MPAA’s new Chairman/CEO Chris Dodd held his first official Board meeting in Washington DC today. But here’s what I find most interesting: following the meeting, the members of the Board from the major studios suddenly embraced the leaders from the major entertainment industry unions DGA, IATSE, SAG, AFTRA. Notably missing was the WGA which keeps being ostracized by the other unions not to mention the studios. The MPAA tells me the studios and other unions “scheduled meetings with key members of Congress and the Administration to discuss the critical importance of curbing online content theft and improving international market access”. Hmm.
Tag Studios
MPAA Arranges Studio-Guild D.C. Lobbying
YouTube Pacts To Rent 100s Of Disney Films Including Pixar & DreamWorks
This statement was just posted on Google’s YouTube blog:
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Welcoming your favorite Disney movies to rent on YouTube
Today, the first of hundreds of The Walt Disney Studios movies from Disney, Disney·Pixar and DreamWorks Studios are coming to YouTube. These titles join thousands of full-length feature films from major Hollywood studios that already are available to rent at YouTube.com/movies.
Fans of animated movies? We’
Lady Gaga boobs show in provocative braless lace tunic
Lady Gaga crossed the Atlantic to arrive at the ITV studios in London for an…
Anthony Zuiker Sells First Project To ABC: FBI Drama Written By Andrea Berloff
EXCLUSIVE: In his first sale under the 3-year overall deal with ABC Studios he signed in July, CSI creator Anthony Zuiker has set up a drama project at ABC from World Trade Center writer Andrea Berloff. Titled Chameleon, the project centers on a female undercover FBI agent who is a master of disguise. Per the terms of his ABC Studios deal, Zuiker developed the project with studio-based Brillstein Entertainment Partners, which will co-produce it with Zuiker’s Dare to Pass banner and ABC Studios. In addition to writing, Berloff will executive produce Chameleon with Zuiker, Brillstein’s TV president JoAnn Alfano and Zuiker’s manager, Brillstein’s Margaret Riley, while Dare to Pass’
What A Friday Brawl! ‘Moneyball’ Wins #1, ‘Lion King 3D’ #2, ‘Dolphin Tale’ #3, ‘Abduction’ #4, Killer Elite’ #5
FRIDAY 11 PM, 2ND UPDATE: Finally, I have some clarity following Rentrak hiccups during the day and early evening. Not to mention every studio’s confusion over the ordering of the Top 5 because of fierce fights going on at the North American box office throughout today. And, geez, I’m supposed to be on vacation:
1. My sources say Sony’s newcomer Moneyball has been rising as the night goes on for maybe the best baseball-themed opening ever. It’s definitely No. 1 Friday with approximately $6.8M from 2,993 theaters. (As a Sony exec told me, “$6 million would be great. $7 million amazing. $8 million would be a triumph.”) With a healthy adult bump tomorrow, it’s looking at a $20M weekend. That solid number helps keep Brad Pitt’s star wattage shining and his awards chances climbing because of this well-reviewed male-centric sports movie. Audiences really liked this pic: it received all A’s — male, female, young, old — from CinemaScore.
2. Even Disney is surprised that its Lion King 3D is in 2nd place tonight from 2,330 theaters which sold mostly higher priced tickets. But rival studios tell me it got a boost today from the rain back East for a $6.1M Friday, or an excellent holding -31% from its opening a week ago. With the normal kiddie matinee bump, that’s a $20M weekend as well. This re-release’s projected is $60M by Monday. Here’s my question: why is it that in all the promotional hype I’ve been sent by the studio about this pic, … Read More
TV Script Sales: CBS Buys 2 Comedies, ABC Goes For Witch Drama
In an interesting twist, sitcom veteran Chris Case, who was in contention to write the new Charlie Sheen sitcom Anger Management, has sold a sitcom project to CBS, the network where Sheen was a star on Two and a Half Men for 8 seasons. Case, creator of TV Land’s comedy series Retired at 35, is co-writing the untitled comedy — about a recently separated father of two who attempts to move on with his life — with Joey Gutierrez (Still Standing). CBS TV Studios is producing with Mindy Shultheis and Michael Hanel’s Acme Prods.
This is a project a lot of my colleagues can unfortunately relate to: CBS has bought multi-camera comedy script Malled, written by Bill Kunstler (Accidentally On Purpose). It centers on a career journalist who, after getting laid off from her job at a newspaper, takes a retail job in a clothing store at a mall. CBS Studios and studio-based Tennenbaum Co are producing, with Kunstler, Eric and Kim Tannenbaum exec producing.
