INTRODUCTION/RMA-SF BUYOUT PROPOSAL

To whom it may concern

In case you’ve 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’ve been getting.

The membership is pretty well fed up here and it’s time for change.

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’re doing out here!

Thanks,

The Committee for a More Responsible Local 47

Greetings Local 47 Colleagues,

We recently sent you a buyout proposal from RMASF. As we pointed
out, the INTERNATIONAL RMA and RMALA dismissed it in
less that two hours.

Below is a study from one of your Local 47 CONTRACTOR/PERFORMER
colleagues who has spent a great deal of time researching the
business of scoring as it stands today, followed by an alternative
BUYOUT proposal.

Please read these carefully and give us and Local 47 feedback.
Let them know that we’re all talking and expect them to do their
jobs. For the future of our city for those besides the elite few,
we all need to get involved.

It a bit of a read, but it’s well worth the time.

Thanks

The Committee for a More Responsible Local 47

RUNAWAY SCORING STUDY

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

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

The turn around time for episodic TV and Jingles is
very short, which does not lend itself to scoring outside of LA,
therefore most is done here, with or without live players.
The turnaround factor is key in determining if a score for a
production is even able to go out of town. Features, TV Movies,
Cable Movies, Documentaries, and Records tend to all have
longer turn around times, therefore it can be easily planned
to score these out of town in advance.

The Internet and Digital Technology have made it possible
to record anywhere in the world now. Got a laptop or hard
drive with PRO TOOLS? – you can come back with an entire
score stored on it.

The Quality of players around the globe is not an issue anymore –
great players are everywhere and getting better each time
they play a scoring date. Although maybe not the case with
Commercial music scoring – i.e.: Jazz, R & B, Pop – LA’s still the
place for crossover music.

The Movie Producers and movie studios are not so concerned
with quality – the bottom line is money. The argument that LA
is the best place to score doesn’t hold water anymore.

The major motion picture studios sign collective bargaining
agreements with the AFM and enjoy non – AFM jobs out of
town without any retribution from the AFM. The buck is not
stopping on any AFM officer’s desk when a major studio decides
to score out of town.

The newer film companies and producers are not concerned
with the way contracts used to be. These are “new” business
people with options other than the AFM to get scores recorded.
They are only utilizing the simple business principles of supply
and demand.

The quality of recording facilities around the globe is state
of the art.

These Orchestras around the globe are now very
aggressively competing for scoring jobs.

Some of these orchestras are working for the same front-end
wages as us without benefits and without residuals for most
of the recording platforms – except for Eastern Europe,
which is typically around 15 dollars per hour per player without
benefits and without residuals.

The Secondary Markets Special Payment fund was created in the
60’s when today’s technology did not exit – the only place to
score was in LA – times have changed and we have not changed
with them. We no longer control the monopoly on scoring
sessions – period.

Ignoring global competition can be likened to an Ostrich putting
it’s head in the sand – competition is just business and
choosing to ignore what’s happening around the globe is
absurd.

There are many more musicians that are NOT part of the
“recording elite” that are excluded from recording sessions
because of sheer LACK of volume of recording work today.
These “non-elite” musicians in LA are ready to go to work now.
Although, they are all very fearful to speak up because of
possible blacklisting by the “recording elite”. The few “elite”
sessions that are left seem to be enough to support the “elite”
and therefore protection of these sessions from others and of
course protection of their residuals is at the top on their list.

THIS IS A BIG DEAL BREAKER: Many composer deals today are
“PACKAGE DEALS”. In Translation – “here is your money for
all in to score this movie” – and most times at the insistence
of the production company the composer is told absolutely
“NO MUSICIANS UNION”!

Many productions are originally slated to be non-union from
the beginning because of fears of back end residuals.
These productions would stand a chance of becoming union
if producers had another option in place that they knew about.
Granted, we argue residuals are small, to some producers any
residual is a deal breaker for the musicians for scoring. They
are choosing to do business that way.

All of the Composers that have scored out of town
have had a job to do – deliver music. They are work for hire
employees and do what their employers ask them to do.
Times have changed and employers dictate the marketplace,
not employees. The marketplace is the benchmark for what is
happening. The marketplace is telling us what to do very plainly.

If the competition around the globe is offering a comparable
quality product or service at the same price or lower without
residuals, holding firm to existing AFM agreements with hopes
of producers and composers choosing to stay here in order to
support LA musicians is just not going to happen.

The RMA has been very instrumental in new recording platforms
and efforts for new work opportunities. BUT, if the RMA is the
police “watch dog” for the recording arena within the AFM,
then on their watch, for well over the last ten years, we have
witnessed the flight of work out of town with great losses to
all within the AFM. The AFM is supposed to work for the whole
body – not just a small special interest group. Only about 20-25%
of the RMA membership works consistently in those
“elite” sessions, therefore 80-75% of the RMA members are left out
in the cold as well.

