By KATHY DeSALVO
Seven commercial music production companies have formed the Chicago chapter of the Association of Music Producers (AMP). The Midwest launch extends the national reach of AMP, which maintains established chapters on both coasts.
Last month, Steve Ford, president/composer/executive producer at Steve Ford Music, Chicago, presided over the Chicago chapter’s first formal meeting. The session drew representatives from six of the founding member companies: Steve Ford Music; SPANK! Music and Sound Design, Chicago and Santa Monica; Red Squared, Chicago; Stan Xidas Music, Chicago; Rhythm Cafe, Chicago; and Mosaic Music, Chicago. The remaining AMP member is Chameleon Music, Chicago, whose owner/ composer Larry Pecorella did not attend the meeting.
"In order to be an effective organization," Ford told SHOOT, "we have to have members, so that is probably the most important issue right now. But also, those that are joining us are asking, ‘What do I get out of this—what good is it?’ So the other important [task] is to define who and what we are, and what we want, so people would have an interest in joining. That’s been done in New York, but it hasn’t been done here."
With the goal of increasing membership, the current AMP Chicago companies agreed to call other local music house executives to ask them to attend the next scheduled meeting, slated for Oct. 26. Ford said he has called some companies and described the response as "mixed." Ford observed, "People are inherently suspicious. Traditionally, in this town, [music] producers don’t hang out together and … I think there’s some suspicion about [AMP]."
Keeping more music work in town was one issue raised by an attendee, but Ford emphasized that this doesn’t represent what AMP stands for. Ford noted that AMP was formed to talk about concerns of the music community as a whole; such topics include the reform of commercial music royalties paid by ASCAP and BMI, and the potential establishment of an insurance plan for music house employees. "Given that there’s strength in numbers, we can talk to groups, like the 4As or the unions, as an organization.
"The fact is there is a lot of work that goes out of town," Ford continued. "And so, rather than attacking that, we want to promote work and the [music] facilities we have here. But AMP here in Chicago is very, very nascent. This meeting was basically to get whoever was interested to come. I went around the room and asked what people would like to see AMP be. Everybody threw their issues out on the carpet, [such as] ‘I want to change the demo fees,’ but that is not to say that they are representative of the purpose of AMP."
Ford opined that the meeting attendees aren’t yet thinking nationally about AMP; their perspective is more "What can I get out of this?" However, he is encouraged that they managed to assemble a group of music producers in one room, which is a rare event in the Chicago community. "We’ve got a lot to wade through before we even start to get much on our plate," said Ford. "[But] this is a great opportunity for us to get together and talk about what we do as a group, which is in itself a positive thing."
The election of officers is among the issues on deck for the next AMP meeting, related Ford, who has served as the de facto leader and seems a likely candidate to head the local chapter.
Jury Presidents Named For The One Show 2025
The One Club for Creativity has announced the global creatives from around the world who will serve as jury presidents for The One Show 2025.
These creatives will lead judging for each discipline, and have a vote on the work.
Confirmed One Show 2025 Jury presidents, by discipline, are as follows:
--Brand-Side/In-House: David Lee, CCO, Squarespace, New York
--Branded Entertainment: Malcolm Poynton, Global CCO, Cheil Worldwide, London
--Creative Use of Data, Creative Use of Technology: Nancy Crimi-Lamanna, CCO, FCB Canada, Toronto
--Cultural Driver: Bianca Guimaraes, partner, ECD, Mischief, New York
--Design: Liza Enebeis, creative director, partner, Studio Dumbar/DEPT®, Rotterdam
--Direct Marketing: Vicki Maguire, CCO, Havas London
--Film & Video: Javier Campopiano, global CCO, McCann Worldgroup & McCann Global, Madrid
--Gaming: Taj Reid, global chief experience officer, US CCO, Edelman, New York
--Integrated, Experiential & Immersive: Chris Beresford-Hill, worldwide CCO, BBDO New York
--Fusion Pencil: Walter T. Geer III, CCO, Innovation North America, VML, New York
--Green Pencil: Barbara Humphries, ECD, The Monkeys, Sydney
--Health & Wellness, Pharma: Wendy Lund, chief client officer, WPP, New York
--IP & Product Design: Ronald Ng, global CCO, MRM, New York
--Moving Image Craft & Production: Irene Kugelmann, chief creative officer, DDB Group of Companies Germany, Berlin
--Music & Sound Craft: Joel Simon, CCO, JSM Music, New York
--Out of Home, Print & Promotional: Kainaz Karmakar, CCO, Ogilvy India, Mumbai
--Public Relations: Patricia Ávila, regional director for Latin America, Ágora, São Paulo
--Radio... Read More