Committee
I. FROM ALL OF US AT THE COMMITTEE
II. COMMENTS
III. EVENTS
=================================
I. FROM ALL OF US AT THE COMMITTEE -
Please have a safe and joyous Holiday!
Maayad-ayad nga Paskwa
Gezuar Krishtlindjet e Vitin e Ri
E gueti Winachte un e gleckichs Nej Johr
Shnorhavor Amanor yev Surb Tznund
Carciun harios si ti multa-anji Anlu Nau!
shubho noboborsho
i’taamomahkatoyiiksistsikomi
shengdan kuaile xinnian kuaile
Nadelik Looan ha Looan Blethen Noweth
Haid Joule ja Head Uut Aastat
Maligayang pasko at manigong bagong taon!
Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig Nieuwjaar
Froue Weihnacht’n, und a guad’s nei’s Joah
Schoni Faschttag / Schoni Wienachte
und e guets neus Jahr / en guete Rutsch is neue Johr
Schoni Wiehnachte und es guets Neus
Mele Kalikimaka me ka Hau’oli Makahiki Hou
Beannachtai-na Nollag
QlSmaS botlvjaj ‘ej DIS chu’ botlvjaj
Ya’at’eeh Keshmish
Glaed Geol and Gesaelig Niw Gear
A Blythe Yule an a Guid Hogmanay
Krismasi Njema / Heri ya krismas
The COMMITTEE
=================================
II. COMMENTS
The comments below and elsewhere in this mailing represent the
typically uncensored views of the readers and not necessarily those
of the COMMITTEE. In the faith that freedom of expression allows
for the birth and ascendancy of the most beneficial ideas, all sentiments
expressed are welcome, subject to the bounds of good taste and
decorum. If you disagree with an opinion expressed by any contributor,
we encourage you to rebut it here.
————————————
<
in an "Appalachia" style. >>
And consistent with that, their intention is to treat professional
musicians like uneducated backwoods Appalacians, and
remunerate their efforts with “Appalacia”-style non-Union pay.
————————————
why doesnt the leader of each band or group just file a contract
for the jazz gigs - he or she has to be incorporated to do so -
I’m sure 802 has a club scale - ours in LA is pretty low but still
- it’s a scale - this is so, so easy - why depend on organizing the
clubs? - there is nothing in it for them - that’s what’s wrong with
every CBA or contract out there - nothing in it for the employers
at this point - say ye what? - the employers get to use the best
musicians in the world already - well, they are already getting
them without having to pay benefits -
it’s the lack of knowledge of the players playing these places to
not know how to file their own contracts and charge the employers
- club owners the benefits as well - no brainer
————————————
Re: hair/lionsgate
The only reason they are going to London is it’s a buyout.
Has nothing to do with upfront costs or benefits. Ray Hair
forgets this bullet point. If it was a buyout, lions gate
most likely would have stayed in LA.
-Local 47 musician
===============================
III. CONCERTS AND EVENTS
———————————–
12/23/11
CONCERTS AT THE [Canoga Park] BOWL!
The Canoga Park Bowl and the
San Fernando Valley Symphony Orchestra
Present Concerts at the “Bowl” in the Royal Room
Wednesday Evenings at 8:00pm;
Friday Evenings at 8:30PM
Friday, December 23, at 8:30pm
The Screaming Clams Holiday Show
Perform “Rock ‘n Roll” music of the
’60s & early ’70s, featuring
Jimi Dee, lead guitar;
Joel Domine, keys and guitar;
Larry Muradian, bass guitar
and Steve Hartman, drums,
with
Fern Z on vocals
20122 Vanowen Street, Winnetka, CA
For information, call 818-347-4807
Free Admission/One Drink Minimum
Persons under 21 years of age not admitted
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
OTHER CONCERTS IN THE SAME SERIES
Wednesday, December 21, at 8:00pm
Jennifer’s French Horn Holiday Show
A fun show filled with your favorite
carols, all played on French Horn;
plus costume changes, acrobatics,
and trivia with prizes.
Holiday attire is encouraged.
Wednesday, December 28, at 8:00pm
The Symphomaniax
Perform their unique repertoire of
Classical and Pop Music, featuring
James Domine, guitar;
Ruth Bruegger, violin;
Glenn Grab, cello
and
Larry Muradian, bass
————————————-
1/4/12
FREE ADMISSION GLENDALE NOON CONCERTS
Every FIRST & THIRD WEDNESDAY at 12:10-12:40 pm
JANUARY 4, 2012
JACQUELINE SUZUKI - violin
FRANK BASILE - piano
TIMM BOATMAN - percussion
French program: works by DELECLUSE, MESSIAEN & FAURE
RELAX DURING YOUR LUNCH HOUR WITH LIVE MUSIC
Light lunch to go prepared by ANGELA’S BISTRO
available for $6.
