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A large group of Walt Disney World workers and their allies looking to be in the hundreds marched outside park facilities earlier today chanting, “Walt Disney workers need a raise!” The event was dubbed the “Rally for a Raise” bu organizers. Many of the protesters come from a coalition of six unions representing close to 42,000 WDW cast members known as the Services Trades Council Union ( STCU ). The coalition and Disney have been negotiating a new contract since the old one expired last October 1. In November, the union asked for a minimum wage of $18 an hour in the first year of a new contract. Disney, for its part, has said it proposed “a path to $20 an hour for starting wages.” According to Orlando Sentinel reporter Katie Rice, Disney’s proposal was to raise the minimum wage $1 a year until it reaches $20, meaning three years hence. Union members reportedly rejected that proposal last month by a margin of 96%. The two entities are still at loggerheads, with … [Read more...] about Walt Disney World Workers Picket Outside Park Facilities Flying LGBT Flags & Holding Signs Asking For A Raise

Veteran entertainment attorneys Eric Feig and Harry Finkel are joining forces to form Feig Finkel LLP, a new firm focused in film (including film financing and production legal), television, new media, licensing, merchandising, podcasts, and publishing. They are joined in the venture by three partners: Panayiotis “Pano” Spanos, Andrew Barcello, and Riccardo Maddalosso. “Feig Finkel is dedicated to protecting its clients’ interests with two underlying principles: integrity and creativity,” said Feig. Feig – whose clients include William Zabka ( Cobra Kai ) and Martin Kove( Cobra Kai ), writer Max Borenstein ( Godzilla vs. Kong, Winning Time ), David Berenbaum ( Elf, Haunted Mansion ), Kamillion ( Rap Sh!t ), writer Ashleigh Powell ( Nutcracker and the Four Realms ), Noah Stollman ( Fauda ), Australian Director Elissa Down ( Black Baloon, Ivy & Bean) writer KC Perry ( Paper Girls, Severance) and director Chris Eyre ( Smoke Signals, Dark Winds) – will … [Read more...] about Eric Feig and Harry Finkel Form New Beverly Hills Law Firm, Feig Finkel LLP

Fox Corp. is planning a major building overhaul and expansion of its Century City lot including nine new soundstages as well as a media campus, office space and focus on related transportation infrastructure. Los Angeles continues to struggle to meet the demand for soundstages, which increasingly is driving production and entertainment jobs outside the region. The project, called Fox Future, will bring the number of stages to 24. Additional stages will be equipped with state-of-the-art technologies and designed for modern film, television and other content. A new LEED Platinum-designed media campus office building will support lot operations. Located on the Lot along Olympic Boulevard, the 24-floor building will focus on creating collaborative open spaces and shared and private offices, all designed specifically for film and TV production. (LEED is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, the widely used green building rating system.) An amended and specific … [Read more...] about Fox Unveils Major Expansion Of Century City Studio Lot With 9 New Soundstages, Media Campus

Oscar-winning screenwriter, playwright and film director Christopher Hampton was on feisty form in a masterclass in Qatar earlier this week as part of the Doha Film Institute ’s Qumra talent incubator event (March 10-16). Hampton, who won Academy Awards for the screenplays of Dangerous Liaisons and The Father and was Oscar-nominated for Atonement , urged aspiring screenwriters in the auditorium to try to retain some sort of control of their work and creative vision. “I would advise anybody to try to get at least some sort of associate producer credit to maintain a grip on the material and you have to fight… fight with a lot of people,” he said. “They don’t want to give it to you. They don’t want to give you those powers, but I’ve always argued that since the writer is the origin of the piece, they deserve to be respected.” “Don’t be unreasonable because there is a very strong possibility that other people’s ideas will be as good as yours but there comes a … [Read more...] about Christopher Hampton Talks Screenwriter Control; ‘Dangerous Liaisons’ Sprint Against Miloš Forman – Qumra Masterclass

EXCLUSIVE : Fresh off a surprise “work in progress” screening at SXSW , Robert Rodriguez’s action-thriller Hypnotic , starring Ben Affleck , has been set for a May 12 U.S. release. As we revealed last month , Ketchup Entertainment will be launching the movie on more than 2,000 screens. The looming release for a movie that remains unfinished is yet another talking point in the project’s tumultuous journey to screen. Little has been straight-forward for Hypnotic but the warm reception it received on Sunday night was a welcome respite for its creatives and financiers. It’s unusual for a big budget film to get a public ‘work in progress’ screening at a festival but Austin was a smart choice given the home crowd’s reverence for Texas-native Rodriguez. The director said today: “I’ve been working on this film for many years now, and to see the reaction from my home town audience at SXSW was humbling and validating. I look forward to now sharing it with all movie … [Read more...] about Robert Rodriguez & Ben Affleck’s ‘Hypnotic’ Gets May Release Date Following Surprise SXSW “Work In Progress” Screening

