[Fmpro] Yes We Can) The Arts

[Mark Northam]

On 2/6/08 12:18 PM, "Louis King" <lking1 at nyc.rr.com> wrote:

> 
> THERE IS THE PROBLEM .... when someone here says "well my complaint"
> to ASCAP can't doing anything you all get hot an bothered but yet you
> say one composer has no leverage in the marketplace that's just being
> realistic?????
> 
> If 9 outta 10 won't work for cheap the $$$ come up ....  I'm not
> saying that's easy to accomplish but somehow editing facilities seem
> to do fine ... they don't get back end, they don't work for free
> either and I don't see that service/product being devalued.

It all comes down to supply and demand. If there were as much of an
oversupply of editing facilities as there is now of composers, they'd be
having the same issues as composers. Too much oversupply = not a lot of
leverage for individuals in the marketplace.

The only solution I see is a union or guild, but few composers seem
interested in that these days, and it still wouldn't solve the basic problem
that is shaping the entire world of film/TV composing today: too many
composers, not enough work, no collective bargaining so it's every composer
for him/herself.

Do you have some suggestions as to how we could effectively work to help the
front-end payment slide?

Mark Northam