From thugs to witches. Jason Richman, creator of gritty cop drama Detroit 1-8-7, has sold a second project to ABC this season through his overall deal with ABC Studios. Wicked Good, which ABC Studios is co-producing with Mandeville, centers on a family of witches, soldiers in an eternal battle between good and evil, which … Read More
Jon Turteltaub Signs ABC Studios Deal
EXCLUSIVE: Jon Turteltaub has signed a two-year overall deal with ABC Studios. Under the pact, Turteltaub will develop and produce series projects through his Junction Entertainment banner, which has been run by Karim Zreik and Dan Shotz for more than a decade now. On the TV side, Turteltaub spent the past 5 years at CBS TV Studios, since he directed/executive produced the pilot for the cult CBS/CBS Studios drama series Jericho, which he also executive produced. For the past 4 years, Turteltaub and Junction Entertainment were under an overall deal at CBS Studios where the company developed and produced such series as the CBS horror drama Haper’s Island and, most recently, the upcoming USA Network show Common Law. On the feature side, National Treasure director Turteltaub, repped by WME and David Lonner, most recently directed The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.
NLRB: ITV Studios Producer Wrongfully Terminated For Supporting WGAE
The National Labor Relations Board has issued a formal complaint against ITV Studios, the company behind such TV series as The First 48 and Four Weddings, charging that it wrongfully terminated a longtime producer for his support of the WGA East’s efforts to organize its employees. A hearing on the matter is expected sometime in July. ‘
Kristen Stewart vs. Julia Roberts, Its a Snow White battle of the bitches
While this story may or may not be true, it sure does seem believable at the very least. To bring everyone up to speed, there will be two competing Snow White adaptations, which come from different film studios and shall be released less than a month apart in 2012. One of the movies, a “revisionist [...]
'Reaper' Creators Michele Fazekas & Tara Butters Sign Overall Deal With CBS Studios
Reaper creators/executive producers Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters have signed a two-year overall deal with CBS TV Studios. Under the seven-figure deal, which begins June 1, the two will serve as full-time consulting producers on the studio’s CBS cop drama Hawaii Five-0, which is all but picked up for next season. Additionally, they will develop new projects for the studio. This marks a return to the crime procedural genre for Fazekas and Butters who spent five seasons on NBC’s Law & Order: SVU, rising to co-executive producers and earning two WGA Award nominations. Fazekas and Butters are coming off a two-year overall deal at 20th TV where they created and exec produced last year’s ABC pilot Cutthroat and consulted on Dollhouse, Chaos and Terra Nova. Before that, the duo was based at ABC Studios where they created and exec produced Reaper and served as showrunners on the CW dramedy for its two-season run. The CW, one of the two primary networks CBS Studios supplies, along with CBS, is now run by Mark Pedowitz who, as president of ABC Studios developed Reaper with Fazekas and Butters and has a great relationship with them. ICM-repped Fazekas and Butters got their start as a writing team on Fox’s Get Real and also worked on NBC’s Ed.
MPAA Files Lawsuit Against Zediva Streaming Service
The MPAA filed a copyright-infringement lawsuit in Los Angeles today against operators of the movie-streaming service Zediva, which the movie studio organization says illegally streams movies to its customers without obtaining required 
licenses, a violation of the studios’
Angela Bassett To Star In ABC Pilot 'Identity'
Angela Bassett is set as a lead in ABC’s drama pilot Identity. The project, from ABC Studios, Mark Gordon Co. and writer John Glenn, is an action procedural based on a British format, which centers on an elite police unit formed to combat the explosion of identity-related crime. Bassett will play Martha, the Special Agent in charge of the FBI’s new Identity Crimes Unit. Bronx-tough Vassar graduate from Greenwich, Martha is determined to make a go of this division, using sophisticated technology combined with good old fashioned investigative methods. The casting extends Bassett’s relationship with ABC, ABC Studios and producer Mark Gordon. Earlier this pilot season, she was attached to ABC’s drama project One Police Plaza, which was developed for her through ABC Studios and studio-based Mark Gordon Co. In it, she was slated to play another top New York law enforcement officer, the city’s first female commissioner. Bassett, repped by Gersh and Lighthouse, will next be seen in Jumping the Broom and Green Lantern. On TV, she most recently co-starred on the final season of ER.
Rob Doherty Extends CBS TV Studios Deal, Joins CW Pilot 'Heavenly' As Showrunner
EXCLUSIVE: Rob Doherty has extended his overall deal at CBS TV Studios for another year. Under the new pact, the veteran Medium writer-producer will join another female-centered supernatural drama from CBS TV Studios, the CW pilot Heavenly. Doherty will serve as executive producer-showrunner on the project, about a dedicated young female attorney and a former angel-turned-human who tackle cases together at the attorney’s legal aid clinic. Richard Hatem created the show and will executive produce the pilot with Doherty and Mimi Leder who is set to direct. UTA-repped Doherty spent the last 5 seasons on Medium, rising to executive producer. He previously worked on Point Pleasant, Tru Calling, Dark Angel and Star Trek: Voyager.
Walt Disney Studios Senior Execs Exiting
Bad day to be an executive at Walt Disney Studios. Deadline has confirmed that Bruce Hendricks, president of physical production for Walt Disney Studios was let go this morning. And Marcia Ross, EVP of feature castings at Walt Disney Studios also has been dropped. The studio is streamlining.
