Tag Archives: new media campaign

Musicians Reach Tentative Deal With Film and TV Studios

Despite major improvements won, the fight for streaming residuals will continue

After more than two years of tough negotiations, musicians have reached a tentative agreement with major film and television studios that includes many substantive improvements and no significant concessions — yet still does not include residuals for work on made-for-streaming films and episodic TV shows.

Members of the American Federation of Musicians have been negotiating a new contract with major studios including Disney, CBS, MGM, Paramount, NBCUniversal, Sony and Warner Brothers, and the newly proposed contract features several major improvements for musicians. For the first time in history, musicians will receive screen credits when they perform on theatrical and streamed film scores. Also for the first time, the proposed deal establishes fair wages and conditions for high-budget shows made for streaming platforms. Continue reading →

Musicians Rally at Disney Studios on Disney+ Launch Day to Demand Streaming Residuals

BURBANK, CA (Nov. 12, 2019) — On Tuesday, film and television musicians marked the launch of Disney’s new streaming service Disney+ with a large rally outside the company’s Burbank studios to demand a fair contract for streaming that includes residuals, set wages, and screen credits. Continue reading →

Rally for Residuals on Nov. 12

On Tuesday, Nov. 12, Disney will launch Disney+. The launch of this streaming service marks a shift toward a new business model for film and television, along with an unnecessary and unwarranted effort by major studios to decimate musicians’ livelihoods in the process.

Musicians in Los Angeles are fighting back.

Join us as for a large rally outside the Walt Disney Picture company lot to demand a fair contract for streaming that includes residuals, set wages, and screen credits for musicians. We will be greeting a large double-decker bus of musicians who will be holding mini-rallies throughout the morning at other major studios, culminating in our large demonstration outside Disney.

Join us! RSVP @ afm47.org/newmedia

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#BandTogether Bargaining Kickoff Rally – Monday, Oct. 7, 2019

RSVP HERE

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Musicians #BandTogether at Alex Theatre to Demand Fair Contract From Disney CEO Bob Iger

GLENDALE, CA (Oct. 2, 2019) — On Tuesday night more than 50 musicians held a flash-mob musical street performance outside of Disney CEO Bob Iger’s book signing event at the Alex Theatre as part of the grassroots #BandTogether campaign to demand that Disney and other major film and television studios improve standards for musicians’ work in new media. Continue reading →

LA Times: How the rise of streaming might turn Hollywood musicians into an endangered species

By MICHAEL HILTZIK
BUSINESS COLUMNIST

SEP. 26, 2019 | 5 AM

Hollywood musicians, those foot soldiers who bring the work of celebrated composers such as John Williams (“Star Wars”), James Horner (“Titanic”) and Hans Zimmer (“Dunkirk”) to life, have faced a mound of professional challenges in recent years.

Producers record their film scores in London or other overseas locations to avoid paying union scale, digital recordings have eaten away at opportunities for live players, and studios penny-pinch on music in countless ways even though their recording budgets are typically a tiny piece of a project’s budget — a $100-million project might spend less than $400,000 on musicians’ pay.

But now the musicians are facing a threat that some call potentially an “extinction-level event.” It’s the takeover of the entertainment industry by streaming video services.

> continue reading @ latimes.com