[Warning: This interview contains spoilers for the May 3 episode of FX's Fargo, "The Law of Non-Contradiction." ] For the show's first two seasons, John Cameron served as key on-the-ground producer for FX's Fargo on location in Calgary and also lent Coen Brothers continuity, having served in different producing capacities on films including The Big Lebowski, The Man Who Wasn't There and the original Fargo. Cameron, also a regular second unit director for Fargo, hadn't directed a television episode since a Hercules: The Legendary Journeys installment back in 1998. He makes a spirited directing return on Wednesday's Fargo, an episode titled "The Law of Non-Contradiction." It's a wildly unusual episode even for the reliably inventive series, taking Fargo from snowy reaches of the Midwest to Christmastime in sunny Los Angeles. Gloria's (Carrie Coon) investigation into her former stepfather's death also facilitates a flashback to the film industry in 1975 and a trippy … [Read more...] about ‘Fargo’ Director Talks Bringing Minnesota Nice to Los Angeles
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Los Angeles TV Production Dips in 2016-17 Season
Los Angeles remains the top place for TV production. According to a newly released report from FilmL.A., the nonprofit film office, 173 broadcast, cable and digital pilots — 109 dramas and 64 comedies — were produced during the 2016-17 development cycle, more than two dozen fewer than the previous year. Out of those 173 pilots, a total of 68 projects — 22 dramas and 46 comedies — were filmed in the Los Angeles region, yielding an estimated $303 million in production spending. Despite a slight drop in overall pilots produced since last year, the city’s share of overall pilot production by project count remains steady at 39 percent. “Despite this year’s smaller crop of pilots, Los Angeles’ television industry is robust,” FilmL.A. president Paul Audley said Wednesday in a statement. “With so many projects underway, California is home to more scripted series than its top five competitors combined.” After … [Read more...] about Los Angeles TV Production Dips in 2016-17 Season
New York Joins Los Angeles in Legal Action Against Harvey Weinstein and The Weinstein Company
Last week, we were gleefully able to report that both the Los Angeles and the Beverly Hills Police Departments had submitted cases to the Los Angeles District Attorney against Harvey Weinstein for multiple charges of sexual assault. Now, New York is getting into the act. Only this time, it’s not just Weinstein that they’re after, but The Weinstein Company.New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced that his office has filed a civil rights lawsuit against The Weinstein Company for the consistent and systemic, gender-based harm the company caused women who worked with them, saying that Weinstein in his role as former CEO, along with everyone else, led “a years-long gender-based hostile work environment, a pattern of quid pro quo sexual harassment, and routine misuse of corporate resources for unlawful ends.”As reported by Splinter, Schneiderman wrote that “Any sale of the company must ensure victims are adequately compensated, employees are … [Read more...] about New York Joins Los Angeles in Legal Action Against Harvey Weinstein and The Weinstein Company
IAB Trims NewFronts Schedule, Plans Los Angeles Event
The Digital Content NewFronts will be a smaller affair this year. The annual event, during which digital media companies show off in front of potential advertisers, is being cut down from two weeks to one week.There are currently 16 companies scheduled to participate this year, down from more than 30 companies that showcased at its height. Among the presenters are Twitter, Disney Digital Network, Oath, Hulu, ESPN and YouTube. The IAB said that it expects more companies to join in the weeks to come.This year, the IAB is also planning a Los Angeles event, which will take place during the fourth quarter. The schedule for that event has yet to be released."Advertisers' increasing demand for innovative, original digital video programming opportunities prompted us to extend the conversations held at NewFronts, with the creation of a second event on the West Coast," said Anna Bager, evp of industry initiatives at IAB. "Audiences are turning to a variety of platforms — from OTT … [Read more...] about IAB Trims NewFronts Schedule, Plans Los Angeles Event
Academy and Los Angeles Philharmonic Joining Forces for Oscar Concert
The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences and the Los Angeles Philharmonic are joining forces to present The Oscar Concert, a celebration of film music on Feb. 28 at Walt Disney Concert Hall.Curated by composers of this year’s five Oscar-nominated scores and Academy music branch governors Michael Giacchino, Laura Karpman, and Charles Bernstein, the evening’s program will survey film scoring across the decades, with select scores performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, led by conductor Thomas Wilkins, and special guest Terence Blanchard on trumpet, with additional special guests to be announced.The Oscar Concert explores the history of film music through special arrangements of scores by composers including Tan Dun, Quincy Jones, Mica Levi, Rachel Portman, A.R. Rahman, among others, with accompanying film clips shown shown in HD.The evening will open with an introduction by Oscar-winning composer Michael Giacchino and Oscar-winning director Pete Docter, utilizing … [Read more...] about Academy and Los Angeles Philharmonic Joining Forces for Oscar Concert