Greetings 47 COLLEAGUES,<\/p>\n
It’s been a while since we have sent out general comments
\nfrom the members. We’ve received several comments concerning
\nthe letter from the secretary-treasurer Serena, but we will save
\nthose until the final comments come in.<\/p>\n
Also, in the next few days we will give you a short report on the
\ncaucuses before the negotiations this past week. You should
\nfind it interesting as much for the denial going on as for the
\ncaucuses themselves.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
As always, your comments are welcome, encouraged and
\nconfidential.<\/p>\n
BELOW YOU WILL FIND RECENTLY sent comments from the
\nlast couple of weeks. Interesting to be sure!<\/p>\n
———————————<\/p>\n
Who are you? Why do you hate the RMA? Who supports your
\norganization? I keep getting e-mails from you, Commresp47,
\nand do not know exactly who you represent, or what your
\nconnection is with the recording industry I work in.
\nMystified<\/p>\n
(Editor’s Note: Once more…. We do NOT represent the RMA,
\nwe are a group of members concerned with the locals future.
\nAs for Hating the RMA? Nonsense,… many of the committee
\nmembers are member of the RMA.<\/p>\n
What we detest is a monopoly that has through it’s actions
\nand it’s support of others policies given impitous to the work
\nleaving our city. Almost without exceptions, monopolies are bad
\nand without competition a healthy work environment is
\nimpossible.)<\/p>\n
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As a member of Lo. 47 and Lo. 369, I can see that the film
\nindustry is going through what the live work in Vegas went
\nthrough 15 years ago. Even though the musicians in Vegas went
\non strike for 8 months to support live music, in the end, over
\n300 lost their gigs permantly to technology (recorded music)
\nand the rest of the musicians that worked celebrity rooms went
\nback to work.<\/p>\n
Eventually most of the remaining musicians that survived, lost
\nthat work also. In Vegas, it’s down to Circus gigs with 6 live
\nmusicians with backing tapes to lounge gigs, mostly non-union.
\n Occasional celebrity gigs with union benefits, and a few
\nBroadway type gigs and some industrial shows. But for the most
\npart, the musician union work force in Vegas is a shadow of what
\nit once was. ( In the early 70’s, the working Vegas musicians,
\nthose working full time with families and bills to pay, were over
\n1,200. Today, musicians supporting themselves with gigs only,
\nare well under 100.)<\/p>\n
(EDITOR’S NOTE: These number relationships sound familiar?
\nThey should.)<\/p>\n
Although I am not a musician working in film, I know a lot of
\nmusicians that do, and they are admitting that the hey-day
\nis over. It’s going to take someone with the balls to look these
\nmusicians in the eye and tell them they if they don’t change the
\nwork rules, it will only get worse. No one likes change, especially
\nthe older cats that have made a nice living in film. <\/p>\n
It’s the young ones that need the guidance to understand that
\nthe change is necessary to survival of the union. If you
\n(musicians union) don’t change with the times, you will lose
\nthese 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.<\/p>\n
Understand what happened to the Vegas cats, bottom line is not only what
\nthe employers understand, it’s what you must understand.
\nThe future is with the next generation of musicians. The old cats
\nwill reminise with war stories of the old days and the young
\ncats will smile and know that was yesterday.<\/p>\n
If you demonstrate that your are willing to change, the studios,
\nproducers, composers, and accounts will understand.
\nOtherwise, status quo… death to another union.<\/p>\n
You’ve got some smart members that know the way. Find them,
\ngive them the chance to express themselves without fear,
\nand get on with it. As for President Espinoza. be the leader
\nthey need, suffer the bullshit that will surely come, and know
\nthat some day, when we are long gone from this world,
\nyou did the right thing.<\/p>\n
As far as the virtual orchestra instrument. You can’t stop it. You
\nmay slow it down with bringing charges against theatre
\nowners, but it will prevail.<\/p>\n
Look at it this way. The future is in the hands of people that
\nwant to try everything new that’s under the sun. If you tell
\nthem they can’t, you’ve made an enemy. If you approach them
\nwith understanding that you realize that they (composers,
\nproducers) are trying to survive by cutting costs, you will gain
\nan edge You go after these people with a hammer, you will lose
\nin the long run. I’ve looked at this from both sides and this
\nthinking has affected me big time. You may enforce all the
\nrules and make the heavy money now, but I assure you, the
\nhip accountants see the costs and know how to cut. The more
\nmoney they save their employers, the more they make.<\/p>\n
Everything the union has negotiated for with endless
\ncompromising is good. But be flexible and know when a new
\ninstrument comes along, hip employers want to remain hip.
