To whom it may concern<\/p>\n
In case you\u2019ve not heard of us before, The Committee for a More Responsible 47 is a group of Local 47 members. Players, Composers, Arrangers, Copyists who are concerned about the run away film recording work and the generally dismal performance of our Local to look out for the interests of ALL the members and not just the select few. Below you will find a buyout proposal from a colleague here in LA, this is just another option to compare to the RMA SAN FRAN proposal. Following that we thought you might like to see some of the feedback we\u2019ve been getting.<\/p>\n
The membership is pretty well fed up here and it\u2019s time for change.<\/p>\n
Enjoy!, and we would like to place you on the official Mail list. Please let us know if you have any interest in becoming a part of our list so you can keep tabs on what we\u2019re doing out here!<\/p>\n
Thanks,<\/p>\n
The Committee for a More Responsible Local 47<\/p>\n
Greetings Local 47 Colleagues,<\/p>\n
We recently sent you a buyout proposal from RMASF. As we pointed
\nout, the INTERNATIONAL RMA and RMALA dismissed it in
\nless that two hours.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Below is a study from one of your Local 47 CONTRACTOR\/PERFORMER
\ncolleagues who has spent a great deal of time researching the
\nbusiness of scoring as it stands today, followed by an alternative
\nBUYOUT proposal.<\/p>\n
Please read these carefully and give us and Local 47 feedback.
\nLet them know that we’re all talking and expect them to do their
\njobs. For the future of our city for those besides the elite few,
\nwe all need to get involved.<\/p>\n
It a bit of a read, but it’s well worth the time.<\/p>\n
Thanks<\/p>\n
The Committee for a More Responsible Local 47<\/p>\n
RUNAWAY SCORING STUDY<\/p>\n
There were not enough recording sessions due to technology before
\nRunaway Scoring began with sessions in Seattle and
\nSalt Lake City and around the world well over ten years ago.<\/p>\n
Scoring for episodic TV using live musicians is almost a thing
\nof the past. Digital sampling and the introduction of
\nGiga Studio have replaced many live instruments for lower
\nbudget TV, film and all recordings. Home studios are the norm
\nnow, and every composer in LA has one with all the black boxes
\nto record and deliver scores without live players.<\/p>\n
The turn around time for episodic TV and Jingles is
\nvery short, which does not lend itself to scoring outside of LA,
\ntherefore most is done here, with or without live players.
\nThe turnaround factor is key in determining if a score for a
\nproduction is even able to go out of town. Features, TV Movies,
\nCable Movies, Documentaries, and Records tend to all have
\nlonger turn around times, therefore it can be easily planned
\nto score these out of town in advance.<\/p>\n
The Internet and Digital Technology have made it possible
\nto record anywhere in the world now. Got a laptop or hard
\ndrive with PRO TOOLS? \u2013 you can come back with an entire
\nscore stored on it.<\/p>\n
The Quality of players around the globe is not an issue anymore \u2013
\ngreat players are everywhere and getting better each time
\nthey play a scoring date. Although maybe not the case with
\nCommercial music scoring \u2013 i.e.: Jazz, R & B, Pop \u2013 LA’s still the
\nplace for crossover music.<\/p>\n
The Movie Producers and movie studios are not so concerned
\nwith quality \u2013 the bottom line is money. The argument that LA
\nis the best place to score doesn\u2019t hold water anymore.<\/p>\n
The major motion picture studios sign collective bargaining
\nagreements with the AFM and enjoy non – AFM jobs out of
\ntown without any retribution from the AFM. The buck is not
\nstopping on any AFM officer\u2019s desk when a major studio decides
\nto score out of town.<\/p>\n
The newer film companies and producers are not concerned
\nwith the way contracts used to be. These are \u201cnew\u201d business
\npeople with options other than the AFM to get scores recorded.
\nThey are only utilizing the simple business principles of supply
\nand demand.<\/p>\n
The quality of recording facilities around the globe is state
\nof the art. <\/p>\n
These Orchestras around the globe are now very
\naggressively competing for scoring jobs.<\/p>\n
Some of these orchestras are working for the same front-end
\nwages as us without benefits and without residuals for most
\nof the recording platforms \u2013 except for Eastern Europe,
\nwhich is typically around 15 dollars per hour per player without
\nbenefits and without residuals.<\/p>\n
The Secondary Markets Special Payment fund was created in the
\n60\u2019s when today\u2019s technology did not exit \u2013 the only place to
\nscore was in LA \u2013 times have changed and we have not changed
\nwith them. We no longer control the monopoly on scoring
\nsessions \u2013 period.<\/p>\n
Ignoring global competition can be likened to an Ostrich putting
\nit\u2019s head in the sand – competition is just business and
\nchoosing to ignore what\u2019s happening around the globe is
\nabsurd.<\/p>\n
There are many more musicians that are NOT part of the
\n\u201crecording elite\u201d that are excluded from recording sessions
\nbecause of sheer LACK of volume of recording work today.
\nThese \u201cnon-elite\u201d musicians in LA are ready to go to work now.
\nAlthough, they are all very fearful to speak up because of
\npossible blacklisting by the \u201crecording elite\u201d. The few \u201celite\u201d
\nsessions that are left seem to be enough to support the \u201celite\u201d
\nand therefore protection of these sessions from others and of
\ncourse protection of their residuals is at the top on their list.<\/p>\n
THIS IS A BIG DEAL BREAKER: Many composer deals today are
\n\u201cPACKAGE DEALS\u201d. In Translation \u2013 \u201chere is your money for
\nall in to score this movie\u201d \u2013 and most times at the insistence
\nof the production company the composer is told absolutely
\n\u201cNO MUSICIANS UNION\u201d!<\/p>\n
Many productions are originally slated to be non-union from
\nthe beginning because of fears of back end residuals.
\nThese productions would stand a chance of becoming union
\nif producers had another option in place that they knew about.
\nGranted, we argue residuals are small, to some producers any
\nresidual is a deal breaker for the musicians for scoring. They
\nare choosing to do business that way.<\/p>\n
All of the Composers that have scored out of town
\nhave had a job to do \u2013 deliver music. They are work for hire
\nemployees and do what their employers ask them to do.
