Venezuela has the largest proven oil reserves in the world. It was once so rich that Concorde used to fly from Caracas to Paris. But in the last three years its economy has collapsed. Hunger has gripped the nation for years. Now, it’s killing people and animals that are dying of starvation. The Venezuelan government knows, but won’t admit it!!! Four in five Venezuelans live in poverty. People queue for hours to buy food. Much of the time they go without. People are also dying from a lack of medicines. Inflation is at 82,766% and there are warnings it could exceed one million per cent by the end of this year. Venezuelans are trying to get out. The UN says 2.3 million people have fled the country - 7% of the population.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Study: California Production Incentives a Success...

The program has generated more than 20,000 jobs and $200 million in tax revenues, as well as lured productions like "Body of Proof" back to the state.

The California Film and Television Tax Credit Program, first passed in 2009, has generated $3.8 billion in economic activity statewide and created more than 20,000 jobs and over $200 million in tax revenues in two years, according to a study released Tuesday by the Calif. production incentives earmarked for '11

The program was created to stem the tide of runaway production that has accelerated over the past decade, shrinking the state's share of film and TV production activity.
"With this report we have unquestionable proof of the success of this incentive in terms of fiscal impact," says L.A. City Council member Paul Krekoian, who as a member of the state legislature was one of the original architects of the program.

"The report demonstrates for every dollar we are spending on the incentives were generating more than a dollar of state and local tax incentives," adds Krekorian. "So this is a program that is not only cost neutral, but actually generates revenue. It provides an additional $20 million in economic impact and supports over 20,000 jobs that are impacted."

The report was released at a press conference on the set of the TV show Body of Proof at the Disney studio in Burbank. That was chosen because the show actually returned to California after being shot outside the state, specifically because of the incentives offered. The program does not include any network TV series except those that are lured back to the state.
That speaks to how the incentives were first passed. It came about after years of efforts when the TV show Ugly Betty moved to New York because of their incentive program. That finally got the legislature to act, and the bill was signed into law by then Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who as a former actor clearly understood the need for incentives.

California Assemblyman Felipe Fuentes currently is leading the effort to extend the current program which expires in less than two years for five more years on the same terms. He says it is important to provide a level of comfort to the industry that the program will not go away and avoid any disruption. "That certainty is tremendously important," Fuentes told The Hollywood Reporter.

Although California provides $100 million a year in incentives and those can roll into future years if needed, that money is all spent very quickly each year. As a result, Fuentes says the industry has asked for an even bigger program, but that just isn't possible right now.
"Given the difficult economic times California finds itself in were hoping to continue what has worked," says Fuentes, "and ideally garner additional information and support for that expansion option at a later date. Right now we just want to keep what we've got."
California's current Governor Jerry Brown has neither endorsed the incentive extension nor said he would veto it. Brown has been under a lot of pressure to make cuts in the state budget due to economic conditions. Fuentes is hopeful that the state budget will get passed as soon as this week, and that will set the stage to do longer term planning which will include the incentive program.
"What we should be asking ourselves as Californians is not just if this program is good but what more do we need to do to remain competitive. The competition is fierce. New York would not give up its premiere industry, which is Wall Street, and California cannot give up its premiere industry which is film and television."
If anything, says Fuentes, the report doesn't include all of the impact of movies and TV. For instance, tourism is a huge industry that depends on Hollywood remaining the capital of the show business world, and none of that economic impact is even covered in the study.

This study "illustrates why 40 states around the country compete for film and television productions: because they are a proven job creator and economic stimulus," said Senator Chris Dodd, Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America. "The motion picture and television industry is overwhelmingly comprised of middle-class workers earning a living wage, and since it was enacted in 2009, California's production tax incentive has been an important driver in a challenging economy."
"There's no question that the California production incentive makes a real and measurable impact on the lives of many thousands of people - both those who work directly on film and television productions and those for whom the economic impact of such productions reverberates around the state economy," said Paris Barclay, director and first vice president of the Directors Guild of America.
"This report shows the wisdom of the legislature when the Film and Television Tax Credit was created in. This program, as shown in the report, shows that California has added thousands of jobs, and has created additional revenue through the Production Tax Credit program," said Thom Davis, Business Manager for I.A.T.S.E. Local 80. "
Here are some other highlights of the study:
• Production spending in California of productions approved for incentives between 2009 and 2011 is $1.53 billion directly and $3.8 billion in terms of total economic impact.
• That economic activity supports 20,040 jobs with labor income of $1.4 billion.
• Production oriented tax revenues, including income taxes, property taxes, social insurance taxes, sales taxes and permits and fees are estimated to be $201 million.
• Almost 92% of all goods and services purchases by the industry are sourced within the state. The value of these purchases in 2009 total more than $15.4 billion, and includes everything from employment of independent artists, writers and performers to banking, insurance and software services.
• Under the program 34 feature films have been approved which spent $758.7 million; 22-indie feature films have been approved which spent $67.8 million; six new TV series have been approved for incentives which have spent $96.9 million.
• In terms of the budget range of approved projects, the largest number fall between $20 million and $40 million which represent just over 42% of the total.
• For every $1 million in qualifying expenditures by production, it generates $3.9 million in economic output and supports 21 jobs with labor income of $1.4 million. Each $1 million of qualifying expenditures results in $207,100 in state and local taxes.

