AFM President Ray Hair Blasts Lionsgate and Hunger Games

[trebory6]

So if I were to make a decision on who to support based on my deduction, I would NEVER choose this guy's side.

[trebory6]

In lieu of reading all the comments here, I'm just going to point out that this guy looks unshaven, and uncombed, and does not look of professional stature. It is also worthy to point out that his terrible attempt at trying to gain sympathy by rearranging his facial features to display sadness, is almost comical.

Also, by going to afmmatters . com, you see the creepiest banner with his name and locks of human hair just hanging out.

[trebory6]

Also, I'd like to see what James Newton Howard has to say about all of this.

[trebory6]

I think you're just pouting because the studio decided to not use your union. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Lionsgate isn't required to use the American Federation of Musicians.

WOAH WOAH WOAH WAIT. Lionsgate is using Taxpayer's dollars to go to Europe? Again, correct me if I'm wrong, but if a movie studio is using the government's money to make movies, don't we have a bigger problem on our plate than a musician union getting butthurt about not being a part of the movie?

[DarwinIsInCharge]

It's not hard to figure out why they aren't recording here.

[TheGrooveman69]

I agree with the speaker's main points: 1. Musicians should have the dignity, respect and economic benefits provided by union contract coverage and that are provided to the other workers on the film. 2. The film producers received millions in US tax rebates and then spent the money by exporting jobs to Europe. Lionsgate is unfair to musicians (but not to the actors, writers, directors, and stagehands) and should be roundly exposed for it.

[Spyke360]

Does it really matter where its recorded? As long as it gets recorded.

[GuitarGare]

Unique situation. Why not just put the project to tender worldwide, and get the best price?

Well, they can't do that, because they're looking for a specific kind of music? Hard call. If only we could read minds.

[dinosawrs1go1rawrrr1]

the musicians have a chioce to play in the movie freely, if they don't get paid, and still play in the movie, i say they don't cre if they get paid.. i say this is a load of crap. money hungry..

[NikkiInHollywood]

Your shooting yourself in the foot...You cant work on every movie...its just not gonna happen...you make it sound like lionsgate literally took money from your musicians or worked but weren't paid or were underpaid...your probably now are gonna piss that whole compony off and they'll never use your musicians again for any of their movies...and you don't know what if they went to Europe cause they thought it would actually make the music better

[megadanny215]

I don't know what u r saying but GO HUNGER GAMES !!!!!!'

[epaulk7]

y r all these comments paragraphs?

[thexwordshaker]

"The movie takes place in the future, in Appalachia. But for the Americana, Appalachian-style music the movie needs, Lionsgate is going to Europe" There is no America, therefor no "Appalachian-style" music. It's an entirely new country, with entirely new style.

[rainharper62]

Could be the studio equipment there in UK was much better than here/or even the musician was better & wanted to record over there-Can't blame a man for wanting the best-If they feel 'slighted', well......? I'm a member & they have not done anything for me whatsoever.I do understand the sentiments, however i put it down to the "roots of all evil"-sorry i call it as i see it!

[melvoid]

Well, as a former member, I don't remember them doing much for me besides forcing me to take several "trust fund" gigs a year at union scale, which was about 1/4 the money I usually got for a gig.

[NowhereToBeFound77]

This is so dumb. Grow up.

[PeetaLuv]

i agree with you sir, its not that fair. I am so sorry about this

but i am a die hard hunger games fan, and i respect whichever choice they make.

[matthewb53]

Ow isn't Liam Hemsworth Australian?

[matthewb53]

I don't get why he's saying its all American?! Isn't America destroyed in the hunger games.. So its Panem now. He shouldn't dis the fact there colaborating with other countries, its goner be in cinemas all around the world at the end of the day.

[fotofife]

Oh dear me!! Uk film makers will need to stop making films in the US - or using American musicians. Grow up. We live in one world now.

[pzentertainment]

If Lionsgate is hiring union for all other aspects of the production, why are they not following suit with the music? Could the cost savings be that great? I don't believe so, especially when you factor in the travel expenses for all of the production people going to Europe. Perhaps I am naive, but I would believe that James Newton Howard would have some say in where the music was to be recorded, right?