\nTimes have changed and employers dictate the marketplace,
\nnot employees. The marketplace is the benchmark for what is
\nhappening. The marketplace is telling us what to do very plainly.<\/p>\n
If the competition around the globe is offering a comparable
\nquality product or service at the same price or lower without
\nresiduals, holding firm to existing AFM agreements with hopes
\nof producers and composers choosing to stay here in order to
\nsupport LA musicians is just not going to happen.<\/p>\n
The RMA has been very instrumental in new recording platforms
\nand efforts for new work opportunities. BUT, if the RMA is the
\npolice \u201cwatch dog\u201d for the recording arena within the AFM,
\nthen on their watch, for well over the last ten years, we have
\nwitnessed the flight of work out of town with great losses to
\nall within the AFM. The AFM is supposed to work for the whole
\nbody \u2013 not just a small special interest group. Only about 20-25%
\nof the RMA membership works consistently in those
\n\u201celite\u201d sessions, therefore 80-75% of the RMA members are left out
\nin the cold as well.<\/p>\n
This study is in no way an attempt to divide the recording
\nmusicians and pit them against each other. It is supposed to
\nengage talks within all of the recording music community
\nto arrive at solutions that will bring back the work with
\nevery possible recording musician in mind, not just RMA \u201celite\u201d
\nmembers.<\/p>\n
WEBSITES THAT ARE RELATED TO THIS WHOLE ISSUE<\/p>\n
http:\/\/www.simonjamesmusic.com SEATTLE Contractor<\/p>\n
http:\/\/www.seattlemusic.com another SEATTLE Contractor
\n David Sabee<\/p>\n
http:\/\/www.pragueorchestras.com\/ TADLOW MUSIC \u2013
\n James Fitzpatrick – books 4 orchestras <\/p>\n
http:\/\/www.sinfonia-of-london.com\/self explanatory
\n Peter Willison<\/p>\n
http:\/\/www.lmo.co.uk\/LONDON METROPOLITAN ORCHESTRA
\n Andrew Brown<\/p>\n
http:\/\/www.music4games.net\/f_merregnon_prague.html
\narticle from composer Andy Brick on scoring in Prague<\/p>\n
****************************************<\/p>\n
RUNAWAY SCORING EXPERIMENTAL RESCUE PLATFORMS \u2013 FILM, TV FILM & TV VIDEOTAPE<\/p>\n
A beginning for talks and negotiations \u2013 not final \u2013 just ideas
\nthat compete on a global level.<\/p>\n
Not intended to replace current platforms \u2013
\nin addition to existing current platforms.<\/p>\n
To be voted on in secrecy from AFM members
\nthat record in any of the below fields.<\/p>\n
EPISODIC TV DONE IN LA THAT HAS SOUNDTRACK OR
\nDVD RELEASE \u2013 SAMES RULE APPLY FOR TV FILM BELOW \u2013
\nEXCEPT \u2013 50% of scale for each medium paid at time of
\nnew-use \u2013 one time only.<\/p>\n
OPTION 1 \u2013 MOVIES, TV MOVIES, CABLE MOVIES, DOCUMENTARIES<\/p>\n
REGULAR FULL BUDGET PRODUCTIONS \u2013 above 29.5 Million
\nbudget\u2013 maybe no limit<\/p>\n
Maintain current wages and benefits for Motion Picture\/TV Film
\nagreement \u2013 no increase<\/p>\n
All Provisions stay the same except doubling:
\nglobal competitors are not charging doubling on other
\ninstrument fees \u2013 doubling fees removed.<\/p>\n
SOUNDTRACK ALBUMS \u2013 25% of Sound Recording scale paid
\nUP FRONT as BUYOUT to release soundtrack<\/p>\n
DVD OR NEW-USE \u2013 25% of MP\/TV Film scale paid up front as
\nBUYOUT to release DVD or ANY future new use.<\/p>\n
NO SECONDARY MARKETS AFTER PROJECT COMPLETED<\/p>\n
KEEP IN MIND: with AFM wages and roughly 20% benefits we
\nare still higher than any global price out there NOT INCLUDING
\nthe above possible buy-out scenarios \u2013 which could prove to
\nbe a deal breaker for producers.<\/p>\n
________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n
OPTION 1 \u2013 MOVIES, TV MOVIES, CABLE MOVIES, DOCUMENTARIES<\/p>\n
REGULAR LOW BUDGET PRODUCTIONS \u2013 below 29.5 Million
\nbudget\u2013 maybe no limit Maintain current wages and benefits
\nfor Low Budget Motion Picture\/TV Film agreement \u2013 no increase<\/p>\n
All Provisions stay the same except doubling:
\nglobal competitors are not charging doubling on other
\ninstrument fees \u2013 doubling fees removed.<\/p>\n
SOUNDTRACK ALBUMS \u2013 25% of Sound Recording scale paid UP
\nFRONT as BUYOUT to release soundtrack<\/p>\n
DVD OR NEW-USE \u2013 25% of MP\/TV Film scale paid up front as
\nBUYOUT to release DVD or ANY future new use.<\/p>\n
NO SECONDARY MARKETS AFTER PROJECT COMPLETED<\/p>\n
KEEP IN MIND: with AFM wages and roughly 20% benefits we are
\nstill higher than any global price out there NOT INCLUDING
\nthe above possible buy-out scenarios \u2013 which could prove to
\nbe a deal breaker for producers.<\/p>\n
OPTION 2\u2013 MOVIES, TV MOVIES, CABLE MOVIES, DOCUMENTARIES<\/p>\n
REGULAR FULL BUDGET PRODUCTIONS \u2013 above 29.5 Million
\nbudget \u2013 maybe no limit<\/p>\n
MATCH DIRECTLY WHAT LONDON IS OFFERING \u2013 THEY ARE OUR
\n\u201cFULL BUDGET\u201d COMPETITORS<\/p>\n
100.00 per hour wages \u2013 3 hour minimum<\/p>\n
Maintain current benefits for Motion Picture\/TV Film agreement \u2013
\nno increase<\/p>\n
All Provisions stay the same except doubling: global competitors
\nare not charging doubling on other instrument fees \u2013 doubling fees removed.<\/p>\n
NO SECONDARY MARKETS AFTER PROJECT COMPLETED<\/p>\n
KEEP IN MIND: with AFM wages and roughly 20% benefits we are
\nstill higher than any global price out there.<\/p>\n
OPTION 2\u2013 MOVIES, TV MOVIES, CABLE MOVIES, DOCUMENTARIES<\/p>\n
REGULAR LOW BUDGET PRODUCTIONS \u2013 below 29.5 Million
\nbudgets\u2013 maybe no limit<\/p>\n
MATCH DIRECTLY WHAT SEATTLE IS OFFERING \u2013 THEY ARE OUR
\n\u201cLOW BUDGET\u201d COMPETITORS<\/p>\n
60.00 per hour wages \u2013 3 hour minimum<\/p>\n
Maintain current benefits for Motion Picture\/TV Film agreement \u2013
\nno increase<\/p>\n
All Provisions stay the same except doubling: global competitors
\nare not charging doubling on other instrument fees \u2013
\ndoubling fees removed.<\/p>\n
NO SECONDARY MARKETS AFTER PROJECT COMPLETED<\/p>\n
KEEP IN MIND: with AFM wages and roughly 20% benefits we are
\nstill higher than any global price out there.<\/p>\n
OPTION 2\u2013 MOVIES, TV MOVIES, CABLE MOVIES, DOCUMENTARIES<\/p>\n
ULTRA LOW BUDGET PRODUCTIONS \u2013 below 15 Million budgets \u2013
\nmaybe no limit<\/p>\n
EASTERN EUROPE ARE OUR ULTRA LOW BUDGET COMPETITORS<\/p>\n
40.00 per hour wages \u2013 3 hour minimum<\/p>\n
Maintain current benefits for Motion Picture\/TV Film agreement \u2013
\nno increase<\/p>\n
All Provisions stay the same except doubling: global competitors
\nare not charging doubling on other instrument fees \u2013
\ndoubling fees removed.<\/p>\n
