Author: Mark Northam

Film Music Institute > Articles by: Mark Northam

16Aug2011

FMM Exclusive Audio Interview: Bruce Broughton of the AMCL Talks About What Happened With the Teamsters and the Future of Composer Unionization

By Mark Northam
August 16, 2011
Industry News (Archive)
(4) Comments

Film Music Magazine presents an exclusive audio interview featuring composer Bruce Broughton, chairperson of the Association of Media Composers and Lyricists, talking with Film Music Magazine publisher Mark Northam about what happened with composer unionization and the Teamsters, why the current unionization effort with the Teamsters was abandoned, and much more.

09Jul2011

College Film Scoring Programs: Selling The Dream vs. Disclosing Reality

By Mark Northam
July 9, 2011
Final Note (Archive)
(29) Comments

Mark Northam looks at college film scoring programs and how realistic they are about the business

22Mar2011

A Composers Union? Let’s Walk Before We Run.

By Mark Northam
March 22, 2011
Final Note (Archive)
(8) Comments

Mark Northam looks at what it will take to create a successful, effective composers union and some important first steps

24Feb2011

Composers Guild of America Launched; Partners with WGA to Educate Writers about Hiring Composers

By Mark Northam
February 24, 2011
Industry News (Archive)
(1) Comment

The launch of the Composers Guild of America (CGA), a new nonprofit music advocacy group, has been announced by the group’s founder, composer Alan Elliott. The group announced a successful presentation to the Writers Guild of America Show Runners Training program on February 5 to help educate television writers about how the composer hiring process works, how live musicians can be used in television productions, and how to successfully and cost effectively work with composers

05Feb2011

The ASCAP Board Election: Less Selection, More Election Please

By Mark Northam
February 5, 2011
Final Note (Archive)
(1) Comment

Mark Northam talks about ASCAP’s shameful election policies featuring handpicked “opponents” and incumbents who somehow always manage to win

13Jan2011

Realistic Music Through Realistic Playing

By Mark Northam
January 13, 2011
Final Note (Archive)
(2) Comments

Mark Northam looks at common orchestration traps that can pianists and keyboard players can find themselves in

28Oct2010

ASCAP Creates New Petition Signature Policy; Still 1,000% Increase From Signature Requirement in 2002

By Mark Northam
October 28, 2010
Industry News (Archive)
(0) Comment

After years of criticism, the ASCAP Board announced yesterday a new policy that “requests” the ASCAP Nominating Committee “give serious consideration” for inclusion on the Board of Election ballot to members who are able to gather the signatures of 250 voting members. However, the new policy represents a 1,000% increase from policy 8 years ago where only 25 signatures were required for a guaranteed spot on the ballot.

22Oct2010

ASCAP Election Petition Signature Requirement Jumps To 1,587 From Only 25 in 2002

By Mark Northam
October 22, 2010
Industry News (Archive)
(2) Comments

ASCAP has announced that the number of signatures of voting ASCAP members necessary for independent candidates who wish to petition to be placed on the ballot for the upcoming Board of Directors election is 1,587, a huge increase from the 25 signatures necessary as recently at 2002.

06Oct2010

ASCAP Loses Major Music Download Appeal Case; Blanket License Fee Calculation Remanded to District Court

By Mark Northam
October 6, 2010
Industry News (Archive)
(5) Comments

The US Second District Court of Appeals has ruled against ASCAP in a landmark case involving internet companies RealNetworks and Yahoo that attempted to establish that music downloads constitute a public performance.

30Sep2010

Film Composing: Crafting an Artist Product

By Mark Northam
September 30, 2010
Final Note (Archive)
(19) Comments

Mark Northam talks about custom film scores as an artistic product and following our clients’ creative vision

28Jul2010

DMX Wins Major Direct Licensing Royalties Case; May Fundamentally Change Performance Royalty Landscape

By Mark Northam
July 28, 2010
Industry News (Archive)
(31) Comments

A court decision this week may fundamentally change how composers, songwriters and publishers are paid royalties for public performances of their music, as the precedent created has laid the groundwork to shift many more music performances out of the hands of ASCAP, BMI and SESAC and into direct license deals with publishers and writers

29Jun2010

The Myth of the “Working Composer”

By Mark Northam
June 29, 2010
Final Note (Archive)
(31) Comments

Mark Northam explores the evolution of the “working composer” today and how some in Hollywood just can’t accept the new reality

17Jun2010

ASCAP’s New Online Cue Sheet Access Is A Winner

By Mark Northam
June 17, 2010
Final Note (Archive)
(2) Comments

In a very positive move for composers, ASCAP rolled out their online cue sheet sheet access program this week and it’s a winner

16Jun2010

FMM Survey Results: Strong Support For Unionization, Benefits and Workplace Improvements, Questions About Teamsters

By Mark Northam
June 16, 2010
Industry News (Archive)
(12) Comments

An industry survey conducted by Film Music Magazine from May 24 through June 10 shows strong industry support for forming a composers union that provides benefits and workplace condition improvements, but raises significant questions about whether composers believe they should affiliate with the Teamsters as the AMCL unionizing group is attempting

27May2010

The AMCL: Our Way Or The Highway?