EXCLUSIVE: The Sands: International Film Festival of St Andrews , held in northern Scotland, has set the lineup for its second edition, running April 14 – 16. Over the course of three days, the festival will host a series of official screenings and industry talks from filmmakers and artists such as director Joe Russo ( Avengers: Endgame, The Gray Man ), who returns to St Andrews after supporting the inaugural edition in 2022. Russo will be bringing with him what the festival has described as an “early sneak peek of a hotly anticipated project” that he has executive produced under his AGBO production outfit. The title of the pic will not be unveiled until the screening begins. The festival has also set Russo as the host of a public discussion on gaming and contemporary storytelling with Epic Games Chief Creative Officer Donald Mustard, who has worked as a creator and director on titles such as Fortnite . Russo’s AGBO is among the backers of Sands, alongside … [Read more...] about Scotland’s Sands International Film Festival Of St Andrews Sets Second Edition Including Joe Russo Talk & Mystery AGBO Debut

Brian Walsh , the popular Australian TV and film executive credited with a key role in Neighbours ‘ global success, has died unexpectedly. He was 68. An outpouring of sadness has come from Australian media industry following the death of Walsh, who was mentor to stars such as Guy Pearce and helped launch the careers of Nicole Kidman and Kylie Minogue. Australian network Foxtel , where Walsh most recently worked, confirmed he passed away yesterday in Sydney. Pearce wrote on Twitter he was “utterly devastated” at the loss of his “long time friend and mentor,” while the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts called him “one of Australia’s most distinguished television producers.” Many of industry figures in Australia and further afield took to Twitter to recognize the influence of the exec, who was a familiar face at events such as the LA Screenings and Mipcom. Walsh’s 28-year career began at Australian public service network the ABC before he feature … [Read more...] about Brian Walsh Dies: Popular Australian TV Exec Behind ‘Neighbours’ Success And Mentor To Guy Pearce Was 68

Following her critically acclaimed work in Normal People and Where The Crawdads Sing , Daisy Edgar-Jones has found her first studio tentpole as she is set to star in Twisters , a new chapter to the 1996 box-office hit for Amblin Entertainment and Universal Pictures. Lee Isaac Chung is on board to direct from a script by Mark L. Smith. The film will be co-financed by Warner Bros. Starring Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton, Twister was a massive hit in 1996, scoring more than $494 million at the worldwide box office, thanks in no small part to the film’s ground-breaking special effects. The original film was helmed by Speed director Jan De Bont and executive produced by Steven Spielberg, with a screenplay by author Michael Crichton. Executive Vice President of Production Sara Scott and Creative Executive Jacqueline Garell will oversee for Universal Pictures, and Ashley Jay Sandberg will oversee for Kennedy/Marshall. Edgar-Jones starred in Sony’s Where the Crawdads … [Read more...] about Daisy Edgar-Jones To Star In ‘Twisters’ For Amblin And Universal Pictures

EXCLUSIVE: Award-winning documentary producer and film programmer Sara Archambault is joining the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. As the newly-named Documentary Film Project Manager, Archambault will oversee a new initiative on documentary film in the public interest. “The initiative will engage with scholars, filmmakers, journalists, and industry leaders around the major questions facing the documentary film industry today,” according to a release announcing Archambault’s appointment, “and will include activities such as fellowships, screenings, convenings, and new prizes.” Archambault’s most recent producing credits include Riotsville, U.S.A. and A Decent Home , both from 2022, as well as the upcoming Richland . She previously spent a decade as the program director of the LEF Foundation in Cambridge, Mass., and nine years as founder/programmer of the Brattle Theatre’s The DocYard … [Read more...] about Producer Sara Archambault Joins Harvard’s Shorenstein Center, Heading New Initiative On “Documentary Film In The Public Interest”

Tony Dow , the actor who personified the role of America’s big brother as the elder sibling Wally Cleaver on the TV classic sitcom Leave It to Beaver , died today. He was 77, and had been battling cancer. His death comes a day after his passing was mistakenly reported by his management team and his wife. Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2022: Photo Gallery A statement on his Facebook page now reads: We have received confirmation from Christopher, Tony’s son, that Tony passed away earlier this morning, with his loving family at his side to see him through this journey. We know that the world is collectively saddened by the loss of this incredible man. He gave so much to us all and was loved by so many. One fan said it best—”It is rare when there is a person who is so universally loved like Tony.” Our heart goes out to Tony’s wife, Lauren, who will miss her soulmate of 42 years…To his son, Christopher, who will dearly miss his father, who was also his best friend…to … [Read more...] about Tony Dow Dies: ‘Leave It To Beaver’ Actor’s Passing Confirmed Following Earlier Confusion