Meri brown

Former Amazon Studios Europe boss Georgia Brown is to chair the BFI ’s Skills Task Force, which has been assembled to address major skills shortages in the UK film and TV sector over the next five years. The Task Force has buy-in from streamers including Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV + and Disney, U.S. studios including NBCUniversal and Sony, UK broadcasters and other bodies. Born from last year’s BFI Skills Review, the Task Force’s first focus will be on physical production skills in film, high-end TV, scripted comedy and cheaper drama, along with unscripted and children’s. Members of the plus-20-strong body will come up with an action plan and contribute to a series of meetings, identifying areas where the industry can work with the government to improve the current situation. Three focused workstreams have been established: industry training and investment; improving access to the Apprenticeship Levy; and pathways to industry from further and higher education. … [Read more...] about Former Amazon Studios Europe Boss Georgia Brown To Oversee BFI Skills Task Force

EXCLUSIVE : BBC News will make sweeping changes to its news channel presenting line-up from next week, with a number of seasoned anchors dropping off air. The British broadcaster is merging its UK and World News stations into a single channel, with changes gradually being introduced from April 3. Audiences are unlikely to notice a “big bang” overhaul, but one of the most notable differences will be the channel’s presenter lineup. Newsroom sources also expect BBC management to rethink plans to reduce UK news amid fears that the merger could dilute domestic output and damage viewing figures. The BBC said the channel always planned to carry UK news for local viewers. From next week, five journalists will take up Chief Presenter roles, including Matthew Amroliwala, Yalda Hakim, Christian Fraser, Lucy Hockings, and Maryam Moshiri. A further 10 UK-based presenters were unsuccessful in applying for these roles , and Deadline hears that many have dropped off BBC News’ … [Read more...] about BBC News Channel To Bench Seasoned Presenters From Next Week As Output Is Relaunched

Universal Television is developing a series adaptation of Diane Marie Brown’s debut novel Black Candle Women with Jenna Bush Hager , who has a first-look deal with Universal Studio Group, under her production banner Thousand Voices. Hager is teaming with Bel-Air showrunner Carla Banks Waddles and Good Girls creator Jenna Bans , both of whom have overall deals with UTV, for the project. Waddles is set to write and executive produce the adaptation. Bans will executive produce through her production banner Minnesota Logging Company, along with the company’s Head of Television Casey Kyber. Hager will also executive produce with President of Thousand Voices, Ben Spector. Black Candle Women introduces four generations of Montrose women—Augusta, Victoria, Willow—who have lived together in their quaint two-story bungalow in California for years. They keep to themselves, never venture far from home, and their collection of tinctures and spells is an unspoken bond … [Read more...] about Universal TV & Jenna Bush Hager To Adapt ‘Black Candle Women’ Series With Carla Banks Waddles

The Roys are back with a vengeance. The Season 4 premiere of Succession drew an audience of 2.3M on Sunday across HBO Max and linear telecasts, which is a series high for same-day viewers. Total viewing for Sunday night was up 62% compared to Season 3’s premiere viewership of 1.4M in October 2021. At the time, that marked the best premiere night performance of any HBO original series since HBO Max launched in May 2020. Sunday’s viewership is also up about 33% from the Season 3 finale’s 1.7M. Season 3 averaged about 7.2M viewers per episode, according to HBO. HBO also says that all previous seasons of Succession saw a 4x increase in viewership in the week leading up to the Season 4 premiere, compared to the week prior. While viewing for Succession Season 4 does trail behind other Sunday shows like House of the Dragon, The Last of Us and Euphoria, the premiere episode tracked ahead of the Season 2 premiere of The White Lotus (1.9M). By the end of the … [Read more...] about ‘Succession’ Soars To Series High Audience Of 2.3M For Final Season Premiere

EXCLUSIVE: Actor, professional dancer and content creator Woody McClain has signed with M88 for representation. M88 will create and develop opportunities for McClain in the entertainment and strategic partnership spaces. McClain currently stars in the hit Starz network series Power Book II: Ghost as Cane Tejada since the show’s inception in 2020. He stars opposite Mary J. Blige who plays his mother Monet Tejada. Season 3 of the drama series premiered on March 17th and set a viewership record in its first weekend, making it Starz’s biggest premiere weekend ever. Power Book II: Ghost was renewed for a fourth season ahead of the Season 3 premiere. Up next, McClain can be seen in the film Desperation Road set to release later this year. Written by Michael Farris Smith, Desperation Road is set in Mississippi and follows a singular event that sets the entire town on a collision course fueled by vengeance, anger, and regret. Mel Gibson, Garrett Hedlund and Ryan Hurst … [Read more...] about ‘Power Book II: Ghost’ Star Woody McClain Signs With M88