Thank you Hollywood Reporter

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Supreme Court Strikes Down California Law Banning Violent Video Games To Minors.

In a long-awaited decision today, the U.S. Supreme Court sent a clear message to state governments looking to regulate the sale of violent video games to minors: Treat video games like movies, books, music, and any other artistic medium.

The Supreme Court struck down California's law banning the rental or sale of violent video games to children under the age of 18 by a decisive 7-2 margin.

In doing so, the court's justices emphasized in its decision the primacy of the First Amendment and that "basic principals of free speech" shouldn't be restricted without a "compelling government interest."

In defending the law, the government tried to point to psychological studies purporting to show a connection between exposure to violent video games and the harmful effects on children, but the Supreme Court found the evidence to be inconclusive, and that any demonstrated effects were "small and indistinguishable from effects produced by other media."

As a result, the Supreme Court ruled that standards applied to other media should also be applicable in this situation:
"Like the protected books, plays, and movies that preceded them, video games communicate ideas-and even social messages-through many familiar literary devices (such as characters, dialogue, plot, and music) and through features distinctive to the medium (such as the player's interaction with the virtual world). That suffices to confer First Amendment protection. Under our Constitution, "esthetic and moral judgments about art and literature . . . are for the individual to make, not for the Government to decree, even with the mandate or approval of a majority."

The decision is a victory for the video game industry in its many years of efforts to be treated equally to other entertainment businesses.

"We are gratified that our position that the law violates the First Amendment's guarantee of freedom of expression has been vindicated and there now can be no argument whether video games are entitled to the same protection as books, movies, music, and other expressive entertainment," said Bo Andersen, President & CEO, Entertainment Merchants Association
The Supreme Court decision is also a triumph for entertainers at large.

In the decision, the Supreme Court notes that California attempted to craft an entirely new category of unprotected speech -- content aimed at children. The justices reject this idea and say that lawmakers must only regulate speech using the same kinds of content-neutral regulation standards used in the past.

"The motion picture industry is no stranger to governments' incursion on freedom of expression," said Chris Dodd, Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America. "From the very inception of the movie industry, attempts to restrict speech have threatened the creativity of American movie-makers. We applaud the Supreme Court for recognizing the far-reaching First-Amendment implications posed by the California law."

The decision wasn't unanimous. Justices Thomas and Breyer dissented. In their view, "the practices and beliefs of the founding generation establish that 'the freedom of speech,' as originally understood, does not include a right to speak to minors (or a right of minors to access speech) without going through the minors' parents or guardians."

Some groups which have supported laws like California's statute pledged to continue working on the issue despite the Supreme Court ruling to ensure minors are adequately protected.
"Today's decision is a disappointing one for parents, educators, and all who care about kids," says Common Sense Media CEO James Steyer. "But the fight is far from over. Advocates for kids and families can work within the scope of this ruling to protect the best interests of kids...We respectfully disagree with the Court when it comes to their analysis of the First Amendment rights of children and families -- this is a sanity issue, not a censorship issue. If parents decide a violent game is okay for their kid, that's one thing, but millions of kids are not able to judge the impact of ultra-violence on their own"

Other groups said the decision would have a negative impact.
"This ruling replaces the authority of parents with the economic interests of the video game industry," said Parents Television Council president Tim Winter. "With no fear of any consequence for violating the video game industry's own age restriction guidelines, retailers can now openly, brazenly sell games with unspeakable violence and adult content even to the youngest of children."

Thank you Hollywood Reporter

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10 Things That Matter at CineEurope...

With international box office booming, the Amsterdam-based annual exhibition confab will tackle Hollywood's hot topics.

1. Prometheus
Ridley Scott will screen the first footage of his red-hot and ultra-secret sci-fi horror film June 28. He has been guarding the Prometheus plot like it was nuclear launch codes, so expect CineEurope attendees to go all Comic-Con for the first peek at the 2012 feature starring Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo star Noomi Rapace.

2. Titanic 3D Footage
CineEurope has proved a lucky charm for James Cameron, who screened footage of Titanic and Avatar here before going on to become king of the world ... and king of Pandora. This year, Cameron is back with exclusive footage of Titanic 3D, the stereoscopic remastered version of his 1997 smash hit. Fox will release Titanic 3D worldwide April 6, 2012, to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the Titanic disaster. Footage will be screened in the evening June 28.

3. Chris Dodd/Ad Weststrate Keynote
The president of the MPAA and its European counterpart, UNIC, will try to rally the troops with state-of-the-business keynotes during the confab's opening ceremony the morning of June 28. After his timid remarks on China while at a film festival in Shanghai recently, will the former senator ramp up pressure on the Chinese government to become more open to Western exhibitors?

4. Cinema of the Future Panel
3-D may be showing signs of fatigue in some markets, but as this year's international exhibitor of the year, Moshe Greidinger puts it, "we are still in the midst" of the digital revolution. The switch over from 35 mm to hard drives is changing everything from booking and programming to piracy concerns. This is the panel you want to catch to ensure your business model isn't put up against the wall.

