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Category: International

  • Disney taps Ricky Strauss as worldwide marketing chief

    Disney taps Ricky Strauss as worldwide marketing chief

    MUMBAI: Ending its search for a replacement in place of its outgoing marketing head MT Carney, Walt Disney Co has tapped Ricky Strauss, president of Participant Media, as its new head of worldwide marketing. 

    Carney, the controversial executive who joined Disney in April 2010 with no experience in the film industry, announced her resignation this week.

    With the move, Disney chief Rich Ross has selected a seasoned executive who has worked on The Help, the DreamWorks and Participant-produced drama that Disney distributed in 2011 with much success.

    Said Ross in a statement. “I am happy to welcome Ricky Strauss to the Walt Disney Studios family.With 25 years of industry experience, he brings a deep understanding of all aspects of the film business as well as incredible skill in branding and cutting-edge marketing. He will undoubtedly raise the studios’ creative bar as we enter 2012 and look ahead at showcasing a spectacular slate of films to audiences around the world.”

    Disney had been openly seeking a replacement for Carney for months. While some insiders in the industry speculated that Carney departed simply because she was tired of the open search for a replacement, others say that War Horse‘s disappointing performance upset director Steven Spielberg and that the timing of her departure was related to his displeasure.

    Disney faces big challenges in the coming months when it will release the sci-fi action adventure John Carter in March and later The Avengers based on the Marvel Comics.

  • Lions Gate snaps up Summit Ent for $412.5 mn

    Lions Gate snaps up Summit Ent for $412.5 mn

    MUMBAI: In a move that unites two of Hollywood’s largest independent studio, Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. has acquired Summit Entertainment LLC for $412.5 million in cash and stock.

    The agreement gives Lions Gate library rights to the first 14 vampire films in the Twilight series.

    Said Lions Gate Vice Chairman Michael Burns in a statement, “We think it solidly positions us. It extends our reach dramatically. It increases the size of the library.”

    While some believe that income from ticket sales, home videos and TV rights may generate as much as $1 billion in free cash flow all through this year, some others believe that the transaction is a net positive for all parties, but consolidation in the sector is reflective of the significant challenges in the industry.

    Most of the purchase was funded with cash from Summit, Lions Gate said yesterday in a statement. The announced terms suggest Lions Gate used about $240 million in cash from Summit.

    The balance was financed with $55 million of Lions Gate cash, $45 million from new Lions Gate convertible notes, $50 million of Lions Gate common stock and an added $20 million of cash or stock to be issued at Lions Gate’s option within 60 days, according to a statement.

    Both film labels that operate from Santa Monica, California will remain active producers.

    Details of the agreement are being worked out.

  • Worldwide rights of Martin Luther King doc with Kino Lorber Inc

    Worldwide rights of Martin Luther King doc with Kino Lorber Inc

    MUMBAI: Kino Lorber Inc. has acquired the entire worldwide rights of the acclaimed and seminal documentary King: A Filmed Record … Montgomery To Memphis.

    Produced for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Foundation by Ely Landau (The American Film Theater collection), King is an epic document of the life and work of Martin Luther King, Jr., from the 1955 Montgomery bus boycott to his assassination in 1968.

    Without any voice-over narration, King uses contemporary film/newsreel and video/television footage to convey the boiling indignation of oppressed people and their revolutionary organizing.

    Put side by side in the footage are dramatic readings by actors Harry Belafonte, Ruby Dee, Ben Gazzara, Charlton Heston, James Earl Jones, Burt Lancaster, Paul Newman, Anthony Quinn, Clarence Williams III and Joanne Woodward. These sections were co-directed by Sydney Lumet and Joseph L. Mankiewicz.

    King was nominated for the an Academy Award (in the Best Documentary category) in 1970and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.

  • Venue of Oscar awards to change post 2013

    Venue of Oscar awards to change post 2013

    MUMBAI: With the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) having planned to shift the prestigious Oscar awards venue from Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, it has come to light the annual Academy Award ceremony might move to a new venue outside Hollywood after 2013.

