EXCLUSIVE: Aria Studios , a new two-stage £1.6M ($2M) facility that boasts 20,000 sqft of filming space, has officially opened for business in Anglesey, North Wales . The facility, located near the popular Welsh region of Eryri, has been established by indie production company Rondo Media and Welsh broadcaster S4C’s commercial arm S4C Digital Media Limited, with the support of the Welsh Government through Creative Wales. The studio has two fully-soundproofed stages and is located amongst acres of unspoiled grounds in the Eryri region. Rondo Media is currently filming the drama series Rownd a Rownd for S4C for 27 weeks in stage 2 at Aria. The studio has said they expect further bookings from drama and film producers commissioned by S4C. However, the studio has said its principal target clients are high-end film and television productions from the UK and the US. Wales has long been the shooting location of productions like Doctor Who , and more recently, HBO’s … [Read more...] about Wales Hopes To Lure Next ‘Doctor Who’ And ‘Sex Education’ With New Film & TV Studio
Ted danson new show
‘Succession’ Season 4 Premiere Date Set At HBO & Sky; Watch New Teaser Trailer
HBO has set Sunday, March 26, 9 PM for the fourth season premiere of its Emmy-winning drama series Succession , which will launch on Sky the following day. We’re also getting a look at the upcoming season in a new teaser trailer. You can watch it above. The teaser picks up following the Season 3 finale when patriarch Logan Roy (Brian Cox) betrayed his adult kids. In the trailer, Siobhan (Sarah Snook) says “This is not about getting back at Dad, but if it hurts him, it doesn’t bother me.” Adds Kendall (Jeremy Strong), “It’s a tightrope walk on a straight razor… 500-foot reputational drop.” Created by Jesse Armstrong, Succession explores themes of power and family dynamics through the eyes of patriarch Logan Roy (Cox) and his four grown children, Kendall (Strong), Siobhan (Snook), Roman (Kieran Culkin), and Connor (Alan Ruck). In Season 4, the sale of media conglomerate Waystar Royco to tech visionary Lukas Matsson (Alexander Skarsgård) moves ever closer. The … [Read more...] about ‘Succession’ Season 4 Premiere Date Set At HBO & Sky; Watch New Teaser Trailer
Godard Is Gone: A Remembrance Of The Stubborn & Iconoclastic Film Director
Stubborn and iconoclastic as always, Jean-Luc Godard has passed to another realm –and by his own choice–at age 91. Ever impudent and exasperating, forever pushing boundaries but remaining elusive, and an artist in every fiber of his being, Godard always did exactly what he wanted to do; for a few years many followed him ardently, and for lots of us in the 1960s he led the way into a vastly exciting and personal form of cinema. Thereafter he went entirely his own way, losing most of his audience but remaining at the forefront of exploring what cinema is, could be, and, sometimes, what it absolutely shouldn’t be. The official obituaries and tributes will certainly convey Godard’s importance and influence through the 1960s, the way he helped liberate cinema from its literary and orderly appearance to something far more energized, unexpected, jarring and often exhilarating. Although Godard consumed and brilliantly wrote about the existing cinema as a young critic, he … [Read more...] about Godard Is Gone: A Remembrance Of The Stubborn & Iconoclastic Film Director
‘Sherwood’ Writer James Graham: Streamers Are “Perplexed” By UK Government Threat To BBC & Channel 4
Streamers such as Netflix, Prime Video and Paramount+ are “perplexed” by government threats to the UK’s Public Service Broadcasters (PSB), according to Sherwood scribe James Graham . Graham, one of Britain’s foremost TV and theater writers, flagged the example of Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who broke through the theater system to create the BBC ’s Fleabag before being snapped up by Amazon in a ‘Golden Handcuffs’ deal. He was reflecting on the BBC’s funding struggles due to the government’s freezing of the licence fee for two years, along with threats to Channel 4’s position as a public broadcaster, although this was recently reversed. “We’ve got the best of both worlds [in the UK],” said Graham, in conversation with Banijay UK Chair Patrick Holland at today’s Freeview Outside the Box 2023 event. “Streamers benefit from PSB development. The likes of Amazon would be utterly perplexed by the threat to that pipeline.” Graham said his hit BBC One drama Sherwood set … [Read more...] about ‘Sherwood’ Writer James Graham: Streamers Are “Perplexed” By UK Government Threat To BBC & Channel 4
Pathé & Logical Pictures Team On Slate Financing Deal As French Studio Targets Big Budget Local & European Tentpoles
French studio Pathé and film and TV financier and producer Logical Pictures have announced a three-year co-production and co-financing deal. The operation involving Logical Content Ventures, a new fund operated by Logical Pictures, will see Pathé open up the financing of its films to private investors for the first time in its history. Under the deal with Pathé, Logical Content Ventures will contribute to the financing of all films produced and acquired by Pathé between 2022 and 2024. The aim is to co-finance and co-produce more than 20 pictures together with the first projects being released as soon as Spring 2023. The first films included in the agreement are Dany Boon’s Life for Real (Pathé – 26DB Productions), Just Philippot’s environmental thriller Acid (Pathé – Bonne Pioche), starring Canet and Laetitia Dosch, and Kirill Serebrennikov’s English feature debut Limonov: the Ballad of Eddie (Pathé – Chapter 2 – Wildside – Fremantle) starring Ben Whishaw. … [Read more...] about Pathé & Logical Pictures Team On Slate Financing Deal As French Studio Targets Big Budget Local & European Tentpoles