5. The Emergence of the Russian Market
Russia has become the fourth member of Europe's exclusive billion-dollar club -- named for how much a territory's box office makes annually -- alongside the U.K., France and Germany. Russia's growth has been breathtaking: Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides earned more there during its first weekend -- an estimated $28.6 million -- than the total Russia take of the previous installment in the franchise. "Russian box office is booming; it's unbelievable," says CineEurope managing director Robert Sunshine. "And I think it is going to sustain that growth. The territory is still very under-theatered."

6. Blockbuster Previews
Lackluster box office this year has whetted appetites ahead of CineEurope. Euro exhibitors hope the studios' summer slates -- which include surefire franchise hits such as the final Harry Potter installment and tentpole hopefuls Green Lantern and Cowboys & Aliens -- will revive receipts in the second half, allowing theaters to finish the year with a bang. Attendees will get a better idea of how the summer will shape up thanks to sneak previews of Paramount's Transformers: Dark of the Moon (in RealD 3D), DreamWorks' robot boxing flick Real Steel and Warner Bros.' raunchy comedy Horrible Bosses.

7. In Praise of Harry Potter
Much of Euro exhibitors' hopes will be laid at the feet of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 because the series recently became the biggest worldwide franchise of all time with $6.4 billion in global box-office receipts, $4.37 billion of that coming from the international marketplace. The final entry in the Potter series, and the only one shot in 3D, screens exclusively June 30 at CineEurope. In addition to a sneak preview, the conference will celebrate by handing three of its top honors to Potter alumni. David Heyman, producer on all eight Potter movies, will receive CineEurope's Producer of the Decade award, and two Warner Bros. International execs who have been key in driving the franchise's success overseas -- Nancy Carson, executive vp distribution, and Thomas Molter, senior vp international distribution -- will receive the International Distributors of the Year honor.

8. The Future of VOD
European exhibitors group UNIC, for the first time the official sponsor of CineEurope, has come out strongly against plans by some studios to introduce a premium VOD window that, critics contend, will erode theatrical revenue -- a concern that's echoed by American exhibitors. It isn't on the official CineEurope itinerary, but premium VOD is certain to be a major talking point in closed-door meetings between studio execs and theater owners.

9. The Millennium Trilogy Seminar
European blockbuster franchises are about as common as Dutch downhill skiers, but Sweden's Millennium Trilogy -- The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played With Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, based on the Stieg Larsson best-sellers -- are proof the continent can erect its own tentpoles. The trilogy has grossed more than $214 million worldwide, launched the international careers of stars Noomi Rapace and Michael Nyqvist and spawned a Hollywood remake by David Fincher. Millennium producers Yellow Bird will receive the confab's European Box Office Achievement Award and reveal some of the secrets of their success during a panel discussion June 29.

10. 20th Anniversary Party
Three years ago, the cloud of the worldwide financial collapse hung over Europe's box office. Things didn't bode well as the continent's premier exhibitors event finished its second decade. But the champagne will be popping June 28 at the Amsterdam RAI's Diamond Lounge for CineEurope's 20th birthday bash. Box office is generally surging, digital conversion is speeding up, and European exhibitors are suddenly optimistic. "It's great to have our 20th anniversary at a time like this, when business is picking up, distributors and exhibitors are working closer together and everyone is in a good mood," says Sunshine.

Thank you Hollywood Reporter

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Monday, June 27, 2011

Samsung pumps $15 million into L.A.-based 3-D company MasterImage...

Tired of watching 3-D movies in theaters? How about watching 3-D films and sporting events on your smart phones -- without the glasses?

That's the vision of L.A.-based MasterImage 3D, which announced Tuesday that it had received a $15-million investment from Samsung Ventures, a division of the South Korean consumer electronics giant that recently introduced its own 3-D television sets.

The infusion will allow MasterImage to develop new 3-D technology for mobile phones, tablets, PCs and movie theaters, the company said in a statement.

Founded in Seoul, South Korea, in 2004, MasterImage employs 100 people, inluding 20 in L.A. Another 40 to 50 workers will be hired in L.A. as a result of the new investment, said Chairman and CEO Younghoon Lee, delivering a welcome boost to Southern California's post-production sector, which has been hit hard by job losses in recent years.

"Samsung's investment supports our strong belief that we've just begun to realize the impact 3-D will have on consumers," Lee said in statement. "We are committing this investment to innovation — specifically, to advancing our 3-D solutions for cinema, smart phones, tablets, and larger auto-stereoscopic displays. We will continue to build toward our vision of 3-D on every screen."

Ilseok Yoon, managing director of Samsung Ventures America, said, "Our investment in MasterImage 3D is consistent with our strategy to work closely with established market leaders. The company was early to market with auto-stereoscopic 3-D mobile displays and has built a significant business in 3-D cinema."

Thank you Los Angeles Times

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Four Hollywood Marketers Launch Investment Firm AngelVision...

Founded by Ant Farm co-founders Barbara Glazer and Mike Greenfeld, Aspect Ratio co-founder Bob Israel and Creative Domain founder Albert Litewka, the company will invest in companies in the entertainment, marketing, advertising and technology fields.