This study is in no way an attempt to divide the recording
musicians and pit them against each other. It is supposed to
engage talks within all of the recording music community
to arrive at solutions that will bring back the work with
every possible recording musician in mind, not just RMA “elite”
members.

WEBSITES THAT ARE RELATED TO THIS WHOLE ISSUE

http://www.simonjamesmusic.com SEATTLE Contractor

http://www.seattlemusic.com another SEATTLE Contractor
David Sabee

http://www.pragueorchestras.com/ TADLOW MUSIC –
James Fitzpatrick – books 4 orchestras

http://www.sinfonia-of-london.com/self explanatory
Peter Willison

http://www.lmo.co.uk/LONDON METROPOLITAN ORCHESTRA
Andrew Brown

http://www.music4games.net/f_merregnon_prague.html
article from composer Andy Brick on scoring in Prague

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RUNAWAY SCORING EXPERIMENTAL RESCUE PLATFORMS – FILM, TV FILM & TV VIDEOTAPE

A beginning for talks and negotiations – not final – just ideas
that compete on a global level.

Not intended to replace current platforms –
in addition to existing current platforms.

To be voted on in secrecy from AFM members
that record in any of the below fields.

EPISODIC TV DONE IN LA THAT HAS SOUNDTRACK OR
DVD RELEASE – SAMES RULE APPLY FOR TV FILM BELOW –
EXCEPT – 50% of scale for each medium paid at time of
new-use – one time only.

OPTION 1 – MOVIES, TV MOVIES, CABLE MOVIES, DOCUMENTARIES

REGULAR FULL BUDGET PRODUCTIONS – above 29.5 Million
budget– maybe no limit

Maintain current wages and benefits for Motion Picture/TV Film
agreement – no increase

All Provisions stay the same except doubling:
global competitors are not charging doubling on other
instrument fees – doubling fees removed.

SOUNDTRACK ALBUMS – 25% of Sound Recording scale paid
UP FRONT as BUYOUT to release soundtrack

DVD OR NEW-USE – 25% of MP/TV Film scale paid up front as
BUYOUT to release DVD or ANY future new use.

NO SECONDARY MARKETS AFTER PROJECT COMPLETED

KEEP IN MIND: with AFM wages and roughly 20% benefits we
are still higher than any global price out there NOT INCLUDING
the above possible buy-out scenarios – which could prove to
be a deal breaker for producers.

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OPTION 1 – MOVIES, TV MOVIES, CABLE MOVIES, DOCUMENTARIES

REGULAR LOW BUDGET PRODUCTIONS – below 29.5 Million
budget– maybe no limit Maintain current wages and benefits
for Low Budget Motion Picture/TV Film agreement – no increase

All Provisions stay the same except doubling:
global competitors are not charging doubling on other
instrument fees – doubling fees removed.

SOUNDTRACK ALBUMS – 25% of Sound Recording scale paid UP
FRONT as BUYOUT to release soundtrack

DVD OR NEW-USE – 25% of MP/TV Film scale paid up front as
BUYOUT to release DVD or ANY future new use.

NO SECONDARY MARKETS AFTER PROJECT COMPLETED

KEEP IN MIND: with AFM wages and roughly 20% benefits we are
still higher than any global price out there NOT INCLUDING
the above possible buy-out scenarios – which could prove to
be a deal breaker for producers.

OPTION 2– MOVIES, TV MOVIES, CABLE MOVIES, DOCUMENTARIES

REGULAR FULL BUDGET PRODUCTIONS – above 29.5 Million
budget – maybe no limit

MATCH DIRECTLY WHAT LONDON IS OFFERING – THEY ARE OUR
“FULL BUDGET” COMPETITORS

100.00 per hour wages – 3 hour minimum

Maintain current benefits for Motion Picture/TV Film agreement –
no increase

All Provisions stay the same except doubling: global competitors
are not charging doubling on other instrument fees – doubling fees removed.

NO SECONDARY MARKETS AFTER PROJECT COMPLETED

KEEP IN MIND: with AFM wages and roughly 20% benefits we are
still higher than any global price out there.

OPTION 2– MOVIES, TV MOVIES, CABLE MOVIES, DOCUMENTARIES

REGULAR LOW BUDGET PRODUCTIONS – below 29.5 Million
budgets– maybe no limit

MATCH DIRECTLY WHAT SEATTLE IS OFFERING – THEY ARE OUR
“LOW BUDGET” COMPETITORS

60.00 per hour wages – 3 hour minimum

Maintain current benefits for Motion Picture/TV Film agreement –
no increase

All Provisions stay the same except doubling: global competitors
are not charging doubling on other instrument fees –
doubling fees removed.

