Ryan powers

Now that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has deferred its proposed “Best Popular Picture” Oscar for further study, here’s a modest proposal: Why not make this an Article XI, Section 1(b) issue? Believe it or not, there is a mechanism by which Academy members — all 9,000-plus of them — can be directly included in particularly important decisions. Ordinarily, the group’s 54-member Board of Governors holds plenary power. It can admit some members, exclude others , hire executives, defend against lawsuits and decide what awards should be given and under what rules. If need be, the governors also can change their own bylaws. That typically requires 10 days’ notice of a pending revision and approval by two-thirds of the entire board. Reading through what archivists at the Academy’s Margaret Herrick Library say are the current bylaws (as revised on April 5, 2016), it appears that the new “pop” Oscar — which stirred controversy in the ranks after being announced … [Read more...] about Should The Academy Go Ahead With That “Pop” Oscar? Let The Members Decide

Camille Cosby has spoken publicly for the first time since her husband Bill Cosby was found guilty of drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand in a Philadelphia suburb in 2004  – calling it “mob justice”. Camille Cosby, who has been married to The Cosby Show star since 1964, has gone after the Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele, the media and Cosby’s accusers in a statement that alludes to racial injustice. “The overall media, with their frenzied, relentless demonization of him and unquestioning acceptance of accusers’ allegations without any attendant proof, have superseded the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, which guarantee due process and equal protection, and thereby eliminated the possibility of a fair trial and unbiased jury. Bill Cosby was labelled as guilty because the media and accusers said so,” she said. This comes after a jury of seven men and five women returned guilty verdicts last week on three counts of aggravated … [Read more...] about Camille Cosby Calls Bill Cosby’s Guilty Charge “Mob Justice” In Startling Statement

TMZ.com Flo Rida just landed a sweet $80 million settlement in his lawsuit against Celsius energy drink, and the "My House" rapper says that means he's about to turn up his charitable efforts in a big way!!! TMZ Hip Hop caught Flo Monday at LAX, fresh off his Grammy weekend where he kept an extra big grin on account of winning his copyright lawsuit against the beverage co. in January. Flo tells us his musical success allowed for retirement several years ago, but this new influx of cash will enable more philanthropic endeavors ... such as his Big Dreams For Kids charity that powers his own Florida Youth Football league. Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. Flo says his league is over 10,000 players strong, and he flew several of them out to Cali to train with Snoop Dogg , and his famed football league from the Netflix series. He's optimistic the players will grow up to be doctors, lawyers or even professional athletes and says … [Read more...] about Flo Rida Says $80 Million Lawsuit Windfall Will Open Doors to Philanthropy

A Broadway musical take of the six-time Oscar-winning, $472 million worldwide-grossing movie La La Land is in development, Emmy- and Tony-winning producer Marc Platt said Tuesday. The show, based on the Damien Chazelle-directed movie, will be helmed by Tony and Drama Desk-winning director Bartlett Sher based on a book written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Ayad Akhtar and three-time Barrymore Award winner Matthew Decker. The stage adaptation will feature music by the film’s composer and two-time Oscar winner Justin Hurwitz and lyrics by Oscar- and Tony-winning composing team Benj Pasek and Justin Paul . The movie, which starred Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, followed an aspiring actress and a jazz musician as they pursue their dreams in Los Angeles. The pic won Oscars for director, actress in a leading role, production design, cinematography, original score and original song among its 14 nominations. “I’m thrilled to reunite with Lionsgate and the … [Read more...] about ‘La La Land’ Broadway Musical In The Works

EXCLUSIVE : Ahead of the EFM , Michael Rothstein and Sam Hall’s Mossbank is launching international sales on action-horror film Azrael , starring Samara Weaving ( Ready Or Not ). CAA Media Finance and UTA Independent Film Group will co-rep domestic. Details about the movie have been kept under wraps to date but we can now reveal plot and a first look image. Currently in post-production, the film is set in a world in which no one speaks and follows a devout female-led community which hunts down a young woman who has escaped her imprisonment. Recaptured by its ruthless leaders, Azrael (Weaving) is due to be sacrificed to pacify an ancient evil deep within the surrounding wilderness – but she has other ideas. Pic was directed by E.L. Katz ( Haunting Of Bly Manor ) from an original script by Simon Barrett ( The Guest, You’re Next ). As we first revealed last year, Jason Cloth and Dave Caplan’s C2 Motion Picture Group ( Babylon ) won the rights to the project … [Read more...] about Mossbank, CAA & UTA Launch Action-Horror ‘Azrael’ With ‘Ready Or Not’ Star Samara Weaving & ‘You’re Next’ Scribe, First Look — EFM