By Mark Northam
May 27, 2010
Final Note (Archive)
(9) Comments

Mark Northam explores more issues concerning the AMCL group attempting to form a composers union

20May2010

The Composers Union: Time For Transparency

By Mark Northam
May 20, 2010
Final Note (Archive)
(10) Comments

Mark Northam talks about why the composers union must be transparent and representative of composers at different levels of the industry

30Apr2010

AFTRA and AFM Unions Endorse New Teamsters Composers Union Efforts

By Mark Northam
April 30, 2010
Industry News (Archive)
(52) Comments

The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists [AFTRA] which represents vocalists and the American Federation of Musicians [AFM] which represents musicians have jointly endorsed the new composers union being organized with the Teamsters

30Apr2010

Italian Publishing Group Launches Have A Sync Music Licensing Service

By Mark Northam
April 30, 2010
Industry News (Archive)
(3) Comments

Italian music publisher Bixio Publishing Group has launched HaveASync (http://www.haveasync.com), a new online music licensing service

21Apr2010

Lennie Moore Launches SkyPrep Music Prep Company

By Mark Northam
April 21, 2010
Industry News (Archive)
(0) Comment

Veteran film, television and videogame composer Lennie Moore has announced the launch of SkyPrep Music Services, a Bay area music prep company

13Apr2010

What Does the WGA’s Support Really Mean For The Composers Union?

By Mark Northam
April 13, 2010
Final Note (Archive)
(15) Comments

Mark Northam explores the questions and opportunities raised by the WGA’s support for the AMCL composers union

03Mar2010

Mass. AFM Local Pres Says AFM Visa Approval Fees Should Be Used To Rescue Music Performance Trust Fund

By Mark Northam
March 3, 2010
Industry News (Archive)
(0) Comment

AFM Local 143 (Worcester, Mass.) President Ed Shamgochian has proposed that fees collected by the AFM to process visa approval letters for visiting foreign orchestras be used to rescue the Music Performance Trust Fund (MPTF) which the fund trustee says may fail in a matter of months without additional funding

18Feb2010

To ASCAP’s Paul Williams: We’re Not All Songwriters

By Mark Northam
February 18, 2010
Final Note (Archive)
(26) Comments

Mark Northam wonders why score composers got overlooked by ASCAP’s Paul Williams in a recent national editorial

29Jan2010

Ten Ways The iPad Could Enhance The Film Scoring Process

By Mark Northam
January 29, 2010
Final Note (Archive)
(16) Comments

Mark Northam explores how the new Apple iPad could enhance the creative process of film scoring

27Jan2010

Broadcasters Sue BMI For Expanded Direct Licensing, Lower License Fees and Access to Cue Sheets

By Mark Northam
January 27, 2010
Industry News (Archive)
(8) Comments

The owners of approximately 1,200 local television stations, citing a “massive reduction” in audience size, have sued performing rights society BMI in rate court, asking the Court to set “reasonable fees and terms” for the use of BMI music in television programming, grant broadcasters access to cue sheets, and add a provision to the blanket license that could greatly expand the practice of direct licensing music from copyright owners, avoiding performing rights societies

20Jan2010

The New Film Music Paradigm: Free Composers, Free Orchestras, What’s Next?

By Mark Northam
January 20, 2010
Final Note (Archive)
(33) Comments

Mark Northam talks about scarcity, oversupply, the new film music paradigm, and handling evolution.

14Jan2010

Be The Solution, Not The Problem!

By Mark Northam
January 14, 2010
Final Note (Archive)
(27) Comments

Mark Northam talks about how we each can address the challenges of the composing industry today

14Jan2010

BMI Sues T-Mobile For Copyright Infringement Over Ringback Tones

By Mark Northam
January 14, 2010
Industry News (Archive)
(2) Comments

Performing rights society BMI has accused wireless carrier T-Mobile of copyright infringement and encouraging its subscribers to commit copyright infringement in a federal lawsuit regarding ringback tones, the music that is heard by callers while a call to a T-mobile subscriber is being connected

11Dec2009

Thanks ASCAP, But Do We Really Need More Concert Composers Competing For Films?

By Mark Northam
December 11, 2009
Final Note (Archive)
(57) Comments

Mark Northam wonders why ASCAP urges more concert composers to compete with film composers

01Dec2009

Ghostwriting and The Composers Union

By Mark Northam
December 1, 2009
Final Note (Archive)
(18) Comments

Mark Northam looks at ghostwriting and how a composers union could reform this abusive practice

30Nov2009

Industry Spotlight: Composer and SCOREcastOnline Founder DEANE OGDEN

By Mark Northam
November 30, 2009
Industry Spotlight
(3) Comments

Film Music Magazine interviews Deane Ogden, composer and founder of the SCOREcastOnline interactive community

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