NO SECONDARY MARKETS AFTER PROJECT COMPLETED<\/p>\n
KEEP IN MIND: with these wages and roughly 20% benefits we
\nare still higher than any Eastern Europe global price out there.<\/p>\n
THESE LOW BUDGET AND ULTRA LOW BUDGET ARENAS ARE
\nNOT INTENDED FOR THE RECORDING ELITE TO BE FORCED TO
\nCOMPLY WITH. IF THEY CHOOSE NOT TO TAKE THE EMPLOYMENT
\nOPPORTUNITIES THEN MAKE WAY FOR THE NEXT LEVEL OF
\nPLAYERS.<\/p>\n
RUNAWAY SCORING EXPERIMENTAL RESCUE PLATFORMS \u2013
\nSOUND RECORDING<\/p>\n
Not intended to replace current platforms \u2013
\nin addition to existing current platforms<\/p>\n
OPTION 1<\/p>\n
REGULAR FULL BUDGET PHONO PRODUCTIONS<\/p>\n
Maintain current wages and benefits for Sound Recording
\nagreement \u2013 no increase<\/p>\n
All Provisions stay the same except doubling: global competitors
\nare not charging doubling on other instrument fees \u2013 doubling fees removed.<\/p>\n
25% of Sound Recording additional scale paid UP FRONT as
\nBUYOUT to release.<\/p>\n
NO SECONDARY MARKETS AFTER PROJECT COMPLETED<\/p>\n
KEEP IN MIND: with AFM wages and roughly 20% benefits
\nwe are still higher than any global price out there NOT
\nINCLUDING the above possible buy-out scenarios \u2013 which could
\nprove to be a deal breaker for producers.<\/p>\n
________________________________________________________________________<\/p>\n
OPTION 1<\/p>\n
REGULAR LOW BUDGET PHONO PRODUCTIONS OR LIMITED
\nPRESSINGS<\/p>\n
Maintain current wages and benefits for Low Budget\/
\nLimited Pressings agreement \u2013 no increase<\/p>\n
All Provisions stay the same except doubling: global competitors
\nare not charging doubling on other instrument fees \u2013
\ndoubling fees removed.<\/p>\n
25% of Low Budget or Limited Pressing Sound Recording
\nadditional scale paid UP FRONT as BUYOUT to release.<\/p>\n
NO SECONDARY MARKETS AFTER PROJECT COMPLETED<\/p>\n
KEEP IN MIND: with AFM wages and roughly 20% benefits we are
\nstill higher than any global price out there NOT INCLUDING the
\nabove possible buy-out scenarios \u2013 which could prove to be a
\ndeal breaker for producers.<\/p>\n
OPTION 1<\/p>\n
ULTRA LOW BUDGET PHONO PRODUCTIONS<\/p>\n
EASTERN EUROPE ARE OUR ULTRA LOW BUDGET COMPETITORS<\/p>\n
40.00 per hour wages \u2013 3 hour minimum<\/p>\n
Maintain current benefits for Motion Picture\/TV Film agreement \u2013
\nno increase<\/p>\n
All Provisions stay the same except doubling: global competitors
\nare not charging doubling on other instrument fees \u2013
\ndoubling fees removed.<\/p>\n
25% of Ultra Low Budget Sound Recording additional scale paid
\nUP FRONT as BUYOUT to release.<\/p>\n
NO SECONDARY MARKETS AFTER PROJECT COMPLETED<\/p>\n
KEEP IN MIND: with these wages and roughly 20% benefits we
\nare still higher than any Eastern Europe global price out there.<\/p>\n
THESE LOW BUDGET AND ULTRA LOW BUDGET ARENAS
\nARE NOT INTENDED FOR THE RECORDING ELITE TO BE FORCED
\nTO COMPLY WITH. IF THEY CHOOSE NOT TO TAKE THE
\nEMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES THEN MAKE WAY FOR THE NEXT
\nLEVEL OF PLAYERS.<\/p>\n
RUNAWAY SCORING EXPERIMENTAL RESCUE PLATFORMS \u2013
\nVIDEO GAMES<\/p>\n
APPLY SAME FORMULAS FOR BUYOUT UP FRONT PERCENTAGES<\/p>\n
RUNAWAY SCORING EXPERIMENTAL RESCUE PLATFORMS \u2013
\nNON-STANDARD TV\/PAY TV<\/p>\n
APPLY SAME FORMULAS FOR BUYOUT UP FRONT PERCENTAGES<\/p>\n
OTHER POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS:<\/p>\n
SLIDING SCALE OF BACK END PAYMENTS DEPENDING ON SIZE OF
\nPRODUCTIONS \u2013<\/p>\n
– i.e.: 0 to 10 Million \u2013 1 time back end
\n\u2013 i.e.: 10 to 20 Million \u2013 1 year back end \u2013 dissolves afterwards
\n\u2013 i.e.: 20 to 30 Million \u2013 2 year back end \u2013 dissolves afterwards
\n\u2013 i.e.: 30 Million and above \u2013 3 year back end \u2013 dissolves afterwards<\/p>\n
Apply to all recording platforms<\/p>\n
*****************************************<\/p>\n
Fellow 47 Colleagues,<\/p>\n
We know this is alot to take in, and as the writer points out, this
\nis only a starting point, but something must be done to help
\nre-vitalize our recording industry for ALL members.<\/p>\n
Thank you for taking the time to read this and we look forward
\nto hearing from you and for you to send you comments directly
\nto the Local.<\/p>\n
Till next time,<\/p>\n
The Committee for a More Responsible Local 47<\/p>\n
Next time?… More comments from you about this subject<\/p>\n
\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022
\nMEMBER FEEDBACK<\/p>\n
May 16th<\/p>\n
I am in favor of a film buyout. It is unfortunate to have to face;
\nhowever, it is simple economics… supply and demand. I hope it is
\nnot too late.<\/p>\n
\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba<\/p>\n
The RMASF proposal makes Sense to me. Let’s do it,. No Back end!<\/p>\n
\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba<\/p>\n
NO BUYOUT!!
\nIn a message dated 5\/16\/05 11:27:36 AM, commresp47@aol.com writes:<\/p>\n
\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba<\/p>\n
How does giving up things we have fought hard for (i.e. secondary
\nmarkets) bring more work to town? If it is still cheaper to record in
\nPrague even after giving up these items, why would we expect more work
\nto come in? Nothing in RMASF’s proposal suggests how this work would
\nmagically return.
\n Those musician’s who are vested in the Secondary Markets fund pay for
\nthe policing out of their own checks. To my knowledge, the Federation
\ndoes not pay these costs.
\n In recent years various low-budget, soundtrack and video game
\nagreements have met with success and brought new work into town. Let’s
\nbuild upon these successes and not give away hard won items for
\nnothing. Our union is made up of a wide variety of musicians in various
\nfields. Symphony, recording, opera, touring, shows are all unique in
\nthe challenges they present. Not all work is available to or done by
\nall musicians. I feel there is an undercurrent of resentment against
\nthose musicians who make a majority of their living through recording
\nwork. This is not productive. If the Federation would partner more
\neffectively with RMALA and make use of the expertise our members are so
\nwillingly offering, we could then begin to take on the challenge of
\nbringing more work back to Los Angeles. Thanks,
\n\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba<\/p>\n
I agree something needs to be done. This proposal for the most part
\nseems reasonable. although I wonder if it isn’t already too late. It’s
\na global market and the lower our prices go, the lower others will go.
