EXCLUSIVE : AGBO , the film and TV company founded by Anthony and Joe Russo , has a new President of Film. Michael Disco , fresh from producing superhero film The Flash , has joined the company in that role. He will oversee the creative and business strategy for AGBO’s film activities. He reports to AGBO’s Chief Creative Officer Angela Russo-Otstot, who was promoted to that role in November. It comes eight months after the company expanded its senior team with hires including Scott Nemes as President of Television. AGBO is behind films including Oscar nominated Everything Everywhere All At Once and Ryan Gosling-fronted The Gray Man as well as the upcoming Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt film The Electric State. For the last couple of years, Disco has been running his own production banner The Disco Factory, in addition to producing The Flash , alongside the Muschietti siblings. Before that he had a 20-year run at New Line, including as EVP, … [Read more...] about Michael Disco Joins Russo Bros’ AGBO As President Of Film
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Original Media Writer-Producers Vote To Join WGA East
In another victory for the WGA East’s ongoing campaign to organize reality TV shows, the writer-producers at Original Media have voted to be repped by the guild in collective bargaining. The vote, held under the auspices of the National Labor Relations board, was 42-9 to join. Original Media produces shows including Swamp People, Inkmaster and Stormchasers . “We look forward to sitting down with the company and negotiating a contract that will provide health benefits, paid time off, minimum compensation levels, and other basic union protections,” said Lowell Peterson, executive director of the WGA East , in announcing voting results today. In the last five years, the guild has negotiated contracts with three New York-based reality TV companies in Sharp Entertainment, Lion TV and Optomen Productions. It trying to get two others – ITV and Peacock Productions – to sign its contract. During recent hearings before the New York City Council , the guild presented … [Read more...] about Original Media Writer-Producers Vote To Join WGA East
Cliff Curtis Joins Jason Momoa’s Apple Series ‘Chief Of War’ As Recurring
Cliff Curtis ( Avatar films, Fear The Walking Dead ) is set for a key recurring role in Chief of War , Apple TV+’s upcoming series starring, written and executive produced by Jason Momoa . Created by Momoa and Thomas Pa’a Sibbett, the nine-episode Chief of War follows the epic and unprecedented telling of the unification and colonization of Hawaii from an indigenous point of view. Curtis will play Keōua, the cousin of Kamehameha (played by newcomer Kaina Makua), and believes himself to be the rightful leader of Hawai’i. In addition to Momoa, “Chief of War” stars Luciane Buchanan, Temuera Morrison, Te Ao o Hinepehinga, newcomer Kaina Makua, Moses Goods, Siua Ikale’o, Brandon Finn, James Udom, Native Hawaiian actress Mainei Kinimaka, and Te Kohe Tuhaka. Chief of War is produced by Fifth Season (formerly Endeavor Content) and Chernin Entertainment. The nine-episode series is executive produced by Momoa, Francis Lawrence, Pa’a Sibbett, Peter Chernin, Jenno … [Read more...] about Cliff Curtis Joins Jason Momoa’s Apple Series ‘Chief Of War’ As Recurring
Writers Rail As Talks Resume – Third Question In A Deadline Survey
As talks are about to resume Monday on the final elements that many hope will lead to a new deal for the Writers Guild Of America, we wanted to lend some perspective and give voice to the TV and feature writers whose fortunes will be tied directly to the deal their union makes. This is the third in a quick succession of five questions we asked a panel of 10 writers. Here are their responses, and hopefully other writers will be moved to comment about the issues that worry them most as their work is monetized in this fast-changing digital age. Related: WGA: Why Gains, Lessons From 2008′s Strike Will Keep Hollywood From Another War DEADLINE: How are you feeling about the deal that the WGA is considering, and what concerns do you have that aren’t addressed in it? WRITER #1: I trust that small gains will be made and a strike will be averted and at this stage of the business that’s all that can really be expected. That is actually a success in 2014. Related: … [Read more...] about Writers Rail As Talks Resume – Third Question In A Deadline Survey
Writers Rail As Talks Resume – Second Question In A Deadline Survey
As talks are about to resume Monday on the final elements that many hope will lead to a new deal for the Writers Guild Of America, we wanted to lend some perspective and give voice to the TV and feature writers whose fortunes will be tied directly to the deal their union makes. This is the second in a quick succession of five questions we asked a panel of 10 writers. Here are their responses, and hopefully other writers will be moved to comment about the issues that worry them most as their work is monetized in this fast-changing digital age. Related: WGA: Why Gains, Lessons From 2008′s Strike Will Keep Hollywood From Another War DEADLINE: As a working writer, what is the biggest hardship right now facing you (i.e., one-step deals for feature writers, exclusivity clauses for TV writers), the one that gives you the greatest amount of worry for you and your WGA brethren? WRITER #1: I think the biggest setback from the strike was one-step deals. One-step deals were a … [Read more...] about Writers Rail As Talks Resume – Second Question In A Deadline Survey
Channel 4: Inside The Doomed Sale Of A Crown Jewel Of British Television