\nIf it means putting guys out of work, so be it. Hard truth to
\nswallow. Very hard. Alternative…. none. Perhaps things will
\nchange in the future where more new instruments will
\ncome along and employ more musicians. Who the f— knows.
\nYou may prolong the inevitable, you may save some gigs,
\nand the members will thank you for saving their gigs…but you
\ncan’t stop change.<\/p>\n
As far as the “Elite” cats that get all the money gigs,
\nmore power to them. God knows what they had to go
\nthrough to get those gigs, let alone to keep them.<\/p>\n
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I have been reading your emails with interest. One issue that
\nI haven’t seen discussed is: what exactly is the justification for
\npaying musicians back-end for motion pictures in the first place?
\nI can understand why actors, writers, cinematographers, editors
\nand even composers (and sometimes orchestrators) should be
\nentitled to get a piece of the pie when a film is profitable,
\nbecause of their creative contributions; but aren’t the
\n“creative contributions” of *most* studio musicians (who merely
\nshow up to recording sessions and accurately play what’s
\non the music stand) in the same league with other film
\nproduction professionals who receive no back-end,
\nsuch as riggers, grips and audio techs?<\/p>\n
Now, when I say *most* musicians, I don’t mean to include
\nthose who actually *do* make a creative contribution to a film
\n(such as Wayne Bergeron’s trumpet playing in “The Incredibles”).
\n(EDITOR’S NOTE: IN THE CASE OF COMPLIMENTS WE THINK
\nNAMING NAMES IS FINE,… ESPECAILLY IN WAYNE’S CASE!)
\nBut wouldn’t it make sense if only those special players who
\nactually creatively contribute to the score of a film get some
\nkind of perpetual back-end payment, while all of the
\nanonymous lower-stand violin players, etc., get a buyout?<\/p>\n
(EDITORS NOTE: Now THERE IS A BRAVE PERSON! They are
\nobviously not a second stand violin player)<\/p>\n
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While I applaud the public forum and discussion of issues
\n that effect us all, there is something fishy about the secrecy
\nof it all.<\/p>\n
Who is this so-called ‘committee’? It is a committee of one?
\n(EDITOR’S NOTE: SEE ABOVE)<\/p>\n
I find it interesting that you advocate pro-business
\n(yours?) positions, rather that pro-labor positions.<\/p>\n
(EDITOR’S NOTE: To use a forum to promote the business
\nof the committee members we would have to CHARGE for the
\nbusiness of sending these bulletins out, which we do not.)<\/p>\n
Every major publication that I know of requires personal
\nidentification before publishing letters or postings.
\n(EDITOR’S NOTE: Thank you for the compliment.)<\/p>\n
And while postings are “anonymous” to all of us, YOU know
\nthe identity of everyone. This is unfair and damages the
\ncredibility of all postings. And it doesn’t pass the smell test.<\/p>\n
(EDITOR’S NOTE: We consider it a great honor and compliment
\nthat the posters trust us enough to say the things they do and
\nto know we will protect their identities. That
\nis a trust we will never betray.)<\/p>\n
I would like to see this forum continue out in the open, with the
\nCommittee’s identities revealed as well as the posters’. <\/p>\n
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Hello<\/p>\n
Thanks for your response, however defensive. No, I am not from
\nthe RMA, your enemy, (EDITOR’S NOTE: SEE ABOVE)
\nand do not have any ax to grind, or targets to hit. And, yes,
\nI would like to continue to participate in this forum. I think that
\nthe free exchange of ideas is a good idea, even if I am
\nuncomfortable with the secrecy. <\/p>\n
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I’ve finished reading all the comments from the last two emails
\nand there are some pissed off and paranoid people out there. <\/p>\n
Scarcity brings out the worst in people. It’s a complex problem.
\nI’ve always been fond of saying we should make friends with
\ntechnology. Some people (producers, composers, musicians)
\nwill still want the human touch no matter how good a sample
\ngets…a computer can never sample the serendipity of a happy
\naccident, a lucky mistake made by a human. <\/p>\n
Good producers and good musicians know and recognize that.