[gerryleeb]

Classic outsourcing on the part of Lionsgate. Reprehensible that they're using tax payer dollars and then going overseas for the soundtrack. Business really loves the American workers. Yeah right! Keep on believing their mouth service and pretty soon most of the wealth will be in a foreign bank account and the American workers will be left picking their asses like fools. Just like Wal-Mart employment practices that compel their workers to seek health care that's payed for by the tax payers.

[doglover217]

are you kidding me? this movie has a small budget...if they're making their score overseas to save money and use it for another more important aspect of the movie, then i'm all for it. seriously, no one cares. they're trying to make Lionsgate look bad but personally, i think they're just making themselves look stupid and immature because they're just whining about them not getting the job. get over it.

[NikkiInHollywood]

@doglover217 I doubt that movie has a small budget...its supposed to be one of the biggest movies of the year

[doglover217]

@NikkiInHollywood it honestly is, hunger games fans have known that lionsgate has said before that it's a low budget movie, it has to be...lionsgates going bankrupt. why do you think they're thinking about merging with summit? i'm not making this stuff up...lionsgate reps and hunger games producers have said so for a while.

[bradhat01]

If they've got the money, they should spend it on American musicians - if they really couldn't afford union workers - then nobody else on the staff would be union. Hair's right, it doesn't make sense. Lionsgate could increase their goodwill by using AFM musicians. What a shame.

[GavinJSmith5]

Jealous much?

[stewmuse]

Sorry, but as an American musician, this really just sounds like sour grapes to me. Hair talks as if American players worked, but weren't paid. Lionsgate simply decided their funds were better spent overseas - and this really happens all the time with film scores. Do I wish they recorded here? Sure. All he's really done, though, is create publicity for the film and does nothing particularly positive for musicians.

[musicmaven6]

Are you fighting for American minorities?

[asyarihahaha]

All I hear is derp derp derp! Just wanna say I forkin' Liv It Up for the Hungr Gams!

[AurasBookBox]

Oh he needs to just shut up, the score sound beautiful and how dare he say that UK composers are less able than US composers. This is nothing to do with money, it costs more to have someone in th UK score than an American,so I hardly think they were trying to avoid costs, he would just rather it would have been an American. Why doesn't he have a rant at all the popstars who steal writing credits and royalties from songwriters instead of starting a stupid argument like this. Idiot.

[trwrtg]

@AurasBookBox He's not talking about composers--he's talking about the musicians who record the soundtrack (like myself--I work in the motion picture recording studios in LA, for movies like Rango, Pirates of the Caribbean, etc). The composer for The Hunger Games is James Newton Howard, who is in fact an American. There are many fine musicians in Europe, but the fact is that the best, most experienced musicians for recording movie music are here in LA, and most composers, when pressed, agree.

[rainharper62]

@trwrtg Hey! I thought I was told the best musicians were in nashville?-I've seen many great musicians from scotland, netherlands & london-Do you know where the best recording equipment is? Wondering?

[trwrtg]

@rainharper62 My comment was specifically about recording music for film; they don't really do that in Nashville--my understanding is that it's mostly record dates there. Since the musicians in LA have the most experience recording film music, that's why most composers prefer to have their scores recorded here (although they often don't have a choice). As far as the best recording equipment, I think that the best sound stages in each country are fairly comparable to each other.

[trwrtg]

@rainharper62 I'm sure that there are composers out there who do prefer to record in London or elsewhere; it's just that most of the prominent composers I've spoke with say they like LA best. The reason that movie studios like Lionsgate and others don't want to record here is that when they hire AFM musicians, they must pay royalties for secondary market revenues. Musicians in London or elsewhere don't get paid royalties, although everyone else who works on a movie does...very unfair...

