Category Archives: All News

Victory for Our Jobs! Send a Thank You to Our Supporters in Sacramento

Together, we did it!

Legislation that expands the funding and modernization of California’s Film and Television Jobs Program have officially passed and been signed into law by Governor Newsom. We achieved this because of your advocacy, your stories, and your determination to protect the jobs that keep this industry alive.

Now we’re asking you to take one more step:

Send a quick thank-you letter to the lawmakers who made this happen.

It only takes a minute, but it sends a powerful message: we see their leadership in standing with us, and we’ll continue to show up and speak out when it matters.

This wasn’t easy. Lawmakers faced a tough budget year and competing priorities, but they heard from you, and they listened. They recognized the urgency of the moment and the importance of sustaining middle-class union jobs, supporting small businesses, and protecting the union jobs that power this industry in California. Continue reading →

Money After the Credits: How FMSMF Helps Get Film Musicians Paid – Again

by Mike Hoffmann, Chief Operating Officer, FMSMF

If you’ve ever sat in a darkened theater and heard your string line swell over the final scene, or caught showing at 2 a.m. of a film you played on, there’s a good chance the Film Musicians Secondary Markets Fund (FMSMF) helped you get paid. FMSMF is a non-profit organization created in 1972 when the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) and the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) formed an agreement on how to protect film musicians’ residuals.

Why You Might Have Money Waiting

Wherever you are in the world, if you’ve worked on a movie, series, limited series, or streaming title scored under an AFM contract, we may have money waiting for you. The quickest way to find out is to go to the Unclaimed Residuals page at fmsmf.org and type in your name. Continue reading →

LA Fed Hosts Largest-Ever Non-Violent Direct Action Training

AFM Local 47 Secretary/Treasurer Gail Kruvand, Project Director for Labor and Community Partnerships Kent Wong, and Vice President Marc Sazer.

Reverend James Lawson once said: “Non-violence is the science of how you create a world that practices justice, truth, and compassion.”

In response to the growing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids targeting Los Angeles communities, over 1,400 people attended an historic Non-Violent Direct Action Training at the L.A. Convention Center on July 10, 2025, hosted by the LA County Federation of Labor. Continue reading →

Call for Amps!

Contact Rose: 323.993.3172, booking@afm47.org

EUC statement on the passage of AB 1138

The Entertainment Union Coalition celebrates the passage of AB 1138 – which will modernize and strengthen California’s Film and Television Jobs Program. This bill, alongside the expanded program funding which was signed into law by the Governor in Burbank on July 2, 2025, represents the two critical elements our members and the Entertainment Union Coalition have been advocating for since January.

To truly revitalize our industry throughout the state and retain and create the greatest number of jobs, both the expansion and modernization of this program needed to take effect together in July. Thanks to the tireless efforts of our members and our allies, that goal has now been achieved. Continue reading →

Non-Violent Direct Action Training: 7/10/25

Reverend James Lawson once said: “Nonviolence is the science of how you create a world that practices justice, truth, and compassion.”

We are now being called to practice this science. Join the LA Fed as we train with fellow labor members and activists at a Direct Action Training on Thursday, July 10, 2025, 5-8 p.m. at the L.A. Convention Center, 1201 S. Figueroa St.

This interactive session equips participants with the principles and practical tools of non-violent direct action. Rooted in a rich history of social change, the training will cover strategy, group dynamics, creative protest methods, and how to stay grounded and safe during action.

Whether you’re new to activism and organizing or looking to sharpen your skills during this era of resistance, this training offers a collaborative space to build courage, clarity, and community.

July 2025 Overture Online: Summer in the City

Inside This Issue:

Summer in the City: Music & Concerts + Calls to Action
Next General Membership Meeting 7/28: Special Election & Resolutions
AFM Local 47 2025 Triennial General Election Announcement
Member Spotlight: Weird Al
Money After the Credits: How FMSMF Helps Get Film Musicians Paid – Again
Chris Hillman’s ‘Time Between: My Life as a Byrd, Burrito Brother, and Beyond’
Score Study Master Class: Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Psycho” – The Orchestrations of Bernard Herrmann 7/17
Action Alert: Help Improve & Expand LA’s Rent Stabilization Ordinance
EUC/Keep California Rolling Update: SB 132 Passes!
Navigating the Return of Student Loan Collections
Final Notes: Alf Clausen, Brian Wilson, Lalo Schifrin
Open Mic: Author Seeks Feedback From Colleagues of Victor Feldman
Audition Notices: Santa Barbara Symphony, LA Youth Orchestra, Modesto Symphony Orchestra
and more!

Browse our full Overture pdf archives here.

For special members-only Overture content — Executive Board minutes, CBAs, Local 47 Wage Scales, Bylaws, Suspended/Expelled member lists, and more — log in to your new E2 member account at ensemble.afm47.org and browse the “Overture” section on the Documents page. (New to E2? Visit our E2 FAQ here.)

General Membership Meeting: July 28, 2025

Monday, July 28, 2025 – 7:30 p.m.

Open to all AFM Local 47 members in good standing.
Light refreshments will be served.

This will be a hybrid meeting format, both online and in person.
In-Person Location: Captain Greg Welch Gathering Place, 3220 Winona Ave. Burbank CA
Virtual Location: Zoom

On the Agenda (subject to change):
– Presentation of 50-Year Pins
– Special Election to Fill Vacancy on Election Board
– Resolutions to Amend the Bylaws
– Officer Reports
– Unfinished and New Business Continue reading →

AFM Local 47 2025 Triennial General Election Announcement

The next General Election for the AFM Local 47 Executive Board, Hearing Board, and AFM Convention Delegates takes place on Tuesday, December 9, 2025.

Nominations will be called for:
President (1)
Vice President (1)
Secretary/Treasurer (1)
Trustees (3)
Directors (6)
Hearing Board (7)
AFM Convention Delegates (3)
First Alternate Delegate (1)
and Second Alternate Delegate (1) Continue reading →

EUC/Keep California Rolling update: SB 132 Passes!

Entertainment Union Coalition Statement on Passage of SB 132

The Entertainment Union Coalition applauds today’s announcement that the increased funding to our California Film and Television Tax Incentive Program is now official. Since Governor Newsom announced his intention to prioritize our program’s expansion late last year, our members’ activism has been the core driving force in our fight to retain and bring back good industry jobs to our state. Continue reading →