\nIt may just be a race to the bottom.<\/p>\n
One thing on the buyout agreement I don’t understand is “Pre-existing
\nmotion pictures with secondary markets to be grandfathered in.” If this
\nmeans giving up special payments on work I’ve already done, there is no
\nway I’ll agree to that. With this proposal there is no guarantee that
\nit will bring back enough work to make up for money I have already
\nearned.<\/p>\n
I used to work full time as a copyist for TV and film. I have watched
\nmy living simply evaporate. I have had to find other ways of making
\nmoney and it isn’t easy. I have had no help from the AFM and local 47,
\nas a matter of fact they seem to be more of an obstacle than anything
\nelse.<\/p>\n
I hope you’ll keep us all posted as to what everyone’s thoughts are on
\nthis issue. I know I am not alone.<\/p>\n
\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba<\/p>\n
Reading the attached from Local 47 and watching the amount of work dry up year after year, it would seem that something really radical has to be done if there is any hope of keeping a music industry going in this town, or at least a recording industry. The union hasn’t even mentioned the number of pictures that are being done totally or almost totally without live musicians. Even the proposal below seems rich given the incredible savings that can be achieved by going overseas. It seems to me like the leadership of the RMA locally is in serious denial about the threat to its very existence.<\/p>\n
You’re obviously a lot closer to this than I am. What is your take on this? The more I think about the disappearance of music performed by live musicians–both in a studio as well as in general–the more depressed I get with the future of living and playing here. A small but telling example of my concern was the 2005 social program for Wilshire CC that I found inserted in my bill in late January when V and I returned from New Zealand. There was not a single dance planned for the entire year!! Dances 6 to 8 times a year were the ONLY social events the club had when I first joined there in the early 1980’s. While this is just one venue, it is scary to project this trend at all.<\/p>\n
I’m CC’ing your email and my reply to two of my good friends who I think are the driving force behind the Committee for a Responsible 47. Maybe I’m all wet, and they should feel free to correct me, but here’s my take. Please, everyone click Reply All if you have something to add.<\/p>\n
I think we’re simply rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. Chuck and Chris are both bright, talented, hard-working and well-intentioned people, but I think ultimately this is just busy work in the final years of our industry.<\/p>\n
First off, it’s already over. The people with the power to choose music are now young enough to have not grown up with live bands and orchestras, so they see no value, no magic in an ensemble of players. The underscore is about as unique a commodity to them as choosing a motherboard for a PC. Our current crop of production people, were they to even consider attending a dinner dance at a country club, would probably prefer one run by a DJ, and think of instrumental ensembles only for some quaint period piece likely involving hoop skirts and parasols. You expect that these people are going to think the chase scene through nighttime Hollywood streets needs trombones?<\/p>\n
Second, let’s assume we adopt a new pricing structure in an attempt to compete with London, Seattle, Eastern Europe, and god knows where else. It’s not going to bring any measurable increase in work to the masses here, it’s only going to mean more work for the small list of yo cats. We saw this happen when the low budget agreements were adopted. Sandy’s crowd fought those rates, but now they’re the ones accepting that work, and complaining about it while they do so! When I get a call from Dateline, practically the first words out of their mouth are an apology for the low rate or negotiated agreement involved. But I see the biggest names in the business on those sessions.<\/p>\n
We can’t possibly work for as little as Eastern European musicians, we can only compete on versatility and\/or a quick turnaround. But home studios have now reached a level of quality where the unique stuff is recorded in the composer’s or musician’s home studio, and the rest of it gets done wherever the production company tells the composer it’s going to be done. I don’t think the general public is even aware of an underscore, so why would a production company not choose to record it cheaper elsewhere?<\/p>\n
I’ll leave you with two examples:<\/p>\n
\u2022 When one of my favorite recording engineers got married recently, he used a DJ, not a live band, for the large reception.
\n\u2022 When Chuck produced a couple of personal albums, he brought me and many of the other soloists to London and we recorded with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.<\/p>\n
In each case, I think those were the right choices for both financial and musical reasons. I just don’t see the point in killing ourselves to adopt rates that at best postpone the inevitable. <\/p>\n
Fast, cheap and good: pick two.
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Comments
\nLocal 47 needs to offer the film industry a motion picture buyout option. If it doesn’t this town will likely dry up. The music community in just about every other major city offers this kind of option and thus our work here is leaving at an almost uncontrollable rate. Every major composer has at some point had to leave town to record because of local 47\/RMA’s stubborn, out of date policy. As a composer myself, who has a vested interest in work staying here and in a healthy local union, I am quite alarmed by the trends. Local 47 must change or die.
\nPlease act now on this before there is no ship to save.
\nSJT<\/p>\n
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May 31, 2005<\/p>\n
We need a buyout scale for film, and also for music library recording.<\/p>\n
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I’m for the motion picture buy-out. We have to stay competitive in the global market. Doing otherwise is denial.<\/p>\n
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My fellow brothers,
\n2005……..It’s time to re-invent ourselves, like we have had to do to remain a viable performing, LIVE musician…..many producers have home studios that sound as great as the big studios….it’s a sign of the times…..tough to fight all the outside trends. Every strike in the past has caused this situation..more work goes abroad!!…we want sessions like in the “golden days” of all the live dates, but today it’s hard to come by….not many live TV sessions anymore….or only if it’s on a new “reduced scale” to accomodate more musicians for less “bread”…like on West Wing..??…or size down…like on American Idol… Everyone else wants a “taste” of the action…Producers want it done cheaper……you see the trends and all the adds from outside orchestras, like Seattle and Salt Lake offering package deals in their ads running in the Movie periodicals!! …Unfortunately, the person or musicians “on top”always are the target of “pot-shots” taken at them…everyone wants to have the “wealth” spread their way, also….musician’s human nature!….their message is :”LA is not the “mecca” for movies anymore”….and the outside orchestras want a piece of the “studio pie”!…….It’s the new trend…like shows recorded on tape…..AND the dreaded VIRTUAL ORCHESTRA…..
\n R.I.P.
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I have worked on film sound-tracks for 30 years and the work is less and less. This is to let you know I have left word with the Local 47 suggestion box, and included my name, in supporting the effort to secure a “buy out option” plan for film recording. It is time that we need to stand up and be counted.
\nBest Wishes,
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\nI think the proposal is well thought out and viable.<\/p>\n
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As union musicians we have been “fighting the good fight” for at least
\nthe 25 years I have been a member, but while we have won a few battles
\n(for increasingly fewer people) we have lost the war and its time for a
\ndifferent approach.
\nWe are competing globally now and most of our jobs have been
\noutsourced, In order to compete a cut in rate is obvious. Healthcare
\nis not offered in most (non musician) jobs today. And in todays world
\neven paying into a pension for 50 years doesn’t mean drawing that
\npension. (see United Airlines\/social Security)
\nSo do we want to lose work to Seattle etc. to hold onto an “ideal” that
\ndoesn’t exist anymore?
\nWe live in the film capitol of the world and we are not taking
\nadvantage of this. If we are economically competitive I am confident
\nthat the Hollywood producers would rather record close by rather than
\n“Seattle etc”.
\nWe either adapt or perish.<\/p>\n
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As the comedian Gary Mule Dear said:<\/p>\n
“If you are an entertainer and you are willing to work for a little less each year you can work for the rest of your life.”
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Helen Hildreth-Crosby
\nmidlfdl@earthlink.net
\nEarthLink Revolves Around You.<\/p>\n
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May 19th<\/p>\n
To whom it may concern,
\nYou people can go to Hell with your buyout proposal. You are just as
\nbad as the Seattles and Pragues etc. You obviously are not in touch
\nwith muscians that actually receive secondary payments. Your
\nbuyout proposal. You and Tom Lee are in bed together.
\nTo hell with you,<\/p>\n
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Do they get residuals?<\/p>\n
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May 21st
\nWell, let’s see….
\nA new buy-out -double scale up-front cost with no back-end…. and with
\nthe back end being paid entirely by secondary market profits, not up
\nfront where the producers are already screaming about lowering
\nproduction costs….
\nor getting the AFM general membership in city’s that don’t already have
\na piece of the “film-scoring pie” to vote out special payments
\naltogether so they too can now be able to jump in on the film scoring
\nbandwagon… Do people really think that’s how it would work? Wouldn’t
\nthe producers already be scoring in those cities if that’s where they
\nwanted to go, regardless of back-end costs? How does taking special
\npayments away help musicians in other cities get this work? Since the
\ninfrastructure is already set up here, and the costs would be
\nconsiderably lower to record here without those special payments, what
\nwork is left would stay here. Unless, of course, such city’s were to go
\nthe Seattle route, or somehow were able to lower their scales to match
\nthose of say, Eastern Europe….
\nNot to mention that getting rid of special payments would mean that the
\npeople controlling the purse strings get to keep all of the money,
\nwhich, to me is totally ludicrous.<\/p>\n
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“the committee asked for comments from everyone on the list”??????????????<\/p>\n
Please define “the committee”, and “everyone on the list” – it is just so unclear.<\/p>\n
I have no idea what is going on here! What is the issue???? What is the RMASF buyout proposal? For that matter, what the hell is RMASF???? and where is their proposal? <\/p>\n
There are probably many local 47 members who are as totally confused as I and to that end, if you want some type of solidarity, you need to clear up what the issue is. Thanks.<\/p>\n
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\ncomresp47 et al,
\nI really appreciate the well thought out dialogue in your last letter, but I feel that when I receive a piece of mail from you guys it’s just a mysterious committee. I feel that is too nebulous, and it would be much better to have a clearer idea who is speaking and why.
