CORRECTION/DUES FUNDING ATTACK?/ROSENMAN/BLANC/CONCERTS/GOLD RECORDS/COMMENTS

I. CORRECTION
II. ARE OUR MEMBER DUES ABOUT TO FUND ANOTHER RMA
ATTACK ON THE AFM PRESIDENT??
III. A REMEMBRANCE OF LEONARD ROSENMAN by Wayne Kiser
IV. RICK BLANC OP/ED in FILM MUSIC MAGAZINE
V. EVENTS, CONCERTS
VI. TRIVIA: GOLD RECORDS
VII. COMMENTS

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COLLEAGUES,

Please mark your calendar now to attend the April 28th, 2008 General Membership meeting. There’ll be an important special election to fill a
vacancy on the board–a chance to elect a board member who knows
the needs and frustrations of free-lance musicians.
The board has temporarily appointed Paul Castillo to fill the vacancy
(Mike Grego has just resigned). Mr. Castillo will undoubtedly run to make it permanent till the December election at the April 28 meeting. We’ll keep you posted on any other candidates who emerge.

There will also be an election for the election board, since their term is up.

If you want a voice, use it! Please join your brothers and sisters on April 28th and help make our Local’s infrastructure more balanced.

I. CORRECTION

We have been informed by a member that current RMA-LA Pete
Anthony was not in fact President of the RMA at the time of
the WATERHORSE sessions in London. His position in our
industry, however, does make our questions more than legitimate.

A QUESTION FOR OUR COLLEAGUES

Should the AFM actually enforce the $50,000 fine? or
Should the AFM rescind it?

Let us know what you think…

================

II. ARE OUR MEMBER DUES ABOUT TO FUND ANOTHER RMA
ATTACK ON THE AFM?

A few weeks ago RMA International President Phil Ailing and RMALA
Vice-President Marc Sazer took over 2 hours (1/3) of a Local 47 board
meeting (Paid by our dues) to try to convince the Executive Board to allow
our dues to be used to pay Local 47 counsel Lewis Levy to help Mr. Ayling
and Mr. Sazer launch another attack on our AFM President Tom Lee.

As of this printing, the board has not given them an answer. That they did
not immediately refuse to fund another RMA scheme with our member dues is
outrageous, but not unexpected. It does show, however, that at least some
board members are starting to say enough is enough, delaying the cave in
to the RMA officers and another financial bonus on our dime for Mr. Levy.

Here’s an idea. Let Mr. Ayling and Mr. Sazer fund their own scheme, or have
the RMA pay for it. Better yet, let’s see how the New York or Nashville Local
boards would react to such a request (We can see boots heading towards rear
ends.). It makes us wonder how often the Espinosa administration has handed
over our members dues to fund RMA or RMA Officers actions.

If you want to make sure our board members know how you feel about funding
RMA schemes, please take a moment to write to them and let them know. If this
board knows you’re watching and taking notes, they might think twice. If you
know any board members personally, call or write them and ask them what’s
going on.

Again, we suggest Mr. Pete Anthony get a handle on his officers.

You can write the Local 47 officers at:
President Espinosa – [email protected]
Vice-President Trombetta – [email protected]
Secretary Lashinsky – [email protected]

Other members of the EB include Greg Huckins, Don Muggeridge, Marl Young,
Pam Gates, Judy Chilnick, and Bonnie Janofsky.

If you do write to the board, please send us a copy!

================

III. A REMEMBRANCE OF LEONARD ROSENMAN by Wayne Kiser

The Loss of a Friend
by Wayne Kiser

Last week I received word that a dear friend of mine had passed
away – Leonard Rosenman. With the passing of Leonard, a void
has been created in both film and classical music that I feel will
never be filled.

I was one of the lucky ones who had the privilege of knowing
Leonard, whom I met in 1982 through David Raksin. Since that
time, I have had the privilege of serving him as principal copyist
on several of his films, classical projects and published works.
As his copyist, I was plunged into a challenging world of complex
rhythms, powerful chord clusters, unforgettable themes and
instrumental scores that rivaled those of Mahler.

