Introducing: 47 Strong
Category Archives: Features
‘Halo Wars 2’ aims for a Grammy
“Halo Wars 2” video game composers Gordy Haab, Brian Trifon and Brian Lee White, along with audio director Paul Lipson, took to the stage at the American Film Institute in Los Angeles on the evening of Oct. 25, 2017 to discuss share their vision and process for creating the score for one of the world’s largest and most beloved game franchises. Continue reading
Healthcare ROCKS! ‘Piece of Legislation’
“Piece of Legislation” by Local 47 member Clifford J. Tasner, AFM Local 47 musicians, SAG-AFTRA singers, with animation by Cole Montminy.
Learn more about SB 562 to bring healthcare to ALL Californians at healthyca.org.
My Union Card
Reflections by Local 47 member Ross Altman, Ph.D
Recently I had the strangest dream. It had to do with my union card for American Federation of Musicians Local 47, and what it means to me. In my dream I just barely touched the truck in front of me when we were both stopped at a red light. The driver got out and decided to make a federal case out of it, even though there was no visible damage to the back of his truck. He said that he would not report it if I agreed to give up my “freight card” (in his words) for good; I would no longer be a member of the professional musicians’ union. I told you it was a strange dream. And yet it forced me to confront the question of what my union card meant to me—and whether it was worth all the hassle and potential expense of dealing with my insurance company and the DMV in order to keep my card. Continue reading
‘Mission: Impossible’ Composer Lalo Schifrin honored at 85th birthday concert
Legendary composer, musician, conductor and six-time Oscar nominee Lalo Schifrin (“Mission: Impossible”) was honored with a special 85th birthday celebration featuring an AFM Local 47 orchestra on the evening of Oct. 7, 2017. Continue reading
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program
Nine-week Tax Preparation Training Program begins Monday, Oct 23, 2017
Application Deadline: Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2017
Looking for a great parallel career to help supplement the earnings from your industry work? Are you detail-oriented? Like numbers? Professional tax preparation might be a good parallel career for you!
The Actors Fund’s Career Center and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program are coming together to offer a free, two-stage Tax Preparation Training Program for entertainment industry professionals. Continue reading
October 2017 Overture Online: Celebrating Lalo
Overture Online
October 2017
Celebrating Lalo
An 85th Birthday Concert Celebration With a Film Music Legend
Meet the Pasadena Symphony Orchestra
Show your support for #MusiciansofPSO!
RMA Night 2017
Los Angeles recording musicians celebrate Alf Clausen at annual gala
Who Played It Again, Sam?
The three pianists of Casablanca
and more!
The Overture Online app is available FREE @ Apple App Store & Google Play:
Overture Online is optimized for reading via smartphone or tablet. For those without access to a smart device, this issue may be viewed on a web browser (must have flash enabled). Local 47 members may download archived pdf versions from the members section at afm47.org.
New Legislation Seeks to Protect Workers
Bill would ban so-called ‘Right-to-Work’ laws that weaken unions and cripple worker rights
** Update 10/27/2017: The latest meeting between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, held in Virginia Oct. 11-17, ended at an impasse on the basic notion of what a revised version of the 23-year-old agreement should achieve. Canada and Mexico stand by the idea of free trade; the U.S. wants to make it less free, saying that its partners to the north and to the south are benefiting more than the U.S. through access to its huge market. Talks resume Nov. 17 in Mexico City. **
United States Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) in September introduced the Protecting Workers and Improving Labor Standards Act to prohibit states from introducing laws that make it harder for workers to form unions and fight for higher wages and better working conditions. Continue reading
Who Played It Again, Sam? The Three Pianists of ‘Casablanca’
by Robert E. Wallace, Ph.D.
On a day in late May of 1942, Michael Curtiz began filming Casablanca on the Warner Brothers lot. That day, two pianists were on set to record the flashback scene set in Montmartre1, and one of many recordings of Herman Hupfield’s “As Time Goes By.” Later in production, three pianists were present to record the song in the scene in Rick’s Café with Sam singing for Ilsa1. It remains an open question of just whose piano is heard playing in the film. A popularly held notion is that Dooley Wilson’s friend, Elliot Carpenter, was responsible for these pieces in the released film. The following detailed review shows that a studio musician, Jean Plummer, should get the credit. Continue reading
AFM Local 47 wins 2017 ILCA Labor Media Awards
AFM Local 47 the proud winner of the following 2017 International Labor Communications Association Labor Media Awards:
Overture Magazine – 1st Place
Visual Communication Awards / Best Design
Overture Online App – 1st Place
Writing Awards / Best Electronic Content
The Local 47 Beat Email Newsletter – 2nd Place
General Excellence / Electronic Publication
Overture Online App – 3rd Place
General Excellence / Electronic Publication
Thanks to the ILCA judges, and to you, our readers!