AFM’s “Right Here At The Top” Aimed At Lionsgate

Ahead of Major Shareholder Meeting, Musicians Release Song Calling Out Lionsgate on Offshoring Film Scoring Jobs

Listen to song composed and recorded by members of the American Federation of Musicians here: soundcloud.com/listenupnow1/right-here-at-the-top

Just a day before Lionsgate’s major shareholder meeting in Toronto, musicians with the Listen Up! campaign have released an original song parodying one of the company’s more unfavorable business practices. “Right Here at the Top,” a song composed and recorded by members of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM), calls on Lionsgate to end their practice of offshoring film scoring work, effectively taking jobs out of the communities that help pay for the film tax credits from which the company benefits.

“Even though we meant for the song to be catchy and humorous, at the heart of it is really a call for fairness,” said Clifford J. Tasner, the AFM musician who wrote and performed lead vocals on the song. “Lionsgate is incredibly profitable; they’re paying their CEO nearly $70 million. I think shareholders should realize that whatever pennies the company saves by scoring overseas, the costs are far more dire for musicians, our families, and our communities.”

The Listen Up! campaign launched this past April and has been active online and on the ground in an attempt to engage Lionsgate in a conversation about ending the offshoring of film scoring jobs. Over 12,000 supporters have signed a petition to Lionsgate in support of the campaign and thousands have emailed CEO Jon Feltheimer directly, asking him to talk to the musicians affected by offshoring. Listen Up! has also leafleted Lionsgate business appearances and movie releases in California, New York, Hong Kong, and Canada in order to inform the movie-going public of these issues.

“As musicians, we provide the heart and soul of a film. Lionsgate should lead the way in ensuring that working musicians, their families, and their communities are not hurt by sending post-production jobs overseas to quench a thirst for profits,” said AFM International President Ray Hair. “We ask the shareholders to join us in calling on Lionsgate to do the right thing.”

The Listen Up! campaign’s parody song for Lionsgate shareholders, “Right Here at the Top,” is available here: soundcloud.com/listenupnow1/right-here-at-the-top

The Listen Up! campaign is an initiative of the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada, the AFL-CIO, and community members who support dignity and justice for professional musicians.
For more information, visit www.listenupnow.org.