According to a report from The Committee for a More Responsible Local 47, (http://www.responsible47.com) a Los Angeles based watchdog group that regularly reports on issues at AFM Local 47, the Local 47 Executive Board in December approved a $2,500 “donation” to pay for musicians for a USC film scoring orchestration class taught by Bruce Broughton. The donation is in start contrast to the precedent established at UCLA Extension film scoring courses over more than 20 years where students have had to pay 100% of the musician fees with no donations or grants from Local 47.
The benefits of professional musicians in film scoring classes are clear – students’ compositions are performed live and can be recorded for later study, as any problems with the music often become readily apparent when performed by live musicians. In this case, the controversy that has erupted around the donation doesn’t question the benefits of the musicians to students, but involves who is paying for the musicians.
The Committee For A More Responsible Local 47 report points out the extensive financial relationship that Local 47 has with UCLA Extension, resulting in significant financial support to Local 47 from UCLA Extension. The Committee article stated, “In the last year, the UCLA FIlm Scoring have paid our Local in the area of $100,000, including pay for musicians and equipment rental. But the board just OKed a payment of $2,500 to USC, to pay RMAers playing the USC film scoring classes. Our dues going to pay those who caused a majority of the problems here. That’s rich! How often does USC rent our facilities? Try virtually never, but that is who OUR board just gave the money to. Why?”
A veteran film scoring instructor at UCLA Extension was shocked to hear of the Local 47 funding for USC, stating “The union, for years, gave the UCLA film scoring program nothing but roadblocks. They required insurance that no studio requires, and ignored our argument that we were introducing many new composers to the union. And that was when we just wanted to RENT their studio to record in! Finally, for reasons someone else knows, we now rent the facility to run our classes. I find the handout to the rich USC crowd appalling in light of the fact that the union dragged their feet for years enter into even a strictly business agreement with UCLA Extension.”
Film Music Magazine asked Local 47 President Vince Trombetta about who was responsible for selecting which musicians would be paid for the classes, what union contract they were working under, what the musicians would be paid, and how other colleges could apply for “donations” from Local 47. Trombetta responded, “The questions you asked are pretty much personnel issues that are decided by USC, not the Local. The Local cannot respond to personnel questions that are in the purview of USC. Grants are decided by the Executive Board on a case by case basis. Other schools can always apply for a grant and it is in the authority of the Board to approve or disapprove.”
USC film scoring department head Brian King was traveling, but has suggested an interview upon his return to respond to Film Music Magazine’s questions about the specifics of how the grant would be paid to musicians and how the musician hiring and selection process will be conducted when determining which musicians are eligible to be hired for the orchestration class jobs created with the donated funds from Local 47.
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