\nI can’t tell you how many young, upstart, slick-with-their-gear
\ncomposers\/songwriters\/producers and\/or kids, who know their
\nway inside and out of protools and logic who become absolutely
\ngiddy when I break out my instrument and play a real live sound
\nproduced by a human. That desire will never go away. Technology
\n has just found a way to do it faster and with fewer people. Of
\ncourse, Prague has found a way to give that human touch
\nwe all love so much for even cheaper. I’ve been to Prague to
\nrecord and while it’s not the same as doing it in LA, it’s definitely
\nfaster (minus the flight time with connections & delays), cheaper
\nand less red tape. As others have pointed out, I’m not sure that
\nwe’ll ever be able to compete with their rates. But why don’t we
\neliminate some of the red tape? I think that’s one of the things
\nthe buyout proposal is trying to achieve.<\/p>\n
Obviously, the industry as we know it in LA has to be completely
\nreinvented. We have to be able to offer something different to
\nproducers and composers and people in charge of making the
\ndecisions where something gets recorded. We should capitalize
\non the fact that we’re in close proximity to a creative vortex
\nin filmmaking, record producing, and TV-land and that we
\n have many wonderful studios in which to record. That is
\nsomething Prague or Budapest or Belfast can’t offer…location. <\/p>\n
We should try to become partners and allies with each other,
\nwith the organized groups that already exist and even with
\ntechnology, instead of fighting against “them” and ourselves.
\nSo much fear and paranoia; it doesn’t get any of us anywhere.
\nUnfortunately, big business doesn’t care too much about quality
\nor risk-taking (aka, making something interesting or artistic).
\nIf you saw Supersize Me, you’ll know what a fast-food nation
\nwe are and that goes for music too. “Change or die,” said the
\ndinosaur with one foot in the grave.<\/p>\n
(EDITOR’S NOTE: BRAVO!)<\/p>\n
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The last few sets of comments have contained many complaints,
\nbut not many solutions. One person, however, did suggest
\ncombining forces with other strong entertainment unions
\nsuch as the Screen Actors Guild and the Directors Guild.
\nThis is, in my opinion, one of our best chances to secure
\nwork in LA. Could the big movie houses really produce a great
\nmovie without LA talent acting and directing their features? <\/p>\n
As musicians we tend to forget other business models could
\nactually work for our industry as well. Unions who combine
\nforces gain numbers strength and bargaining power, all of
\nwhich we need to secure more work for LA players. <\/p>\n
I’m actually surprised these alliances have not been made before
\nnow.<\/p>\n
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(Today’s prize for most colorful e-mail goes to:)<\/p>\n
To run a smear campaign against the ‘elite 150’ as you so
\npoutingly put it, and to use your obvious and short sighted
\nlack of experience to anonymously say things that will
\nultimately bring ruin upon the LA scoring Scene, is a travesty
\nbeyond comprehension. It also is done, I am of the
\nopinion, at the behest of Tom Lee.<\/p>\n
(EDITOR’S NOTE: How much more RUINED can it get? )<\/p>\n
A couple of points:<\/p>\n
1. There is nothing more cowardly, or terroristic, if you will,
\nas committing atrocities, be they verbal or explosive, behind the
\nhumiliating and weak veil of anonymity.<\/p>\n
2. If you had any idea how seriously and completely you were
\nplaying into the hand of a man whose only goal is to divide,
\nand then conquer the RMA, you would cease and desist
\nimmediately.<\/p>\n
3. You are in effect acting as terrorists, blowing yourselves up in
\na misguided, uneducated and inexperienced attempt to gain
\nemployment by throwing verbal bombs at those whose success you
\nresent. If you think more work will come because you devalue
\nyourselves you are sorely mistaken.<\/p>\n
4. I urge you to cease this non-sense immediately. Take a good
\nlook at yourselves, at what you are doing. Understand that you
\nare being played, seriously played by people whose interests are
\ncontrary to yours.<\/p>\n
5. You ask the union to act responsibly when you, yourselves
\nare acting in a most irresponsible way.<\/p>\n
Notice, if you will, that I have responded to you in my own name.