NO SECONDARY MARKETS AFTER PROJECT COMPLETED

KEEP IN MIND: with AFM wages and roughly 20% benefits we are
still higher than any global price out there.

OPTION 2– MOVIES, TV MOVIES, CABLE MOVIES, DOCUMENTARIES

ULTRA LOW BUDGET PRODUCTIONS – below 15 Million budgets –
maybe no limit

EASTERN EUROPE ARE OUR ULTRA LOW BUDGET COMPETITORS

40.00 per hour wages – 3 hour minimum

Maintain current benefits for Motion Picture/TV Film agreement –
no increase

All Provisions stay the same except doubling: global competitors
are not charging doubling on other instrument fees –
doubling fees removed.

NO SECONDARY MARKETS AFTER PROJECT COMPLETED

KEEP IN MIND: with these wages and roughly 20% benefits we
are still higher than any Eastern Europe global price out there.

THESE LOW BUDGET AND ULTRA LOW BUDGET ARENAS ARE
NOT INTENDED FOR THE RECORDING ELITE TO BE FORCED TO
COMPLY WITH. IF THEY CHOOSE NOT TO TAKE THE EMPLOYMENT
OPPORTUNITIES THEN MAKE WAY FOR THE NEXT LEVEL OF
PLAYERS.

RUNAWAY SCORING EXPERIMENTAL RESCUE PLATFORMS –
SOUND RECORDING

Not intended to replace current platforms –
in addition to existing current platforms

OPTION 1

REGULAR FULL BUDGET PHONO PRODUCTIONS

Maintain current wages and benefits for Sound Recording
agreement – no increase

All Provisions stay the same except doubling: global competitors
are not charging doubling on other instrument fees – doubling fees removed.

25% of Sound Recording additional scale paid UP FRONT as
BUYOUT to release.

NO SECONDARY MARKETS AFTER PROJECT COMPLETED

KEEP IN MIND: with AFM wages and roughly 20% benefits
we are still higher than any global price out there NOT
INCLUDING the above possible buy-out scenarios – which could
prove to be a deal breaker for producers.

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OPTION 1

REGULAR LOW BUDGET PHONO PRODUCTIONS OR LIMITED
PRESSINGS

Maintain current wages and benefits for Low Budget/
Limited Pressings agreement – no increase

All Provisions stay the same except doubling: global competitors
are not charging doubling on other instrument fees –
doubling fees removed.

25% of Low Budget or Limited Pressing Sound Recording
additional scale paid UP FRONT as BUYOUT to release.

NO SECONDARY MARKETS AFTER PROJECT COMPLETED

KEEP IN MIND: with AFM wages and roughly 20% benefits we are
still higher than any global price out there NOT INCLUDING the
above possible buy-out scenarios – which could prove to be a
deal breaker for producers.

OPTION 1

ULTRA LOW BUDGET PHONO PRODUCTIONS

EASTERN EUROPE ARE OUR ULTRA LOW BUDGET COMPETITORS

40.00 per hour wages – 3 hour minimum

Maintain current benefits for Motion Picture/TV Film agreement –
no increase

All Provisions stay the same except doubling: global competitors
are not charging doubling on other instrument fees –
doubling fees removed.

25% of Ultra Low Budget Sound Recording additional scale paid
UP FRONT as BUYOUT to release.

NO SECONDARY MARKETS AFTER PROJECT COMPLETED

KEEP IN MIND: with these wages and roughly 20% benefits we
are still higher than any Eastern Europe global price out there.

THESE LOW BUDGET AND ULTRA LOW BUDGET ARENAS
ARE NOT INTENDED FOR THE RECORDING ELITE TO BE FORCED
TO COMPLY WITH. IF THEY CHOOSE NOT TO TAKE THE
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES THEN MAKE WAY FOR THE NEXT
LEVEL OF PLAYERS.

RUNAWAY SCORING EXPERIMENTAL RESCUE PLATFORMS –
VIDEO GAMES

APPLY SAME FORMULAS FOR BUYOUT UP FRONT PERCENTAGES

RUNAWAY SCORING EXPERIMENTAL RESCUE PLATFORMS –
NON-STANDARD TV/PAY TV

APPLY SAME FORMULAS FOR BUYOUT UP FRONT PERCENTAGES

OTHER POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS:

SLIDING SCALE OF BACK END PAYMENTS DEPENDING ON SIZE OF
PRODUCTIONS –

– i.e.: 0 to 10 Million – 1 time back end
– i.e.: 10 to 20 Million – 1 year back end – dissolves afterwards
– i.e.: 20 to 30 Million – 2 year back end – dissolves afterwards
– i.e.: 30 Million and above – 3 year back end – dissolves afterwards

Apply to all recording platforms

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Fellow 47 Colleagues,

We know this is alot to take in, and as the writer points out, this
is only a starting point, but something must be done to help
re-vitalize our recording industry for ALL members.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and we look forward
to hearing from you and for you to send you comments directly
to the Local.