NEW YORK - Four Hollywood marketing executives on Tuesday unveiled the launch of LA-based investment group AngelVision Investors, which will invest in startups and emerging growth-oriented companies in the entertainment, marketing, advertising and technology spaces.

The firm was founded by Ant Farm co-founders Barbara Glazer and Mike Greenfeld, Aspect Ratio co-founder Bob Israel and Creative Domain founder Albert Litewka. All principals built and sold their respective agencies, and they expect to bring their expertise to the table when working with companies that AngelVision invests in.

The company said the partners together with mergers and acquisitions specialist Lars Ekstrom are looking for companies that can also achieve "a well-defined market position, sustainable competitive advantage, profitability and scalability."

Target investments will range from $100,000 to $2.5 million. The group's first investment is in SoliDDD Corp., a company that is working on the delivery of "truly lifelike 3D" without the need for glasses. Other investments are expected to be announced shortly.

"We are excited to announce the launch of our new company, which was designed to not only provide capital but also make available our collective years of experience and expertise," the principals said. "We're looking for people who are passionate about their work and seeking to take their businesses to the next level."

Thank you Hollywood Reporter

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Festival Paris Cinéma du 2 au 13 juillet

La 9e édition du Festival Paris Cinéma, présidé par Charlotte Rampling, se tiendra du 2 au 13 juillet dans une quinzaine de salles et lieux parisiens.

Jouez avec Courrier international pour gagner des places pour les séances du festival*. Retrouvez l'intégralité de le programmation sur le site de Paris Cinéma et découvrez un aperçu du programme mexicain ci-dessous :
LE MEXIQUE À L'HONNEUR

Après le Brésil, la Corée du Sud, le Liban, les Philippines, la Turquie et le Japon l'an dernier, l'édition 2011 célèbre le cinéma contemporain mexicain. A travers un panorama inédit de la diversité du cinéma mexicain d'hier et d'aujourd'hui (courts- et longs-métrages, perles oubliées du patrimoine, films d'animation, films d'auteurs et grands succès populaires), partez à la découverte d'un univers cinématographique unique en son genre, marquée par une relation forte avec le voisin américain et par un renouveau incontestable de ses auteurs. De nombreux invités seront présents.

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Saturday, June 25, 2011

Call for Films (by and/or about Arabs and Arab Americans) for the Twin Cities Arab Film Festival

Marhaba Filmmakers!

The 7th Twin Cities Arab Film Festival is now accepting submissions. The film festival will take place November 10-13, 2011 at the historic Heights Theatre in the Twin Cities Metro Area (Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN). The Twin Cities Arab Film Festival is the largest and longest-running in the Upper Midwest.

The Twin Cities Arab Film Festival is presented by Mizna, an Arab arts organization whose mission is to promote Arab and Arab American culture, providing a forum for its expression. Mizna also produces an award-winning literary journal, as well as theatrical and visual arts events.

The 6th Twin Cities Arab Film Festival in March 2010 was highly successful and featured area premieres of Garbage Dreams, Pomegranates and Myrrh, Les Barons, Ein Shams, Gaza on the Air, Laila's Birthday, a children's film segment from Al Jazeerah, and much more. You can see the full schedule here: http://www.mizna.org/arabfilmfest10/.

Read the submission details below, and please consider sharing your work with us!

Sincerely,

Marya Morstad, Mizna's Arab Film Festival Director
Lana Barkawi, Mizna's Executive and Artistic Director
Call for Films for the Twin Cities Arab Film Festival

The festival is seeking narratives, documentaries, experimental films, and animated films, both feature-length and shorts, by and/or about Arabs and Arab Americans.

We welcome your entries and inquiries, and thank you in advance if you have already submitted your film this year, or in past years. If your film is not ready yet, do consider us in the future. Please forward on and spread the word through the Arab film community!

Our deadline for entries is August 15, 2011.

Please send a DVD preview copy, filmmaker contact, and any relevant background information on your film to our address below. Upon selection, we will need additional publicity and marketing materials for your film for our program catalog and media releases.

Twin Cities Arab Film Festival
Mizna
2205 California Street, NE, Suite 109A
Minneapolis, MN 55418
612-788-6920
mizna@mizna.org
http://mizna.org

Introducing Our New Film Festival Curator!

Rami Azzazi
is originally from Alexandria, Egypt, and has been in the US since 1995. This is his third year on the film festival committee, and he is a board member at Mizna. He has a degree in Global Studies, with a focus on the Middle East, and a minor in Cinema Studies and Media Culture from the University of Minnesota. He has also participated in local film projects.

News from Local Filmmakers!

The Twin Cities Arab Film Festival's former curator Mohannad Ghawanmeh, starred in and produced Dan Tanz's debut independent feature, Triumph67, which won an Honorable Mention at this year's Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival.

Award-winning filmmaker Hisham Bizri recently received a Doha Film Institute production grant for his screenplay, Until Morning, which won the 2010 Special Jury Prize at the Cairo International Film Festival. Until Morning is in production, and due to be shot on location in Beirut in 2012. His short film, called A Film, recently toured the global film fest circuit. Mizna has showcased Bizri's films in 2005 and 2010.


