Highlights of EMSD Special Focus Issue

September 1, 2017

by Patrick Varriale, Director AFM Electronic Media Services Division and Assistant to the President

Welcome to the 2017 Electronic Media Services Division (EMSD) focus issue of the International Musician. The EMSD is the division of the AFM responsible for servicing recording musicians (with the exception of symphonic electronic media, which is administered by the Symphonic Services Division). We are confident that this issue has articles relevant to all readers.

In this issue EMSD Contract Administrator Maria Warner Dowrich reports on the one-year extension of the Commercial Announcements Agreement; Mary Beth Blakey provides an updated list of EMSD staff dedicated to providing the utmost in service to musicians whose livelihoods are impacted by the EMSD; and Matt Allen speaks to the various soundtrack album provisions of the Basic Theatrical Motion Picture and Television Film Labor Agreements. Administrative Assistant Cecelia Gray tells readers about her role juggling a huge volume of jingle new use projects. My article below explains the EMSD’s role in the AFM’s new Officer Training Program, which is available to locals prior to regional conferences. My other article is about the importance of filing live performance contracts and how potential electronic media payments are impacted.

In this issue, you will also find informative articles from Recording Musicians Association (RMA) President Marc Sazer, Contractor Juliet Haffner, and Local 802 (New York City) member Marc Ribot on behalf of the Artist Rights Caucus. I thank them for their contributions to this issue.

Last, but certainly not least, I am especially glad to have Local 47 (Los Angeles, CA) member Carl Verheyen as the cover story for this issue. As you will read, he has had a long and successful recording career. I cannot tell you how pleased I am to have Verheyen associated with this issue.

As this issue goes to press, the West Coast Office is relocating to Burbank (from Hollywood). It is operating out of a temporary space while the new office is being prepared for opening in mid-September. Special thanks to the staff in that office for their attention to this issue during this time of inconvenience and for their sincere dedication throughout the year.

I also want to recognize the personnel in the EMSD New York Office. Over the past year, they have taken on a greater workload and I cannot thank them enough for their “day in and day out” tireless effort to the cause.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank in-house AFM Counsel Jennifer Garner and Russ Naymark for their invaluable assistance in negotiations of our major agreements, resolving long outstanding claims, and lending their expertise to the many special agreements that this office is involved with to cover the recording work of our great musicians.

I hope you enjoy these articles. Please let us know if you any questions. We are always glad to be of assistance.