Till next time,

The Committee for a More Responsible Local 47

Next time?… More comments from you about this subject

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MEMBER FEEDBACK

May 16th

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

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

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NO BUYOUT!!
In a message dated 5/16/05 11:27:36 AM, [email protected] writes:

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

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How does giving up things we have fought hard for (i.e. secondary
markets) bring more work to town? If it is still cheaper to record in
Prague even after giving up these items, why would we expect more work
to come in? Nothing in RMASF’s proposal suggests how this work would
magically return.
Those musician’s who are vested in the Secondary Markets fund pay for
the policing out of their own checks. To my knowledge, the Federation
does not pay these costs.
In recent years various low-budget, soundtrack and video game
agreements have met with success and brought new work into town. Let’s
build upon these successes and not give away hard won items for
nothing. Our union is made up of a wide variety of musicians in various
fields. Symphony, recording, opera, touring, shows are all unique in
the challenges they present. Not all work is available to or done by
all musicians. I feel there is an undercurrent of resentment against
those musicians who make a majority of their living through recording
work. This is not productive. If the Federation would partner more
effectively with RMALA and make use of the expertise our members are so
willingly offering, we could then begin to take on the challenge of
bringing more work back to Los Angeles. Thanks,
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I agree something needs to be done. This proposal for the most part
seems reasonable. although I wonder if it isn’t already too late. It’s
a global market and the lower our prices go, the lower others will go.
It may just be a race to the bottom.

One thing on the buyout agreement I don’t understand is “Pre-existing
motion pictures with secondary markets to be grandfathered in.” If this
means giving up special payments on work I’ve already done, there is no
way I’ll agree to that. With this proposal there is no guarantee that
it will bring back enough work to make up for money I have already
earned.

I used to work full time as a copyist for TV and film. I have watched
my living simply evaporate. I have had to find other ways of making
money and it isn’t easy. I have had no help from the AFM and local 47,
as a matter of fact they seem to be more of an obstacle than anything
else.

I hope you’ll keep us all posted as to what everyone’s thoughts are on
this issue. I know I am not alone.

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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?

I’ll leave you with two examples:

• When one of my favorite recording engineers got married recently, he used a DJ, not a live band, for the large reception.
• 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.

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.

Fast, cheap and good: pick two.
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Comments
Local 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.
Please act now on this before there is no ship to save.
SJT

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May 31, 2005

We need a buyout scale for film, and also for music library recording.

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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.

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My fellow brothers,
2005……..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…..
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.
Best Wishes,
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I think the proposal is well thought out and viable.

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As union musicians we have been “fighting the good fight” for at least
the 25 years I have been a member, but while we have won a few battles
(for increasingly fewer people) we have lost the war and its time for a
different approach.
We are competing globally now and most of our jobs have been
outsourced, In order to compete a cut in rate is obvious. Healthcare
is not offered in most (non musician) jobs today. And in todays world
even paying into a pension for 50 years doesn’t mean drawing that
pension. (see United Airlines/social Security)
So do we want to lose work to Seattle etc. to hold onto an “ideal” that
doesn’t exist anymore?
We live in the film capitol of the world and we are not taking
advantage of this. If we are economically competitive I am confident
that the Hollywood producers would rather record close by rather than
“Seattle etc”.
We either adapt or perish.

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As the comedian Gary Mule Dear said:

“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
[email protected]
EarthLink Revolves Around You.

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May 19th

To whom it may concern,
You people can go to Hell with your buyout proposal. You are just as
bad as the Seattles and Pragues etc. You obviously are not in touch
with muscians that actually receive secondary payments. Your
buyout proposal. You and Tom Lee are in bed together.
To hell with you,

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Do they get residuals?

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May 21st
Well, let’s see….
A new buy-out -double scale up-front cost with no back-end…. and with
the back end being paid entirely by secondary market profits, not up
front where the producers are already screaming about lowering
production costs….
or getting the AFM general membership in city’s that don’t already have
a piece of the “film-scoring pie” to vote out special payments
altogether so they too can now be able to jump in on the film scoring
bandwagon… Do people really think that’s how it would work? Wouldn’t
the producers already be scoring in those cities if that’s where they
wanted to go, regardless of back-end costs? How does taking special
payments away help musicians in other cities get this work? Since the
infrastructure is already set up here, and the costs would be
considerably lower to record here without those special payments, what
work is left would stay here. Unless, of course, such city’s were to go
the Seattle route, or somehow were able to lower their scales to match
those of say, Eastern Europe….
Not to mention that getting rid of special payments would mean that the
people controlling the purse strings get to keep all of the money,
which, to me is totally ludicrous.

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“the committee asked for comments from everyone on the list”??????????????

Please define “the committee”, and “everyone on the list” – it is just so unclear.