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Writers Guild Foundation Elects Barbara Corday as New President...

The Foundation, a charitable organization legally separate from the WGA, also elected other officers and trustees.

Barbara Corday has been elected president of the Writers Guild Foundation, the organization announced today. Her term is two years.

The Foundation is a charitable corporation separate from the WGAw and is funded by voluntary contributions from writers and others. Among its programs are a library located at WGA headquarters, seminars and conferences, a writing program for military veterans, and a screenwriting workshop program in disadvantaged high schools.

Coincidentally, the WGA West announced its officer and board candidates today. The two announcements are unrelated.
Corday co-created the television series Cagney & Lacey and was the first woman to be president of a major television production entity (Columbia Pictures Television) and first to be head of a network's prime-time programming (CBS). Most recently she was chair of Film and Television production at the USC School of Cinema and Television. Corday replaces Chris Brancato, who has served the maximum number of terms.

New officers elected were Holly Goldberg Sloan as VP of Development, Elias Davis as Treasurer and Ligiah Villalobos as Secretary. Tom Schulman continues as Executive Vice-President and Dan Petrie Jr. continues as VP Programs.

The board also elected seven new trustees to the board for three year terms: publicist Craig Bankey, screenwriter Lowell Ganz, agent Nancy Josephson, and television writer-producers Marta Kauffman, Bill Lawrence, Jan Oxenberg and David Shore.

In addition to the officers, the continuing trustees are: Neal Baer, Barbara Benedek, Chris Brancato, Diane English, Jonathan Estrin, Kevin Falls, Seth Freeman, Dean Hargrove, Charlie Hauck, Robert Nelson Jacobs, Georgia Jeffries, Jay Kogen, Jim Kouf, Peter Lefcourt, Andrew Marlowe, Shonda Rhimes, Howard A. Rodman, Robin Swicord, Matthew Weiner, Larry Wilmore and John Sacret Young.

Most trustees are members of the WGA West.

Thank you Hollywood Reporter
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Film Industry, Led By Electronic Delivery, Will Grow in Every Category Through 2

Netflix and other streamers, as well as 3D, Blu-ray, kiosks and cinema advertising will each do their part to make sure the film industry prospers domestically and worldwide for the next several years, according to PwC.

The film industry domestically and worldwide will grow at a healthy clip through 2015 as Blu-ray and electronic-delivery make up for waning DVD sales and rentals, 3D helps box office revenue grow despite stagnant ticket sales and in-theater advertising comes into its own.
That's the word from PricewaterhouseCoopers and its annual Global Entertainment and Media Outlook report due out today.

In North America, the film industry should generate $40.8 billion in revenue this year and $50.3 billion in 2015. Globally, it should generate $88.8 billion this year and $113.1 billion in 2015, according to PwC.

In North America, PwC estimates $12.2 billion in box office revenue this year and $27.9 billion in home video. The box office will grow to $15.5 billion because of rising prices for tickets and 3D premiums while home video will rise to $33.9 billion. Every category of film, even the various home entertainment sub categories, will grow, including sell-through, courtesy of Blu-ray, and in-store rentals, courtesy of kiosks like Redbox.

The report notes that in 2010, seven 3D titles accounted for 20% of the domestic box office: Avatar, Toy Story 3, Alice in Wonderland, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, Despicable Me, Shrek Forever After and How to Train Your Dragon.

Despite the overall bullishness of the report, PwC warns: "The novelty effect of 3D may be waning, and because of the higher price points for those releases, people may become more selective in choosing to go to a 3D film. Nevertheless, we believe 3D will have a long-term positive impact on admissions because it helps distinguish the theatrical experience from the home video and online experiences of watching a movie."

About the home-video market, PwC says: "Blu-ray discs may be approaching a critical mass where sales are large enough to counter the impending demise of DVDs."

Electronic delivery of movies, which is all the rage as Netflix, Apple, Amazon.com and others have a profound impact on distribution practices, will grow from $4.8 billion this year to $7.6 billion in 2015. That category generated just $1.2 billion in revenue in 2006, according to PwC.
From 2011-2015, electronic will be the fastest-growing segment of the North American film industry, with 13.8% compound annual growth. That's followed by cinema advertising (6.7%), the box office (6.1%), physical sell-through (3.9%) and in-store rentals (1.4%). Globally, the order in growth nearly identical, the exception being that the box office will slightly outpace cinema advertising.

Thank you Hollywood Reporter

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Friday, June 24, 2011

Demian Bichir’s Performance in "A Better Life" Oscar Worthy

Opens in Limited Release Friday, June 24th

Bel Hernandez
bhernandez@latinheat.com

Demain Bichir’s performance in director Chris Weitz newest film A Better Life is being touted as an Oscar worthy performance and has Hollywood insiders, who can make that happen, talking. Opening in a limited release this Friday, June 24th, A Better Life, the powerful drama about an a family looking to embrace the American dream, only to see it ripped from their grasp, will leave you re-thinking, or at least thinking about, the illegal immigrant debate.

