L.A. Orchestra Musicians’ Lost Wages Could Add Up to $4 Million for March

[buysoundtrax 32]

Here is a link to Jon Burlingame's story about this issue

 

https://tinyurl.com/w4aocqz

 

We are now in the dark times 

 

 

[crumbs 14,300]

Definitely hard times for the industry.

 

Doubly frustrating that their post-2005 union fees have made recent scores prohibitive for the smaller labels to expand (while the larger labels simply don't care).

 

Expansions could be a valuable new income stream for musicians unable to work during this crisis. If the union put a temporary reduction on fees, the labels could jump on hundreds of new scores and provide income relief to musicians. As it stands, both musicians and labels suffer while thousands of scores gather dust on a shelf.

 

Complete insanity and wasted potential.

[Holko 9,499]

1 minute ago, crumbs said:

the labels could jump on hundreds of new expansions and provide income relief to musicians.

*could have jumped if manufacturing wasn't shut down or they got licences to sell digital downloads on their site or something.

[crumbs 14,300]

5 minutes ago, Holko said:

*could have jumped if manufacturing wasn't shut down or they got licences to sell digital downloads on their site or something.

 

At the very least they could acquire some of these scores and pay musicians a fraction of their fees, even if the labels need to wait until the manufacturing situation recovers to release the actual scores.

 

Or yeah, studios could just allow digital rights (seems unlikely, for whatever reason).

[Edmilson 7,392]

This is terribly sad. I hope situation improves soon.

[Wojo 2,453]

The lesson here, kids, is if you want to keep a steady income in a pandemic, find essential jobs. Art, sports, travel, lol. 

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

9 minutes ago, woj said:

The lesson here, kids, is if you want to keep a steady income in a pandemic, find essential boring menial jobs. Art, sports, travel, lol. 

 

 

[Edmilson 7,392]

Or just work as a doctor or a nurse. That way, you'll never be without a job even during pandemics, wars, terrorist attacks, etc.

[Matt C 452]

14 hours ago, crumbs said:

Definitely hard times for the industry.

 

Doubly frustrating that their post-2005 union fees have made recent scores prohibitive for the smaller labels to expand (while the larger labels simply don't care).

 

It's not just the union fees, but the closing of Stage M and Todd-AO in 2006 and 2008 really hurts the AFM in a situation like this. With COVID-19 being a global problem, even recording overseas isn't feasible either. 

 

I imagine once the virus lets up, all the remaining stages like Sony, Newman, and Eastwood are going to be booked solid for months to come. People are desperate to go to work and composers are going to push to help local musicians and record locally, even if it's more expensive for the studios. Stage M and Todd-AO would've benefited from overflow business that would go to Sony or Newman.

[Tom 4,639]

On the flipside, I seems they are well-paid during non-pandemic times--good for them.  

[Matt C 452]

It's like $90-$100/hr for the big blockbusters, right? That's good paying work, plus residuals from soundtrack sales and TV airings...