Please place your order before the concert by 12:10 pm;
your order will be delivered by 12:40 pm.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
LOCATION:
The Sanctuary at FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF GLENDALE
209 N. Louise St. (at Wilson)
Glendale CA 91206
818 242 2113
Map & venue info http://www.fbcglendale.net
More info email teena.frazier@fbcglendale.net
*************************************
UPCOMING CONCERTS in the same series:
(every FIRST & THIRD WEDNESDAY at 12:10-12:40 pm;
programs subject to change)
JANUARY 18, 2011
VICTOR DE ALMEIDA - viola
VICENTE DITTO - piano
Johannes BRAHMS Sonata in Eb Major, Op.120, No.2
Maria NEWMAN “The Ninth Hour of Divine Office” for Piano and Viola
http://www.youtube.com/user/ViolaDeAlmeida
FEBRUARY 1, 2012
THE MALKIN - TRYBEK DUO
Iris Malkin - mezzo-soprano
Edward Trybek - guitar
http://www.myspace.com/themalkintrybekduo
FEBRUARY 15, 2012
ADRIANA ZOPPO’S ERGO MUSICA
http://ergomusica.com/
MARCH 7, 2012
Clarinetist JAMES SULLIVAN & Friends
http://www.jsullivanclarinet.com/
CONCERT UPDATES:
http://www.glendalenoonconcerts.blogspot.com
===============================
UNTIL NEXT TIME,
THE COMMITTEE FOR A MORE RESPONSIBLE LOCAL 47
Visit us at www.responsible47.com
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December 16th, 2011 The Committee
I. NY JAZZ MUSICIANS START A PENSION PUSH
II. HAL BLAINE “FUTURE DRUMMERS” SCHOLARSHIP
III. COMMENTS
IV. EVENTS
=================================
I. NY JAZZ MUSICIANS START A PENSION PUSH
or
“Even a broken clock is right twice a day”
New York City’s musicians’ union has begun leafleting
outside a major jazz club, the first salvo in what union
leaders say is a campaign to gain pension benefits and
a minimum wage for jazz artists.
Casey Kelbaugh for The New York Times
Musicians with their leaflets await clubgoers outside
the Blue Note in Greenwich Village.
The campaign began quietly last Thursday night, when
four members of Local 802 of the American Federation
of Musicians stood in the cold outside the Blue Note in
Greenwich Village and handed out leaflets with the headline
“Justice for Jazz Artists!” Musicians continued passing out
information outside the Blue Note over the weekend and
said they would do so again starting on Thursday.
“It’s just a sin that we have no pension,” said Keisha St.
Joan, 72, a jazz vocalist who was distributing leaflets.
“I will not have a pension before I die.”
For five years club owners have resisted the union’s
efforts and remain divided about the idea. Some accuse
the 8,000-member union of trolling for new revenue to
prop up the pension fund, whose main beneficiaries
are mostly retired Broadway musicians, studio session
players and classical musicians who are covered by
union contracts. Though some jazz artists belong to
the union, they generally work in nonunion clubs.
Consequently they have for decades received less pay
and fewer benefits than union musicians.
Some club owners also contend that most of the top-tier
jazz players they book would rather receive extra pay than
union benefits. Others, among them Ron Sturm at the Iridium,
say that they favor the idea in principle, but that it might be
difficult to implement. Mr. Sturm, who has met three times
with union leaders to talk over the proposal, said he thought
the union should try to reach similar agreements with all
music clubs, regardless of genre.
“I think it’s a great idea philosophically, but the devil’s in
the details,” he said. “How do you do it?”
The owners of the Blue Note, Steve and Danny Bensusan,
did not respond to several messages seeking comment.
The disagreement between the union and club owners
dates back to 2005, when union leaders joined the night
clubs to lobby the State Legislature for a reduction in the
sales tax on tickets because the extra revenue would be
used to pay for pension and health benefits. In letters
supporting the legislation, union officials maintained they
had an informal agreement with several club owners to that
effect. (A similar trade-off had been made in the 1960s to
get pension benefits for Broadway musicians.)
The tax break was passed in 2006, but the union never
hammered out a formal pact with the club owners. Five
years later none of the clubs have entered negotiations
with the union to sign collective bargaining agreements.
Those agreements are legally required before the clubs
can begin paying into Local 802’s pension system. Two
years ago, the union elected new leaders who have made
pensions for jazz artists a priority.