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?

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.

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comresp47 et al,
I 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.
I 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.
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.
I 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.
When 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.
It’s time for all of us to decide what our future will be before it’s too late.

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The fact that there are no names attached to these comments leaves me
doubtful as to their veracity. It would be easy to manufacture any kind of
mass email supporting ANY position on ANY issue. I could send an email right
now with hundred’s of anonymous comments saying that the Iraq War is a
fabrication, or the world is flat, or Tom Lee is acting on behalf of the
membership (joke)
and it would be on the same level as these……………..

Bet you won’t include this post in your next garbage mailout!!

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Dear “Committee”- A friend of mine has been forwarding me your emails
and I find them shocking. Where do you get these facts, that work is
down for motion picture scoring? Personally, I’ve been working more in
the last few years than ever before and I believe that union work has
been increasing in the last few years. If you aren’t doing union
scoring dates then maybe you should look at your own abilities to get
that work, instead of trying to bring down secondary markets or give up
the new uses that our union worked long and hard to get for us. There
will always be non-union dates and scores recorded abroad, but to give
up what we already have to compete with that is insane. I think
additional lower rates for even lower budget movies (i.e. 2 million $
budget films) would be a good idea, to bring projects that would
otherwise go non-union into the fold and get them on contract, bringing
us pension, health and secondary markets benefits. But I believe that
producers are more concerned with the up front cost of their project
and the small amount (1% of profits) being derived from sec markets is
a small concern for most producers. There will always be unscrupulous
producers that will not want to pay anyone (actors, crew, music) back
end but to eliminate secondary markets is a really BAD move. Thank you
for listening, and please re-think your throwing the baby out with the
bath water!
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Woww..I am speechless…about this1

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May 21, 2005

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…………!

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I’ll say it in public. Your mean spirited, vitriol infected invectives
against my Local 47 colleagues are offensive and misinformed. You so
clearly betray that your interests lie not with improving the state of
union recording in Los Angeles and the U.S. but attacking and defaming
the people who are working hard to save it. The officers of the RMALA
you speak against are known to the membership of Local 47. If you
really have the conviction of your views, identify yourselves!!! Stop
pretending to speak for my local!!! Stop these divisive and
unproductive tactics. Whoever is behind this certainly has no true
leadership qualities whatsoever!

P.S. I am the author of the statement below:

How does giving up things we have fought hard for (i.e. secondary
markets) bring more work to town? If it is still cheaper to record in
Prague even after giving up these items, why would we expect more work
to come in? Nothing in RMASF’s proposal suggests how this work would
magically return.
Those musician’s who are vested in the Secondary Markets fund pay
for the policing out of their own checks. To my knowledge, the
Federation does not pay these costs.
In recent years various low-budget, soundtrack and video game
agreements have met with success and brought new work into town. Let’s
build upon these successes and not give away hard won items for
nothing. Our union is made up of a wide variety of musicians in
various fields. Symphony, recording, opera, touring, shows are all
unique in the challenges they present. Not all work is available to or
done by
all musicians. I feel there is an undercurrent of resentment against
those musicians who make a majority of their living through recording
work. This is not productive. If the Federation would partner more
effectively with RMALA and make use of the expertise our members are so
willingly offering, we could then begin to take on the challenge of
bringing more work back to Los Angeles.

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With utmost respect,

You guys aren’t getting it. It’s the COMPOSER who has the control over where
scores get recorded.

I’ve managed to record every single score AFM. With NO problem.

If you want to keep it in town, nurture the young composers by taking the
time to explain the AFM benefits i.e. health insurance, dental, special
payments, retirement and get the scoring stages to come up with a decent
off-day rate. And your problem will go away.

RMA did their job with all of the side-letter agreements: festival rate,
low-budget rate, video game rate. The dollar is so weak it’s cheaper to stay
here.

What we don’t have, is willingness on the part of the scoring stages to give
a discounted rate to coincide the RMA rates.

I teach this stuff to other composers.

There are A LOT of composers who are devoted to AFM and are really
frustrated that you don’t have an organized education program for the
younger generation of composers, who don’t know what they are entitled to.

Stop ranting and educate. For heaven’s sake. We all beg you.

-Laurie Robinson
Composer
Owner, The Collective Music and Media Group

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Dear Committee

My feelings are we may be damned if we do damned if we don’t. I think
a good deal of the problem is just an anti union attitude throughout
most big businesses. You lower the rate in an attempt to keep work from
leaving and business will still try to find a cheaper way to get the
job done. I don’t think that $15 an hour will ever be matched here. As
long as there characters like Simon James ( an AFM member) and others
willing to under cut every contract and line their own pockets, with
immunity from the union, nothing matters. You can give away the store
and there will always be someone to give away more to get what scraps
are left. The industry can afford LA rates, they choose not to pay it.
Some is union busting , some is due to greed. Either way, giving up
more will not address the real issue.