Berlin’s EFM Boss Reveals Size Of U.S. & Asia Contingents, Talks Growing Importance Of TV
The Berlinale ’s European Film Market was the last major physical market to take place in 2020 as the world began shutting down because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The virus would force the event online in 2021 and 2022. The EFM’s traditional home of the Gropius Bau looked strangely empty last February, playing host to an exhibition by South African artist Zanele Muholi, as the event unfolded online alongside a scaled-down physical festival. Its vast atrium and halls are set to be packed with hundreds of stands and thousands of professionals once again this year for EFM’s 2023 edition, running February 16-22. Both the Gropius Bau and the market’s other key exhibition space of the Marriott Hotel are already fully booked. “The good news for us is that we are completely at the same level in terms of accreditations as we were at this time of the year in 2020. This means that we are forecast to reach the same amount of market participants,” EFM director Dennis Ruh . As … [Read more...] about Berlin’s EFM Boss Reveals Size Of U.S. & Asia Contingents, Talks Growing Importance Of TV
Odeon Cinemas Group UK & Ireland Boss Carol Welch Exits To Join Retail Company
Carol Welch is leaving Odeon Cinemas Group. The cinema chain’s Managing Director, UK and Ireland, and Commercial Officer, Europe, has resigned after six years. She is moving to become CEO of AF Blakemore, a large family-owned retail and food distributor in the UK. Odeon has decided to revert its commercial leadership to a standalone position following her exit. Chris Bates, Commercial Director UKI & Europe, has been promoted to the role of Chief Commercial Officer. This extends his current remit as European Commercial Director and he will also be joining Odeon’s Executive Committee. The appointment of a new Managing Director UK & Ireland is in its “final stages,” the group said, adding it would “provide a further update once the position has been filled.” Mark Way, Managing Director Odeon Cinemas Group, said: “While very sad to see Carol leave, we are delighted for her, and I would like to congratulate her for everything she has achieved at Odeon over the … [Read more...] about Odeon Cinemas Group UK & Ireland Boss Carol Welch Exits To Join Retail Company
Kelsea Ballerini and Chase Stokes Hold Hands in Date Night Video
TMZ.com Kelsea Ballerini and Chase Stokes are hanging out in her home state ... and we've got them looking cute and getting flirty on date night. The country music singer and "Outer Banks" star went out Tuesday night in Nashville, hitting up Robert's Western World for a little bit of live music with their dinner. We got this video of Kelsea and Chase sitting face to face at a table ... and he leans in to whisper in her ear before putting his hand on top of hers. Fair to say, things are moving along for the new couple. TMZ.com Folks who were there say it was clear they were enjoying each other's company over an appetizer -- no kissing or any other heavy PDA, but they were vibing, chatting and generally getting along well. Sounds like this could've been one stop on a night of honky-tonkin' in downtown Nashville ... because they were only at Robert's for about 30 minutes before they left. TMZ.com TMZ broke the story ... Chase … [Read more...] about Kelsea Ballerini and Chase Stokes Hold Hands in Date Night Video
Colin Kaepernick Signs With CAA
EXCLUSIVE : Colin Kaepernick has signed with CAA for representation. The former NFL star holds the all-time NFL record for most rushing yards in a game by a quarterback. In 2016, he took a knee during “The Star Spangled Banner” to bring attention to systemic oppressions against Black and Brown people, and since then, has founded and helped to fund three organizations: Know Your Rights Camp, Ra Vision Media, and Kaepernick Publishing, which advance the liberation of Black and Brown people through storytelling, systems change, and political education. Kaepernick sits on Medium’s Board of Directors, and has garnered numerous honors, including Amnesty International’s Ambassador of Conscience Award; Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Honor; GQ Magazine ’s “Citizen of the Year;” the NFL’s Len Eshmont Award; Sports Illustrated ’s Muhammad Ali Legacy Award; ACLU’s Eason Monroe Courageous Advocate Award; and the Puffin/Nation Institute’s Prize for Creative Citizenship. … [Read more...] about Colin Kaepernick Signs With CAA
NBCU Chief Jeff Shell Says Comcast Open To “Bolt-On” Deals, Cites DreamWorks Animation Acquisition, Blumhouse Venture
NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell said the company is always eyeing possible deals to bolster its business, citing the $3.8 billion acquisition of DreamWorks Animation in 2016 and Universal’s partnership with Blumhouse Productions . Shell jumped in Thursday after Comcast president Mike Cavanagh noted new deals have a high hurdle versus investing in existing operations. The execs were asked about M&A on a post-earnings conference call, with particular reference to World Wrestling Entertainment. Vince McMahon, WWE ’s majority owner and newly returned executive chairman, is looking to sel l, with Comcast considered a logical buyer. WWE Network programming has been popular on Peacock and helped drive subscriber acquisitions since the service took exclusive U.S. streaming rights in 2021. Shell didn’t address WWE but said the conglom led by Brian Roberts would be opportunistic. And with a market cap of $6.45 billion, WWE is not a mega-deal. “We are always looking … [Read more...] about NBCU Chief Jeff Shell Says Comcast Open To “Bolt-On” Deals, Cites DreamWorks Animation Acquisition, Blumhouse Venture