South park

As the latest in a flood of atmospheric river events hit Souther California today, several local theme parks closed their gates. Magic Mountain shut down for the second time in as many months as winds associated with the current storm blasted a nearby peak with force equivalent to a Cat. 2 hurricane. Magic Mountain Truck Trail , a site on the peak for which the park is named, is often the windiest spot in and around Los Angeles . It lived up to that reputation overnight, clocking wind gusts early this morning has high as 102 mph. Further downslope in Saugus, where the the park is located, winds gusted to 57 mph. As a result, the theme park posted an announcement that it would be closed “due to inclement weather .” L.A.’s other major park, Universal Studios Hollywood, which has good slope and drainage and fewer outdoor, vertically-inclined rides, is maintaining its normal hours today. Further south in Orange County, the National Weather Service issued a High … [Read more...] about Southern California Theme Parks Close Due To Storm; 100 mph Winds Recorded Near Magic Mountain

The Mandalorian shot back onto Nielsen ’s U.S. streaming charts during the week of the Season 3 premiere. The Disney+ series tallied 823M viewing minutes from February 27 to March 5, coming in at No. 5 among streaming programs. According to Nielsen, the first episode from Season 3 generated 57% of that total, despite only being 42 minutes long. The Star Wars spinoff series is no stranger to the Nielsen streaming Top 10, having previously made history as both the first Disney+ show to make the list and the first non-Netflix show to hit No. 1 . The debut week for Season 2 saw over a billion viewing minutes across nine episodes, so while Season 3’s number is still impressive, it is a dip from the previous installment. There are currently five episodes of Season 3 streaming on Disney+, so it is possible the show will climb higher in subsequent weeks. It was quite the week for Pedro Pascal, who stars in The Mandalorian as well as HBO’s The Last Of Us , which held … [Read more...] about ‘The Mandalorian’ Zooms Onto Nielsen U.S. Streaming Charts During Season 3 Premiere Week; ‘Outer Banks’ Continues Reign

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

Hundreds of WGA East members who work for Hearst Magazines Media are planning to stage a walkout Thursday to demand a fair contract. The half-day action is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. ET and will last the remainder of the day. “ WGA East members at Hearst have been bargaining a first contract for over two years and their last scheduled day of negotiations is March 28,” the guild said. “With only one bargaining session left, the Hearst Union is taking collective action with a unit-wide walkout in their fight for a fair first contract.” Rallies in support of the walkout will be held at four locations: outside the Hearst Tower in Manhattan; at the Hearst offices in Easton, PA; at the Hearst offices in Ann Arbor, MI; and the Hearst offices in Birmingham, AL. The guild represents some 500 of the publishing giant’s editorial, video, design and photo staff at more than 25 brands including Esquire, Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar, Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, … [Read more...] about WGA East Sets Walkout At Hearst Magazines For Thursday; Hundreds Sign Petition

At about 8:18 p.m. Monday, the National Weather Service issued a tornado warning in parts of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. “Take cover now,” read the alert that flashed across phones in Northwestern Malibu and Southern Ventura County. Local TV stations also issued push alerts with the warning that took many residents by surprise. The National Weather Service in Oxnard warned of “a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located over Point Mugu State Park, or 10 miles south of Camarillo, moving northeast at 35 mph.” The notice stated that local “radar indicated rotation” and “this dangerous storm will be near…Western Malibu around 825 PM PDT. Newbury Park around 830 PM PDT.” Under precautionary measures, the alert urged residents to “TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself … [Read more...] about Los Angeles Tornado Warning Flashes Across Phones As NWS & Local TV Stations Push Out Rare Alert

The Sundance Institute has named the six transgender storytellers of color set for the second edition of their project and professional development program, the Trans Possibilities Intensive . 2023’s cohort will include Seyi Adebanjo ( Afromystic ), Rajvi Desai ( Mother Wit ), Malik Ever ( GutBucket ), Nick Janaye ( Dead Ringer ), Jamie John ( 2Spirit Water Carrier ) and Tee Park Jaehyung ( Destiny in Sedona ). First introduced in 2021, the Trans Possibilities Intensive builds on Sundance’s proud history of supporting trans artists across artist programs and Festival programming, providing an ancillary environment for creatives to enhance their voice and craft, foster relationships with each other, and challenge the obstacles that continue to exclude transgender artists. 2023 Fellows were selected through a nominations-based application and will benefit from project-based granting, mentorship and other custom, year-round creative and professional development … [Read more...] about Sundance Sets 2023 Fellows For Trans Possibilities Intensive

Mubi is adding over 50 features from the Sony Pictures ’ library to its U.S. streaming service. The mix of studio and arthouse fare includes Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind , Martin Scorsese ’s The Age of Innocence , The Last Picture Show by Peter Bogdanovich and films from Wes Anderson , Pedro Almodovar and Guillermo Del Toro. The company’s growing and global streaming service currently offers over 900 titles in the U.S., where it adds one new film to the platform daily. The Sony deal is a significant haul, especially since studios have become more aggressive in retaining content for their own services. Sony, uniquely, doesn’t have a streaming platform in-house. Each Sony film has its own window, with some available already and all cycling onto the service at some point through the end of 2024. Others titles in the deal include 2046 by Wong Kar-wai; Volver by Almodóvar; Safe by Todd Haynes; To Sleep With Anger by Charles … [Read more...] about Mubi Adding Over 50 Feature Films From Sony Pictures’ Library In New Content Deal

UPDATED: The Los Angeles City Council voted 11-3 today to suspend Los Angeles Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas from office. Ridley-Thomas was indicted last week on federal bribery and conspiracy charges stemming from his time on the L.A. County Board of Supervisors. Responding to the vote, Ridley-Thomas issued a statement saying, “I am humbled by the support of my colleagues who did not rush to judgment and disappointed in those who did. Eleven members of this council have stripped the constituents of the 10th District of their representation, of their voice and of their right to the services that they deserve. They have removed from action a member — and his team — who together are among the most productive and effective advocates on the crisis of homelessness. I will continue fighting to clear my name, and I remain confident that such will be the case. But in the interim, the council has disenfranchised the residents of the 10th District.” PREVIOUSLY on Friday: Los … [Read more...] about L.A. City Council Suspends Mark Ridley-Thomas After Federal Bribery And Conspiracy Indictment – Update