Wednesday, December 14, 2011

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 14, 2011

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FilmNEwsBriefs.com
To Our Readers
Thanks for taking part in our recent survey. It's clear you have a lot to say about what we're doing, and that you have a great desire for changes in our coverage. Because you demanded it, you will see an increase in our coverage of box office and financing news, festivals, European and Asian film, web news and digital services in 2012. Additionally, there is an increased demand for monthly features, like our "Filmmakers to Watch" series, as well as "Writers" and "Producers" to watch. As such, and because of our need to expand and cover our resulting expenses, we've decided that come January we will move to a $4.99/month subscription price. Also, during the course of the year we will begin rolling out the additional monthly features for only $1.99 per month. Thanks again for your loyal readership and we look forward to beginning a new and improved FNB in 2012!
Projects Announced
Student Film Becomes A Full-Length Feature Thanks To Screen Gems

Screen Gems has picked up rights to a creepy student-made short entitled “Viral” with the plan of spinning it into a feature. The pickup is a coup for Tim Shechmeister, a recent UCLA film school grad who directed the short and co-wrote it with his brother, Matt, as part of a thesis project. The Shechmeisters will co-write the feature and Tim would direct the big-screen version. The roughly 11-minute short is set in the world of cyberbullying and eventually includes supernatural elements. In fact, the story could be described as being reminiscent of “The Grudge” or “The Ring,” but primed for the current generation that uses smart phones and Facebook as extensions of themselves.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/screen-gems-viral-cyberbully-supernatural-272935

Rachel Boston Pulls The Hyphenate Thing With “Black Marigolds”

Rachel Boston is starring in, and executive producing, “Black Marigolds,” an indie drama that also stars Noah Bean. The film, underway in Palomar Mountain, CA, follows a young married couple who set off into the wilderness only to have the husband succumb mentally and emotionally. The movie is described by the producers as “a love story explores the truth that one day we must all say goodbye to the people and places we love the most.” Lance Malbon wrote the script and is directing. Paul Ben-Victor is also cast in the drama.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/rachel-boston-black-marigolds-noah-bean-272915

Project Updates
Bradley Cooper’s “Paradise Lost” Hits A Rough Patch

Apparently, faced with dwindling box-office returns and increasing costs to produce and market a high-priced movie, Hollywood studio executives have gotten the memo that belt-tightening is en vogue. Like Warner Bros. did with “The Lone Ranger,” Legendary Pictures has halted the Bradley Cooper-led effects-heavy 3D spectacle “Paradise Lost” just one month before shooting was scheduled to begin in Australia. “Paradise Lost” – an adaptation of the John Milton classic poem; yep – isn’t being scrapped just yet. Apparently the budget sailed over $120 million and producers will try to cut that number down by 10 or 15 percent.

http://blog.moviefone.com/2011/12/13/paradise-lost-production-halted-bradley-cooper/

“Just Cause” Adaptation Nabs A New Writer

Bryan Edward Hill has been tapped to rewrite “Just Cause: Scorpion Rising,” the adaptation of the hit video game being produced by Adrian Askarieh and Eric Eisner. “Just Cause” hails from Square Enix, the home of the “Tomb Raider” and “Hitman” video games, and centers on a black ops agent codenamed the Scorpion who enters a guerilla war to overthrow a dictator. “Just Cause 2″ was released earlier this year and sold more than 3.5 million copies; a third game is now in development. The movie will focus on the origin of the Scorpion, aka Rico Rodriguez.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/just-cause-scorpion-rising-video-272913

Business/Legal News
Sony And Escape Artists Won’t Let Go Of Each Other For Three More Years

Sony Pictures Entertainment and the film and television production company Escape Artists have extended their non-exclusive first-look deal for three more years, the companies announced Tuesday. Escape Artists has been at the studio since 1998.

http://www.thewrap.com/movies/column-post/sony-escape-artists-extend-first-look-deal-3-more-years-33570

FX Wants More Of “The League”

Good news for fans of fantasy football – not only are the playoffs right around the corner, but FX has renewed “The League” for a fourth season. Season 4 of “The League” (Thurs., 10:30PM ET) will consist of 13 episodes. A fall premiere date is planned.

http://www.aoltv.com/2011/12/13/fx-renews-the-league-for-season-4/

It’s Official! Christopher Meloni Will Become A Vampire

Christopher Meloni has officially joined HBO’s “True Blood” as a series regular. Meloni will play a very powerful vampire. This vampire just so happens to hold the fate of Bill and Eric in his very undead hands.

http://www.aoltv.com/2011/12/13/christopher-meloni-officially-joins-true-blood/

Industry Moves
Film Exec Amy Powell Has Herself A Brand New Title

Amy Powell has been named president of Insurge Pictures and Paramount Digital Entertainment. She adds those titles to her current post as president of Insurge Pictures and executive VP of interactive marketing, where she helped oversee innovative social media campaigns for projects including “Paranormal Activity” and “Justin Bieber: Never Say Never.” The move comes as Paramount has merged its home entertainment, licensing and digital operations in an effort to cut costs. Powell takes over the top digital post from Tom Lesinski, who left when his division was folded into home entertainment.

http://www.thewrap.com/movies/column-post/amy-powell-named-president-paramount-digital-entertainment-33560

Technology/Multi-Platform Content
That Sound You Just Heard Is Of Mark Burnett Going All Techie On Us

A start-up technolgy company with a new interactive-television product has landed an influential new customer: Mark Burnett. The reality TV guru behind hits like “Survivor” and “Shark Tank” said yesterday he has enlisted ACTV8.ME to create a tool that owners of IOS devices like iPhones and iPads, as well as Android devices, can use to make his shows more interactive, social and immersive. ACTV8.ME CEO Brian Shuster said the product will launch in the first quarter of next year for one of Burnett’s shows, as well as two other network shows unrelated to Burnett. A few more Burnett shows will follow, though Shuster wouldn’t divulge titles.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/mark-burnett-signs-young-interactive-272930

Catherine Clinch's Media Grazing
The Award Hollywood SHOULD Give

Our intrepid Wednesday columnist believes that smart is sexy, and she's not afraid to shout it out to the back row. Click on the link, and read it for yourself.
http://filmnewsbriefs.com/2011/12/catherine-clinchs-media-grazing-%E2%80%94-the-award-hollywood-should-give/

Website to Watch
http://www.pulse.me/

This simple but stylish news magazine app is available for free on the iPhone, iPad and in the Android Market. The app lets you select the list of sources from which you would like to receive content and information. The sources can vary not only in subject matter, but type as well; they can be big-time newspapers to blogs and social networks. Now here's the cool part: it has the sweetest interface. Instead of just populating a list of news and content through clicks, the app employs a swipe and slide mechanism; swipe downwards to access each source's gallery of news; slide the gallery sideways to see more headlines from the publication.

Additional Source:
www.cynopsis.com






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