[NikkiInHollywood]

@trwrtg thats kind of a gray area...if they wrote it they should get royalties defiantly...but if they were just hired to play on the song then I guess its just kind of a toss up if they should get royalties or not...Its a bonus if they do but it could be understood if they dont

[trwrtg]

@NikkiInHollywood No, it's not a gray area at all. Composers need performers to play their music; if there is no one to perform their music, it would only exist on the page. By your logic, only writers, not actors, should get paid royalties for their work. After all, the actors didn't write their lines, they're just performing them. Besides, even in London, even the sound engineers often get royalties. Shouldn't the musicians who are actually making the music happen also get their fair share?

[NikkiInHollywood]

@trwrtg They will always be able to find people who will be plenty happy to play on whatever and just get paid a fair amount for it and no royalties...thats why im saying its a gray area...if they do awesome...if they dont its understandable...and im sure writers of movies get royalties...just depends on their contract...movies and music are 2 very different things with very different deals...thats why theirs things called session musicians...they get hired to play and thats it

[NikkiInHollywood]

@trwrtg Im not arguing that musicians don't deserve a good amount for what they do...they defiantly do...but if they didn't actually write the music I don't see a problem with them not getting royalties...and theres no doubt that they way they perform on it could change how the record sounds...Performance is a massive massive part of recording or playing a song...but these people are professional session musicians...they play what their told and don't do really get any say creatively wise

[trwrtg]

@NikkiInHollywood I'm a session musician in Los Angeles; I've played on many of the biggest blockbuster movies of the past few years, so you don't need to define for me what my job is. You completely missed my point about writers and actors. I was pointing out that if one follows your logic that only composers, not musicians should get royalties, then it should also be that only writers, not actors should get royalties.

[NikkiInHollywood]

@trwrtg Some actors don't get royalties

[trwrtg]

@NikkiInHollywood And by the way, as a professional session musician, you might be surprised at how much say the performers get in the finished product. We don't always "just play what we're told."

P.S. You keep writing 'defiantly" when you actually mean "definitely." Buy a dictionary!

[NikkiInHollywood]

@trwrtg but in the end if they composer wants you to play something different your going to play it the way he wants or you will get fired

[NikkiInHollywood]

@trwrtg and im sure there are some actors who dont get royalties...The cast of Friends one of the biggest shows of all time dont get paid royalties for the first 4 seasons ive read...it just depends on how big your clout is...if you can demand it and get it then you should...if you cant and complain about it that could work or you could get fired and theyll hire someone else...You have to pick your battles

[NikkiInHollywood]

@trwrtg People deserve to get paid for their work...and especially in things like Movies, Music and TV royalties need to be paid...In some cases its just a toss up...the people who created the content defiantly and the people performing it do to...Their performance is what makes the content have life

[trwrtg]

@NikkiInHollywood I don't understand why you keep saying that it's "a toss-up." Either you believe that everybody deserves a piece of the pie, or you don't. The basic premise behind royalties is that since there are usually thousands of people that work to make a movie possible, it's only fair, in my view, that they should all profit from the movie's success; it's not fair if only a few people at the top make all the money, since the movie wouldn't exist without the efforts of everyone else.

[NikkiInHollywood]

@trwrtg Then should everyone who works at mcdonalds get some percentage of the whole companies earnings

[trwrtg]

@NikkiInHollywood The problem with making that argument is that McDonald's is a corporation; a movie is intellectual property. Royalties are paid based on the earnings of a particular movie, not based on the earnings of the production company as a whole. The reason that copyright laws exist is to ensure that the creators of intellectual property can profit from its use. If you can't understand the difference, I'm not sure that this is worth debating any longer.

[NikkiInHollywood]

@trwrtg exactly...Your just proved my point...The CREATORS of intellectual property should profit off its use...No one else is technically owed anything...Do they deserve it...probably depending on what their doing...but the creators earning royalties is the most important thing

[trwrtg]

@NikkiInHollywood But the musicians are CREATING the sound on the recording, just as the actors are, through their performance, CREATING the characters of the movie. Performing is a creative art. Like I said before, the music wouldn't exist if there was no one to play it, and the characters wouldn't exist if there were no one to portray them. Your narrow definition of who creates intellectual property is ignorant of the creative process.

