Tag Archives: new media

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 #BandTogether at Kickoff Rallies in LA, NY in Contract Fight for New Media Residuals

Negotiations resume this month with film/TV producers

OCTOBER 7, 2019 — Today members of the American Federation of Musicians rallied from coast to coast as part of the musicians’ national grassroots #BandTogether campaign calling on film and TV producers to offer a fair contract that includes streaming residuals.

In Sherman Oaks, a large crowd gathered in the morning outside the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers headquarters, where bargaining resumed today, to perform live music and rally with leaders from entertainment unions including SAG-AFTRA and WGA West. In New York, a concurrent rally took place outside NBCUniversal headquarters at Rockefeller Center with Congressman Jerrold Nadler and AFM members. The rallies follow several public actions held in recent weeks in Nashville, New York and Los Angeles. Continue reading →

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

Musicians, actors & more come together at Labor Day celebration

More than 80 AFM Local 47 musicians marched in solidarity alongside friends from SAG-AFTRA, Actors’ Equity and many other local unions at the 40th annual Labor Day Parade at Banning Park on Monday.

Musicians proudly spent a day of solidarity with 3,000 members of the Southern California labor movement including actors, broadcasters, teachers, longshoremen, firefighters, teamsters, carpenters and more. Attendees of this year’s event, hosted by the Los Angeles/Long Beach Harbor Labor Coalition, also included Congressmembers Nanette Barragan and Gil Cisneros, and former U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, who now serves as an L.A. County Supervisor.

We are all stronger together, and musicians appreciate the overwhelming solidarity and support shown by our union sisters and brothers for our #BandTogether campaign. Together, we win!

View the photo gallery at bandtogetherafm.org

Musicians Take to Disney D23 in Fight for Fair Contract

ANAHEIM, CA (August 26, 2019) — Musicians who record the scores for major motion pictures and television shows spent this weekend at the D23 Expo engaging with Disney fans, performing live music and sharing information about their grassroots #BandTogether campaign to win a fair contract for new media. Continue reading →

Musicians Call on Film/TV Studios to Bargain Fair for Streaming Media

Studios’ refusal to provide New Media residuals threatens livelihood of musicians

LOS ANGELES, CA (March 13, 2019) — Today members of the American Federation of Musicians, AFL-CIO, held a press conference calling on the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers to engage in fair contract negotiations and protect the future careers of professional musicians as the industry shifts to streaming and online distribution (aka “new media”). Continue reading →

Musicians take on New Media with Motion Picture/TV Film Campaign

Negotiations between the AFM and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) began on March 13, 2019. We’re taking on the most important aspect of the future of the recording industry: new media and streaming services.

On the first morning of bargaining, musicians held a press conference calling on film and TV studios to engage in fair contract negotiations and protect the future careers of professional musicians as the industry shifts to streaming and online distribution. The story was reported by several news outlets including Variety, Billboard, Deadline, and Digital Music News.

After three days of intense talks, management was unwilling to accept or negotiate over our most important proposals. On March 18, the bargaining team negotiated a brief contract extension: a 2% raise in existing wages, continuing the terms and conditions of the current agreement to Nov. 14, 2019.

Now through November, AFM musicians will be ramping up efforts to win a fair contract. AFM members working in all areas of the business are encouraged to get involved in the campaign.

47 Blog | AFM Local 47