[Fmpro] Quick FMPRO Poll: Can Composers Perform?

[Jim Chase]

"... no one particularly wanted to watch a composer sit in front of a  
computer monitor playing his sampled orchestra sounds."  -- quote  
from the anonymous ASCAP official

     Is that what ASCAP thinks film music composers are all about?

     Ah, but there is the rub.  Any one of us could confront ASCAP,  
and challenge that point of view, singlehandedly.  "Any film music  
cue that is worth its weight in cellulose, can stand up to a live  
music performance one to one."

     ASCAP could easily arrange to provide film music audio and  
visual at Sundance.  The creme de la creme of Indie film scores,  
video game tracks, background and featured performance.  Not to  
mention commercial PA -- which pays for everything else -- or music  
on National Public Radio.  ASCAP will have nothing to do with any of  
it.  "We don't sample those ..." or something like that.

     There again, is the inexcusable rub.  ASCAP should state clearly  
in their expensive glossy brochures: "Film music composers are the N- 
word of the music biz, and will be treated as such."   Truth in  
advertising.

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Jim Chase