Indy 4 Hides Starbucks, Hulk Shoot Starts, & Trek Actors Regroup
Indiana Jones' Shoot Preps New Haven Streets
(nhregister.com) NEW HAVEN — Starting Thursday, downtown
will become a Hollywood shoot, and that means driving will be
something of a perilous
However, which streets, and when, is really "kind of a fluid thing,"
as police spokeswoman Bonnie Posick put it.
Director Steven Spielberg, actor Harrison Ford and maybe even Cate
Blanchett will be in town to shoot a chase scene for the fourth
"Indiana Jones" movie, along with hundreds of locally cast extras,
gaffers, best boys and other cinematic technical types.
Some streets will be closed for long periods. On others, cars will be
stopped for a few minutes so they don't appear on camera.
While Chapel Street will be closed to motorized vehicles, except for
1950s sedans and a motorcycle, for much of Thursday through Saturday,
you'll still be able to walk up the street and into Woolworth's.
Woolworth's?
The world-famous five and dime, which once had doorways on Chapel and
Church streets, will seem to reappear at Chapel and High streets for
the movie, according to Joe DeStefano, who was directing the "set
dressers" Friday. You know it as Starbuck's, Allegra Print and Imaging
and Savitt Jewelers.
Put in the simplest terms, the block around Yale's Old Campus, bounded
by Chapel, High, Elm and College streets, will be the most affected.
But it won't be simple.
"They won't all be closed at the same time … and they'll move from one
street to the other," said Barbara Lamb, director of the city's Office
of Cultural Affairs.
A lot of the time, a street will be closed intermittently, remaining
open while shots are being set up.
Because of the probability of changes in the filming schedule, the
production crew will post the next day's schedule each night on the
city's Web site, www.cityofnewhaven.com.
The dates are reasonably certain at this point, barring weather delays
or other unforeseen events. Shooting will start as early as 6 a.m.
Thursday and run through July 7, except for Sunday and the Fourth of
July.
Posick suggested leaving the car at home. "They want to encourage
people to use public transportation if you can, so if you work
downtown you won't be affected."
As of late last week, plans for Thursday were to shoot inside William
L. Harkness Hall and the Yale Law School, and on the following
streets, at least part of the time: College Street between Grove and
Crown streets; Chapel, Elm and Grove between Temple and York streets;
High between Crown and Elm; and Prospect Street between Trumbull and
Grove streets.
Friday and Saturday's schedules are similar.
Lamb said the film crew will keep Elm and other streets open during
rush hours and will adjust if traffic seems to be getting especially
backed up.
One change the Paramount decision-makers have made is that they will
not use a Yale practice field in the scene. "Their creative team
decided that they're not going to use Derby Avenue for the chase
scene," said West Haven Police Chief Ronald M. Quagliani.
Lamb said that part of the schedule will be filled with something new.
"They're creating a new scene, which hasn't even been confirmed yet,
so that's going to go in there," she said.
That's Hollywood!
The Hulk is Coming to Trenton
(thewhig.com) He's big, he's green, and he's coming to CFB
Trenton. And while he's there, things are bound to get smashed.
On July 26 and 27, crews filming the new movie The Incredible Hulk
will arrive at the air base.
In an interview from Toronto Thursday, executive producer Jim Van Wyck
told the Intelligencer that this incarnation of the superhero is a
"total reinvention" from that seen in 2003's The Hulk.
"The Hulk is unbelievably amazing compared to the Hulk in the first
film," Van Wyck said. "He's not the chlorophyll green he was in the
first film."
Created by comic book legends Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the Hulk is one
of the pillars of the Marvel Comics empire.
Brilliant scientist Bruce Banner turns into the Hulk, a powerful,
rage-filled behemoth, when his emotions rise.
The result is always chaos.
Van Wyck said everything about the new film, which is set for release
June 13, 2008, is different. He said that the new approach is
"completely intentional."
"It's a stand-alone movie with respect to the first movie and respect
to the TV series," said Van Wyck, whose credits include work on 16
Blocks, Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, Free Willy,
Swordfish, and The Babe.
"It's probably more loyal to the TV series than the first one was, but
it is definitely an original.
"We've got an absolutely fantastic group of actors," Van Wyck said.
The Incredible Hulk stars Edward Norton, who reportedly turned down
the role of Harvey Dent in The Dark Knight, next year's sequel to
Batman Begins, to play Banner. He replaces Eric Bana, who played the
Hulk in the 2003 film.
Liv Tyler portrays Banner's fellow scientist Betty Ross, who was
played by Jennifer Connelly in 2003.
