02/13/03 Local 655 Shares Database to Increase New Use Collections

Local 655 has made its database of recording contracts available to the AFM's Electronic Media Department in Los Angeles. The database, which is updated weekly, will allow the New Use department to search by artist and song title recording contracts filed for sessions recorded in south Florida. The AFM New Use department regularly monitors for songs used in movies, commercials, and so on, and musicians who recorded under AFM contracts are entitled to additional payments for such usage. Sharing the database will expedite payments to musicians for new use of their recordings. While the database currently only contains information on recording contracts filed since the mid-1990's, Local 655 plans to add all contracts in its archive filed prior to that time to the database this summer.