\nI was employed by the union at Studio 47 for the last ten years and I have done much playing and recording both in New Orleans and here in Los Angeles. I don’t feel it’s a surprise to anyone that times are changing. The improvement in the quality of recordings done in a garage just in the last 5 years is tremendous. The sampled sounds of Symphony Orchestras are gaining ground every day. We can no longer point fingers at anyone for the state of the motion picture, recording and theater industry. Technology is gaining on us and we can definitely learn a great lesson from the record industry and how badly they misunderstood technological changes in CD distribution.
\n Friends, it is not Tom Lee, Hal Espinoza, Sandy De Crescent, or anyone else that is hurting the music industry. It is us. We need to organize like never before and cooperate on a scale that has not been seen since the dawn of the labor movement. We must meet together maybe actually attend a meeting anywhere in a group bigger than 5% of the total of membership. We need to work out a new paradigm for the working musician that will not leave him “out in the cold” in 5 or 10 years. Until we take an active voting position in our local union, in our government, and in our national union we have no right to gripe about the lack of help we are getting.
\nI propose that we organize committees of knowledgable people to take on single elements of each of our slices of the pie. Theater, Film, Commercials and TV have new technologies we can take advantage of and restructure how we are paid, where we are competitive and give a nod to the power of technology.
\nWhen there is a meeting, let’s make sure our voices are heard, if you say the size of the group falling behind is getting bigger, where are they when we have meetings? Being active is not what someone else does for you it’s what you do for yourself.
\nIt’s time for all of us to decide what our future will be before it’s too late.<\/p>\n
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The fact that there are no names attached to these comments leaves me
\ndoubtful as to their veracity. It would be easy to manufacture any kind of
\nmass email supporting ANY position on ANY issue. I could send an email right
\nnow with hundred’s of anonymous comments saying that the Iraq War is a
\nfabrication, or the world is flat, or Tom Lee is acting on behalf of the
\nmembership (joke)
\nand it would be on the same level as these……………..<\/p>\n
Bet you won’t include this post in your next garbage mailout!!<\/p>\n
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Dear “Committee”- A friend of mine has been forwarding me your emails
\nand I find them shocking. Where do you get these facts, that work is
\ndown for motion picture scoring? Personally, I’ve been working more in
\nthe last few years than ever before and I believe that union work has
\nbeen increasing in the last few years. If you aren’t doing union
\nscoring dates then maybe you should look at your own abilities to get
\nthat work, instead of trying to bring down secondary markets or give up
\nthe new uses that our union worked long and hard to get for us. There
\nwill always be non-union dates and scores recorded abroad, but to give
\nup what we already have to compete with that is insane. I think
\nadditional lower rates for even lower budget movies (i.e. 2 million $
\nbudget films) would be a good idea, to bring projects that would
\notherwise go non-union into the fold and get them on contract, bringing
\nus pension, health and secondary markets benefits. But I believe that
\nproducers are more concerned with the up front cost of their project
\nand the small amount (1% of profits) being derived from sec markets is
\na small concern for most producers. There will always be unscrupulous
\nproducers that will not want to pay anyone (actors, crew, music) back
\nend but to eliminate secondary markets is a really BAD move. Thank you
\nfor listening, and please re-think your throwing the baby out with the
\nbath water!
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Woww..I am speechless…about this1<\/p>\n
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May 21, 2005<\/p>\n
I have watch the deterioration on the studio and live work, have know it will hit bottom soon for us, But when you read the emails and what others say what you are thinking it brings it to reality for me\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026!<\/p>\n
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I’ll say it in public. Your mean spirited, vitriol infected invectives
\nagainst my Local 47 colleagues are offensive and misinformed. You so
\nclearly betray that your interests lie not with improving the state of
\nunion recording in Los Angeles and the U.S. but attacking and defaming
\nthe people who are working hard to save it. The officers of the RMALA
\nyou speak against are known to the membership of Local 47. If you
\nreally have the conviction of your views, identify yourselves!!! Stop
\npretending to speak for my local!!! Stop these divisive and
\nunproductive tactics. Whoever is behind this certainly has no true
\nleadership qualities whatsoever!<\/p>\n
P.S. I am the author of the statement below:<\/p>\n
How does giving up things we have fought hard for (i.e. secondary
\n markets) bring more work to town? If it is still cheaper to record in
\n Prague even after giving up these items, why would we expect more work
\n to come in? Nothing in RMASF’s proposal suggests how this work would
\n magically return.
\n Those musician’s who are vested in the Secondary Markets fund pay
\nfor the policing out of their own checks. To my knowledge, the
\nFederation does not pay these costs.
\n In recent years various low-budget, soundtrack and video game
\nagreements have met with success and brought new work into town. Let’s
\nbuild upon these successes and not give away hard won items for
\n nothing. Our union is made up of a wide variety of musicians in
\nvarious fields. Symphony, recording, opera, touring, shows are all
\nunique in the challenges they present. Not all work is available to or
\ndone by
\n all musicians. I feel there is an undercurrent of resentment against
\nthose musicians who make a majority of their living through recording
\n work. This is not productive. If the Federation would partner more
\neffectively with RMALA and make use of the expertise our members are so
\nwillingly offering, we could then begin to take on the challenge of
\n bringing more work back to Los Angeles.<\/p>\n
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\nWith utmost respect,<\/p>\n
You guys aren’t getting it. It’s the COMPOSER who has the control over where
\nscores get recorded.<\/p>\n
I’ve managed to record every single score AFM. With NO problem.<\/p>\n
If you want to keep it in town, nurture the young composers by taking the
\ntime to explain the AFM benefits i.e. health insurance, dental, special
\npayments, retirement and get the scoring stages to come up with a decent
\noff-day rate. And your problem will go away.<\/p>\n
RMA did their job with all of the side-letter agreements: festival rate,
\nlow-budget rate, video game rate. The dollar is so weak it’s cheaper to stay
\nhere.<\/p>\n
What we don’t have, is willingness on the part of the scoring stages to give
\na discounted rate to coincide the RMA rates.<\/p>\n
I teach this stuff to other composers.<\/p>\n
There are A LOT of composers who are devoted to AFM and are really
\nfrustrated that you don’t have an organized education program for the
\nyounger generation of composers, who don’t know what they are entitled to.<\/p>\n
Stop ranting and educate. For heaven’s sake. We all beg you.<\/p>\n
-Laurie Robinson
\nComposer
\nOwner, The Collective Music and Media Group<\/p>\n
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Dear Committee<\/p>\n
My feelings are we may be damned if we do damned if we don’t. I think
\na good deal of the problem is just an anti union attitude throughout
\nmost big businesses. You lower the rate in an attempt to keep work from
\nleaving and business will still try to find a cheaper way to get the
\njob done. I don’t think that $15 an hour will ever be matched here. As
\nlong as there characters like Simon James ( an AFM member) and others
\nwilling to under cut every contract and line their own pockets, with
\nimmunity from the union, nothing matters. You can give away the store
\nand there will always be someone to give away more to get what scraps
\nare left. The industry can afford LA rates, they choose not to pay it.
\nSome is union busting , some is due to greed. Either way, giving up
\nmore will not address the real issue.<\/p>\n
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\nI would like to know who the members are on this committee, and if it
\nis in fact a group sanctioned by local 47 or just a group of
\n“concerned” musicians hiding under the guise of proposing “helpful”
\nsolutions. Please come out from the shadows and speak your mind freely.<\/p>\n
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\nMay 25th<\/p>\n
this is too weird
\ntoo many unsubstantiated facts
\ntoo many options
\nnot enough jobs
\nu want me…pay me
\nLA is the place to have a music career.