[NikkiInHollywood]

@trwrtg Im not saying that the performance isn't important it is...but your doing a chicken and the egg argument...There would be no music to play if no one wrote it...There will always be people to play the music...and yes I know everyone plays different and a individuals performance on the recording could absolutely change the song...but not everyone can write a song...Let alone a movie score...Thats why im saying its a toss up

[NikkiInHollywood]

@trwrtg And yes the characters would exist...its the actors portrayal of the character that is really there own personal touch...but if a character is a angry character they cant play it happy if they want...its the way they do the angry is what makes every actor different

[NikkiInHollywood]

@trwrtg Thats why I said its a toss up

[trwrtg]

@NikkiInHollywood I'm afraid you still don't understand...it's not for lack of explaining on my part. I don't know how I can explain this any clearer than I already have. I'm through debating with you. I'm thankful that the people that are in charge making these decisions possess greater critical thinking skills than you do.

[NikkiInHollywood]

@trwrtg You clearly don't understand my argument either...and I think your just angry cause im making very valid points...and apparently the people in charge agree with me cause not every session musician gets royalties...I understand your point...The people performing the works are vital in creating the work because its their performance that is the product that comes out...thats what your saying right...how do you not agree that the people who created or wrote the work deserve the most

[trwrtg]

@NikkiInHollywood Ok, you sucked me back in. I'm afraid you aren't making valid points at all. In this last post, for example, you contradict yourself. The people who create or write the work deserve and in fact receive far more than everyone else. They do receive the most, and I don't have a problem with that. What I am arguing is that performers deserve SOMETHING, not nothing. Historically, musicians have always received royalties until very recently, when greed became more rampant...

[trwrtg]

@trwrtg Every union session musician gets royalties. It's the non-union, outsourced work that doesn't pay royalties.

[trwrtg]

@trwrtg And by the way, you said, "There will always be musicians to record music." Do you have any idea the level of expertise it takes to be a session musician. We never get the music in advance--we show up to work, and sight-read some of the most difficult music perfectly the first time. Very, very few people are good enough to do what we do. How dare you continue to lecture me on what's MY FUCKING JOB.

[trwrtg]

@trwrtg And one more thing...perhaps the points you're trying to make would be more understandable or easier to read if you had a basic grasp of spelling, syntax, the English language, etc. Your posts read like they were written by a 3rd grader. Seriously!

[NikkiInHollywood]

@trwrtg Yes the performers do deserve something...and they get something...Its called a pay check...And I hope its a really good amount...You/They are talented and im sure have studied for years to do what you do...but when it comes down to it the only people that truly truly deserve royalties are the people that wrote/created the work...if the movie compony had to pay royalties to every single person that worked on a movie they would never make any money and it wouldn't be worth it to make more

[trwrtg]

@NikkiInHollywood A paycheck is what we get paid for showing up to work that day. However, since a few people earn great sums of money from an effort that took many people, a small (and it is relatively small) portion of that money is divided up every subsequent year and paid in royalties to ALL of the people who made that project possible. I understand that you don't agree with how this usually works; this is the way it's worked for most of the history of hollywood movies.

[trwrtg]

@NikkiInHollywood If you support the new, greed-based model where only a few people at the top get a share of the profits, that's your own opinion. But do you work in the entertainment industry, like I do. If not, why do you even care, and why should your opinion matter??

[NikkiInHollywood]

@trwrtg I really don't think if a hired musician does not get royalties its just everyone else being greedy...The people who wrote it do and thats it...If you wrote a song don't you think it would be wrong for other people to get royalties off of it...its your song...if you choose to give royalties to the people that played on it thats awesome...but its not like they are owed it automatically...You wrote the song...Your the only one that truly deserves the royalties from it

[NikkiInHollywood]

@trwrtg and I actually think writers should probably get more then what they get now...its their music thats being played...they created it

[trwrtg]

@NikkiInHollywood Plus, musicians that play for non-union sessions are often required to sign a form that waives their right to any copyright claim from their performance on the recording. You seem to have a very clear idea of how this system works, but if you look at what the copyright laws actually say (I studied copyright law for a few semesters in grad school), it's actually a bit more complicated than what you're saying.