When the legislation was passed, the union estimated the
major jazz clubs each stood to gain about $67,000 a year
from lifting the tax. In 2008 the state estimated it amounted
to a tax loss of about $2.2 million a year.
Some club managers say the plan was flawed from the start.
Repealing the tax saved the customers money but never produced
extra revenue for the clubs, they say. The owners have balked
at raising ticket prices to pay for the pension contributions,
though some have suggested collecting donations from patrons.
Lorraine Gordon, the owner of the Village Vanguard, said she
supported the idea of pensions for jazz artists but added that
profit margins are slim at clubs and that costs continue to rise.
“I pay all the traffic will bear in a little club,” she said. “My bottom
line is what I have to look at, in order to keep the club functioning.”
Other club managers also argue that asking them to write a separate
check to the pension fund for every musician who steps on their
stages each year is impractical and costly. “It would be an accounting
nightmare for us,” said the programming director for one of the city’s
major jazz clubs, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because
he feared reprisals from the union.
He said the clubs generally hire bandleaders, who in turn employ
side musicians. He said that the bandleaders are independent contractors,
and that it makes more sense for them to pay into the pension fund
on behalf of their employees rather than the clubs.
Union leaders say the goal of the campaign is to reach bare-bones
labor agreements with five of the biggest jazz clubs in New York City
- the Blue Note, the Village Vanguard, Birdland, the Jazz Standard
and the Iridium - as well as with Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, which is
run by the nonprofit Jazz at Lincoln Center.
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December 10th, 2011 The Committee
I. ASMAC/SOS 2011 HOLIDAY CELEBRATION!
II. MEMBERS REACT TO RAY HAIR EMAIL
III. COMMENTS
IV. EVENTS
=================================
I. ASMAC/SOS 2011 HOLIDAY CELEBRATION THIS SUNDAY!
The American Society of Music Arrangers & Composers
Invites you to join us for the
2011 HOLIDAY CELEBRATION BRUNCH
Silent Auction & more to celebrate the season with
ASMAC and the Los Angeles Jazz Society.
Share a toast with old and new friends;
pick out a special holiday gift at our Silent Auction;
enjoy a fabulous Holiday Brunch and cap it off
with the amazing music of the
JOHN CLAYTON HOLIDAY QUARTET
John Clayton, Bass
Tamir Hendelman, Piano
Graham Dechter, Guitar
Kevin Kanner, Drums
Sunday, December 11, 2011
12:00pm- No-host Cocktails/Silent Auction
1:00pm- Bountiful Buffet Brunch
2:00pm - Entertainment
CATALINA BAR & GRILL
6725 West Sunset Blvd. Hollywood, CA 90028
Parking $6- Behind building - enter on McCadden
Brunch & Entertainment:
LAJS and ASMAC members $45 (limit 2)
Non members and guests $55
Entertainment Only: Check-In after 1:30pm
Includes Dessert & Entertainment only $20
Please reserve by Thursday, December 8th
by sending payment to
ASMAC
5903 Noble Avenue, Van Nuys, CA 91411
OR by calling with credit card payment to (818) 994-4661
www.asmac.org
=================================
II. MEMBERS REACT TO RAY HAIR EMAIL
Recently AFM President sent out an email discussing
Lionsgate, another email discussed the new
recording agreement.
Below are a few comments we received.
————————————
from Ray Hair:
“Our goal is that Lionsgate recognize the importance of being a
responsible employer, as well as the unparalleled value of working
with the world’s finest musicians - you, our AFM members.”
some random comments:
That is SO self-absorbed. Isn’t that an insult to the London
Symphony (they recorded all the Star Wars films, and all the
Harry Potter films.. they sounded pretty good.) Most music in
the world is NOT recorded by AFM musicians. No one believes
these “absolute” comments. It’s just pandering, and nothing
more.
-tell that to the Best Score winners at last year’s Oscars
(for Social Network) Oops. no AFM agreement…
-where was the AFM when the first 2 Chris Nolan Batman films
were scored IN LONDON? (and filmed in America)?
-Where is the transparency when the AFM decides to “bank and
exchange” certain films (including “300″) and not be upfront
about it? Who does that benefit to ever do that even one time?
why have a CBA? why have any agreements at all if the signatory
companies can pick and choose which ones can be AFM and which
ones can go to London? Come on.
——————————————
re: the email Ray Hair mailed out today about organizing
LIONSGATE MOTION PICTURES..
how about instead of the AFM trying to organize a studio
that is NON-SIGNATORY and will never sign an AFM agreement,
they concentrate on enforcing existing signatories to
record AFM (Sony, Warner, Paramount, etc)
and/or try to organize the Animated Divisions of those
studios. (See: How to Train Your Dragon, Puss N Boots,
Shrek, etc.)