\nevery where else sucks
\njim sitterly<\/p>\n
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My question is –
\nIf the back end (secondary markets payments)is the
\nmain reason stuff is going out of town and non-union,
\naren’t there companies that take care of that part so
\nproduction companies can close their books? And if
\nthere are, how would our giving up our special
\npayments make any difference? Just asking.
\nI’m a union booster, but sometimes those boys need to
\nbe goaded into making the right decision.<\/p>\n
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A full time orchestra working 44 weeks a year, 61\/2 hours per day for a
\nmajor studio or investor (buyer). A maximum of 25 minutes of recorded music
\nper day. The buyer would enjoy the master sync rights of all music recorded
\n(a buyout).
\nMusic recorded could be for film, tv, phono, games, jingle etc…with no
\nre-use restrictions. On camera performance and live events would not be
\nincluded in this scale. The buyer would share a TBD percentage of any
\nprofit to musicians from resale of recording time to other production
\ncompanies outside of the buyers company..<\/p>\n
The orchestra would maintain a core group of 36 or more players at a set
\nwage of 75k per year.More than one double would be paid at an additional
\nTBD rate per day.TBD number of section leaders would be compensated by an
\nadditional 10k per year Additional players could be added at a TBD daily
\nscale. In addition; a librarian and music prep assistant would be employed
\nat the 75k rate per year. A conductor – music director would receive 130k
\nper year. The buyer would provide a contractor and\/or a business assistant.
\nThe core group could be recorded separately on the same piece of music, at
\nthe same time, in sections for purposes of isolation . The location of
\nrecordings would be at or near the same address. The core orchestra
\nmembership would remain the same and would only substitute for health or
\nfamily emergency as well as buyer exemption.<\/p>\n
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I got the email and as a young, busy composer, wholeheartedly agree that
\nthis trend must be reversed. I’d like to help out in any way possible to try
\nand keep work in LA while giving steady opportunities to the many talented
\nand underused musicians here. I have recorded in almost all of the places
\nyou have mentioned and would be happy to serve as a resource for info. There
\nis no reason that we shouldn’t be able to keep 80-90% of the live scores
\nhere in town. Please let me know who you are and what you need. Thank you.<\/p>\n
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\nWho put this together? I can respect the desire for anonymity, but they deserve praise. It’s pretty much all here.<\/p>\n
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The only way we stand a chance of keeping work in town is through the other unions. From inception up to the point just before scoring, every Hollywood film is made completely by union talent – Script writers, casting, set construction, lighting, camera crew, actors, and editing are all done under union contracts – until the music.<\/p>\n
Local 47 must put its’ entire effort into getting help from the other unions. They should be wined and dined, etc. whatever it takes (shamed and embarrassed!) into helping our situation. (Imagine if producers were told by the entertainment unions that no work would be performed on their film unless there was a guarantee that all aspects of the film (including music) had to be performed under union contracts.)<\/p>\n
All of our resources at Local 47 should be spent on soliciting their help. If we could make it known to these unions (and to the public) every time one of their so-called “union” productions is completed by non-union scab workers, eventually they may come to their senses and feel compassion, shame and embarrasement and rescue us the way unions have done for each other in the past.<\/p>\n
Getting the other unions to help is our only hope for survival, as musical versatility doesn’t matter. (Practically every film score recorded in the last 15 years sounds basically the same. Why, if this town is known for its versatility, does Sandy make it a priority to search for pure “classical” players. The concept of the true “studio musician” has been lost.)<\/p>\n
– Concerned<\/p>\n
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Thank you for including me on your list. Although my primary work was not in recording I have tried to keep up with issues in this multi-million dollar industry.
\nI think you are making a big mistake to say “No secondary markets”. In todays rapidly changing market as new technologies appears we must be very cautious and not repeat mistakes of the past. Soon cellphones will have movies as well as the ringtone market and a billion dollar market for games. In todays world one must be able to make money while one is asleep — (advice to me when I was a novice in the music business). The best advice I ever had.
\nIn todays “Wall Street Journal” (May 25, 2005) on page C1 read the article entitled “Weekend Box Office Is’nt The Ticket” byline Jesse Eisinger. I for one do not want to potentially lose a share in the “real” money by ceding secondary markets to a higher front end payment. The same issue , although somewhat different, is facing our symphony orchestras who are facing a real hiatus in the recording business and entering into (in my mind) a very difficult area for recording. We must be very cautious — and not sacrifice the long term for immediate benefits.
\nFraternally, Don Muggeridge Local 47<\/p>\n
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My solution would be the elimination of the union entirely, to be replaced by individual autonomy or by groups of interested parties in whatever context, e.g. orchestra player’s committees. I don’t want anyone restricting my ability to make my own decisions about work. I think the union today is corrupt, anachronistic and an obstacle to progress.<\/p>\n
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Hard to say much of anything since I make no money!!!<\/p>\n
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May 27th, 2005<\/p>\n
<< MOST working musicians in this town are alarmed at the drop in work and concerned for the future of playing in this city.\nWHAT IS NEW ABOUT THIS? THE PROBLEM HAS ALWAYS BEEN THIS\nWE--who is we-the greedy bastards who already take most of the work in LA???\nAre looking for ideas to improve to work situation in the city and the future for all players ALL PLAYERS????? DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH--\nSINCE WHEN HAS DAVID LOWE AND HIS ILK of PUSILLANIMOUS RATFINKS BEEN REMOTELY AT ALL CONCERNED FOR ALL PLAYERS???? HE IS ONLY CONCERNED ABOUT HIMSELF AND HIS LITTLE FIEFDOM WITH SANDY...he deserves to be taken down to size...\nI don't think for a second the RMA cares about ALL PLAYERS...the least of which is the RMA and their little band of sycophants.\n\n\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\n\n\n<< MOST working musicians in this town are alarmed at the drop in work and concerned for the future of playing in this city.\nWHAT IS NEW ABOUT THIS? THE PROBLEM HAS ALWAYS BEEN THIS\nWE--who is we-the greedy bastards who already take most of the work in LA???\nAre looking for ideas to improve to work situation in the city and the future for all players ALL PLAYERS????? DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH--\nSINCE WHEN HAS DAVID LOWE AND HIS ILK of PUSILLANIMOUS RATFINKS BEEN REMOTELY AT ALL CONCERNED FOR ALL PLAYERS???? HE IS ONLY CONCERNED ABOUT HIMSELF AND HIS LITTLE FIEFDOM WITH SANDY...he deserves to be taken down to size...\nI don't think for a second the RMA cares about ALL PLAYERS...the least of which is the RMA and their little band of sycophants.\n\n\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\n\nWho are you? Why do you hate the RMA? Who supports your organization? I\nkeep getting e-mails from you, Commresp47, and do not know exactly who you\nrepresent, or what your connection is with the recording industry I work in.\nMystified\n\n\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\n\nDear \"Committe,\"\nI was forwarded your recent e-mail listing the alternative buyout proposals by another Local 47 member. I found the analysis and proposals very interesting and useful for the discussions that, I agree, are much needed among all film recording musicians. My question is, what data base are you using for your mailings? I am probably one of many working members who am not receiving any of this and should be. \nI am also a member of the RMA, so I would hope that you are not avoiding the entire RMA membership. As you pointed out, there are many RMA members who are not among the \"elite\" as you describe, and are just as concerned about the future of the industry as anyone else. \nI would like to be included in any future mailing\/discussions on this issue.\n\n\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\n\n\nAfter earning a Degree and being on the Deans' List out of Berklee Coll. of Music, and immediately going on road w\/ Tommy Dorsey Orch. back in '79 and working enough to \"make it\" (w\/ Mel Torme, Bill Holman, Buddy Rich etc., etc. ) I basically threw in the Union towel about 6 years ago. At least on this day I have at last learned what I am. A \"Non Elite\". \n \n\n\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\n\nDear Committee for a responsible 47 please remove my name.