[trwrtg]

@NikkiInHollywood And one more thing: I stand by my greed comment. It's not like the money that the movie studio (remember it's the movie studio, not the composer who makes this decision) saves by not paying royalties gets paid to the composer instead. The executives keep it for themselves. You keep saying that the only person who deserves royalties is the author. Are you basing that on anything besides your own opinion? Are you a writer or composer yourself??

[trwrtg]

@NikkiInHollywood Just because an industry starts treating employees a certain way doesn't mean that it's right. The fact that Wal-Mart uses intimidation to keep their workers from bargaining collectively for better wages might be standard operating procedure, but the fact that it happens doesn't automatically mean that it's the right thing to do. I'm still marveling at your inability to stick up for the little guy. Are you a billionaire movie executive? If not, you should be on my side!

[GuitarGare]

@trwrtg I think you just broke some kind of You tube comment record.

[trwrtg]

@GuitarGare I think you might be right! I'm generally pretty good at controlling my ocd, but when I'm talking with someone about a topic that I'm passionate about (like my livelihood), I have a hard time letting it go. Especially when it's clear to me that the person I'm talking to has very strong opinions, yet doesn't necessarily have a basic understanding of how the recording business (if it even is a business these days) works...

[eidco]

@trwrtg You've done a great job providing the facts, despite the difficulty of getting commenters to understand basic logic and English.

What's missing from this discussion and @NikkilnHollywood doesn't know is that it's not a question of whether the musicians deserve the royalties (actually Secondary Market Payments) or not.

Decades ago, the Musicians Union negotiated an agreement that guarantees the players these payments in lieu of wage increases producers claimed they couldn't afford.

[trwrtg]

@eidco Thanks! That's an excellent point you bring up--I definitely should have mentioned that in my (many) earlier posts!

[NikkiInHollywood]

@trwrtg and I think your missing when I say I do think the musicans who play it do deserve a little something extra...but I also think its completely understandable if its just a one time paid fee to play what their hired to play...and that fee im sure should be higher then what it is

[trwrtg]

@NikkiInHollywood Composers get paid so much!! You must not know any film composers personally, as do I, or you wouldn't make that claim. I think that most composers would say that what they get now is perfectly fair. Isn't being a multi-millionaire enough?

[trwrtg]

@NikkiInHollywood Also, I'm not sure if you understand that it's not the composer who gets to decide whether or not the musicians earn royalties; they almost never have any say. It's the company that produces the movie. That's why in this video, Ray Hair is taking Lionsgate to task, not James Newton Howard.

[MrJazzed1]

Musicians should be respected and paid fairly in this Country! Something indeed have to be done for the companies that are not treating the musicians with fair wages, and especially exporting the Music abroad. It's very unfair to US musicians that deserve better. Hope AFM will find a way to stop these unfair practices.

[farnworthmusic]

@eshevert............And what do you do in the "Industry"?

And why do you think it would cost more to do it in Britian?

Your argument, or lack thereof, is unsubstantiated and lame.

[MrCdeadman1]

I agree with Ray Hair 100%

It is only fair that musicians are paid a fair wage for the many years of practice that is required to become top notch musicians. All of the other labor Unions are paid according to the established Union agreements. Furthermore, this movie was subsidized with taxpayer dollars. Then they spend those taxpayer dollars to pay musicians in London ? If you think this is fine, I can't wait until your job is shipped overseas. Wake up, America!!