The last film on which I worked with Leonard was “Juri” (orchestrated
by Michael Patterson). I recently read an article written by Jordan R.
Stoitchkov who was invited to be present at the recording session.
Leonard expressed to Mr. Stoitchkov that he (Leonard) was “one
of the last”. Leonard was acknowledging that he was one of the few
composers who still composed at the piano using pencil and score
paper. He told me many times that great film scores weren’t
created by sitting down at a computer and pushing buttons, but
by listening to the music in your mind and heart. To my knowledge,
Leonard never used a computerized music program for scoring
either films or classical compositions – the closest use of “electronics”
is in his “The Symphony for Dinosaurs” where he uses recorded
bird-sounds in the last movement.

When it came to recording sessions, Leonard also was “one of the
last”. Unlike many sessions today, Leonard had control over his
music with little involvement by the producer. For example, I
once asked Leonard about the introduction to “Fantastic Voyage”.
For those of you who don’t know the film, the music doesn’t
begin for several minutes until the opening tone of the primary
motif (heard throughout critical points in the film) starts when
the submarine suddenly breaks into the bloodstream. It was
Leonard’s idea to withhold the music until that point, which
apparently didn’t impress the producer at the time. Unlike that
which often occurs today, producers trusted (albeit sometimes
begrudgingly) composers to create scores that were unique
and visionary.

For those of you who aspire to write for films, Leonard’s scores
are great examples of the early use of contemporary sounds; the
first twelve-tone film score (“The Cobweb”), a score that consists
almost entirely of multilevel clusters of sound (“Fantastic Voyage”),
piercing brass chords over shrill strings with cacophonous sound
(“Return to the Planet of the Apes”), the use of Native American
music with a choir from the Rosebud Sioux of South Dakota (“A
Man Called Horse”). These are scores that use primitive sounds,
innovative motifs and avant-garde scoring techniques.

Leonard not only composed for films, but he also created many
classical pieces. His compositions are memorable for their
complexity, instrumental challenges and contemporary sounds.
Some of his most interesting pieces include; “When Alpha Met
Beta” (string quartet), “Concerto for Violin and Orchestra II”,
“Loca Revisited”, “Foci One”, “Chamber Music Five” and “Three
Piano Pieces”.

Beyond his amazing music, what I’ll miss most are all the
wonderful conversations we had about art, science, architecture
and his fascination with dinosaurs. He would describe his early
aspirations to be a painter, his conversations with Leonard
Bernstein and Aaron Copland, his lessons with Arnold
Schoenberg and Roger Sessions – and his many antics with good
friend James Dean. He often confided in me how he wished
more of his classical music could be performed by the Los
Angeles Philharmonic and how he wished to hear more of his
film scores played on local classical music radio stations. Now
that he’s gone, perhaps his wishes will become reality.

Although his declining health prevented him from continuing his
craft over the past few years, he should not only be remembered
as a cutting-edge composer, but also as a man who enjoyed
listening to and encouraging many students. I’ve lost a dear
friend, mentor and the world has lost a gifted composer. I will
always be grateful for the opportunities he provided and the
trust he put in me to help bring his music to life. Our sincerest
condolences go out to his family, especially his wife Judy.

==================

IV. RICK BLANC OP/ED in FILM MUSIC WEEKLY

In the most recent edition of the Film Music WEEKLY, guest
contributor Rick Blanc wrote a, shall we say, passionate article
about our situation in Los Angeles.

We feel you might want to take a look. You can read it here on Page 8-9:

http://www.filmmusicweekly.com/issues/FM_Weekly_031108.pdf

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VI. EVENTS, CONCERTS

•SATURDAY 3/22/08•

NACUSA CONCERT
Local 47 Board member Bonnie Janofsky, Jeaanie Poole, Deon
Price and Adrienne Albert are among the composers to be
featured at a concert celebrating 75 years of the National
Association of Composers (NACUSA).

This concert will be performed by the
PALOS VERDES REGIONAL ORCHESTRA
On March 22nd at the
Torrance Civic Center’s Armstrong Theater
3330 Civic Center Dr N
Torrance, CA 90503
(310) 781-7150

There will be a composer’s panel at 6:30 pm with the concert
to follow at 7pm.

For more information contact Jennifer at [email protected]
They expect a sellout crowd so contact her very soon.
No tickets will be sold at the box office.

