The Committee For A More Responsible Local 47

Dear Colleagues,

NOW you have the chance to get your voice heard and perhaps not feel like your speaking only to yourself.

This weekend is the weekend for the caucuses before formal negotiations next week.

Though someone from the national said anyone wishing to attend must be APPROVED by the Local (Rather rich, wouldn’t you say?),
one of our local officers confirmed that any Local 47 member can indeed attend. If anyone tells you you cannot attend the INFORMAL caucuses lodge an immediate complaint and let us know as well.

It’s time folks. Take this opportunity to get a true lay of the land by coming, listening and perhaps participating. Composers in particular should come and let our union know that changes need to be made before it’s too late. Package deals are a reality and are NOT going away.

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Greetings Colleagues!,

The membership is starting to really heat up about the recording
situation now that the have a place to vent. More ideas are coming forward,
more suggestions of stratagies. Please note the number
of composers with their own realities of the business of working
as a composer. Truth can be said to be like a rope, the more similar
strands of information that make up the rope, the more likely
they add up to the truth.

In other words, if you have a dozen talking of having to leave
to record versus one or two who say they never have a problem
recording here, the more pervasive reailty is most likely the more
reported one.

Here are more comments from your union brothers and sisters,
some rather explosive, or seemingly so, until you realize how often
you or your close colleagues have said the same thing.

Comments, complaints and ideas are always welcome.
Your privacy will always be protected.

And now the comments……

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Are you a group of Local 47 members?

(Editors Note: ‘The Committee’ is made up of ALL Local 47
Members. In fact, most are members of the RMA.)

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Greetings Colleagues!,

Here are a series of buyout comments we’ve received.

THE COMMITTEE

NO BUYOUT!!

The RMASF proposal makes Sense to me. Let’s do it,. No Back end!

I am in favor of a film buyout. It is unfortunate to have to face;
however, it is simple economics… supply and demand. I hope it is
not too late.

Music is not a large budget item in film. We are not what makes a film cost a lot of money. Tastes and attitudes continue to shift. Nothing is set in stone in the freelance field. One must simply adjust and take work where it comes and at fair prices. Don’t discount yourselves.

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COLLEAGUES,
THIS STUDY WAS SENT TO US, we thought you should know what it says.

THE COMMITTEE

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RUNAWAY SCORING STUDY

There were not enough recording sessions due to technology before Runaway Scoring began with sessions in Seattle and Salt Lake City and around the world well over ten years ago.

Scoring for episodic TV using live musicians is almost a thing of the past. Digital sampling and the introduction of Giga Studio have replaced many live instruments for lower budget TV, film and all recordings. Home studios are the norm now, and every composer in LA has one with all the black boxes to record and deliver scores without live players.

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A motion picture buyout for Los Angeles? Please read and reply!

Greetings fellow local 47 colleagues!,

Everyone we talk to has said their recording work is drying up, there is less and less work and fewer and fewer musicians playing it.

Either something will be done to stem the outflow of work soon, or the little recording work that is left may not be here long. TV isn’t going anywhere (though very few shows use live orchestras), nor are jingles, since the turn around is typically too short, but film work is leaving and has no reason to stay.

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This mailing has vital information all orchestral players must know about your metro contract.

Greetings Local 47 Colleagues!,

Anyone who is a regular or even semi regular member of an area
orchestra needs to know their rights under the metro contract.
If you are in an orchestra, know your players committee members and make sure they know you and what your ideas and concerns are.

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Report from the Committee: Volume 2

Inside this edition:
•Jaunary 10th Local 47 meeting report
• What’s to come for this list
• A new association for freelancers-and it’s free!

THE JANUARY 10th, 2005 LOCAL 47 MEETING REPORT:

The Meeting That Should Have Been But Wasn’t.

Braving the worst weather some say in decades a total of 52 Members came to Monday evening’s Local 47 meeting to have a say in the Amendment that was to be voted on.

As of 7:15 PM there were 33 in attendance, well short of the quorum needed for a formal meeting.

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Local 47 members – On Jan 10, PROTECT YOUR VOICE OR LOSE IT!

PLEASE SEND THIS TO YOUR ENTIRE E-MAIL LIST and talk to your colleagues at your jobs this week,.. high turnout is critical!

Local 47 Colleagues,

On January 10th, 2005, the union board will try to increase the quorum needed for a membership meeting from 50 to 100. As we who attend a good deal of the membership meetings can attest, it’s often hard to get 50 people to a meeting, unless special interest groups are stacking the meetings for their agenda. If the quorum is increased to 100, the rank and file voice very likely will no longer matter. Without a quorum the board can do whatever it wants without member input.

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