\nI believe in this business as it is. I worked extremely hard to
\nachieve what I have, to have built a successful business. I did not
\nput anyone down to get here. I, like the rest of the ‘elite 150’
\ndid it with ability, hard work, and diligence. You might go back
\nand read that again. Ability, hard work, and diligence.<\/p>\n
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Here is the COMMITTEE’S FULL REPLY to this
\ne-mail:<\/p>\n
Thank you for writing *********,<\/p>\n
No,.. Tom Lee as NOTHING to do with this committee. And we’ve
\nreceived a number of letters in a similar vein as yours, though
\nfew are so vivid. Before you talk about TERRORISTS try to
\nimagine anyone who’s DARED to speak up against the Monopoly
\nthat is LA recording and found themselves shut out, their
\nrecording career at an end,.. for speaking the truth.<\/p>\n
And *******,… what might you say on the day you may say
\nsomething wrong, or God forbid you find yourself replaced by
\nsomeone younger or prettier? You may still want to work in the
\nrecording area but find there’s only ONE MAIN HOUSE. Will you
\nthen say, “Wow, I guess monopolies ARE a bad thing! What will
\nyou say then? EVERYONE and we mean EVERYONE in this union
\nknows that the letters printed here speak the truth for the most
\npart. Where we know that something is wrong we will point it out. EVEN IN THE RMA’S FAVOR. Can you deny the Monopoly?,… can you deny the loss of work the business practices of those elite contractors have brought to this town?<\/p>\n
We suggest you do some research and find out what GOOD
\nyour Patrons and RMA administration have done for the work
\nin town as opposed to the bad.<\/p>\n
By the way,… We do NOT write the letters you see,
\nMEMBERS in GOOD STANDING do. Are you saying you and your
\nclick wouldn’t go after them for daring to speak up? Are you
\nsaying you wouldn’t do your best to make sure THEY didn’t get
\non the same gig with you? You might be surprised by WHO has
\nbeen writing these letters, and many, many of them have more
\nexperience in the business than most in the elite 150.<\/p>\n
If this is a case where if you’re fine it doesn’t matter what happens
\nto anyone else, then so be it. There are hundreds of wonderful
\nplayers in town, FAR more A list player than those who call
\nthemselves such. They deserve a chance too, and we cannot
\ncontinue to sit still as the world moves on.<\/p>\n
Thank you for writing. Your letter IN IT’S ENTIRETY
\nwill be included in the next comment roundup,…
\nwithout your name of course. We respect YOUR privacy as much
\nas anyone’s. FYI.<\/p>\n
The Committee for a More Responsible Local 47.<\/p>\n
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Do I know you specifically? What are your names?<\/p>\n
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Sigh! oh well…..)<\/p>\n
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I wish I could make it this weekend..(Refereig to the call for
\nmember’s to attend the caucuses.) Youre doing great work..
\nLet me know how I can help.<\/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<\/p>\n
How ridiculous is it to have someone outside of the recording
\nindustry playing a part in negotiating recording agreements.<\/p>\n
(EDITOR’S NOTE: OUR REPLY: Thank you for writing
\nNot ALL Agreement are RECORDING Agreements. BTB however,
\nHow rediculous is it to have ONLY RMA PEOPLE, in fact,
\nonly ONE RMA person, representing THEATER, ORCHESTRAL,
\nCLUB and CHAMBER MUSICIANS?
\nTo have the SAME PERSON representing the RMA and the
\nRANK AND FILE MUSICIANS of LOCAL 47 is a stupendous
\nconflict of interest.<\/p>\n
THE COMMITTEE FOR A MORE RESPONSIBLE LOCAL 47)<\/p>\n
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Thank you! Is this a free service to all local 47 members?
\nPlease let me know.<\/p>\n
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Absolutely! And send us your concert
\nannouncements as well!)<\/p>\n
THAT\u2019S IT FOR NOW, FELLOW LOCAL 47 MEMBERS. PLEASE
\nKEEP READING AND TAKE PART WHEN YOU CAN!<\/p>\n
THE COMMITTEE FOR A MORE RESPONSIBLE LOCAL 47.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Greetings 47 COLLEAGUES, It’s been a while since we have sent out general comments from the members. We’ve received several comments concerning the letter from the secretary-treasurer Serena, but we will save those until the final comments come in. Also, in the next few days we will give you a short report on the caucuses […]<\/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-84","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\/84","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=84"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.responsible47.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.responsible47.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=84"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.responsible47.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=84"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.responsible47.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=84"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}