Black friday deals for televisions

EXCLUSIVE : Good Deed Entertainment has acquired North American and UK rights to the indie drama Midday Black Midnight Blue , starring 2x Emmy winner Merritt Wever ( Godless ), slating it for a day-and-date release in June. The first feature from writer-directors Samantha Soule and Daniel Talbott, also starring Chris Stack (AMC’s Interview with the Vampire ) and Soule ( Godless ), follows Ian (Stack) as he grapples with his shifting memories of Liv (Soule), a woman he once loved. For Ian, it’s a chance run-in with Liv’s sister (Wever) that sparks a journey in which he has a chance to reconnect to the light and fight his way back to life. The film, which world premiered at last year’s Seattle Film Festival, is produced by Soule, Talbott and Stack, as well as Lovell Holder and Addie Johnson Talbott. Exec producers are Timothy Farrell, Conner Marx and Will Pullen. GDE’s EVP of Acquisitions Erik Donley negotiated Midday Black ‘s deal for the company, with … [Read more...] about Merritt Wever-Led ‘Midday Black Midnight Blue’ Acquired By Good Deed; Coral Peña, Nicole Byer Board ‘Thelma’; More – Film Briefs

EXCLUSIVE: The Black List and Women in Film said Monday that they have set the participants for their 2023 Episodic Lab, with seven television pilots from eight writers selected. Now in its seventh year, the lab focuses on preparing women writers and writers of underrepresented genders for careers in writing for TV. More than 40 scribes have participated since its launch in 2016, with the organizations saying half currently have jobs in the industry. This year’s list features Bev Chukwu, Deanna Esposito, Eudie Pak, Laura Malatos & Helen Sun, Katherine Ruppe, Lorin Williams and Thea Rodgers. The lab, supported by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and Shivhans Pictures, meets twice a week in March for sessions that include masterclasses, pitch workshops and lectures from guest mentors. This year’s mentors list includes Monica Beletsky ( Parenthood ), Jane Becker ( Ted Lasso ), Glen Mazzara ( The Dark Tower ), Sono Patel ( The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel ) … [Read more...] about The Black List And Women In Film Set 2023 Episodic Lab Writers

EXCLUSIVE : Laurie Zaks and her Rosewood Television banner are adapting a series of novels from Roselle Lim after striking a development deal with ITV Studios America . Zaks, who was behind popular ABC drama series Castle , launched her company in 2021. At the time, having spent seven years as Head of Television at Todd Lieberman and David Hoberman’s Mandeville Films, she had a deal with ABC Signature. She recently struck a deal with the U.S. arm of the British broadcaster and production group, and this marks her first major development project under that new agreement. Rosewood Television and ITV Studios America will adapt three novels by Lim, a Canadian author of Filipino-Chinese heritage, as series. Books include Natalie Tan’s Book of Luck and Fortune , which was published in 2019; Vanessa Yu’s Magical Paris Tea Shop , which came out in 2020; and Sophie Go’s Lonely Hearts Club , which was published last year. The books explore the Chinese-American … [Read more...] about Laurie Zaks’ Rosewood Television To Adapt Roselle Lim Novels As Part Of New Deal With ITV Studios America

James Patterson has inked an exclusive first-look deal with Skydance Television, which is in production on an adaptation of his Alex Cross series starring Aldis Hodge. As part of the deal, Patterson will develop a slate of series based on his top-selling book series Women’s Murder Club and Michael Bennett , along with the internationally acclaimed book series Private and the soon-to-be published books Jane Smith and Holmes, Miss Marple and Poe . “In speaking with David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and the team, it quickly became clear Skydance is only interested in making quality entertainment with top talent,” said Patterson. “This kind of partnership is exactly what we have been seeking for James Patterson Entertainment, as we continue to grow our brand across every area of the business.” Said Matt Thunell, President of Skydance Television: “James Patterson is one of the most successful authors in publishing of all time. He is a master of his craft, who … [Read more...] about James Patterson Signs First-Look Deal With Skydance Television

EXCLUSIVE : Colin Davis , Head of Scripted Originals for the Roku Channel, is leaving Roku’s free ad-supported streaming service to join Sony as EVP Comedy Development at Sony Pictures Television Studios . Davis, who starts May 1, will oversee development of comedies for all platforms, reporting to Jason Clodfelter, co-president of Sony Pictures Television Studios. Davis succeeds Glenn Adilman, who exited as EVP and head of comedy development in the studio’s November executive restructuring under new Sony Pictures TV Studios president Katherine Pope. Based on the Culver City lot, Davis will lead a team that includes Jennifer Gerstenblatt, Frank Ochoa and Jackie Wertheimer who serve as SVP Comedy Development, VP Animation, and Manager of Comedy Development, respectively. “We are thrilled to have Colin join our Sony Pictures Television Studios family,” said Clodfelter. “His passion and understanding of television are infectious, and he embodies an entrepreneurial … [Read more...] about Roku’s Colin Davis Named Head Of Comedy Development At Sony Pictures Television Studios; Other Recent Hires & Promotions Revealed