——————————————
i understand from Hair’s email that these latest negotiations
resulted in the removal of the ultra low budget film scale.
how many jobs will that cost us?
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December 2nd, 2011 The Committee
I. VIOLIST/CONDUCTOR RICHARD RINTOUL PASSES
II. DID YOU KNOW?
II. COMMENTS
III. EVENTS
=================================
I. VIOLIST/CONDUCTOR RICHARD RINTOUL PASSES
Violist and Conductor Dr. Richard Rintoul passed away
on Thursday, 11/24/11 in his sleep of what is believed
to have been a heart attack.
Dr. Rintoul also conducted the orchestra at the University
of California, Santa Barbara, where he also taught conducting;
and was on the adjunct faculty of Westmont College in
Montecito California as Viola instructor and chamber music
coach.
Richard founded and for nine seasons conducted the Colburn
Chamber Orchestra, with which he toured England and California,
did national radio and television broadcasts (winning an Emmy
in 1994) and recorded a well-reviewed CD
Further, he also founded and for 23 years conducted Colburn’s
Orchestra da Camera. He spent a decade as the Director of
Orchestral Activities and Director of Strings at California State
University, Long Beach. There he founded the Studio Orchestra
and taught advanced and graduate level conducting as well as
directing the string chamber music program.
Dr. Rintoul was formerly the conductor of the Thousand Oaks
Philharmonic, a regional professional orchestra committed to
advancing the careers of young artists. He helped build the
Pasadena Young Musician’s Orchestra, the Glendale Youth
Orchestra and the Crossroads School Music Department
(Santa Monica) into strong organizations.
As a choir director, Dr. Rintoul served three southland churches
for nineteen years. He was conductor of the Idyllwild Arts Summer
Youth Symphony (Idyllwild, California) for eighteen seasons and
for two summers, he conducted the Interlochen Philharmonic at
the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan.
Professionally, Dr. Rintoul has conducted the San Diego Symphony,
the Downey Symphony, the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra, the
Inland Empire Orchestra, and recording sessions for episodes of
Star Trek “Enterprise” and the “Medal of Honor” video game series
among a variety of projects. He has conducted productions of
“Cosi fan tutte,” “the Medium,” “The Marriage of Figaro,” “The
Daughter of the Regiment” and opera galas at CSULB. Additional
operatic conducting credits were for “The Mikado,” “HMS Pinafore”
and “Trial By Jury” with Opera a la Carte, the world premiere and
subsequent performances of “Monticello” for radio station KCRW
and a stint as chorus master for the Long Beach Opera.
Dr. Rintoul was “The Video Conductor” for IVASI Systems’ “Video
Conductor” DVD training materials, having been filmed conducting
much of the standard orchestral repertoire for this. He had also
remained active in the recording industry, playing viola on the
soundtracks for the television series “Lost,” “Fringe,” and
“Undercovers.”
He was also in the orchestras for numerous major motion
pictures, including last year’s Star Trek and Up, which won
the Academy Award for best score.
A Memorial will be announced shortly.
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November 25th, 2011 The Committee
I. THE PLOT THICKENS - THE RMA BASH
II. MESSAGE FROM A FI-CORE MEMBER
III. COMMENTS
IV. EVENTS
==============================
I. THE PLOT THICKENS - THE RMA BASH
Back in the spring we informed you that the formal
deal between Peter Rotter and Sandy Decrescent would
be expiring in June or July.
In a report we received from attendees of the recent RMA
bash, and confirmed by other sources, the Decrescent/
Rotter relationship has deteriorated even more since the
spring.
Reportedly, Mr. Rotter left the party early, and Ms. Decrescent
and Ms. Zimmitti have been speaking a great deal.
There is talk of Ms. Decrescent wanting Gina Zimmitti to take
over, Ms. DeCrescent having taken back her biggest clients and
shutting out Mr. Rotter of all but his own clients, though he
purchased a part of the Decrescent empire.
According to our sources, few are happy with Mr. Rotter’s
handling of his duties. Ms. Decrescent reportedly believes the
quality of the orchestra has gone down and has angered many
players and clients with his conduct.
No doubt Ms. Decrescent has made her feelings known to Mr.
Rotter, who, according to multiple sources, removed Ms.
Decrescent’s daughter from the medical plan.
Of course, if Ms. Zimmitti is entrenched with the core RMA,
it will make no difference in the RMA’s monopoly of the
meager recording work left against the needs of the other
99% of paying Local 47 members.
The only hope for the rest of the fully qualified, professional
musicians in town would be for Ms. Zimmitti to experience
pangs of conscience and spread the work more fairly.
Time will tell.
THE COMMITTEE
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