Is The Standoff Between Casting Directors & Studios On Pilots Headed For A Resolution?
There is a sense of cautious optimism in the TV casting circles this evening that the stalemate over hiring outside casting directors for pilots might come to an end tomorrow. The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents the TV studios, has called a meeting with representatives of the casting directors for midday tomorrow. At the heart of the problem is casting directors’ request to get “adequate staffing” or that studios pay for an assistant in addition to the casting director and casting associate on every pilot, something that studios have been balking at. Since this is not an union issue and it is not covered by the casting directors’ basic agreement with the studios, there is nothing to negotiate at the meeting tomorrow, a casting director source stressed. “We are going to listen to what they have to say and are hoping to come to some type of understanding of each other’
Octo-mom Nadya Suleman Allegedly Whips Grown Man in Diaper For Adult Fetish Video
(HMG Celebrity News) – I know many thought it would come to this. While seemingly desperate for money to save her brood from eviction, Octomom Nadya Suleman has consistently turned down offers from some of the most prominent adult film studios to strip off on camera in exchange for big money. TMZ reports however that [...]
UPDATE: Casting Directors vs Studios: Studios Digging In, CDs 'Holding Strong'
The ongoing dispute between casting directors on pilots and TV studios continues with no end in sight. As we first reported on Thursday, studios have not been able to sign deals with casting directors for the past couple of weeks over the issue of pay for casting assistants. While studios pay for casting directors and associates, casting directors in many cases have to foot the bill for an assistant, a non-union position not covered by the casting directors’ contract with AMPTP. Casting directors now insist that studios cover the cost for that, with the fate of 80+ broadcast pilots that have to be cast in the next 2 months at stake.
I hear the studios are still not budging. ABC Studios, which has received a number of early pilot orders over the past 2 weeks, has begun to cast them internally. Other studios are preparing to do the same. Over the past 48 hours, we also had the first deal with a casting director that closed without the assistant provision. Casting agency La Padura & Hart Casting, whose credits include the High School Musical franchise and such NBC series as Heroes and The Event, has signed on to work on the 20th Century Fox TV-produced NBC drama pilot Playboy. There are reportedly a number of deals with other casting directors on pilots that are closed … Read More
'Life Unexpected' Creator Liz Tigelaar Signs Overall Deal With ABC Studios
EXCLUSIVE: As the CW’s sophomore drama Life Unexpected is heading to its season and likely series finale on Jan. 18, the series’ creator/executive producer Liz Tigelaar is ready to move on, signing an overall deal with ABC Studios. The seven-figure, two-year pact, which has an option for a third year, starts in June when Tigelaar’s overall deal with LUX producer CBS TV Studios expires. Under the new deal, Tigelaar will develop new series and may join existing ABC Studios shows. The pact marks a homecoming for Tigelaar who worked on a number of ABC/ABC Studios series, including What About Brian?, Dirty Sexy Money, and Brothers and Sisters before she created her first show, LUX, also for ABC Studios. When the project, which had been lingering in development for a couple of years, was finally picked up by the CW, ABC Studios pulled out for financial reasons. CW sister studio CBS Studios then stepped in, taking over the show and signing Tigelaar in an overall deal. Since its launch last midseason, LUX has garnered critical praise and strong cult following. But its ratings never took off, and the CW in early November opted not to give it a back order, effectively sealing its fate. LUX star Kristoffer Polaha has already signed a talent holding deal with CBS and CBS Studios for a new project eyed for next fall. … Read More
'Twilight' Producer Temple Hill Inks Overall TV Deal, Sets 'Monte Cristo' Reboot At ABC
EXCLUSIVE: Temple Hill, producer of the hugely successful Twilight movie series, is making a big move in television, signing a two-year overall deal with ABC Studios. This is the first TV pact for Wyck Godfrey and Marty Bowen’s Temple Hill, which will mark its fifth anniversary in February. Under the deal, Temple Hill will be developing and producing series projects for ABC Studios. First off is a contemporary re-imagening of Alexandre Dumas, pere’s The Count of Monte Cristo. Swingtown creator Mike Kelley is writing the project, which explores the classic tale from a female perspective and chronicles the story of a 
mysterious young woman who comes to the Hamptons to exact revenge on the people who destroyed her family. Kelley, Godfrey and Bowen are executive producing. In addition to the untitled Mike Kelley project, Godfrey and Bowen have another series adaptation of a classic literary work set up at ABC and ABC Studios, Romeo & Juliet. The project, set in Renaissance Verona, is being written/executive produced by World Trade Center scribe Andrea Berloff and executive produced by Godfrey, Bowen, Sean Robins and Todd Garner, with Catherine Hardwicke eying to direct. Outside of the ABC Studios deal, Temple Hill has Garden Spells, a drama from L Word … Read More