After just 18 days of negotiations, the Directors Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers announced tonight that they have reached a tentative agreement on a new three-year TV/theatrical contract. The deal will be reviewed Saturday at a special meeting of the DGA ’s National Board; if the board approves it, the deal will be sent to the full membership for ratification soon afterward. Related: NBCU Hires Labor Relations Topper Ahead Of Negotiations Neither side is commenting tonight. As they have through the negotiations, which began November 4 at AMPTP headquarters in Sherman Oaks, the DGA and the producers have imposed a blackout on details of the tentative agreement until it is approved by the DGA board. Meanwhile, neither the WGA nor the merged SAG-AFTRA has begun their negotiations with the AMPTP. Although the WGA announced its negotiating committee last week, it has yet to set a start date for talks. SAG-AFTRA is not … [Read more...] about DGA, Producers Reach Tentative Deal On Terms of New Contract

Yesterday my colleague Pete Hammond said there were “no surprises” in the DGA Awards Film nominees. Well, today the Directors Guild of America delivered even less of a shock as its members ratified the new three-year deal its negotiating committee reached with the Alliance of Motion Picture and TV Producers in late November (after you finish that yawn, read their release below). Same as three years ago , no specific numbers were given just that the approval was by an “overwhelming margin,” according to the DGA .  ( UPDATE, 11 AM: As you would expect, AMPTP praised the ratification today, though with slightly ominous tones.“We are pleased that the DGA membership has ratified the new contracts. These new agreements will contribute to the stability of the industry by ensuring that feature film and television production – and the jobs dependent on it – can continue without interruption,” said the producers’ group in a statement Wednesday.) The Guild sent … [Read more...] about DGA Members Approve New Deal With Producers

EXCLUSIVE: Sharp Objects developer/executive producer Marti Noxon is reuniting with eOne , the indie studio behind the Emmy-nominated HBO drama, with a two-year exclusive first-look deal for television and new media. Under the pact, Noxon will write and serve as showrunner on projects, which she will be producing through her production company Tiny Pyro, with producing partner and company president Maria Grasso. “Building upon our previous partnership with Marti, whose talent and passion spans across multiple genres, is an incredible moment for us, and we look forward to all the exciting things to come,” said Pancho Mansfield, President of Global Scripted TV at Entertainment One . Jacqueline Sacerio — eOne’s Co-Head, Development, Scripted TV, US — will oversee the day-to-day activities of Tiny Pyro as part of her overall management of eOne Television’s first-look and overall deals “Marti is one of the most prolific writers working in television today, and her … [Read more...] about Marti Noxon Inks First-Look Deal With eOne For Television & New Media

UPDATED with statement, 10:10 AM: SAG-AFTRA and NPR today issued a joint statement about their ratification of a contract deal that averts a strike against the radio pubcaster: The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and NPR are pleased to announce the ratification and signing of a new three-year contract covering NPR’s news and programming employees. The contract was ratified last week by an overwhelming majority of NPR’s SAG-AFTRA represented employees and then signed by SAG-AFTRA and NPR at NPR headquarters in Washington, D.C. on Monday, July 31. NPR and SAG-AFTRA have shared a long and productive relationship throughout the years. This was evident in the recent negotiations, as NPR and SAG-AFTRA’s bargaining teams worked tirelessly and constructively to find common ground. Today NPR and SAG-AFTRA together celebrate the tremendous talents of NPR’s news and programming teams and look forward to supporting NPR’s mission and … [Read more...] about SAG-AFTRA & NPR Ratify Strike-Averting Contract Deal – Update

EXCLUSIVE: First among Hollywood unions this year, the WGA is going face-to-face with the studios starting Monday in what’s expected to be contentious negotiations for a new overall contract. However, the atypical pole position for the hard-hitting scribes this labor round is a consequence of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers’ rebuke of the DGA efforts to strike a pact a few months ago. In November 2022, the Directors’ Guild sought to spark an early dialogue with the AMPTP by sending over “pre-conditions,” as one studio source called them, for early negotiations. Over the past decade and more, the DGA has gone ahead of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA in contract talks with the Carol Lombardini-led group. In that context, talks before official talks are nothing new in Hollywood labor circles. However, unlike the past three contract sit-downs, the DGA had some more weighty than usual caveats it wanted dealt with before it would agree to settling on a date … [Read more...] about As WGA & AMPTP Talks Kick Off, Details Emerge Of DGA’s Attempt To Reach Under-The-Radar Deal With Studios