EXCLUSIVE : Lauren Oliver — the bestselling YA author, screenwriter and producer known for titles like Panic and Before I Fall — has today announced the launch of her new media company, StoryGiants , also naming projects currently on its slate. StoryGiants is a decentralized company with employees and partners in L.A., NY, Palo Alto, Austin, Dubai and France, which will look to create powerful and compelling stories across a variety of mediums, leveraging both technological and structural innovation to improve production efficiency and grow the value of great IP faster. The company is building at launch upon its own library of IP, the goal being to introduce universes of content with myriad expressions of media and revenue opportunities. By anchoring content creation into proprietary real-time animation and VFX technology, StoryGiants will be able to produce not only animated and live-action series, but also feature films, digital media, and published works. The … [Read more...] about ‘Panic’ Creator & Author Lauren Oliver Launches Media Studio StoryGiants, Unveils Upcoming Slate

EXCLUSIVE: Starz ’s eight-episode drama series The Venery of Samantha Bird has added Mission: Impossible actor Henry Czerny and Desperate Housewives actor Doug Savant in recurring roles. Katherine Langford stars as Samantha Bird, who, while visiting family in New England, reconnects with her childhood sweetheart (Finn Jones) and falls headlong into a seemingly perfect storybook romance. But underneath their fever dream lurks a more unsettling interpretation of this affair. The series is described as a haunting portrayal of addictive love and the repercussions that a relationship has on the families in a small New England town. RELATED: 2023 Starz Pilots & Series Orders Czerny will play Teddy, Samantha’s father and a former artist and teacher. Theodore “Teddy” Bird moves to Little Yorn with his wife, Nan, reuniting with their longtime friends, Al and Carol Minot. Savant plays Al Minot, a sharp businessman who is deeply invested in maintaining the … [Read more...] about Starz Series ‘The Venery Of Samantha Bird’ Adds Henry Czerny & Doug Savant

There’s a change at the top of Banijay’s Americas operation. The company, which houses a slew of production companies that make shows including Fox’s MasterChef and Amazon’s Lizzo’s Watch Out For The Big Grrrls , has promoted Ben Samek to CEO as Cris Abrego moves out of that role but remaining as Chairman. It comes as Banijay Americas officially becomes the holding company that oversees the group’s ten production companies in North and South America, which includes Bunim/Murray Productions, Truly Original and 51 Minds Entertainment. Samek, who was previously President and COO becomes CEO, Banijay Americas with Abrego staying on as Chairman of the Americas. Abrego will now focus on acquisitions and new business ventures. Samek joined Endemol USA in 2014 as COO and transitioned to COO of Endemol Shine North America in 2015. Promoted to President and COO for Endemol Shine North America in January 2018, Samek then expanded his areas of oversight to include the … [Read more...] about Banijay Americas Promotes Ben Samek To CEO As Cris Abrego Steps Down, Stays As Chairman

Few spinoffs — or “companion series,” as AMC likes to call it — have been as anticipated as Fear The Walking Dead . Well, anticipation of the new show’s August 23 9 PM debut translated into 10.1 million viewers, with 6.3 million among adults 18-49 for a 4.9 rating. Proving the power of the brand, the viewership and demo results are the new highs for any premiere in cable history, according to Nielsen. Apples to apples is hard here, but compared to the premiere of the mothership The Walking Dead , which had 5.35 million total viewers and a strong 2.7/7 demo rating for its October 31, 2010, launch, FearTWD already is a big hit. Of course, 2010 is a whole other era in terms of TV viewing patterns and in terms of the now-blockbuster TWD . The record-breaking Season 5 opener of TWD on October 12 last year had 17.3 million total viewers and 11 million among the 18-49s for an 8.7 rating. The Season 5 finale drew 15.8 million viewers on March 29 with 10.4 million in … [Read more...] about ‘Fear The Walking Dead’ Debut Ratings Draw 10.1M Viewers, Shatters Cable Records

On the surface, it may not seem the most appropriate Valentine’s Day gift, but if you are as in love with rock’n’roll and storytelling from the likes of Martin Scorsese, Mick Jagger , and Terence Winter , then HBO ’s Vinyl is a TV kiss you don’t want to miss. Debuting on February 14 with a two-hour pilot directed by the Oscar winner, Vinyl , as I say in my video review above, literally and figuratively rocks. And yes, from its NYC circa 1973 mean streets to blasting the New York Dolls, drugs and a body in the trunk of a car, you could call this 10-episode season GoodRecordFellas – in the best way. With its once-in-a-lifetime behind-the-camera trio and power chord-strong cast led by Boardwalk Empire alum Bobby Cannavale as struggling and stormy label boss Richie Finestra, Vinyl is a near note-perfect swaggering re-creation of a time when the misfit-attracting music biz was at the center of American culture and at its most influential. Still, it is also a … [Read more...] about ‘Vinyl’ Review: Martin Scorsese & Mick Jagger’s HBO Series Rocks