[NikkiInHollywood]

@MrCdeadman1 We all agree that musicians should be paid a fair wage...thats not the issue here...hes making that seem like the issue cause he knows he has no ground to stand on...You cant be mad at a compony for them choosing where to spend their money...that would be like Target making a video about you saying their pissed your shopped at wal mart...witch im sure they are...but they have to realize they have other costumers to make happy and improve their "shopping" experiences

[NikkiInHollywood]

@MrCdeadman1 and im sure they dont use taxpayer dollars to pay for the musicians...thats what a movie budget is for...I could be wrong...but im pretty sure

[tfiddler]

I was a AFM local board member for 15 years. In this Video Hair mentions Appalachia and Americana style music. If he thought they were going to do an Americana score similar to Bro Where Art thou or Cold Mountain, I can understand his comments. He does come off pretty heavy handed though. Union guys have never been the most eloquent... If the London Symphony really is doing the score, I don't see much of an argument. Then it doesn't involve British Musicians pretending to be Appalachian pickers.

[ktchong]

@tfiddler Regarding the Hunger Games: the main storyline is a rebellion against the evil Capitol, and Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence's character) becomes the reluctant hero/symbol of the rebels. The structure of trilogy is similar to the old Star Wars trilogy: the first book grabs you with action-adventure and introduces a futuristic world; the evil Capitol strikes back in the second book, which ends with a cliffhanger; the third book is all-out war with epic action/battle set-pieces.

[ktchong]

@tfiddler The Hunger Games is actually very unlike "Twilight". The story is basically a Star Wars/Lord of the Rings/Harry Potter type of action adventure, but with a female lead and a heavier romantic love-triangle subplot - but the romance is still a subplot; the main event and story is the uprising-rebellion-war. The major battles in the last book (there are three of them) are reminiscence of Black Hawk Down with futuristic technology.

[ktchong]

@tfiddler That is why I hope London Symphony will do the soundtracks for the Hunger Game - because they have the experience of doing the scores for a similar movie trilogy.

[poconnor35]

Yes, to Elka! Totally agree with you.

[ElkaCoyote]

Musicians deserve to be paid just as much as a person who does any other work. We spend years on our skills, and the learning never ends. AFM *should* make an example of Lionsgate, because of the nature of the movie being uniquely American. I lived in Hollywood in the 80s and was around the movie music business. Plenty of movie makers go to Bulgaria or some other country where union scale is not paid, in order to use their orchestras. It sucks. 

[aliebellule]

@ElkaCoyote Hunger Games is going to Engalnd where there is the Musician's Union (UK) . Therefore, the musicians employed to make the scores will be paid fairly according to the Union in place. The only point of this video is whining about the fact that Lionsgate decided that they wanted a British orchestra to make their music. And if you read the books, you should know that Hunger Games is not exactly uniquely American. It is set in a post-apocalyptic world on what used to be American territory

[ktchong]

@ElkaCoyote Have you read the Hunger Games books?

[eshevert]

@ElkaCoyote you're right, musicians deserve to be paid their fair share but please read the books instead of taking this idiots comments like they are fact. The story is in no way "uniquely american". He's just mad that LG decided to go to London for music of the biggest films of 2012. Working in the industry, I would guess that it is in fact costing them significantly more to do the score over there than it would have cost them to do it in the states. Way to go LG for seeking out the best!

[themxmanofnote]

...

[poconnor35]

Harry Potter, not recorded in USA. You have that wrong. Also, how do you find good reason for allowing any company, when REQUIRED to use actors/actresses, set builders, and food trucks, continually ignore using American musicians. That isn't whining. However, LGF, doesn't currently have any agreement with AFM. And, this message isn't the nearest walk to create a relationship with them. If you have a roof over your head, you need to respect who built it, where it came from, and its future.

[aliebellule]

Lionsgate has a right to employ whoever they want to employ. You have a right to criticize but don't expect the fans to agree to this opinion. The London Symphony orchestra is the right choice for Hunger Games so I don't think the decision has much to do with economics. I think that american workers can afford to lose one motion picture to Europe when we all know that Hollywood produces a great deal of movies that go to AFM to make their scores. You'll survive.

[ceeteetrpt]

Ray - you should have NOT been reading from a screen...also this is 16 years TOO LATE - this should have been done with MR. HOLLAND'S OPUS and DIE HARD WITH A VENGENCE back in 95 when SEATTLE musicians decided to downgrade their AFM status in order to do non union scoring work.......