—————–

•APRIL 6th*

ST. JAMES SUNDAY CONCERTS
St. James Sunday Concerts is pleased to present an afternoon
of Middle Eastern music with violinist Nabil Azzam and members
of the MESTO orchestra (Multi-Ethnic Star Orchestra).
The concert will be held on Sunday, April 6 at 4 PM at St James
Presbyterian Church.
Additional musicians include Maurice Mitr, oud, Fahd Shaaban,
quanun, Adel Shawki, nay, David Martinelli, riqq, and T.J. Troy, tablah.

The repertoire will include classical Arabic music, both traditional
and modern Egyptian vocal and instrumental music, modern Lebanese
sounds and vocal music from Iraq and Syria.

St James Presbyterian Church is located at 19414 Ventura Blvd in
Tarzana near Tampa. The concert is free, a freewill offering will be taken.

—————–

•DEADLINE APRIL 15TH•
ITURBI INTERNATIONAL MUSIC COMPETITION
The José Iturbi Foundation today announced that The Second
Annual José Iturbi International Music Competition, the contest
with the largest cash bounty (more than $250,000) of any
classical piano and singing competition worldwide, will take
place again this summer June 16 – 21 at UCLA’s Schoenberg
Hall in Los Angeles. Applications for pianists and singers to
compete in the weeklong competition that adds features of
“American Idol” to the world of classical music may be
completed and submitted online at www.joseiturbifoundation.org.
April 15, 2008 is the application deadline.

=================

V. TRIVIA

GOLD RECORDS

When Glenn Miller sold over a million records of his song
‘Chattanooga Choo-Choo’ (recorded for the movie ‘Sun Valley
Seenade’) in less than three months, his label (RCA Victor)
decided to celebrate. Without telling Miller, they organized a
publicity stunt whereby they lacquered a record gold and handed
it to him during a live radio show on February 10th, 1942. A
decade later, the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of
America) trademarked the gold record as a way of rewarding
singles that had sold one million copies, or albums that had
made over $1 million in sales. The first RIAA gold single was
Perry Como’s “Catch A Falling Star”, while the first RIAA gold
album was Gordon McRae’s soundtrack to Oklahoma!.

=================

VI. COMMENTS

The comments below represent the uncensored views of the readers
and not necessarily those of the COMMITTEE. In the faith that
freedom of expression allows for the birth and ascendancey of the
most beneficial ideas, all sentiments expressed are welcome, subject
to the bounds of good taste and decorum. If you disagree with an
opinion expressed by any contributor, we encourage you to rebut it here.

————

We cannot “selectively enforce” our AFM Bylaws.
Either Pete Anthony gets disciplined, or no one else can be disciplined.
I can’t wait to see the ‘tapdance’ the RMA tries to do on this issue.

———-

One main reason there is Runaway Scoring is that the Producers
have figured out that they don’t want to or have to pay the 1% tax
that the Secondary Market Fund imposes on union signatory films.
Music for film just DOES NOT make that much difference to a bean
counter producer when it comes to making a great movie. Union
contracts are preserved for Writers, Directors, Actors, and other pre
post production job titles. You CANNOT have a hit movie without
the three just mentioned. You CAN have a hit movie with a mediocre
score composed and recorded somewhere else other than LA….its just
not as important to the final product. A score does not sell a movie….
but a great Director, a great Writer, a great Actor sells the movie.
So, you see this is where the musicians bargaining power is……
or actually isn’t.

Now to get real, the AFM, not the RMALA (because they are set in
their old ways) needs to go forward mending old relationships that
have gone elsewhere to record, and the AFM also needs to forge NEW
relationships (regardless of the back end business tax) with the up and
coming productions that DO NOT even think they can get a project
recorded here in LA anymore. Front end work, get everyone working
again, not just the same old bunch, and maybe in a few years these
relationships that the AFM has forged will be open to a little tax again….
maybe not. At this point, the good ole’ days ain’t coming back, and the
time to live is in the present and the future.

The rank and file need to speak out now – and the committee is the only
place to do this without being found out.

