Response to LA Times Article
Sent to the Los Angeles Times on Friday, May 9, 2008:
Dear Editor:
I was unimpressed and disappointed by the article which ran in the May 6, 2008 LA TIMES, titled “Hot spot for U.S. Movie Scores.”
There seemed to be a distinct failure to portray the facts about music scoring in Los Angeles, and a failure to tell it like it is "LA is still the place to be" when it comes to recording quality scores for Motion Pictures, Television & Videogames.
In 2006 & 2007 the volume of titles scored in Los Angeles increased significantly over 2004 & 2005. The US Musicians union in 2005 made it even easier and less costly to score low budget films, loosening restrictions, and offering lower rates on projects with budgets of 12 Million Dollars or less. In fact, since 2005 US companies have released more Motion Picture soundtrack scores than in any other period. While globalization has indeed made it easier for companies to score their films in other countries, it has also had an effect on the entertainment industry worldwide.
Animators may now be in New Delhi, India as they toil away in realtime on hollywood blockbusters, cyber-conferencing with their taskmasters in Hollywood. In the face of continued competition, we in Los Angeles continue to hold our ground and expand our influence not only on projects initiated in the US, but we find that composers from all around the world come to Los Angeles to record their scores, using the finest musicians. Due to the weakening US dollar we now find Canadian productions beginning to flock to Los Angeles to record their music, with rates that are affordable and musicians who are world class.
I strongly suggest you research your topics more thoroughly, talk to the people who know the business and avoid publishing what is patently false. The article lacked credible sources and was terribly misleading to your readers.
Sincerely,
John Acosta
Electronic Media Administrator
Professional Musicians-Local 47
AFM AFL-CIO
Dear Editor:
I was unimpressed and disappointed by the article which ran in the May 6, 2008 LA TIMES, titled “Hot spot for U.S. Movie Scores.”
There seemed to be a distinct failure to portray the facts about music scoring in Los Angeles, and a failure to tell it like it is "LA is still the place to be" when it comes to recording quality scores for Motion Pictures, Television & Videogames.
In 2006 & 2007 the volume of titles scored in Los Angeles increased significantly over 2004 & 2005. The US Musicians union in 2005 made it even easier and less costly to score low budget films, loosening restrictions, and offering lower rates on projects with budgets of 12 Million Dollars or less. In fact, since 2005 US companies have released more Motion Picture soundtrack scores than in any other period. While globalization has indeed made it easier for companies to score their films in other countries, it has also had an effect on the entertainment industry worldwide.
Animators may now be in New Delhi, India as they toil away in realtime on hollywood blockbusters, cyber-conferencing with their taskmasters in Hollywood. In the face of continued competition, we in Los Angeles continue to hold our ground and expand our influence not only on projects initiated in the US, but we find that composers from all around the world come to Los Angeles to record their scores, using the finest musicians. Due to the weakening US dollar we now find Canadian productions beginning to flock to Los Angeles to record their music, with rates that are affordable and musicians who are world class.
I strongly suggest you research your topics more thoroughly, talk to the people who know the business and avoid publishing what is patently false. The article lacked credible sources and was terribly misleading to your readers.
Sincerely,
John Acosta
Electronic Media Administrator
Professional Musicians-Local 47
AFM AFL-CIO
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