This story is not the usual Hollywood immigrant story about drug mules, sinister coyotes, or the big bad border patrol, it is about survival - of family and dreams. Carlos (Bichir) is gentleminded, hardworking single father trying to make ends meet who takes a leap of faith by purchasing a truck which would allow him, not only to be his own boss but to make more money and make a better life for his son Luis, (Jose Julian). However, fate steps in with a change of plans.

After the financial success of his second directing gig, Twilight Oscar nominee Weitz (for About a Boy) could have done any film, but he chose A Better Life. He called it the “best thing that I’d read in 20 years”.

Weitz , whose grandmother is actress Lupita Tovar (Dracula (1931)), was intent on making this film and was responsible for bringing in the team that made the film happen: Writer Eric Eason (Manito; first time producer, actress Jami Gertz (Still Standing) and former agent Stacey Lubliner, as producers through their production company, Lime Orchard Productions; in addition to producers Christian McLaughlin and famed television and film producer Paul Junger Witt (Dead Poet’s Society, Insomnia).

If distributor Summit Entertainment marketing is successful, and with substantial marketing dollars for the film’s national rollout, the film can potentially find its audience. As for the awards A Better Life is being talked about as a likely contender for a Spirit Award nom next year. However, talk of Oscar consideration will only materialize if there should be a re-release later in the year. Time has a way with helping powerful performances fade away, especially without marketing campaigns to keep it front and center.

A Better Life opens June 24th in a limited release.

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Thursday, June 23, 2011

On Location: L.A. film shoots jumped 20% last week...

On-location shoots in the Los Angeles area climbed 20% last week, led by a continued upswing in commercial and feature film activity.

Commercial shoots on streets and non certified soundstages in the city and unincorporated areas of the county generated 135 production days last week, up 68% over the same period a year ago, according to data from FilmL.A. Inc., the nonprofit group that handles film permits. It marked the fourth consecutive week of gains for commercial filming.

Feature filming, which has been up three of the last four weeks, accounted for 229 production days, a 60% jump over a year ago. On-location shooting for TV shows, however, dropped 14% to 224 production days, the third consecutive week of declines. A recent survey from FilmL.A. found that L.A. has been grabbing a smaller share of new TV pilots because of growing competition from New York and other cities outside of California.

Thank you Los Angeles Times

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American Film Market Announces Conference Details..

FM reveals partial lineup details relating to its five-day conference in Santa Monica taking place in November.

Looking to expand and improve on its conference programming, the American Film Market will present a five-day conference program during the 2011 market covering finance, production, marketing, distribution and pitching program and movie ideas.

'Beast' rears head at AFM
'Difficult market decisions' at AFM

The market, expected to attract about 8,000 attendees, takes place Nov. 2 through 9 in Santa Monica, and the conference will run simultaneously. The AFM is also introducing a "Industry Conversations" program which organizers promise will be "led by visionaries, trendsetters and experts."

Jonathan Wolf, executive vice president of the Independent Film & Television Alliance and managing director of the AFM called the new conferences significant initiative and said they will add value for attendees, adding: "The AFM is unique as it's the only event in North America that attracts thousands of leaders in motion pictures from more than 70 countries, giving us the opportunity to curate terrific conferences with top talent from both Hollywood and around the world.

Friday, Nov. 4 – Finance Conference - CEOs, filmmakers, financiers and studio executives converge to explore the current state of independent film financing: emerging trends, where the money is, new opportunities and incentives, and what the future holds.

Saturday, Nov. 5 – Pitch Conference - A good pitch can get a bad film made and a bad pitch can leave a terrific project languishing on the shelf. Pitching is part art (it's creative), part science (needs to follow a tight script) and part salesmanship. Conference attendees will learn the essential rules and tools of pitching from the experts. Then, in the AFM's own variation of The Voice and American Idol, volunteers from the audience (you?) will pitch a panel of Hollywood decision makers who will give unvarnished feedback on each pitch – saying what worked, what didn't and why. Warning: This session is not for the weak.

Sunday, Nov. 6 – Marketing Conference - In the age of digital media, word-of-mouth and friend recommendations can make or break the box office results. Connecting with and engaging the audience in authentic, creative ways is critical. The gurus behind the most successful and innovative marketing campaigns discuss reinventing the marketing wheel, explore how the consumer can be the most effective marketing tool and reveal how to win over the broadest possible audience.

Monday, Nov. 7 – Production Conference - Brand integration and packaging often play an important role in the filmmaking process. From big-budget blockbusters to art and genre films, the creative visions of directors, writers and producers are being supported, yet challenged, by these new business models and opportunities. Agents, advertisers and producers disclose what is going on behind the scenes and how to seamlessly incorporate these new decision makers into the production process.

Tuesday, Nov. 8 – Distribution Conference - Why make a film if no one will see it? Industry leaders disclose their successful strategies for managing and monetizing the proliferation of global platforms and changing release strategies. They will also separate fact and fiction about limited & specialized releases, film festivals and straight-to-VOD.

Thank you Hollywood Reporter

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Incentives Update: NEW NEW MEXICO FILM COMMISSIONER

NEW NEW MEXICO FILM COMMISSIONER

Nick Maniatis, former executive director of the New Mexico Independent Power Producers, has been named director of the New Mexico Film Office. (NM Independent Power is a lobbyist for electrical power, and not a film production company).