\n\nI am a composer I live in LA and usually record here. Recently, I had\nto do budgets for a 60 piece orchestra. I chose to shop around. I\nchose to look at LA, Budapest, Prague, Phoenix, Utah and Seattle. I\nhave about $25,000 to spend as a music budget for recording - not\nincluding mixing, copyist, conductor, engineer, room, catering, cartage\nand whatever the heck else comes up.\n\nIn order to get the kind of sound I want, I need to do overdubs along\nwith sampler pre-records. The LA Union doesn't allow overdubs as far\nas I know unless you pay a fee. I need a buyout. The LA Union does\nnot offer a buyout.\nAll the other orchestras offer a buyout and overdubs at no charge. I\ncould hire a 40 pieces in Budapest with travel and all other costs (not\nincluding mixing, copiest, conductor, engineer, room, catering, cartage\nand whatever the heck else comes up. ) for $23,000 with overdubs and a\nbuyout leaving me $2,000 to mix as well as a short vacation in Hungary.\n (Seattle gave me a quote that was out of line, Prague still looks\ngood, Utah still hasn't got back to me, Phoenix is just a bit more that\nBudapest and LA wants about 50% more than anyone else + back end.)\n\nLook, I love the LA Musicians. I have been educated and know what the\noptions are. But I have to work with-in a budget and I refuse to go\nout of pocket like I have so many times in the past. I need to get\npaid too - I mean heck I am writing the music. Plus with the explosion\nof cable networks, the smaller networks and production companies doing\nstuff on a shoestring budget, samplers, reality TV using libraries of\nmainly synth recorded stuff and falling TV viewer-ship (Video Games,\nInternet and maybe just maybe people actually turning off the tube and\nhaving a life) it is no wonder that budgets have fallen.\n\nComposers have no union, we are mercenaries and therefore we get\nsqueezed. We want to score projects and some we are even willing to do\nfor free if it has a chance of either training us or being good for our\nreel. This lowers our value in the eyes of our prospective employers\neven though they can't really pay us and it lowers the amount of\nmusicians we can hire.\n\nFor the A-List Composers there will always be the A-List\nDirectors\/Producers who are willing to pay for quality. There may\nalways be the golden 150 players in town that get the choice gigs, but\nthen again many of those gigs are going to the LSO. For those of us\nwho are trying to get to A-list land: Directors, Producers, Composers\nand the like, we have to claw our way up. Even the big studios, TV\nProduction companies and ad agencies are seeing their revenues decline.\n And you know how crap rolls downhill.\n\nWe are now in the midst of taking a look at the big picture of\neconomics 101 and seeing supply and demand in action. Technology has\nbecome cheaper, it continues to evolve making many live music\napplications unnecessary. We used to hire large ensembles, now we do\npre-records with a small group of live musicians. In the Future it\nmight be 1 or 2 musicians for overdubs. Theaters are running off of\nCD's of sequenced music, because it is cheaper to do that than hire a\nmusic director and an orchestra. The current generation has seen more\nDJ's then live musicians and that plays a huge part. My grandfather\nkept complaining back in the late 80's how all the music those days was\ncomputer generated and I asked him when was the last time you went out\nto see a live performance? It dawned on him then that live music\nvenues were scarce and that he wasn't supporting the ones that were\nleft.\n\nTechnology has made it such that you can be a composer just about\nanywhere, as long as you can gain the trust of the director\/producer\nand fly out to record if you need to. We live in a global economy. \nThe playing field is leveling. And as Charles Darwin pointed out -\nlife is a game of Survival of the Fittest. Sooner or later the shake\ndown will happen if it hasn't already. Will you adapt or not? There\nare others who are adapting and those are the ones who will get the\nwork.\nConsumers are demanding cheap prices across the board. Look at\nWal-Mart.\nConsumers in our profession are called Producers (The ones that pay the\nbills).\nThey are demanding we create with smaller and smaller budgets. If I\ncan go somewhere and get what I need without the hassle, why should I\nstay?\nMy most recent producer looked me in the eye straight faced and asked\n\"What is really the point of paying more money to get the same\nproduct?\" And at Wal-Mart if you can get what you want without having\nto pay more, why should you?\n\n\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\n\nA good read & I will read it.\n\n\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\n\nMay 29th\n\nYou are performing an excellent and important role. Whether we agree on all issues is not the issue; the issue is free and open communication and exchange of ideas.\n \nBRAVO!!! You are to be congratulated.\n \n\n\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\n\n\nThank you for the several newsletter communications you have sent to me\nat another e-mail address. They have been read with great interest.\n\nOne fact (speaking of elephants?) that does not seem to get much\nattention is this: The RMA was formed with the help and encouragement of Sandy to give her a major voice in the union. She made it her policy at the very beginning to hire only RMA members. This should never have been tolerated by the union. In fact, Sandy should never have been allowed membership in the musician's union at all. She was never a musician and has made her fortune as a contractor which is function of management. She is, and always has been, a member of management, not a working musician. According to rumor, she has always\nhad an exclusive agreement with the Ghorfane\/Swartz agency that gave her a monopoly on her contracting services which was made outside of the union. Such an agreement should never have been tolerated by the union. \n\nShe should have been expelled then, and she should be expelled from the union now. Allowing her (and her RMA people) to stay and influence union policy with regard to buyouts, and other creative\nefforts to make LA a viable working environment for musicians again should not be tolerated. The situation will not improve until this step is taken.\n\nSincerely,\n\n\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\n\n\nAs a member of Lo. 47 and Lo. 369, I can see that the film industry is going\nthrough what the live work in Vegas went through 15 years ago. Even though\nthe musicians in Vegas went on strike for 8 months to support live music, in\nthe end, over 300 lost their gigs permantly to technology (recorded music)\nand the rest of the musicians that worked celebrity rooms went back to work.\n Eventually most of the remaining musicians that survived, lost that work\nalso. In Vegas, it's down to Circus gigs with 6 live musicians with backing\ntapes to lounge gigs, mostly non-union. Occasional celebrity gigs with\nunion benifits, and a few broadway type gigs and some industrial shows. But\nfor the most part, the musician union work force in Vegas is a shadow of\nwhat it once was. ( In the early 70's, the working Vegas musicians, those\nworking full time with families and bills to pay, were over 1,200. Today,\nmusicians supporting themselves with gigs only, are well under 100.)\n\nAlthough I am not a musician working in film, I know a lot of musicians that\ndo, and they are admitting that the hey-day is over. It's going to take\nsomeone with the balls to look these musicians in the eye and tell them they\nif they don't change the work rules, it will only get worse. No one likes\nchange, especially the older cats that have made a nice living in film. \nIt's the young ones that need the guidance to understand that the change is\nnecessary to survival of the union. If you (musicians union) don't change\nwith the times, you will lose these musicians to non-union work. May not\nhappen now, but down the line these young cats will be making choices that\nwill affect the union and all that you worked for.\n\nUnderstand what happened to the Vegas cats, bottom line is not only what\nthe employers understand, it's what you must understand. The future is with\nthe next generation of musicians. The old cats will reminise with war\nstories of the old days and the young cats will smile and know that was\nyesterday.\n\nIf you demonstrate that your are willing to change, the studios, producers,\ncomposers, and accounts will understand. Otherwise, status quo... death to\nanother union.\n\nYou've got some smart members that know the way. Find them, give them the\nchance to express themselves without fear, and get on with it. As for\nPresident Espinoza. be the leader they need, suffer the bullshit that will\nsurely come, and know that some day, when we are long gone from this world,\nyou did the right thing.\n\nAs far as the virtual orchestra instrument. You can't stop it. You may\nslow it down with bringing charges against theatre owners, but it will\nprevail.\n\nLook at it this way. The future is in the hands of people that want to try\neverything new that's under the sun. If you tell them they can't, you've\nmade an enemy. If you approach them with understanding that you realize\nthat they (composers, producers) are trying to survive by cutting costs, you\nwill gain an edge You go after these people with a hammer, you will lose in\nthe long run. I've looked at this from both sides and this thinking has\naffected me big time. You may enforce all the rules and make the heavy\nmoney now, but I assure you, the hip accountants see the costs and know how\nto cut. The more money they save their employers, the more they make.