composer: Last News

Jazz Tangcay Artisans EditorAs Disney’s “Encanto” continues to break music chart records, a much more personal moment stands out to composer Germaine Franco. It’s a viral moment, captured on social media, of a little boy who lights up at realizing that he looks just like the young character Antonio. “It’s so beautiful because he sees himself on screen,” she tells Variety’s Awards Circuit Podcast.“Encanto” features eight original songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda, while Franco’s score cuts in and out of the songs, evoking a sense of magical realism.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorAnyone paying even casual attention to the music industry must have noticed the skyrocketing value of song catalogs, which have exploded at such a rate that we’re seeing an average of two or three nine-figure deals per month, with Sting, Neil Diamond and David Bowie’s estate making multi-hundred-million-dollar sales in just the past two months.Thus, it was just a matter of time before performing rights organizations — an often-overlooked multi-billion dollar business that collects royalties when songs are played everywhere from bars and restaurants to stadiums — got into the game, and BMI, which along with ASCAP is the biggest PRO in the U.S., has enlisted unnamed advisors to assist in exploring opportunities for its members and its business, according to an internal letter obtained by Variety. In the letter, BMI president-CEO Mike O’Neill sets the scene described above and writes, “It’s important that we evaluate what this could mean for BMI, both now and into the future.

Manori Ravindran International EditorMulti-hyphenate Flying Lotus and his company Brainfeeder Films has linked with Paris-based Logical Pictures and XYZ Films for a multi-picture development deal covering a slate of films that the artist will produce and direct.Logical Content Ventures, the co-production fund backed by Logical Pictures, will finance the development of the films, which will focus on genres in the horror, thriller and sci-fi universe. Logical also secured a first-look agreement to finance and produce.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorASCAP Experience, the performing rights organizations annual conference for songwriters, composers and creators, returns virtually this month. It kicks off on Tuesday (March 8) with an International Women’s Day panel featuring three of the industry’s leading composers and songwriters.

Jon Burlingame editorIt isn’t often that an Academy governor publicly criticizes the Academy itself, but that happened today when music-branch governor Laura Karpman issued a statement condemning the Academy’s plan to drop the music-score Oscar presentation from the live telecast on March 27.She was sharply critical of both the decision and the process. Her statement, issued this morning on all her social media accounts, reads: “I am shocked that the officers of the Academy denied the Board of Governors the opportunity to vote and participate in the decision to exclude the music branch in the live broadcast.“This is literally a wound in the heart of the music community,” she continued.

A total of 28 of the most popular films of 2021 met the criteria to receive the ReFrame Stamp, the designation that confirms a movie production crew is gender-balanced. That is off one pic from last year’s 29 films, the most ever.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorPerforming-rights organization ASCAP, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers,  announced record-setting financial results for 2021, notably a record-high revenue of $1.335 billion.Increases in collections from the audio streaming and audio-visual sectors pushed ASCAP’s domestic revenue to $1.011 billion in 2021, up 4.4%, an increase of $42.5 million over 2020. This was the first year that ASCAP domestic revenues from U.S.-licensed performances surpassed $1 billion.According to the announcement, since ASCAP launched its strategic growth plan in 2015, revenues have hit a 5% compound annual growth rate and ASCAP members have benefited from a 6% compound annual growth rate in overall distributions, and an 8% compound annual growth rate in domestic distributions.  ASCAP’s identification, matching and processing of trillions of musical performances drove record-setting distributions that exceeded $1 billion for the fifth year in a row and increased $41 million over the previous year, for a total of $1.254 billion available for distribution to its more than 850,000 songwriter, composer and publisher members in 2021.Total monies available for domestic distributions of licensed and administered performances amounted to $912.6 million, a 2.4% increase of $22 million over 2020. A solid domestic performance helped to offset the challenges in foreign revenues, due to the ongoing global impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the announcement continues. Revenue from foreign societies in 2021 totaled $323.5 million, down 9.7% from 2020 due largely to business closures and the lack of vaccinations.