Maniatis was executive producer of "Cruel World," a film shot in New Mexico; he has worked on many film projects in the state and was an appointed board member of the Governor's Council on Film and Media Industries from 2002 to 2009. He also was a board member of the Digital Film Institute from 2003 to 2010.

The New Mexico program offers a refundable tax credit of 25% for all New Mexico labor and qualified expenses, plus 25% (subject to GRT and withholding tax) for out-of-state cast. There is a $50 million cap per year.

NEVADA PROGRAM FAILS TO PASS

The hoped for approval of legislation to provide a transferable tax credit of 25% (later reduced to 15%) failed to win approval. Legislation will be introduced again at the next session, two years from now. Meanwhile, the film commission is looking for other ways to encourage production in the state.

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On Location: One of Hollywood's oldest studios gives birth to a new soundstage

A clutch of city officials and film industry promoters gathered Monday morning on the same lot in East Hollywood where Mary Pickford once worked to celebrate a rare occurrence: the opening of a new soundstage in Los Angeles.

Hollywood-based Occidental Entertainment Group Holdings, which owns a dozen local soundstages and other entertainment businesses, unveiled a 14,000-square-foot, 54-foot high soundstage on the historic Occidental Studios lot, along with 6,000 square feet of hair and makeup facilities, dressing rooms and office space.

That's hardly extraordinary in a city that boasts about 300 soundstages, many of them much larger. But the opening is unusual because so few production facilities have been built from the ground up in L.A. since feature filming activity peaked in the late 1990s -- before production began to take flight from Southern California to cheaper locales.

"We made the decision to build this stage when concerns over runaway production were running rampant,'' said Craig Darian, chief executive of Occidental Entertainment Group. "But we just have an abiding view that Los Angeles is always going to be the center of the entertainment industry. This is a vote of confidence in our industry."

The company invested $12 million to finance the new soundstage, which was originally intended to accomodate a former tenant, the Showtime series "United States of Tara." The series taped its pilot and first season at Occidental but later moved to CBS Studio Center on Radford Avenue because Occidental couldn't open the new stage in time.

Though "Tara" was recently canceled, Darian said the experience convinced him that the demand for new soundstages in L.A. remained strong, despite growing competition from such states as Georgia, Michigan, Louisiana and New York that are also vying for the same TV and film business. A recent survey from FilmL.A. Inc. found that L.A.'s share of all pilot production fell to 51% in the most recent season, down from 58% last year and 82% from six years ago.

Occidental hasn't been immune to the slowdown. Executives said the company's entertainment revenues -- about $20 million a year -- have been virtually flat the last two years. But they predict activity will pick up thanks to an increase in local cable TV production and the effect of California's film tax incentive program, which helped fuel a 15% jump in on-location shoots last year.

"I think it's a good roll of the dice for us," said Ricky Stoutland, president of Occidental Studios. "We're just hoping the California Film Commission is going to start drawing more production."

Sam Nicassio, president of Los Angeles Center Studios, the downtown studio that is home to AMC's series "Mad Men," said demand for soundstage space was tight. "I think you're seeing larger budgets on cable TV networks that didn't have budgets before,'' he said, adding that all six of the studio's soundstages are booked.

Built in 1913, Occidental Studios is among the oldest continually operating studios in Hollywood, used by pioneering filmmakers Cecil B. De Mille, D.W. Griffith and Pickford, who worked there as an actress and filmmaker in its early years.

The 3 1/2-acre lot on Occidental Boulevard between Beverly and Santa Monica boulevards was acquired by Occidental Entertainment Group's founder, Albert Sweet, in 1990 and includes three other stages and 35,000 square feet of production offices. Occidential owns commercial real estate nationwide as well as office buildings and soundstages in Hollywood and Van Nuys that are frequently used by Disney, NBC, MTV Networks and FX, whose TV series "Sons of Anarchy" is based at another Occidental studio in North Hollywood.

Occidental isn't the only developer trying to capitalize on the uptick in local filming. Triliad Development, a Thousand Oaks real estate group, has submitted plans to develop a state-of-the-art, $170-million production complex in Moorpark in Ventura County with a dozen stages over the next two years.

"I think there is a lot of talent in the area and building something from the ground up that could accommodate the needs of the new digital age of filmmaking is something that could benefit the industry, " said Valerie Draeger, Triliad president.

Thank you Los Angeles Times

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PayPal shuts down accounts of online retailers selling pirated DVDs...

PayPal is cracking down on Chinese retailers who are using the company's online pay service to sell bootleg DVDs.

The San Jose-based company has closed the accounts of dozens of merchants making unauthorized use of PayPal's global payment service in violation of the company's policy, according to a statement from the Motion Picture Assn. of America's Asia Pacific Office in Singapore.

The action followed a joint operation with the MPAA's Asia Pacific Office that investigated the activities of various merchants, most based in China, which marketed and shipped counterfeit DVDs and Blu-ray discs to retail and wholesale customers worldwide.

"Our action today sends a strong message to all criminals that PayPal does not tolerate such illegal activity on our global pay platform,'' said Julie Bainbridge, PayPal's head of global brand risk management.