———————

A couple hundred plus years ago Colonists, fed up with the tyranny of
the crown, got into the revolutionary spirit. King George and his guys
said something like “What is it with these damn ingrate colonists?” Fast
forward to LA 2008. The rank-and-file are starting to get bugged at the
music business Royalists and their ilk. The Royalists response: “What
is it with these damn ingrate musicians?”
Nothing changes. People who have spoken up on this forum have been
predictably criticized: “What? They want us to work for less? Why are
they criticizing the union, The Holy Grail?”
The answer is because we care, and we’re involved. We are the messengers
not the destroyers of the business. We’re not the destroyers of fairness,
opportunity, morale. We’re not the ones undermining the efficacy and
legitimacy of the union. We’re trying to restore integrity to the institution.
For those who criticize the critics, maybe YOU should look at the inconsistencies
and blatant examples of malpractice that have been brought to your attention
here in this forum. If you really care about the union, if you really think
unionism is the way to go, then perhaps you should bring your vigilance
to bear also.
That we are in a problematic situation no serious person denies. Pretending
the status quo is just fine doesn’t persuade anyone. Hoping if we just tell
enough jokes and amusing anecdotes that the storm clouds will magically
clear is sophomoric. Pretending that the messengers are the problem is
ludicrous. For the sake of YOUR union what are YOUR solutions? We
await your ideas.
Rick Blanc (please attach name)

———————

We are fighting each other.
Together we stand you know the rest.

——————–

I’m not sure who should bring charges against Pete Anthony/orchestrators.
I think if it’s a national contract, it’s the AFM who makes and adjudicates
charges.

Concerned

——————–

you have struck a MAJOR blow if people are reading this e-mail

——————-

Dear Committee:

Below please find an excerpted post from an online
film composers’ forum. I believe this has relevance in
the “argument” about RMALA and LA film scoring in
general. I’m not sure about it’s use in your email
blasts, but since it’s posted on an open-membership
list its use may be OK. (the author can be contacted
directly) I just feel Members should know how some
composers currently feel about using 47 Members for
recording.

The sentence about the (sic) “Union guy not making
hairs stand on end” is telling. Originally this was
from another composer complaining about the hassle he
was having trying to make MIDI sound human.

MESSAGE:

What is the industry standard pay scale for two hours
of bassoon? In terms of ethics, in a work for hire, should
one observe union scale when paying non-union members,
or should one negotiate a price that is agreed to by both
parties.

Depending on the skill of the negotiator, the college
kid might even come out better off than the Union
member if his negotiation chops are better than that Union
musician.
Maybe there would be some other benefits or trade of goods
that take place – maybe the kid wants a better Bassoon and the
composer happens to have his great grandpa’s awsome killer
bassoon gathering dust in his closet & the kid gets it as part of the
deal…

Also, which is better:

A)
The composer records an articulated midi part and
nobody gets payed anything,
Chris looses business because of all the time he
wasted tweaking midi when he could have been composing
more music or pounding the pavements looking for more
clients.
Did the Mothership Land, lets listen to that
again…maybe.

B)
The composer hires a genius kid bassoon player and the kids
gets paid a flat fee of say $200 for his time as a work for hire.
The Mothership Definitely Lands

C) The composer hires a union bassoon player at union rates
who records an OK bassoon part that works but doesn’t
make anyone’s hair stand up – the Mothership does not
land.

Composer quote: I’ve seen this complaint about Union
players “phoning in” their parts before. Perhaps
Committee will see fit to bring this subject up for
discussion.

————-

Bottom Line for Los Angeles’s future as a place to record music
For media

The laws of supply and demand have been and are currently being
applied to the recording industry. If one thinks that the recording
business in LA is immune to those laws is living in an old school
dream world.

Producers of music have options around the globe to record music.
That has pretty much spawned out of the many technological advances
we see now. If I can record on a laptop with Pro Tools anywhere in
the world the old business models from the sixties are HISTORY. Is
it LA’s fault that other locations around the globe have decided to open
their doors for business?
Partly yes, partly no. It is absurd to think that we are solely responsible
for globalization. But, LA and the AFM have not kept up with the Jones’s
as far as keeping the work close to us when it comes to retaining
employers and creating relationships with new employers. We
have in fact driven SOME employers away by having RIGID
contracts and principals based on pre new-era technology developments.

===============

Colleagues,

We hope to see you at the upcoming General Membership meeting.

Until next time,

THE COMMITTEE FOR A MORE RESPONSIBLE LOCAL 47

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