Category Archives: All News

Musicians of the 90th Annual Academy Awards

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Gallery photos by Rick Baptist

From composition and music preparation to the scoring stage, musicians bring the heart and soul to motion pictures.

Congratulations to the winners and nominees in the 90th annual Academy Awards featuring music created by AFM Local 47 musicians, and to the incredible house band and music prep team! Continue reading

‘Allegiance’ Musical Goes AFM

We are pleased to report a recent organizing win in signing a new agreement with the East West Players for the production of “Allegiance,” a new musical running in Little Tokyo starring George Takei.

This victory came as the result of direct action by Asian-American musicians at Local 47 who felt passionately about ensuring that this project go union. The musical addresses the hardships and discrimination against Japanese Americans during WWII, when thousands of Americans were put into internment camps.
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AFM Local 47 Executive Board Endorses Gavin Newsom for Governor

The American Federation of Musicians Local 47 Executive Board is proud to endorse Gavin Newsom for Governor of California.

Newsom earned a respectable track record as a supporter of working people during his two consecutive terms as mayor of San Francisco by guiding the city into economic stability by creating and enforcing progressive policies pushing for civil rights, environmental protections, and job creation. Continue reading

March 2018 Overture Online: Nevertheless She Persisted

Overture Online
March 2018

Nevertheless She Persisted
National Women’s History Project honors women who fight all forms of discrimination


Women’s March 2018
Musicians Join Thousands at
Los Angeles Women’s March 2018

You’re Invited!
Save the Date for our Grand Opening event May 21

Keeping the Score in CA Update
Musicians visiting legislators to promote a music-scoring tax credit

and more!

The Overture Online app is available FREE @
  

Or click here to read the issue from your web browser.

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Keeping the Score in CA: Tax Credit Committee Update

Musicians Chris Anderson-Bazzoli and Blake Cooper with Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo at a recent legislative visit in support of a California music-scoring tax credit.

Last year we had a bill, AB 1300 (Calderon), which was narrowly focused on modifying the existing Tax Credit Program to include a music-scoring tax credit.

This year, a new bill, AB 1734 (Calderon), aims to renew the entire Film and TV Tax Credit Program. We are working with Assembly Majority Leader Ian Calderon on how to include language in the overall renewal that will address the loss of jobs in the scoring industry. Continue reading

Take action TODAY to save #NetNeutrality!

FEBRUARY 27, 2018: Today is the Operation: #OneMoreVote day of action to save net neutrality, and there needs to be a massive outcry from Americans across the country to stop Ajit Pai and the FCC from handing over control of the internet to companies like Comcast, Verizon, and AT&T.

Despite enormous public opposition, the FCC’s repeal of net neutrality has officially been entered into the Federal Register. Now the Senate must act in the next 60 days to stop the repeal and save the internet or big cable companies will have the control over the internet they’ve always wanted.

Please sign the petition and urge your senators to stand up for internet freedom and stop the repeal of net neutrality>>

 

What does this mean for the music industry?

As shared by Digital Music News:
Today, to make a living, you (or your band) may sell, distribute and promote your music. Streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music may offer subsistence, but direct online sales of merchandise and concert tickets may offer a bigger payout.

If (and when) the FCC eliminates net neutrality rules, larger companies could easily lobby for “premium prioritization.” This means that consumers would have to pay more to access their favorite sites. Your website may not make the list.

Access to the internet could become a two-tiered system based solely on financial success.

American ISPs would likely sell consumers faster access to sites. Larger companies would quickly divert traffic away from smaller, independent websites that help musicians. Popular social media networks, including Facebook and Twitter, could easily charge musicians more to promote their music.

Independent musicians, DJs, producers, and bands, meanwhile, would face rapid marginalization. Major music labels could pay Facebook to promote big-name artists like Taylor Swift and Adele. Users on these platforms, and even on video services (YouTube, Vimeo), would constantly see ads for these big names.

Indie artists could face an uphill battle just to get noticed.

In the end, musicians would live the worst-case scenario: a lopsided music industry favoring the strong.

Net neutrality is too important to the future of our democracy to give up now. We cannot back down and we have a real shot at saving the internet if we band together and take action.

Take action right now to protect the future of the internet!