#listenLA spotlight: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Expecto Patronum! Composer Timothy Williams casts his melodic spell over the Los Angeles Local 47 orchestra on the Warner Bros. Eastwood Scoring Stage with his music for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter attraction at Universal Park Japan. Photo: Kori Chappell

Hogwarts attraction at Universal Park Japan gets a taste of Los Angeles with Timothy Williams’ musical score

To the delight of muggles around the world, a Harry Potter themed attraction opened earlier this year in Osaka, Japan. The impressive Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a life-size imagining of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, complete with various rides and special effects. The music heard throughout the $442 million attraction was scored by a Los Angeles orchestra last December on the Warner Bros. Eastwood Scoring Stage, with composer Timothy Williams conducting his works.

Read the full story at listen-la.com!

AFM Inks Innovative New Recording Deals

Agreements mark new efforts by the musicians union to create more flexible contracts

by Linda A. Rapka

The AFM and Local 47 recently inked two innovative agreements.

One new deal with Los Angeles-based company Confidential Music allows for unique provisions regarding trailer music. Musicians receive a payment when creating the music beds for trailers, then a second scale payment when the music is licensed into a trailer.

“Being able to record orchestras in Los Angeles has always been something Confidential Music was very interested in,” said co-founder Kyle Biane. “The world of movie trailer music is a constantly developing and competitive market. We are always striving to develop a new and unique approach in both our writing and production. We do this not only to stay competitive, but to expand the art form. Now that we have the ability to call upon the talents of Local 47 here in Los Angeles, the possibilities are truly endless.” Continue reading →

Free Movie Screening – ‘1M1: Hollywood Horns of the Golden Years’

Free Movie Screening:
Sunday, Nov. 23, 2:30 pm

Local 47 Serena Kay & Earl Williams Auditorium
817 Vine St. Hollywood CA 90038
Free & open to the public
Run time: 75 min

“1M1: Hollywood Horns of the Golden Years” is a documentary film from director/producer Annie Bosler about the history of the Los Angeles film studio French horn players from the 1920s through the 1960s. Featuring numerous interviews with L.A. music legends and narrated by Jon Burlingame, the film follows the development of the motion picture industry and its battles with the musicians’ union. The groundbreaking film uncovers many of the brilliant, never before acknowledged horn soloists of the big screen.

“Music can stand alone, but film cannot live without music.” — John Williams, Composer of Film Music

“The legacy of the Hollywood horn sound is like no other anywhere in the world.” — Richard Todd, Hollywood Horn Player

1m1hollywoodhorns.com

Free Hollywood Musicians Dental Clinic Nov. 18, 2014

An Inspired Royal Visit

During his visit to Local 47, Saava Karim was kind enough to perform his ngoma (the Swahili word for “drum”). Photos: Nate Herrera

During his visit to Local 47, Saava Karim was kind enough to perform his ngoma (the Swahili word for “drum”). Photo: Nate Herrera

Ugandan prince and musician activist Saava Karim Nsubuga visits the Hollywood musicians union to spread his message of peace and unity

by Linda A. Rapka

The Hollywood musicians union was paid a royal visit last month by Saava Karim Nsubuga, a prince from Uganda and professional musician who is an activist with the Uganda Musicians Union.

Wearing a handsome white and gold hand-stitched kazu, the traditional tunic worn by men in East Africa, and kufi hat and vest made of bark cloth elaborately decorated with jewels and shells, the saava (Swahili word for “prince”) met with Local 47 officers and Overture staff. In his work as membership mobilization secretary of the Uganda Musicians Union, established in 1998, Saava Karim said he is using his time in the United States to learn more about unionism and how he can help improve the quality of life for working musicians in Uganda. Continue reading →

The Simpsons Take the Bowl

Photo by Matthew Imaging

by Linda A. Rapka

The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra performs under the baton of Homer Simpson (aka Principal Conductor Thomas Wilkins). Photo by Matthew Imaging

Springfield descended upon the Hollywood Bowl last month during an unprecedented three-day concert extravaganza celebrating the music of “The Simpsons.”

