[Fmpro] Where do we go from here?

[Chris Alpiar]

I have seen a lot of different issues and complaints and bottom line seems
to point to unionizing composers so we can have protection legally and to
get some arm power to push standards and ideas to PROs and other entities.
So where do we go from here?

 

I want a union to back me up and produce a minimum scale setting for a
decent life away from Raman(tm) noodles without capping the potential
either, minimally like the AFM does, maximally doing more then the AFM and
really helping to not only protect but nurture our community.

 

Those of you on this list that are telling us we need this union, how do we
get one? Im not much of a leader (after all I inhaled o,O) but I am willing
to participate and to help evolve this if I know what to do and who to
follow.

 

Right now there is a lot of emotional feelings about our issues which
fosters desire for change. This is really good. And there are a lot of
people out there who are generally and specifically unhappy with how they
are treated or how their lives are respected, financially and otherwise, as
composers. This is bad, but good for the motion of empowerment of us all
through unionizing.

 

So what's next? Let's do this I say. Now even though I have paid my dues for
the last 27 years or so living and breathing every aspect of music:
studying, touring, writing, conducting, gigging, recording, teaching, etc; I
am still a newb in the business end and have yet to actualize my potential
monetarily. I am ready to do that now, and with the depth of my life
experience I have a lot to offer, as many of us on this list have. But there
is this terrific monster standing in the way, the tremendous dragon of
corporatization of the music industry and devaluation of music (of all music
though most specifically orchestral film/tv music) through technology and
mistreatment by those supposed to be our friends (PROs). So lets get
together and at least give the damn thing some catnip while we get to the
treasure chests :D

 

Anyone have some experience with unionizing? We can't exactly resurrect
Jimmy Hoffa but we have some very talented people among us I'm sure we can
come up with something. Mark you are the person that knows more about the
issues then most anyone I can think of, and your commitment to service of
the composer community is unparalleled as far as I am aware. You often
mention on this list to unionize, what steps would we need to take in order
to make this a reality?