There was a moment last November when Channel 4 ’s senior executives breathed a sigh of relief. Sat at the top table of Channel 4’s 40th birthday party, Chief Executive Alex Mahon was flanked by her friend Elisabeth Murdoch and doyens of UK broadcasting, including BBC Director-General Tim Davie and Carolyn McCall, ITV’s Chief Executive. They were raising a glass to a British success story in a rare public display of unity. On the same table was Thérèse Coffey, a senior government minister who had survived three prime ministers in the space of little more than three months. Her presence at the V&A Museum event bemused others, who believed the government only had hostile intentions for Channel 4 after sanctioning a sale of the broadcaster against its wishes. Things soon got weirder. Coffey turned to Mahon and asked if she could raise a glass to Channel 4. She then proceeded to surprise the room full of TV luminaries by serenading her hosts with a rendition of happy … [Read more...] about Channel 4: Inside The Doomed Sale Of A Crown Jewel Of British Television
Paco Rabanne Dies: Spanish ‘Barbarella” Fashion Designer Was 88
Spanish-born fashion designer Paco Rabanne , who was best known for his metallic space-age outfits, has died in France at the age of 88 years old. The self-taught designer broke into the Parisian Haute Couture scene in the early 1960s with a collection composed of 12 unwearable experimental metallic dresses. His designs soon became favorites with stars and models of the time such as France’s Anouk Aimée, Françoise Hardy, Brigitte Bardot and the U.K.’s Twiggy. He soon connected with the cinema world, designing the iconic costumes for Jane Fonda in Roger Vadim’s 1968 cult film Barbarella , which are still on display in MoMA in New York. Other cinema credits included Roberto Enrico’s The Last Adventure and Joël Le Moigné’s Les Ponyettes . Rabanne retired in 1999 but his mothballed label was revived by Spanish company Puig in 2011, which has relaunched it as a fashion house and fragrance business that it now controls. … [Read more...] about Paco Rabanne Dies: Spanish ‘Barbarella” Fashion Designer Was 88
‘The Terminal List’: More Details Revealed About Season 2 Of Prime Video Series Starring Chris Pratt & Taylor Kitsch-Led Prequel
Prime Video has confirmed Deadline’s report that hit MRC Television conspiracy thriller The Terminal List , headlined by Chris Pratt , has been renewed for a second season , and that the streamer also has ordered an untitled prequel series focusing on fan-favorite Ben Edwards, portrayed by Taylor Kitsch . Season 2 of The Terminal List , whose first installment was based on Jack Carr’s bestseller of the same name, will be based on Carr’s novel True Believer. Additionally, it has been revealed what other Carr characters the prequel series, co-created by Carr and Season 1 creator-showrunner David DiGilio, will feature opposite Kitsch’s Ben in addition to James Reece (Pratt) and Raife Hastings, which Deadline had already reported. The list includes Mohammed Farooq and Ernest “Boozer” Vickers, played in Season 1 by Pratt’s longtime coach, former Navy SEAL and series producer Jared Shaw. The untitled prequel is described as an elevated espionage thriller that takes … [Read more...] about ‘The Terminal List’: More Details Revealed About Season 2 Of Prime Video Series Starring Chris Pratt & Taylor Kitsch-Led Prequel
Amazon Praises Video As Key Driver Of Prime; 2022 Content Spend, Including Music, Hit $16.6 Billion
UPDATED with content spend stats from annual report: Giant Amazon said its total expenses for video and music came to $16.6 billion last year, up from $13 billion in 2021. Video and music expense includes licensing and production costs associated with content offered within Amazon Prime memberships, and costs associated with digital subscriptions and sold or rented content, according to the company’s latest annual report that followed fourth quarter financials yesterday. On an earnings call Thursday, CFO Brian Olsavsky noted that Amazon spent $7 billion on originals, live sports and licensed content in 2022, up from $5 billion the year before. It’s unclear if those figures include all worldwide video content, which is increasingly central to Amazon’s strategy in driving membership for Prime, the biggest loyalty program in the world and the beating heart of the company. Amazon (which acquired MGM last year for $8.5 billion in cash) carefully evaluates its return on … [Read more...] about Amazon Praises Video As Key Driver Of Prime; 2022 Content Spend, Including Music, Hit $16.6 Billion
Dardennes, Alice Diop, Cristian Mungiu, Adil El Arbi & Bilall Fallah Demand Iran’s Fajr Film Fest Remove Titles From Line-Up
Belgian directors Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne , Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, French filmmaker Alice Diop and Romanian director Cristian Mungiu have demanded that Iran ’s Fajr International Film Festival remove their films from the line-up of its current edition, running from February 1 to 11. The filmmakers said in separate statements that they discovered by chance that their respective films Tori And Lokita , Saint Omer , Rebel and R.M.N. had been included in Fajr’s selection without their personal permission. The issue only came to light as the festival kicked off because it had kept its line-up under wraps in a bid to head off boycotts by directors and producers, due to the brutal crackdown of ongoing protests related to the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody in September. Paris-based sales agent Wild Bunch International which handles the titles said their inclusion in the Fajr line-up was also a surprise to them. Two other … [Read more...] about Dardennes, Alice Diop, Cristian Mungiu, Adil El Arbi & Bilall Fallah Demand Iran’s Fajr Film Fest Remove Titles From Line-Up