College Film Scoring Programs: Selling The Dream vs. Disclosing Reality
Mark Northam looks at college film scoring programs and how realistic they are about the business
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09Jul2011
22Mar2011
A Composers Union? Let’s Walk Before We Run.
Mark Northam looks at what it will take to create a successful, effective composers union and some important first steps
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05Feb2011
The ASCAP Board Election: Less Selection, More Election Please
Mark Northam talks about ASCAP’s shameful election policies featuring handpicked “opponents” and incumbents who somehow always manage to win
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13Jan2011
Realistic Music Through Realistic Playing
Mark Northam looks at common orchestration traps that can pianists and keyboard players can find themselves in
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30Sep2010
Film Composing: Crafting an Artist Product
Mark Northam talks about custom film scores as an artistic product and following our clients’ creative vision
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29Jun2010
The Myth of the “Working Composer”
Mark Northam explores the evolution of the “working composer” today and how some in Hollywood just can’t accept the new reality
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17Jun2010
ASCAP’s New Online Cue Sheet Access Is A Winner
In a very positive move for composers, ASCAP rolled out their online cue sheet sheet access program this week and it’s a winner
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27May2010
The AMCL: Our Way Or The Highway?
Mark Northam explores more issues concerning the AMCL group attempting to form a composers union
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20May2010
The Composers Union: Time For Transparency
Mark Northam talks about why the composers union must be transparent and representative of composers at different levels of the industry
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13Apr2010
What Does the WGA’s Support Really Mean For The Composers Union?
Mark Northam explores the questions and opportunities raised by the WGA’s support for the AMCL composers union
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18Feb2010
To ASCAP’s Paul Williams: We’re Not All Songwriters
Mark Northam wonders why score composers got overlooked by ASCAP’s Paul Williams in a recent national editorial
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29Jan2010
Ten Ways The iPad Could Enhance The Film Scoring Process
Mark Northam explores how the new Apple iPad could enhance the creative process of film scoring
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20Jan2010
The New Film Music Paradigm: Free Composers, Free Orchestras, What’s Next?
Mark Northam talks about scarcity, oversupply, the new film music paradigm, and handling evolution.
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14Jan2010
Be The Solution, Not The Problem!
Mark Northam talks about how we each can address the challenges of the composing industry today
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11Dec2009
Thanks ASCAP, But Do We Really Need More Concert Composers Competing For Films?
Mark Northam wonders why ASCAP urges more concert composers to compete with film composers
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01Dec2009
Ghostwriting and The Composers Union
Mark Northam looks at ghostwriting and how a composers union could reform this abusive practice
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24Nov2009
10 Important Questions For The New Composers Union
Mark Northam poses 10 questions of critical importance for composers regarding unionizing
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05Nov2009
A Composers’ Union: The Time Is Now
Mark Northam discusses why composers should support the current unionization efforts with the Teamsters
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19Oct2009
If Radio Can Pay Royalties, Movie Theaters Can Pay Too!
Mark Northam explores why performance royalties aren’t collected from U.S. movie theaters for score and songs in films
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21Sep2009
Remembering Don Ray (1925 – 2005)
Mark Northam remembers Don B. Ray, one of film music’s greatest educators.
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12May2009
Tracking and Getting Paid For Your Music Performances
Mark Northam talks about how Tunesat can help maximize income from performance societies and music libraries
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17Mar2009
Taking Control of Your Composing Career: The Creative
Mark Northam talks about taking positive control of the creative aspects of your composing career.
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02Mar2009
The Bank of ASCAP: Interest-Free Loans, But Not Just for the Rich
Mark Northam says it’s time for ASCAP to open up it’s secret “advance” program to provide interest-free loans to regular members, not just the rich and most successful
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03Feb2009
Online Cue Sheet Access: Why We Need It Now
Mark Northam talks about why composers need and deserve online access to their cue sheets at ASCAP, BMI and SESAC.
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27Jan2009
My ASCAP Election Wish: Stop Enabling Cue Sheet Kickbacks
It’s time that the ASCAP Board stop facilitating one of the biggest composer rip-offs we face today: cue sheet kickbacks
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16Oct2008
ASCAP’s Troubling “Friends and Family” Board Election Policy
Mark Northam takes a closer look at how ASCAP chooses replacement board members
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29Jul2008
Ten Questions for Composers Investing in Technology
Mark Northam lists 10 questions every composer should ask manufacturers of technology they’re considering investing in for their studios.
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08Jul2008
ASCAP’s Shameful Treatment of Fred Karlin’s Legacy
ASCAP celebrates its film scoring workshop by avoiding any mention of its founder, Fred Karlin.
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29Jan2008
Composer Royalties on DVDs and Downloads: Why Not?
Mark Northam talks about why there are no composer royalties on DVDs and film/TV downloads and what might be done about it.
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20Nov2007
The New Editors: When Composers Stop Composing
It started in television music about ten years ago by my recollection, and has picked up steam every year. The birth of the editor, the death of the composer. When composers stop writing notes and start stringing together loops, atmospheres and hits, I’m not so sure that is still composing. To me, it’s a lot […]
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