LA Musicians, Studio Owners & Engineers.....

[Bob Olhsson]

It occurred to me that it is often years between the time a picture is first budgeted/funded and when it gets released. Scoring is the very last step in the process. Could we be seeing a reflection of the massive slump in investment four years ago as opposed to a steady downward trend?

[Stephen Trask]

Originally Posted by Bob Olhsson

It occurred to me that it is often years between the time a picture is first budgeted/funded and when it gets released. Scoring is the very last step in the process. Could we be seeing a reflection of the massive slump in investment four years ago as opposed to a steady downward trend?

Absolutely. There is definitely a connection. I think the economic meltdown from 4 years ago definitely affected the amount of money being invested in films and also spurred film companies to take advantage of changes that were already occurring in the supply chain - specifically the development of non-union orchestras and scoring stages outside of Los Angeles. I think musicians and composers have taken the biggest hit in budget cuts but we're not the only ones feeling the squeeze.

That said, I think that the outsourcing craze is not sustainable. It's one thing to go overseas for a picture every now and then but it won't work for all movies all year round.

[drBill]

Originally Posted by klaukholm

Bill,
I think the AFM needs to readjust their goals.
Instead of fighting the prague work, I would suggest actually negotiating with them to raise the rates across the board and get legit AFM approval in trade.
If it is done right, everyone wins and you stop the senseless undercutting of prices while getting better working conditions for our Prague colleagues.

I know this goes against the protectionist attitudes of the AFM, but I believe it to be more fruitful to embrace the international community as colleagues.
It is counter productive to consider our eastern european friends scabs.
Now, seattle, that is a different story alltogether

Ha! Isn't today supposed to be the end of the world????

It's a nice thought. It will never happen. If the AFM can't agree and come to a consensus with it's OWN members in LA, they will never come to an agreement nationwide, and never come to an agreement with Seattle, and FOR SURE never come to any international agreements.

But it was a nice thought. I'm with you, the AFM needs to adjiust to a new millineum, but it's doubtful they will ever take on an "international" viewpoint.

Cheers,

bp

[klaukholm]

Far to many times, I have seen unions on both sides of the atlantic behave as if the challenges we face are those of 1912 rather than 2012.

[narcoman]

No politics unless directly related, and I mean DIRECTLY related - they just develop into slanging matches from opposing views and I'd very much like to keep this sub forum on target; not targetting ya...just sweeping the floor that's all!!

Much love

[klaukholm]

I am curious to know if there is a relative decline in the use of symphonic scores for US productions regardless or where the score is recorded.
This can help us determine how much is being sent abroad, how much is due to cutbacks and maybe how much is due to pesky orchestral sample scores

[drBill]

Symphonic or at least hybrid "symphonic" (I personally wouldn't call them "symphonic" but they ARE orchestral - maybe this is a cultural semantics thing) scores are alive and well. I'd say at least at SOME point in the score the vast majority of scores have orchestra in them.

Certainly features are not skimping and using samples over orchestra's. TV, well, yes, the majority are samples, but some are still using small orchestra's, although with the LA union playing hard-ass, this is less and less.

[klaukholm]

Originally Posted by drBill

(I personally wouldn't call them "symphonic" but they ARE orchestral - maybe this is a cultural semantics thing)

You are probably right, this is what happens when you work in a small pond

[Stephen Trask]

Originally Posted by drBill

Symphonic or at least hybrid "symphonic" (I personally wouldn't call them "symphonic" but they ARE orchestral - maybe this is a cultural semantics thing) scores are alive and well. I'd say at least at SOME point in the score the vast majority of scores have orchestra in them.

Certainly features are not skimping and using samples over orchestra's. TV, well, yes, the majority are samples, but some are still using small orchestra's, although with the LA union playing hard-ass, this is less and less.

I won't use orchestral samples as the basis for a score and no one that hires me would accept them. But budgets for most scores have gone down in the last few years, as far as I've been told. I remember in 2009, as I was starting 7 1/2 days of recording with an 83/84 piece group plus choir that my recording budget was at a level that wasn't going to be seen much in the future. I don't know how true that prophecy was.

[narcoman]

Bang on I reckon.