Now is the right time to become an American Federation of Musicians member. From ragtime to rap, from the early phonograph to today's digital recordings, the AFM has been there for its members. And now there are more benefits available to AFM members than ever before, including a multi-million dollar pension fund, excellent contract protection, instrument and travelers insurance, work referral programs and access to licensed booking agents to keep you working.
As an AFM member, you are part of a membership of more than 80,000 musicians. Experience has proven that collective activity on behalf of individuals with similar interests is the most effective way to achieve a goal. The AFM can negotiate agreements and administer contracts, procure valuable benefits and achieve legislative goals. A single musician has no such power.
The AFM has a proud history of managing change rather than being victimized by it. We find strength in adversity, and when the going gets tough, we get creative - all on your behalf.
Like the industry, the AFM is also changing and evolving, and its policies and programs will move in new directions dictated by its members. As a member, you will determine these directions through your interest and involvement. Your membership card will be your key to participation in governing your union, keeping it responsive to your needs and enabling it to serve you better. To become a member now, visit www.afm.org/join.
June 13, 2016
IM -With 50 Academy Award nominations to his credit and nearly six decades’ worth of iconic film and television themes, composer John Williams of Locals 47 (Los Angeles, CA) and 9-535 (Boston, MA) has many achievements. On June 9, a gala celebrated Williams as the latest recipient of the American Film Institute’s Life Achievement Award—the first composer to ever receive the award.
Williams, 84, was honored by an A-list assortment of the filmmakers and stars of the many films his music has enriched, including Harry Potter, Superman, and every Star Wars film. Steven Spielberg—who has had a 44-year, 27-film collaboration with Williams, including beloved scores for Jaws, E.T., Jurassic Park, and Schindler’s List—was the first to pay tribute to the movie/music titan.
“Without John Williams, bikes don’t really fly, nor do brooms in Quidditch matches, and nor do men in red capes. There is no Force. Dinosaurs do not walk the Earth. We do not wonder; we do not weep; we do not believe,” Spielberg told a star-packed audience, in reference to a just a few of Williams more than 150 film and television credits.
Read our Cover Story on Williams here.