\n\nEverything the union has negotiated for with endless compromising is good. \nBut be flexable and know when a new instrument comes along, hip employers\nwant to remain hip. If it means putting guys out of work, so be it. Hard\ntruth to swallow. Very hard. Alternative.... none. Perhaps things will\nchange in the future where more new instruments will come along and employe\nmore musicians. Who the f--- knows. You may prolong the inevitable, you\nmay save some gigs, and the members will thank you for saving their gigs...\nbut you can't stop change.\n\nAs far as the \"Elite\" cats that get all the money gigs, more power to them. \nGod knows what they had to go through to get those gigs, let alone to keep\nthem.\n\n\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\n\nAs a member of Lo. 47 and Lo. 369, I can see that the film industry is going\nthrough what the live work in Vegas went through 15 years ago. Even though\nthe musicians in Vegas went on strike for 8 months to support live music, in\nthe end, over 300 lost their gigs permantly to technology (recorded music)\nand the rest of the musicians that worked celebrity rooms went back to work.\n Eventually most of the remaining musicians that survived, lost that work\nalso. In Vegas, it's down to Circus gigs with 6 live musicians with backing\ntapes to lounge gigs, mostly non-union. Occasional celebrity gigs with\nunion benifits, and a few broadway type gigs and some industrial shows. But\nfor the most part, the musician union work force in Vegas is a shadow of\nwhat it once was. ( In the early 70's, the working Vegas musicians, those\nworking full time with families and bills to pay, were over 1,200. Today,\nmusicians supporting themselves with gigs only, are well under 100.)\n\nAlthough I am not a musician working in film, I know a lot of musicians that\ndo, and they are admitting that the hey-day is over. It's going to take\nsomeone with the balls to look these musicians in the eye and tell them they\nif they don't change the work rules, it will only get worse. No one likes\nchange, especially the older cats that have made a nice living in film. \nIt's the young ones that need the guidance to understand that the change is\nnecessary to survival of the union. If you (musicians union) don't change\nwith the times, you will lose these musicians to non-union work. May not\nhappen now, but down the line these young cats will be making choices that\nwill affect the union and all that you worked for.\n\nUnderstand what happened to the Vegas cats, bottom line is not only what\nthe employers understand, it's what you must understand. The future is with\nthe next generation of musicians. The old cats will reminise with war\nstories of the old days and the young cats will smile and know that was\nyesterday.\n\nIf you demonstrate that your are willing to change, the studios, producers,\ncomposers, and accounts will understand. Otherwise, status quo... death to\nanother union.\n\nYou've got some smart members that know the way. Find them, give them the\nchance to express themselves without fear, and get on with it. As for\nPresident Espinoza. be the leader they need, suffer the bullshit that will\nsurely come, and know that some day, when we are long gone from this world,\nyou did the right thing.\n\nAs far as the virtual orchestra instrument. You can't stop it. You may\nslow it down with bringing charges against theatre owners, but it will\nprevail.\n\nLook at it this way. The future is in the hands of people that want to try\neverything new that's under the sun. If you tell them they can't, you've\nmade an enemy. If you approach them with understanding that you realize\nthat they (composers, producers) are trying to survive by cutting costs, you\nwill gain an edge You go after these people with a hammer, you will lose in\nthe long run. I've looked at this from both sides and this thinking has\naffected me big time. You may enforce all the rules and make the heavy\nmoney now, but I assure you, the hip accountants see the costs and know how\nto cut. The more money they save their employers, the more they make.\n\nEverything the union has negotiated for with endless compromising is good. \nBut be flexable and know when a new instrument comes along, hip employers\nwant to remain hip. If it means putting guys out of work, so be it. Hard\ntruth to swallow. Very hard. Alternative.... none. Perhaps things will\nchange in the future where more new instruments will come along and employe\nmore musicians. Who the f--- knows. You may prolong the inevitable, you\nmay save some gigs, and the members will thank you for saving their gigs...\nbut you can't stop change.\n\nAs far as the \"Elite\" cats that get all the money gigs, more power to them. \nGod knows what they had to go through to get those gigs, let alone to keep\nthem.\n\n\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\n\nWhile I applaud the public forum and discussion of issues that effect us\nall, there is something fishy about the secrecy of it all.\n\nWho is this so-called 'committee'? It is a committee of one?\n\nI find it interesting that you advocate pro-business(yours?) positions,\nrather that pro-labor positions.\n\nEvery major publication that I know of requires personal identification\nbefore publishing letters or postings.\n\nAnd while postings are \"anonymous\" to all of us, YOU know the identity of\neveryone. This is unfair and damages the credibility of all postings. And it\ndoesn't pass the smell test.\n\nI would like to see this forum continue out in the open, with the\nCommittee's identities revealed as well as the posters'.\n\n\n\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\n\n\nI've finished reading all the comments from the last two emails and there are some pissed off and paranoid people out there. Scarcity brings out the worst in people. It's a complex problem. I've always been fond of saying we should make friends with technology. Some people (producers, composers, musicians) will still want the human touch no matter how good a sample gets...a computer can never sample the serendipity of a happy accident, a lucky mistake made by a human. Good producers and good musicians know and recognize that. I can't tell you how many young, upstart, slick-with-their-gear composers\/songwriters\/producers and\/or kids, who know their way inside and out of protools and logic who become absolutely giddy when I break out my instrument and play a real live sound produced by a human. That desire will never go away. Technology has just found a way to do it faster and with fewer people. Of course, Prague has found a way to give that human touch we all love so much for even cheaper. I've been to Prague to record and while it's not the same as doing it in LA, it's definitely faster (minus the flight time with connections & delays), cheaper and less red tape. As others have pointed out, I'm not sure that we'll ever be able to compete with their rates. But why don't we eliminate some of the red tape? I think that's one of the things the buyout proposal is trying to achieve.\n\nObviously, the industry as we know it in LA has to be completely reinvented. We have to be able to offer something different to producers and composers and people in charge of making the decisions where something gets recorded. We should capitalize on the fact that we're in close proximity to a creative vortex in filmmaking, record producing, and TV-land and that we have many wonderful studios in which to record. That is something Prague or Budapest or Belfast can't offer...location. We should try to become partners and allies with each other, with the organized groups that already exist and even with technology, instead of fighting against \"them\" and ourselves. So much fear and paranoia; it doesn't get any of us anywhere. Unfortunately, big business doesn't care too much about quality or risk-taking (aka, making something interesting or artistic). If you saw Supersize Me, you'll know what a fast-food nation we are and that goes for music too. \"Change or die,\" said the dinosaur with one foot in the grave.\n\n\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\u00ba\n\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
To whom it may concern In case you\u2019ve not heard of us before, The Committee for a More Responsible 47 is a group of Local 47 members. Players, Composers, Arrangers, Copyists who are concerned about the run away film recording work and the generally dismal performance of our Local to look out for the interests […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-100","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-committee-newsletters"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.responsible47.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.responsible47.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.responsible47.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.responsible47.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.responsible47.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=100"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.responsible47.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.responsible47.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=100"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.responsible47.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=100"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.responsible47.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=100"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}