[ktchong]

I collect movie soundtracks on CDs. I have read the entire Hunger Games trilogy.

I actually want to hear the London Symphony Orchestra score for the Hunger Games -- because they seem to have the right experience to do the score, given the movies they have scored in the past (see my post below.)

I don't know if Lionsgate will actually hire the London Symphony Orchestra to score for the Hunger Games; but if Lionsgate did, then I will be very pleased -- because IMO that is the right choice.

[ktchong]

I collect movie soundtracks. So I know that London Symphony Orchestra is among the best if not *the* best orchestras in the world. And they are NOT cheap. They are probably the most expensive orchestra in the world.

Also, in terms of story structure and theme, the Hunger Games trilogy is very similar to the original Star Wars trilogy. Given that the London Symphony Orchestra did the scores for the entire Star Wars saga and has the experience, it makes sense to go to them for the Hunger Games.

[kainatch]

are you rebelling on lionsgate? Cuz The Hunger Games is like a war of its own.

[kainatch]

DUDE IT HAS NO mEANING IF YOURE READING THE THING OFF SOMETHING!!

[theplayerofbass]

he looks like lionsgate broke up with him.

[HPislegend248]

Also I'm pretty positive Britain's musicians have a union that insists on health care and pension contributions, fair wages, and royalty payments aswell. Maybe their rates are cheaper. That's how business works. Learn to get competitive in today's market and shut your face, AFM.

Also, get a new President.

That is all

[HPislegend248]

An American did the score for the first 3 HP films, not to mention pioneered HP's most iconic track(Hedwig's theme). John Williams is one of few American things associated with HP and he made buckets off it.Consider this balancing out

There are a litany of American films who hired Europeans to do their scores(Alexandre Desplat and Hans Zimmer). Desplat and Zimmer are responsible for some of the best cinematic scores ever. If I was creating a film and wanted the job done right, I'd go abroad too

[ktchong]

@HPislegend248 Oh, American orchestras produced the scores for MOST of Harry Potter movies. Harry Potter are uniquely BRITISH movies. You did not hear him complain when Americans took away British jobs and produced the scores for movies that were uniquely British.

[HPislegend248]

@ktchong Exactly

[AnnieOdark]

Yes it is fair. Lionsgate is going bankrupt and they are doing something to save money so they dont have to merge with another company. Now how if that unfair? Oh and if "every other movie company pays AFM" dont you think that they would have enough money to "pay their healthcare bills and taxes" especially since they are the "finest musicans in the world". Stop hating on lionsgate and stop being greedy.

[ktchong]

@AnnieOdark Lionsgate is not going bankrupt. Their Q3 profit actually rose. LGF share prices have actually hit a high just last week. LGF market cap is over $1 billion. They are doing fine.

[AnnieOdark]

@ktchong lionsgate was in the talks of merging with summit entertainment because their last few movies were doing so bad and they were spending so much money on the hunger games but yeah now they're doing much better

[ktchong]

@AnnieOdark Companies can merge for all sorts of reason. Lionsgate actually has a very profitable TV division.

You are a Hunger Games fan, (your ID indicates do.) You should be happy that the London Symphony Orchestra will likely be doing the soundtracks for the Hunger Games. IMO they are the best in the business, and they are actually the most expensive in the business as well. Lionsgate is going "all out" if they are hiring the London Symphony Orchestra to score the Hunger Games.

[AnnieOdark]

@ktchong oh dont get me wrong i'm very happy they are going with the london symphony orchestra ahahaha i think we can all agree that this guy in the video is just greedy and selfish

[ktchong]

@AnnieOdark I don't know if you are familiar with movie scores and soundtracks, but I am.

I have always thought Danny Elfman was a HORRIBLE choice of a composer for the Hunger Games. And then *BHAM*, James Newton Howard replaced Elfman. (The only better choice would be Hans Zimmer.) So that was a good sudden-turn-of-event.

