[Fmpro] ASCAP POLICY AT SUNDANCE

[Mark Holden]

ASCAP POLICY AT SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL

I'd like to raise a topic that may be worthy of the list's attention. ASCAP
is representing only songwriters at the upcoming Sundance Film Festival
Cafe, basically shutting-out score composers.

http://www.ascap.com/eventsawards/events/sundance/2008/schedule.aspx

I find this policy to be outrageous. To use money and resources earned by
ALL the members of ASCAP to promote a single classification of writer is as
wrong as it can be. And to exclude score composers from special promotion at
a prestigious film festival is wholly bizarre!

Filmmakers need BOTH song and score in the vast majority of their
productions, so why push song exclusively? What is the ASCAP leadership
thinking? It's like selling bacon at a rabbinical convention-- it just don't
smell right.

I submit it goes straight to the agenda of the Bergman administration: to
MINIMIZE instrumental score. How do they do it? Let's look at the evidence.
The usage weightings, the sponsorship of networking groups, and the tracking
of performances through debacles such as MediaGuide ARE ALL SONG-CENTRIC.
And that's just for starters...

Look, I'm not anti-song. There are songs in my catalog. I just want to know
why ASCAP policy is so slanted against SCORE. Is there anyone else on this
list that feels that ASCAP should balance their promotion of song and score
at Sundance and elsewhere?

Please, let us have your opinions.

Very best,

Mark Holden

BTW, I heard tonight from the head of BMI Media Relations, Hanna Pantle, who
assures me that BMI is promoting songwriters and composers in equal numbers
at Sundance.