Congratulations to the following Los Angeles Local 47 & AFM members who received 2016 Annual Emmy Awards nominations, and to all of the talented L.A. musicians who performed on over FIFTY of this year’s nominated series, commercials & TV specials! Winners will be announced Sunday, Sept. 18, 4 p.m. (PT) on ABC. Continue reading
As an AFM member, you shape your future through participation in the decision-making process at local and national levels. When you work under AFM contracts, employers make contributions toward your retirement fund. When you meet eligible earnings thresholds, you and your dependents have access to health and life insurance. Continue reading
by Gordon Grayson, EMD Administrator
Every Monday the Local sends a stack of automatically generated letters to all sorts of non-member musicians from all sorts of places for all sorts of engagements. These Taft-Hartley Musician Notifications refer to multitudes of musical employment, but all have one particular thing in common: my signature. The letters are something of a blunt tool, meant to apply to all manner of varied circumstances of employment that today’s musical workplace presents, but they most assuredly are intended to inform rather than offend. They do seemingly never cease to generate curiosity and/or concern among their recipients, who inevitably call the phone number at the bottom to discuss – also mine. Sometimes once a day, sometimes five, I have the opportunity to wax philosophical on the subtle intricacies of congressional legislation as it relates to collective bargaining, labor and union employment… Taft-Brother-Truckin’-Hartley, baby! Continue reading
by Linda A. Rapka
Composer Laura Karpman never envisioned she would be participating in an organization like the Alliance for Women Film Composers, let alone serving as its president.
“I had hoped that my career, plus the careers of a few of my contemporaries and those who have come before us, would create myriad opportunities, equal opportunities for everyone,” Karpman said.
However, a need was seen to level the score for women in the current composing climate, and last September the Alliance for Women Film Composers came to life. The brainchild of AFM Local 47 members Karpman and Lolita Ritmanis and former member Miriam Cutler, the AWFC aims to increase the visibility of women composers active in media scoring through advocacy, support and education initiatives. Continue reading
The Recording Academy® has completed its annual awards review and established new amendments and key dates guiding the 59th Annual GRAMMY Awards® process. Among other changes, the updates allow previously ineligible streaming-only works into the process and limit the number of categories in which members may vote. The new guidelines go into effect immediately in the current-year awards cycle.
“The GRAMMYs® aren’t just peer-awarded, they’re peer-driven. Throughout the year, members of the music community come to us asking to make changes to the Awards process, and we work with them to figure out how those changes might work,” said Bill Freimuth, Senior Vice President of Awards for The Recording Academy. “I’m proud of this year’s changes because they’re a testament to the artists, producers, and writers – the people who rolled up their sleeves to shape the proposals and, in turn, the future of the GRAMMYs. It’s exactly what they should be doing. It’s their award.”
Eligibility Period: Oct. 1, 2015 to Sept. 30, 2016
Nominations Date: Dec. 6, 2016
Awards Date: Feb. 12, 2017 Continue reading
by EMD Administrator Gordon Grayson
On stand-by calls, or the dreaded “avail” call, Section I (“General Conditions”), Paragraph 1 (“Stand-by Calls”) of both the AFM Basic Television and Theatrical Agreements state, unequivocally: “There shall be no stand-by calls.”
Similarly, Exhibit A (“Minimum Wages and Other Working Conditions”), Section I (“Instrumentalists, Leaders, Contractors”), Paragraph F (“Advance Notice of Sessions and Contract Info”) of the AFM Sound Recording Labor Agreement also states in pertinent part: “Stand-by calls shall be prohibited.” Continue reading
For the first time in AFI history, America’s highest honor for a career in film was bestowed upon a composer when John Williams received the Life Achievement Award.
“John Williams has written the soundtrack to our lives,” said Sir Howard Stringer, chair of the AFI Board of Trustees. “Note by note, through chord and chorus, his genius for marrying music with movies has elevated the art form to symphonic levels and inspired generations of audiences to be enriched by the magic of the movies. AFI is proud to present him with its 44th Life Achievement Award.”
AFM Local 47 President John Acosta and composer John Williams. (Photos: Eleonora Ghioldi)
Williams’ storied career as the composer behind many of the greatest American films and television series of all time boasts over 150 credits across seven decades. Perhaps best known for his enduring collaboration with director Steven Spielberg, his scores are among the most iconic and recognizable in film history, from the edge-of-your-seat “Jaws” (1975) motif to the emotional swell of “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” (1982) and the haunting elegies of “Schindler’s List” (1993). Always epic in scale, his music has helped define over half a century of the motion picture medium. With five Academy Award wins and 49 nominations in total, Williams holds the record for the most Oscar nominations of any living person.
Williams was honored at a Gala Tribute at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on June 9. The televised special, “AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to John Williams,” aired on TNT June 15, followed by an encore presentation on sister network Turner Classic Movies Sept. 12 during a night of programming dedicated to Williams.
The ASMAC ‘FIRST WEDNESDAYS’ event June 1 featured Jack Smalley and Perry Botkin. (Photos courtesy of Milton Nelson.)
Don Peake
Perry Botkin
Jack and Perry were super! A packed house and lots of great stuff starting with a great intro from legendary composer-guitarist Don Peake.
The evening included stories about Jack’s early years in Europe and days writing music for TV through toolbox stuffings for those who were lucky enough to attend.
Scott Smalley
The evening was topped off with a surprise visit by Jack Smalley’s son, noted arranger Scott Smalley, who took some turns asking his dad questions and showing a lot of love and respect for his awesome dad. The event also included four amazing film cues of Jack’s with the scores to review proceeded by Jack’s in depth explanation of techniques used to compose them. A great time for everyone!
Marlene Hajdu, Elise Michelle, and Carolyn Yarnell addressing the audience at the ASMAC FIRST WEDNESDAYS workshop highlighting women composers on May 4. (Photos courtesy Marlene Hajdu)
by Alison Freebairn-Smith
The ASMAC First Wednesdays event on May 4, “Celebrating Women Composers,” did just that. We moved through the evening listening to music from animation to orchestral music from Carnegie Hall to bebop re-imagined. Continue reading
Lemonade, the sixth studio album released by Beyoncé, dropped April 23 and made quite a sweet splash, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard chart with 485,000 album sales and 115 million streams following its premiere on HBO. Continue reading