"We are very pleased that this joint operation has resulted in the immediate shutdown of dozens of accounts belonging to copyright infringers, many of whom have been exploiting legitimate platforms for years to sell counterfeit material worldwide," said Mike Ellis, president and managing director of the MPAA's Asia Pacific Office.

Thank you Los Angeles Times
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Senate Committee Votes to Make Illegal Streaming of Movies, TV a Felony...

The Commercial Felony Streaming Act is supported by AFTRA, the DGA and other Hollywood unions.
Moving to close a possible loophole in the laws against the pirating of movies, TV shows and other intellectual property, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday approved making illegal streaming of video over the internet a felony in most cases. The proposed law will now go to the full Senate for consideration.

The Commercial Felony Streaming Act (S. 978), introduced by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and John Cornyn (R-TX), reconciles a disparity between the current law and streaming of content and peer-to-peer (P2P) downloading.

This legislation is supported by the Obama administration and a broad entertainment industry coalition, including the American Federation of Musicians (AFM), AFTRA, Directors Guild of America, IATSE and SAG. Others who have pushed for passage include the MPAA, the Independent Film & Television Alliance and the National Association of Theatre Owners.
"We commend the Committee for moving this important piece of legislation for consideration by the Senate. It will close a gaping hole in the law and go far in protecting the livelihoods of theater employees from the threat posed by illegal streaming," says NATO President John Fithian. "To the technicians, designers, construction workers, and artists who support their families through their work in entertainment, there's no difference between illegal downloading and illegal streaming – it's all theft that hurts their work, their wages and their benefits.
"This bill will help ensure that the punishment for these site operators fits the crime," says Michael O'Leary, Executive Vice President, Government Affairs for the MPAA.

"The illegal streaming of motion pictures and television programming is as financially devastating for our industry as is illegal downloading," says IFTA President Jean Prewitt. "Stealing is stealing, regardless of the means in which the product is being received.

The bill makes it illegal to stream video for commercial purposes. The penalty is increased to up to five years in prison when it involves 10 or more instances of streaming over a 180-day period. The retail value of the streamed video must exceed $2,500, or the licenses to the material must be worth more than $5,000.

The bill follows the suggestion made two months ago by the White House Office of U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement which urged Congress to make illegal streaming a felony.

Thank you Hollywood Reporter

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Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Subsidies for U.S. Productions at Stake...

European Commission opens public consultation into state aid funding.

LONDON – The multi-billion dollar annual support for the making and distributing of movies provided by European Union member states has come under public scrutiny.

The European Commission has launched a public consultation as the first step of a review of the criteria used to apply European state aid rules to the cash support from member states.

Areas in the spotlight from the old laws include competing to attract major film productions using state aid and supporting activities other than production.

Interested parties have until the end of September to submit their comments.

Commission vp in charge of competition policy Joaquín Almunia said: "Before designing the future state aid rules for this important sector, my colleagues and I want to gather views about what the common European objective of such support should be. For example, does a subsidy race to attract major US productions undermine the effectiveness of aid to support smaller European films?"

Alumnia will also be asking if the rules should "go beyond encouraging the production of more films" and if support is needed to encourage filmmakers to explore the possibilities of the digital revolution?"

One of the big issues on the consultation will be the competition among some European states to use state aid to attract inward investment from large-scale mainly U.S. film production companies.

European Union member states provide an estimated €2.3 billion ($3.3 billion) per year in film support.

Of that €1.3 billion ($1.85 billion) in grants and soft loans and €1 billion ($1.4 billion) in tax incentives. Around 80% of this is for film production.

The U.K. is among the top five European countries offering this support along with France, Germany, Italy and Spain.

Thank you Hollywood Reporter

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Prosecutors Say Telemarketers Duped Old Folks Into Investing $2

Federal prosecutors have indicted 18 individuals accused of conducting a boiler-room telemarketing operation that allegedly took $25 million from the elderly.

The indie film realm has been subject to allegations of duping investors in the past, but perhaps never like this. According to Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Cazares, the alleged fraud took place in southern California and Florida.

Between 100 and 200 telephone operators cold-called old folks and induced them to put up money for films. The investors were promised returns "up to 1000 percent," as well as film credits. They were allegedly shown "shiny, glossy marketing materials" touting revenue already earned from product placement deals.

Some of the money went to Cinamour Entertainment, which created several films, including From Mexico With Love and Red Water: 2012. Investments were also solicited for Q Media Assets for a pair of films, Way of the Dolphin and Eye of the Dolphin.

However, it is charged that telemarketers falsely promised that 93% of the money raised would go into production and promotion, but that more than a third of the money ended up in the pockets of the telemarketers. Cazares says the "heart of the case was the failure to disclose commissions or the true use of the money."

Law enforcement have already arrested 11 individuals from the operation, including Daniel Toll, the president of Cinamour.

Prosecutors also say they have obtained a guilty plea from a former CIA agent who headed Q Media over charges of conspiracy, mail fraud and tax charges.

Some of the individuals who have been charged with crimes are accused of encouraging investors to liquidate individual retirement accounts. These defendants are now facing trials for conspiracy, wire fraud, and money laundering.

Thank you Hollywood Reporter

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