    The new venue is said to offer bigger facilities than in Kodak. It has more seats, better infrastructure, greater promotional opportunities and other facilities for parties and press.
     
    Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), one of the leading sports and entertainment presenters in the world, which operates the LA Live and 7,100-seat Nokia Theatre, has already been in discussion with the AMPAS about the issue.
     
    This year‘s Academy Awards will be presented at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26.

  • Critics Choice awards best actor award to Clooney

    Critics Choice awards best actor award to Clooney

    MUMBAI: The Broadcast Film Critics Association announced the Critics Choice Awards that had Michel Hazanavicius‘s The Artist score wins for best picture and best actor.


    Meanwhile, George Clooney won for best actor in The Descendants, Viola Davis, for best actress in The Help, Christopher Plummer, as best supporting actor in Beginners and Octavia Spencer as best actress in The Help.
     
    It is interesting to note that for two years running, the Critics Choice have correctly predicted every single acting winner at the Oscars. That goes to show the abovementioned four films have good reason to start getting some more speeches ready.
     
    Other winners included Moneyball and Midnight in Paris in the screenplay categories and A Separation in the foreign language film category.

  • Academy issues new rules for docs’ eligibility

    Academy issues new rules for docs’ eligibility

    MUMBAI: Respond to long-standing criticisms of its feature documentary selection process, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has issued a new set of rules affecting the eligibility of documentaries that will compete for the 85th Academy Awards next year.

    The new documentary rules will open up the first round of voting in the documentary category to the full 157 members of the documentary branch. Under the current system, a shortlist of eligible films had first been determined by a vote of smaller committees drawn from the documentary branch.

    Another major change in the category are: Features that hope to qualify must play seven-day qualifying runs in both New York and Los Angeles akin to the current rules but they must also be reviewed by either The New York Times or The Los Angeles Times.

    To facilitate the change in the first round of voting, filmmakers will be required to submit 200 DVDs, an increase over the 30 DVDs that currently are required. In the final round of voting, Academy members must see all the nominated films, but under the new rules they will be allowed to view them digitally or on DVD, which should make it easier for more members to participate, since previously the films had to be seen either in commercial theaters or at Academy screenings.
     
    Under the current system, some documentaries have been screened below the radar in locations such as Encino or Long Island in hopes of qualifying without attracting media attention, either because they were headed to a broadcast setting like HBO or because their actual theatrical release was scheduled for a later date to take advantage of the publicity that comes with nominations.
     
    The review requirement is designed to limit the number of qualifying documentaries to films with real theatrical life as opposed to the much larger number of films that are primarily designed to play online or on TV and might make only token appearances in theaters.

    The documentary branch’s selection practices drew new criticism this year when high-profile documentaries like Steve James’ The Interrupters, Werner Herzog’s Into the Abyss, Errol Morris’ Tabloid and Asif Kapadia’s Senna failed to make the shortlist of 15 documentaries from which five best-picture nominees will be drawn.

    The new rules, however, will allow more Academy members to take part in the initial voting, which could result in movies with broader appeal making the cut.

  • Manus & Welsh co-presidents of Film Independent

    Manus & Welsh co-presidents of Film Independent

    MUMBAi: The Film Independent Board has announced the appointment of senior director Sean Mc Manus and director of artist development Josh Welsh as its co-presidents.


    In their new positions, Mc Manus and Welsh will work together to lead the organization and run its year-round programs that nurture independent filmmakers and expand the audience in which their work can be appreciated.


    They succeed executive director Dawn Hudson, who left the organisation in June to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences as CEO.
     
    Sean Mc Manus has nearly 20 years of experience building organizations that have come to make a meaningful impact in both the domestic and international film and non-profit worlds.
     
    He joined Film Independent in 1998 as Development Director and was promoted to Senior Director in 2006, overseeing 36 full-time staff members and more than 100 contract employees including management and administration, fund development, marketing and communications, technology, the Film Independent Spirit Awards, Los Angeles Film Festival and the Film Independent at LACMA Film Series.
     
