34th Annual BMI Film, TV, & Visual Media Awards

May 14, 2018 Ruby Gartenberg, Paul Goldowitz

On May 9th, 2018, elite members of the film and television music community were treated to an evening of honor and inspiration at Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI)’s 34th Annual Film, TV, & Visual Media Awards at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. A palpable magic filled the room as esteemed composers, high-powered executives, and industry tastemakers gathered to pay tribute to the iconic John Williams. As one of the most influential composers in the history of film music, Williams’ legacy is self-evident.

Over six decades, Williams’ has scored a broad diversity of blockbuster franchises and cinematic treasures, such as Star Wars, Jaws, Indiana Jones, E.T., Schindler’s List, Harry Potter, Lincoln, Saving Private Ryan, and Jurassic Park. In Williams’ acceptance speech, he stated “Music, in the end, it's a gift to us, even in the fetal state, and goes with us all through our lives, and it is idealistic, of course, to think what we do is not about our career, but it's about our service to music, in the sense, that we arrive here. Music is here. We've been given a tremendous literature, that a lifetime is not long enough to study and read. So our gratitude, we all feel it in this room right now, this kind of celebration tonight marks all that.”

The ceremony also honored Laura Karpman, Lolita Ritmanis, and Miriam Cutler with the coveted BMI Champion Award, recognizing their advocacy through The Alliance of Women Film Composers. Since 2014, the three musical wonder women have dedicated themselves to championing female composers within a field notoriously devoid of gender equity. Lolita Ritmanis explained, “We’re women with super powers. We are going to conquer the male-dominated film music industry.”

When asked about their next steps to expand the reach of their organization and create more opportunities for women in film music, Laura Karpman replied, “We’re taking them all the time. As a Governor at the Recording Academy, we have an initiative where we are increasing our membership. All of us are constantly taking meetings now, with studios, with all the networks. One of the most significant things we’ve done at the Alliance is create a wonderful community.” Miriam Cutler chimed in, “We are doing the same thing with the TV Academy. It’s been important to really get information out there to women about how to join, how to qualify. We have also created a directory.” We learned that The AWFC is 300 members strong today.

Taking home BMI’s Classic Contribution Award was Rick Baitz, who has led an initiative called Composing For The Screen Workshop in New York for ten years. Through the program, Baitz offers his expertise and guidance to the next generation of composers.

BMI COMPOSERS SHARE THEIR LOVE FOR JOHN WILLIAMS

James Newton Howard and Thomas Newman

Lyle Workman

AND THE WINNERS ARE ...

BMI JOHN WILLIAMS AWARD
JOHN WILLIAMS

Mike O'Neill (CEO & President of BMI), John Williams, and Doreen Ringer-Ross (Vice President, Creative - Film, TV, & Visual Media)

BMI CLASSIC CONTRIBUTION AWARD
RICK BAITZ

Rick Baitz accepts award BMI Classic Contribution Award from BMI Vice President, Creative - Film, TV & Visual Media Doreen Ringer Ross, Executive Vice President of Creative & Licensing at BMI Mike Steinberg and BMI Assistant Vice President of Creative, Los Angeles Ray Yee

BMI CHAMPION AWARDS
MIRIAM CUTLER
LAURA KARPMAN
LOLITA RITAMANIS

Lolita Ritmanis, Laura Karpman and Miriam Cutler

BMI COMPOSERS SHARE THEIR LOVE FOR JOHN WILLIAMS

AND THE WINNERS ARE ...

BMI JOHN WILLIAMS AWARDJOHN WILLIAMS

BMI CLASSIC CONTRIBUTION AWARDRICK BAITZ

BMI CHAMPION AWARDSMIRIAM CUTLERLAURA KARPMANLOLITA RITAMANIS

Academy Award® Winners

THE SHAPE OF WATERALEXANDRE DESPLAT

“REMEMBER ME” FROM COCOKRISTEN ANDERSON-LOPEZROBERT LOPEZ

BMI FILM MUSIC AWARDS

BMI STREAMING MEDIA AWARDS

BMI NETWORK TELEVISION MUSIC AWARDS

BMI CABLE TELEVISIONMUSIC AWARDS

BMI JOHN WILLIAMS AWARD
JOHN WILLIAMS

BMI CLASSIC CONTRIBUTION AWARD
RICK BAITZ

BMI CHAMPION AWARDS
MIRIAM CUTLER
LAURA KARPMAN
LOLITA RITAMANIS

THE SHAPE OF WATER
ALEXANDRE DESPLAT

“REMEMBER ME” FROM COCO
KRISTEN ANDERSON-LOPEZ
ROBERT LOPEZ

BMI NETWORK TELEVISION
MUSIC AWARDS

BMI CABLE TELEVISION
MUSIC AWARDS