Leeds announced that Marcelo Bielsa had left his position on Sunday, after a miserable run of form that included a 4-2 defeat at Elland Road against Manchester United.

Wilson Chapman editorThe Alliance for Women Film Composers (AWFC) has released a statement condemning the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ decision to not broadcast the best original score category live during this year’s Oscar ceremony.The Academy first confirmed its decision to present several Oscar categories outside of the live March 27 telecast on Tuesday, via a letter from president David Rubin that was sent to Academy membership. The letter explained that these awards will instead be given out an hour prior to the on-camera ceremony, with clips from the speeches being incorporated into the telecast.

Kris Bowers “Black excellence” is one of those phrases that might be difficult to explain, but you know it when you see it. It almost instantly pops into my mind — often in hashtag form — when I see images of classic Black icons or beautiful Black bodies dressed to the nines and stunningly captured in photographs; everybody Black at award shows; the Obamas; or anything Beyoncé and Jay-Z do.Black excellence is a feeling.

Gallery: Which movies or people have won the most Oscars? (Espresso)For the German composer, "Dune" was always going to be a dream project. He had been a fan of Herbert's intergalactic tale of politics, religion and giant sandworms since his teenage years, like Villeneuve. "It was only when Denis very quietly said to me one day, have I ever heard of a book called 'Dune' that I sort of went into this teenage enthusiasm like a puppy dog chasing his own tail.

Manchester United supporters have hailed teenager Anthony Elanga after he scored his first-ever Champions League goal to draw United level against Atletico Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium.

Jon Burlingame editorJust how important is music to movies?Not too important, according to the producers of the upcoming Academy Awards, who have decided to relegate the score Oscar — along with seven other categories — to an off-air segment prior to the three-hour telecast.It was a slap in the face to the hundreds of composers, arrangers, orchestrators, musicians, engineers and other professionals whose work provides the emotional foundation for so much of today’s cinematic storytelling.Anyone who saw “Dune” in a theater knows that it was an immersive experience of sight and sound, the latter led by an evocative, powerful soundscape created by musicians and singers. Even if you watched “Encanto” at home on Disney Plus, you were entranced from start to finish by the authentic musical sounds of Colombia.

Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier, two figure skaters on the U.S. team, are being sued for copyright infringement and NBC is also named in the lawsuit.

Margaret Styne, the widow of Broadway composer Jule Styne who oversaw an estate and legacy that includes the much anticipated upcoming revival of Funny Girl, has died.

Guy Lodge Film CriticThat Colson Baker can act is no revelation. The rap-rocker, better known to his legions of fans as Machine Gun Kelly, has already held his own in a dozen or so roles for film and TV, demonstrating a scuzzy on-screen charisma within admittedly limited boundaries.

Jon Burlingame editorMore than two years after completing his ninth “Star Wars” movie, composer John Williams is returning to the Jedi fold with a theme for “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” Variety has learned.Williams has written the musical signature for the continuing adventures of the character played by Ewan McGregor, airing on Disney Plus beginning May 25. He recorded last week with a Los Angeles orchestra under tight security, sources say.It is a coup for both Lucasfilm and Disney, considering the five-time Oscar winner rarely composes for television.

There will be exhilarating entertainment for all when renowned international ballet star Carlos Acosta brings his world-class dance company The Lowry.

Shalini Dore Features News EditorBappi Lahiri, a celebrated Bollywood singer, composer and politician, died Wednesday in Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital. He was 69.Lahiri had been ailing from various health issues, including sleep apnea.Lahiri’s music popularized disco in the 1980s and ’90s, long after it had left the West, with his music used in films such as “Namak Halal,” “Disco Dancer” and “Commando.”Dressed in his trademark golden chains and glasses, Lahiri was an instantly recognizable figure around Mumbai.

Manchester United defender Luke Shaw insists that his partnership with Jadon Sancho can rectify a glaring problem and make the team "even more dangerous."

Danny Murphy has slammed Manchester United as 'shambolic' following their 1-1 draw with Southampton on Saturday.