On June 1, 2012, Jon Burlingame writes in Variety:
“Two dozen L.A. musicians picketed Marvel Studios in Manhattan Beach on Friday to protest the fact that Disney-Marvel’s blockbuster “The Avengers” was scored in London, depriving U.S. musicians of jobs even though the movie was made stateside.
“It was the second time in five months that the American Federation of Musicians called out a Hollywood studio for depriving U.S. musicians of salaries and benefits despite filming in the U.S. AFM picketed Lionsgate in January over the London scoring of “The Hunger Games.”
“AFM president Ray Hair, who led the demonstration, made clear the action was not a “labor dispute” but rather an attempt to call public attention to a ‘fairness issue.'”
This was an unpatriotic action on the part of Marvel and Disney and a fundamental “fairness” and “economic justice” issue. The action deprived U.S. musicians of salaries and benefits despite filming in the U.S, not to speak of the opportunities to finance the filmmaking in a way that would empower the musicians, actors, and production crew to own a piece of the project and benefit long-term from the future earnings generated.
“The Avengers” was shot in North Carolina and Ohio, with the benefit of $30 million in tax rebates otherwise charged to taxpayers, while at the same time exported U.S. musician jobs. Such policies and actions are ruinous of the creative talent that is home to America. It is shameful.