    For the last ten years, Josh Welsh has been responsible for the overall design, strategic planning and implementation of all of Film Independent’s Artist Development programs that include the Filmmaker Labs for Directors, Screenwriters, Producers and Documentarians, Fast Track, and the Grants Program and four years administering Film Independent’s signature diversity program, Project Involve.

  • Universal chalks out 100th birthday programme

    Universal chalks out 100th birthday programme

    MUMBAI: To make its 100th birthday more lively Universal Pictures has chalked out a five-pronged programme.


    The five pronged activities are: Major Film Restoration Commitment: The studio will restore thirteen films over the course of the centennial year. The restoration effort includes films like All Quiet on the Western Front, The Birds, Buck Privates, Dracula (1931), Dracula Spanish (1931), Frankenstein, Jaws, Schindler’s List, Out of Africa, Pillow Talk, Bride of Frankenstein, The Sting and To Kill a Mockingbird.


    The studios second endeavour for its 100 birth anniversary is: Unveiling of New Logo: The studio will unveal an updated animated logo at the February premiere of its upcoming feature film Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax and at its US theatrical debut on March 2.


    The updated logo will be used on all Universal Pictures films going forward and will be integrated into all aspects of the company’s business as well.
     
    The third endeavour is Home Entertainment: Universal Home Entertainment will be introducing a limited edition 100th Anniversary Collector’s Series featuring some of the aforementioned film restorations on Blu-rayTM in collectible, book-style packaging showcasing rare movie memorabilia and brand new 10-minute video featurettes.
     
    In addition, special collections will be released throughout the year culminating in the highly anticipated Blu-rayTM releases of Universal’s Classic Monster and Alfred Hitchcock series.


    Theme Park Celebrations: Universal’s Parks and Resorts will help highlight the campaign with centennial specific content and merchandise throughout both the Orlando and Hollywood locations.


    And finally Website and Social Media Campaign: Universal will be engaging fans across multiple social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, Tumblr and Pinterest.

  • Disney’s marketing executive Carney on her way out

    Disney’s marketing executive Carney on her way out

    MUMBAI: Walt Disney Co marketing executive MT Carney is on her way out, after a mixed performance record.

    Carney has not been in her Burbank office at Disney for several weeks and has expressed a desire to return to New York where her children are based.

    The announcement of Carney‘s exit could come within days.

    Carney, whose previous experience was as a marketing specialst for packaged goods, presided over the worldwide marketing for all Disney films, including those made by Pixar, DreamWorks and Marvel.

    Under her tenure, the studio has had such successes as The Help and The Muppets, but it has also suffered disappointments like Sorcerer‘s Apprentice.

  • Chinese film industry romps in $2 bn in 2011

    Chinese film industry romps in $2 bn in 2011

    MUMBAI: The Chinese film industry’s performance in the bygone year was good when it raked in $ 2.07 billion (13.1 billion yuan) at the box office, an increase of 28.93 per cent from that of 2010.

    Film studios in China produced 791 films in various genres taking in $1.11 billion (7.03 billion yuan) at the box office, accounting for 53.6 per cent of total ticket sales.

    Most small-budget films didn‘t even hit the silver screens. The country added 803 cinemas in 2011 at a daily average of 8.3 new
    screens.

    Domestic production of blockbusters has become more mature in the country with remarkable improvements in quality. For example there was The Flowers of War, directed by Zhang Yimou. The film has already grossed over $88.69 million (560 million yuan) in less than a month after its release.

    Notably, various blockbusters continued using the old formula: Ancient Chinese legend, big-name movie stars, Kung Fu elements and grand battle scenes. Films like It‘s Love, Mural, The Lost Bladesman and White Vengeance all passed the $23.7 million (150 million yuan) mark at the box office.

    On the negative side, some critically acclaimed films like Kuiba, The Piano in a Factory and Return Ticket did poorly at the box office. Though the films in mention had won praises and even awards, many filmgoers were not even aware of them due to poor marketing.