And then I thought, "would be great if Lionsgate can get London Symphony Orchestra to score the Hunger Games," and then *BHAM!*

[HPislegend248]

Wow. They didn't hire you. Who gives a flying fuck? I had a job interview last week and I didn't get the job. You don't see me(or anyone else) making a 5 min vid to bitch about it, do you?

Also, if you're making millions, then stop bitching about how 1-2 million more went to someone else. That's life. Deal with it. God forbid we should do something to harm the job creators. You just know this guy is Republican.

[BradHoyt1]

@HPislegend248 Republican? Why? Democrats are typically pro union.

[HPislegend248]

@BradHoyt1 He's not pro-union. He's pro-money. He's pissed off cos he knows this series will be a massive franchise that could have produced millions for American musicians, and for him personally, as you need to pay a union to be part of it. How can someone who's the head of a union be anti-union?

That said, are all heads of unions Democrats? Of course not. My point was that he's complaining about non-sensical issues, something that seems to be all the rage in the Republican party these days.

[HPislegend248]

@HPislegend248 Also, he's complaining cos their taking their business to England takes money out of rich American pockets, another devil sin as preached by the Republican party.

[aliebellule]

@HPislegend248 I think he is pro-union but with pro-money reasons. Anyway, AFM is acting like a child who lost is rattle. One movie go abroad and they go whining that American musicians will go hungry and battle to death for a job (eum what?). They scored three Harry Potter movies and the Sherlock Holmes so I am not taking pity on them: they got plenty of other toys.

[HPislegend248]

@aliebellule Agreed.Some American people can be so egocentric sometimes. They need to grow up.

[trwrtg]

@aliebellule Sherlock Holmes was recorded in London. If it had been scored here, I would have been in the orchestra...

[HPislegend248]

OMFG he sounds like Newt Gingrich.

[MrBIGBOUTTE]

Given the poor grammar and misspellings below I am not surprised at the comments. Do you have any friends that are musicians? Would you be offended if any of your clients or customers left you for a firm in Europe? There is no time in recent history better than now to "Buy American". Appalaichian music from Great Britain?  Yes the music is derived from old world beginnings but now has a nature all its own. Buy American!

[bone2picc]

President Hair points out that this is done on American subsidized tax dollars, not as BeccaBoo2You5792 would have you believe: "It's Lionsgate's money..." I for one think that he makes a good point, and we have to look out for American workers for a change.

[TheSwanquill]

I really think this is pathetic. They are just whining because they won't get a piece of the cake, we all know The Hunger Games will be a HUGE deal, it is the next big series and they are desperate because they are being ignored. Lionsgate has the right to do whatever they want with the money or save it, this movie just got an 80 million budget, not big if you think about the huge deal it will be. I bet they did it because they want quality, so, as a fan i must say, thanks you Lionsgate.

[BeccaBoo2You5792]

Nowhere does it day you have to hire Americans to work on an American film. It's Lionsgate's money so let them spend it how they want to. Overreacting in my opinion. But to each his own I suppose.

[pikkopots]

So movies that take place in America should be scored in America? Does that mean that only the UK should be allowed to score Sherlock Holmes and Harry Potter while America owns Twilight?

[DivaLyssaGS]

so this is really just him complaining about Lionsgate wanting to provide the Hunger Games fans, who have VERY high expectations, with quality music. what difference does it make if they use American musicians or European musicians. I think they just want the score to be of high standards and are trying their best to do that.

[raginsloth]

@DivaLyssaGS Realistically...European and American orchestras have subtle sound differences. They tune to different pitches normally and use different style instruments. For example...French Horns in Europe normally have slightly smaller bell throats causing the instruments to sound a bit thinner and brighter. They also tend to use Geyer wrap style horns as opposed to Kruspe. They are looking for a different sound...and it just so happens to be in Europe.

[ZionsVlogs]

It really doesnt matter, Brittan makes better scores anyways.

[ryantelly]

Why is it their fault that they want to make the most economically intelligent decision, just because they choose a different path, doesn't mean it is unfair.