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I would like to know who the members are on this committee, and if it
is in fact a group sanctioned by local 47 or just a group of
“concerned” musicians hiding under the guise of proposing “helpful”
solutions. Please come out from the shadows and speak your mind freely.

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May 25th

this is too weird
too many unsubstantiated facts
too many options
not enough jobs
u want me…pay me
LA is the place to have a music career.
every where else sucks
jim sitterly

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My question is –
If the back end (secondary markets payments)is the
main reason stuff is going out of town and non-union,
aren’t there companies that take care of that part so
production companies can close their books? And if
there are, how would our giving up our special
payments make any difference? Just asking.
I’m a union booster, but sometimes those boys need to
be goaded into making the right decision.

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A full time orchestra working 44 weeks a year, 61/2 hours per day for a
major studio or investor (buyer). A maximum of 25 minutes of recorded music
per day. The buyer would enjoy the master sync rights of all music recorded
(a buyout).
Music recorded could be for film, tv, phono, games, jingle etc…with no
re-use restrictions. On camera performance and live events would not be
included in this scale. The buyer would share a TBD percentage of any
profit to musicians from resale of recording time to other production
companies outside of the buyers company..

The orchestra would maintain a core group of 36 or more players at a set
wage of 75k per year.More than one double would be paid at an additional
TBD rate per day.TBD number of section leaders would be compensated by an
additional 10k per year Additional players could be added at a TBD daily
scale. In addition; a librarian and music prep assistant would be employed
at the 75k rate per year. A conductor – music director would receive 130k
per year. The buyer would provide a contractor and/or a business assistant.
The core group could be recorded separately on the same piece of music, at
the same time, in sections for purposes of isolation . The location of
recordings would be at or near the same address. The core orchestra
membership would remain the same and would only substitute for health or
family emergency as well as buyer exemption.

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I got the email and as a young, busy composer, wholeheartedly agree that
this trend must be reversed. I’d like to help out in any way possible to try
and keep work in LA while giving steady opportunities to the many talented
and underused musicians here. I have recorded in almost all of the places
you have mentioned and would be happy to serve as a resource for info. There
is no reason that we shouldn’t be able to keep 80-90% of the live scores
here in town. Please let me know who you are and what you need. Thank you.

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Who put this together? I can respect the desire for anonymity, but they deserve praise. It’s pretty much all here.

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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.

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.)

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.

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.)

– Concerned

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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.
I 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.
In 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.
Fraternally, Don Muggeridge Local 47

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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.

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Hard to say much of anything since I make no money!!!