Preceding the show’s milestone 26th season, “The Simpsons Take the Bowl” premiered Friday, Sept. 12, and continued through the warm summer weekend. Guests filtering into the venue were greeted by “Simpsons” visuals throughout: ribbons of giant pink donuts cascading overhead; a jumbo blowup of Blinky, Springfield’s infamous three-eyed nuclear fish; the Duff Beer blimp (in balloon form) hovering over the amphitheater; and of course, “Simpsons” characters in full costume, greeting and taking pictures with excited guests of all ages. Continue reading →

CA Film and TV Tax Credit Gets Major Boost

With much fanfare from the local entertainment industry, Gov. Jerry Brown signs AB 1839 into law at a ceremony outside the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood Sept. 18. Photo: Courtesy IATSE Local 600

Entertainment workers up and down the state celebrate Gov. Brown signing into law AB 1839

by Linda A. Rapka

On Sept. 18, Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law AB 1839, a bill that strengthens our state’s film and TV tax credit program to bring more entertainment jobs back to California.

This effort has been years in the making. Local 47 and the Recording Musicians Association of Los Angeles worked closely with SAG-AFTRA, IATSE, Teamsters, DGA and others to form a coalition to lobby and pass this important legislation. Continue reading →

Get Your Money!

money-bills

Still waiting on that recording session check? Here’s how to get paid without sounding like a broken record

There should be no mystery in getting paid for working. Businesses hire people to do things all the time. When you are hired to help make an album, the rules of the music business are no different — musicians need to get paid, too. Below are three simple steps to help you get paid on time, every time.

3 Steps to Get Your Money:

1. Get hired for a union session — wooo!
2. Submit your AFM B-4 report form.
3. Get Paid.

When called for a recording sessions to make an album, our deal with the major record companies is that you get paid within three weeks from when the AFM paperwork gets submitted to the company. The AFM B-4 report form (see a sample B-4 here) is the paperwork needed as, when completed, it describes all of the necessary information for their payroll company to cut your paycheck. This needs be submitted to the record company for payment. That’s pretty much it.

Need Paperwork?

Contact your Local 47 Sound Recording Business Representative:

• (323) 993-3170

• email us

• Visit the Sound Recording page at afm47.org to view and download forms Continue reading →

Member CD Spotlight: ‘Awake and Dream’ – works by Lior Rosner

Concertmaster Katia Popov performs a violin solo during the recording session with the Hollywood Studio Symphony for Lior Rosner’s debut classical album, “Awake and Dream.” Photo courtesy of Lior Rosner

Since moving to Los Angeles from his native Israel, Lior Rosner has made a name for himself as a composer of rare versatility. Perhaps best known as the composer of the theme music for the “Ellen DeGeneres Show,” he has worked in film, TV and video games, and scored trailers and commercials for huge projects and brands.

A graduate of the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, he studied composition and theory with composers Haim Alexander and Mark Kopytman. After graduating, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career as a film composer. During his many years of success in this medium, he has continued to compose classical music, including chamber works that have been played by various ensembles, among them the Armadillo String Quartet and the Pacific Composers Forum.

But concert music has always been dear to Rosner’s heart, and his artistry is on full display with his new collection of vocal and instrumental works, “Awake and Dream,” released on Bridge Records. Continue reading →

#listenLA spotlight: Rebecca Ferguson Pays Ultimate Tribute to Billie Holiday

When setting out to cover songs by the incomparable Billie Holiday, what more of an homage could one make than to record them in the very same room as Ms. Holiday herself did over 60 years ago?

Last month, British singer/songwriter and former “X Factor” finalist Rebecca Ferguson did just that when she hopped on a plane to Hollywood and spent two days within the famed walls of Capitol Studios. A stellar group of 20 Los Angeles string musicians was contracted by Ross deRoche, who was delighted at the results.

Read the full story at listen-la.com!