Category Archives: Electronic Media

Alert Re: Underpaid Recording Sessions

It has come to our attention that during the “Shelter in Place” order that was issued in March, and up to present many of you may have not been paid the full amount of hours worked on recording projects. Local 47, in consultation with the AFM national office has been conducting audits with several of our payroll companies to ensure proper payment of wages and benefits for your services.

If you believe you have not been paid the full extent of the payment due to you, Local 47 requests you submit the name of your project using this online report form. Your identity will be kept anonymous.

Alert Re: Multi-Tracking and Remote Recording Rates

In the remote recording world that has arisen as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has come to our attention that many musicians may be receiving improper payment.

Musicians must receive separate session payments when asked to record and deliver separate, multiple parts, as provided in the Electronic Musical Devices provision of the Basic Theatrical, Television Motion Picture, and Sound Recording Labor Agreements.

If you have recently supplied multiple parts and believe you may have been underpaid, please contact the union. We will work to ensure that you are properly compensated for your work during these difficult times when it is needed most, and that the employer provide any additional session and fringe benefit payments, as well as pay any applicable late payments.

Now More Than Ever, Union Contracts Can Help

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought our industry to a complete halt, and even as we are socially isolated from one another, we are suffering together both economically and artistically.

But we are a diverse union. Our members include musicians who compose, prepare and perform music in an incredibly wide variety of fields, from theater and club work, symphonic, opera and ballet, film, television, sound recordings and other recording work — if it involves music, at least some of us are doing it as part of our livelihoods Continue reading →

EMD Report: Residuals and Royalties

by Roxanne Castillo, Esq.

I have been receiving many calls asking how and when residuals and royalties are triggered and from where the money comes. Residuals and royalties flow from primary markets, secondary markets, and copyrights. Here is a quick guide to help you pinpoint how the money flows and to whom you should reach out if you suspect you are owed money but have yet to see a check. Continue reading →

EMD Report: Sync Licences

by Roxanne Castillo, Esq.

Lately I’ve been getting a lot of questions about synchronization licenses, or sync licenses for short. This is not something AFM handles, but surprisingly enough for all you songwriters and composers this is something you can definitely do on your own.
Continue reading →

That Thing That is Taft Hartley

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 →

Calendar Politics, or What to do When Asked to ‘Hold That Date!’

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 →