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May 27th, 2005

<< MOST working musicians in this town are alarmed at the drop in work and concerned for the future of playing in this city. WHAT IS NEW ABOUT THIS? THE PROBLEM HAS ALWAYS BEEN THIS WE--who is we-the greedy bastards who already take most of the work in LA??? Are looking for ideas to improve to work situation in the city and the future for all players ALL PLAYERS????? DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH-- SINCE 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... I 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. ºººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº << MOST working musicians in this town are alarmed at the drop in work and concerned for the future of playing in this city. WHAT IS NEW ABOUT THIS? THE PROBLEM HAS ALWAYS BEEN THIS WE--who is we-the greedy bastards who already take most of the work in LA??? Are looking for ideas to improve to work situation in the city and the future for all players ALL PLAYERS????? DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH-- SINCE 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... I 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. ººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº Who are you? Why do you hate the RMA? Who supports your organization? I keep getting e-mails from you, Commresp47, and do not know exactly who you represent, or what your connection is with the recording industry I work in. Mystified ººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº Dear "Committe," I 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. I 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. I would like to be included in any future mailing/discussions on this issue. ººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº After 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". ººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº Dear Committee for a responsible 47 please remove my name. I am a composer I live in LA and usually record here. Recently, I had to do budgets for a 60 piece orchestra. I chose to shop around. I chose to look at LA, Budapest, Prague, Phoenix, Utah and Seattle. I have about $25,000 to spend as a music budget for recording - not including mixing, copyist, conductor, engineer, room, catering, cartage and whatever the heck else comes up. In order to get the kind of sound I want, I need to do overdubs along with sampler pre-records. The LA Union doesn't allow overdubs as far as I know unless you pay a fee. I need a buyout. The LA Union does not offer a buyout. All the other orchestras offer a buyout and overdubs at no charge. I could hire a 40 pieces in Budapest with travel and all other costs (not including mixing, copiest, conductor, engineer, room, catering, cartage and whatever the heck else comes up. ) for $23,000 with overdubs and a buyout leaving me $2,000 to mix as well as a short vacation in Hungary. (Seattle gave me a quote that was out of line, Prague still looks good, Utah still hasn't got back to me, Phoenix is just a bit more that Budapest and LA wants about 50% more than anyone else + back end.) Look, I love the LA Musicians. I have been educated and know what the options are. But I have to work with-in a budget and I refuse to go out of pocket like I have so many times in the past. I need to get paid too - I mean heck I am writing the music. Plus with the explosion of cable networks, the smaller networks and production companies doing stuff on a shoestring budget, samplers, reality TV using libraries of mainly synth recorded stuff and falling TV viewer-ship (Video Games, Internet and maybe just maybe people actually turning off the tube and having a life) it is no wonder that budgets have fallen. Composers have no union, we are mercenaries and therefore we get squeezed. We want to score projects and some we are even willing to do for free if it has a chance of either training us or being good for our reel. This lowers our value in the eyes of our prospective employers even though they can't really pay us and it lowers the amount of musicians we can hire. For the A-List Composers there will always be the A-List Directors/Producers who are willing to pay for quality. There may always be the golden 150 players in town that get the choice gigs, but then again many of those gigs are going to the LSO. For those of us who are trying to get to A-list land: Directors, Producers, Composers and the like, we have to claw our way up. Even the big studios, TV Production companies and ad agencies are seeing their revenues decline. And you know how crap rolls downhill. We are now in the midst of taking a look at the big picture of economics 101 and seeing supply and demand in action. Technology has become cheaper, it continues to evolve making many live music applications unnecessary. We used to hire large ensembles, now we do pre-records with a small group of live musicians. In the Future it might be 1 or 2 musicians for overdubs. Theaters are running off of CD's of sequenced music, because it is cheaper to do that than hire a music director and an orchestra. The current generation has seen more DJ's then live musicians and that plays a huge part. My grandfather kept complaining back in the late 80's how all the music those days was computer generated and I asked him when was the last time you went out to see a live performance? It dawned on him then that live music venues were scarce and that he wasn't supporting the ones that were left. Technology has made it such that you can be a composer just about anywhere, as long as you can gain the trust of the director/producer and fly out to record if you need to. We live in a global economy. The playing field is leveling. And as Charles Darwin pointed out - life is a game of Survival of the Fittest. Sooner or later the shake down will happen if it hasn't already. Will you adapt or not? There are others who are adapting and those are the ones who will get the work. Consumers are demanding cheap prices across the board. Look at Wal-Mart. Consumers in our profession are called Producers (The ones that pay the bills). They are demanding we create with smaller and smaller budgets. If I can go somewhere and get what I need without the hassle, why should I stay? My most recent producer looked me in the eye straight faced and asked "What is really the point of paying more money to get the same product?" And at Wal-Mart if you can get what you want without having to pay more, why should you? ºººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº A good read & I will read it. ºººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº May 29th You 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. BRAVO!!! You are to be congratulated. ºººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº Thank you for the several newsletter communications you have sent to me at another e-mail address. They have been read with great interest. One fact (speaking of elephants?) that does not seem to get much attention 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 had 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. She 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 efforts to make LA a viable working environment for musicians again should not be tolerated. The situation will not improve until this step is taken. Sincerely, ººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº As a member of Lo. 47 and Lo. 369, I can see that the film industry is going through what the live work in Vegas went through 15 years ago. Even though the musicians in Vegas went on strike for 8 months to support live music, in the end, over 300 lost their gigs permantly to technology (recorded music) and the rest of the musicians that worked celebrity rooms went back to work. Eventually most of the remaining musicians that survived, lost that work also. In Vegas, it's down to Circus gigs with 6 live musicians with backing tapes to lounge gigs, mostly non-union. Occasional celebrity gigs with union benifits, and a few broadway type gigs and some industrial shows. But for the most part, the musician union work force in Vegas is a shadow of what it once was. ( In the early 70's, the working Vegas