— makes the scheduling decisions at PBS? Putting great programs on against over-hyped network sweeps and Tesh-a-thons opposite Christmas reruns is goofy. Isn’t the idea to get more people to watch? – San Francisco Chronicle 01/10/00
Category: media
EXTRA PAY
A group of Toronto’s movie extras vote to join media union, spurning the actors union in dispute over their low pay. – The Globe and Mail (Canada) 01/10/00
DUMB AND DUMBER
Hollywood’s mantra for popular success has been “dumb it down.” But now a wave of smart, interesting movies seems upon us. Are we entering a new Golden Age? – The Globe and Mail (Canada) 01/09/00
THE ART(?) OF SCREENWRITING
With the help of the internet, there are so many ways to formularize and automate the writing of a screenplay, the process and form has become hackneyed. – New York Times 01/09/00
“ANNA” ARREST
The Thai government has banned the film “Anna and the King” for being disrespectful to the royal family. Now two men are arrested for selling bootleg copies. Could face 15 years in jail. – BBC 01/09/00
FOOD RULES
Nothing has succeeded in television’s new niche universe as cooking shows. They’re everywhere. But how much cooking is going on? Samurai chefs? Elton John clones? Iron Chef? The next thing you know, Hulk Hogan will be… – National Post (Canada) 01/09/00
PROUST RECONSIDERED
A new movie based on “Time Remains” and a new volume of letters are out. – The Telegraph (UK) 01/09/00
OH JESSICA, IT’S JANUARY
Welcome to January, or as it’s known in the film world, ‘January?! You’re going to release my movie in January?! Jan-u-frickin-ary?!’ This is a month that’s typically, though not exclusively, used to debut pictures that were originally scheduled for a summer or fall release — until someone important actually saw the completed films and walked from the screening room with a stride that just screamed, ‘January,’ the sound of those wing-tip shoes revealing all: Click. Click. Click. Click. Jan. U. Air. E.” – National Post (Canada) 01/07/00
CHEWED UP AND SPIT OUT
He was going to be different. His sitcom was going to fly. His deal was going to work. He liked the nice cars. Business class. Nice restaurants. The studio liked him. He had a deal. And suddenly it was all over. A cautionary tale in the land of sitcoms. – National Post (Canada) 01/07/00
FOR THIS YOU WANT TAX BREAKS?
Even as the entertainment industry is sounding the alarm about runaway productions leaving Hollywood, new figures show entertainment production was up a bit in ’99 in Los Angeles. Declines in feature films and TV were offset by increases in commercials and student films. – Variety 01/07/00