musicians, those working full time with families and bills to pay, were over 1,200. Today, musicians supporting themselves with gigs only, are well under 100.) Although I am not a musician working in film, I know a lot of musicians that do, and they are admitting that the hey-day is over. It's going to take someone with the balls to look these musicians in the eye and tell them they if they don't change the work rules, it will only get worse. No one likes change, especially the older cats that have made a nice living in film. It's the young ones that need the guidance to understand that the change is necessary to survival of the union. If you (musicians union) don't change with the times, you will lose these musicians to non-union work. May not happen now, but down the line these young cats will be making choices that will affect the union and all that you worked for. Understand what happened to the Vegas cats, bottom line is not only what the employers understand, it's what you must understand. The future is with the next generation of musicians. The old cats will reminise with war stories of the old days and the young cats will smile and know that was yesterday. If you demonstrate that your are willing to change, the studios, producers, composers, and accounts will understand. Otherwise, status quo... death to another union. You've got some smart members that know the way. Find them, give them the chance to express themselves without fear, and get on with it. As for President Espinoza. be the leader they need, suffer the bullshit that will surely come, and know that some day, when we are long gone from this world, you did the right thing. As far as the virtual orchestra instrument. You can't stop it. You may slow it down with bringing charges against theatre owners, but it will prevail. Look at it this way. The future is in the hands of people that want to try everything new that's under the sun. If you tell them they can't, you've made an enemy. If you approach them with understanding that you realize that they (composers, producers) are trying to survive by cutting costs, you will gain an edge You go after these people with a hammer, you will lose in the long run. I've looked at this from both sides and this thinking has affected me big time. You may enforce all the rules and make the heavy money now, but I assure you, the hip accountants see the costs and know how to cut. The more money they save their employers, the more they make. Everything the union has negotiated for with endless compromising is good. But be flexable and know when a new instrument comes along, hip employers want to remain hip. If it means putting guys out of work, so be it. Hard truth to swallow. Very hard. Alternative.... none. Perhaps things will change in the future where more new instruments will come along and employe more musicians. Who the f--- knows. You may prolong the inevitable, you may save some gigs, and the members will thank you for saving their gigs... but you can't stop change. As far as the "Elite" cats that get all the money gigs, more power to them. God knows what they had to go through to get those gigs, let alone to keep them. ººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº As a member of Lo. 47 and Lo. 369, I can see that the film industry is going through what the live work in Vegas went through 15 years ago. Even though the musicians in Vegas went on strike for 8 months to support live music, in the end, over 300 lost their gigs permantly to technology (recorded music) and the rest of the musicians that worked celebrity rooms went back to work. Eventually most of the remaining musicians that survived, lost that work also. In Vegas, it's down to Circus gigs with 6 live musicians with backing tapes to lounge gigs, mostly non-union. Occasional celebrity gigs with union benifits, and a few broadway type gigs and some industrial shows. But for the most part, the musician union work force in Vegas is a shadow of what it once was. ( In the early 70's, the working Vegas musicians, those working full time with families and bills to pay, were over 1,200. Today, musicians supporting themselves with gigs only, are well under 100.) Although I am not a musician working in film, I know a lot of musicians that do, and they are admitting that the hey-day is over. It's going to take someone with the balls to look these musicians in the eye and tell them they if they don't change the work rules, it will only get worse. No one likes change, especially the older cats that have made a nice living in film. It's the young ones that need the guidance to understand that the change is necessary to survival of the union. If you (musicians union) don't change with the times, you will lose these musicians to non-union work. May not happen now, but down the line these young cats will be making choices that will affect the union and all that you worked for. Understand what happened to the Vegas cats, bottom line is not only what the employers understand, it's what you must understand. The future is with the next generation of musicians. The old cats will reminise with war stories of the old days and the young cats will smile and know that was yesterday. If you demonstrate that your are willing to change, the studios, producers, composers, and accounts will understand. Otherwise, status quo... death to another union. You've got some smart members that know the way. Find them, give them the chance to express themselves without fear, and get on with it. As for President Espinoza. be the leader they need, suffer the bullshit that will surely come, and know that some day, when we are long gone from this world, you did the right thing. As far as the virtual orchestra instrument. You can't stop it. You may slow it down with bringing charges against theatre owners, but it will prevail. Look at it this way. The future is in the hands of people that want to try everything new that's under the sun. If you tell them they can't, you've made an enemy. If you approach them with understanding that you realize that they (composers, producers) are trying to survive by cutting costs, you will gain an edge You go after these people with a hammer, you will lose in the long run. I've looked at this from both sides and this thinking has affected me big time. You may enforce all the rules and make the heavy money now, but I assure you, the hip accountants see the costs and know how to cut. The more money they save their employers, the more they make. Everything the union has negotiated for with endless compromising is good. But be flexable and know when a new instrument comes along, hip employers want to remain hip. If it means putting guys out of work, so be it. Hard truth to swallow. Very hard. Alternative.... none. Perhaps things will change in the future where more new instruments will come along and employe more musicians. Who the f--- knows. You may prolong the inevitable, you may save some gigs, and the members will thank you for saving their gigs... but you can't stop change. As far as the "Elite" cats that get all the money gigs, more power to them. God knows what they had to go through to get those gigs, let alone to keep them. ººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº While I applaud the public forum and discussion of issues that effect us all, there is something fishy about the secrecy of it all. Who is this so-called 'committee'? It is a committee of one? I find it interesting that you advocate pro-business(yours?) positions, rather that pro-labor positions. Every major publication that I know of requires personal identification before publishing letters or postings. And while postings are "anonymous" to all of us, YOU know the identity of everyone. This is unfair and damages the credibility of all postings. And it doesn't pass the smell test. I would like to see this forum continue out in the open, with the Committee's identities revealed as well as the posters'. ººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº I'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. Obviously, 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. ºººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººººº

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