The Hulk's arch-enemy, Betty's father Gen. Thaddeus "Thunderbolt"
Ross, is played by William Hurt. Tim Roth has been recruited to play
Emil Blonsky, also known as the monstrous Abomination.
Hurt and Roth are the only stars expected to be on location in
Trenton, Van Wyck said.
"True to the comic books, Gen. Ross's lifelong obsession has become
hunting down and capturing the Hulk. And Trenton fills in as his base
of operation."
Van Wyck said 15 of the shoot's projected 18 weeks will be shot in
Canada, mostly in Toronto and Hamilton. One week is devoted to New
York, the other two to Rio de Janeiro.
He said the scenes involving Trenton are set at a secret military base
that is never named.
"I think everybody that knows Trenton will recognize Trenton," he
said, adding a CC-130 Hercules kept at the base will be a key part of
the shooting.
"The folks at 8 Wing have been most gracious," he said. "One of the
things I'm actually most excited about is I've asked them to explore
the possibility of having the folks who work on the base there work as
extras."
However, he said, that possibility is still being discussed.
Pixar Boys Take Over DisneyToon Studios
(news.awn.com) DisneyToon Studios (DTS) is being
restructured and will now operate as a separate unit under the
supervision of Walt Disney Animation Studios. The studio will pursue
original DVD productions and has curtailed making sequels to its
features.
John Lasseter, chief creative officer for Walt Disney and Pixar
Animation Studios, and Ed Catmull, president of Walt Disney and Pixar
Animation Studios, assume responsibilities of DTS. Morrill, a 15-year
Disney veteran who was president of DTS since 2004, assumes new duties
within the studio, which will include working on a variety of special
projects.
"John and I are truly excited to be working with the talented team at
DisneyToon Studios in developing and producing original stories for
the home entertainment audience," Catmull added. "The first project
includes TINKER BELL and a whole new cast of Fairy characters that
have all the ingredients of wonder, magic and enchantment that our
audiences expect. With DisneyToon Studios, now part of Walt Disney
Animation Studios, we hope to explore a wide variety of fun and
original story ideas and projects."
'Evan' All Wet
(boxofficemojo.com) Though it cost more than twice s much to
make Evan Almighty wasn't nearly as powerful as Bruce Almighty,
delivering an opening less than half the size.
Universal Pictures' religious comedy sequel loaded an estimated $32.1
million on approximately 5,200 screens at 3,604 theaters, compared to
Bruce Almighty's $68 million start four years ago as well as Click's
$40 million this time last year. The Noah's Ark-themed Evan sold about
as many tickets as Dr. Dolittle 2, another animal-stocked sequel aimed
at a family audience, did on the same weekend in 2001.
Overseas Maya Animation Academy Launched
(Televisionpoint.com) Maya Academy of Advanced Cinematics
(MAAC), a leading animation and special effects institute, and a
division of Maya Entertainment (MEL), launched its first
stat-of-the-art multimedia education facility in Coimbatore.
Equipped with the latest equipment, multimedia courseware and hi-tech
laboratory, the centre will have its faculty drawn from the upper
echelons of the entertainment industry to impart quality
careeroriented education.
Aruna Kumar, general manager (operations-South), MEL, said
"Coimbatore's vibrant business environment, upcoming IT infrastructure
and large creative talent pool makes it an ideal location for the
animation industry".
Kingshuk Gupta, general manager, MEL, said the Indian animation
industry is currently pegged at $550 million with 42%, 31% and 15% of
its animation content in Film & Broadcast, Gaming and Web
respectively.
"The emergence of new markets and the encroachment of 3D over the 2D
market is expected to provide India with over $2 billion worth
animation business within the next three years," he added.
After consolidating its presence in the West and North, MAAC is now
focussing on the South, which is evolving into an animation hub.
"There is a huge potential in the region. Many studios are coming up
in Bangalore and Hyderabad as companies find more skilled animators
are being generated in these cities," Gupta said.
Star Trek Actors Regroup For Sci-Fi Movie
(Trekweb.com) Star Trek The Next Generation actress Marina
Sirtis is now filming a new science-fiction movie titled InAlienable,
produced and written by TOS actor Walter Koenig.
Here is a synopses of the movie : "Still guilt-ridden over the
accident that took his family's lives, Eric Norris discovers that his
body is host to a parasite from another world. Except, it is more than
a parasite: it carries his DNA. Is this his new son or--as the
government believes--a threat to mankind?"
The movie also stars Star Trek actors Koenig, Gary Graham and Alan
Ruck, original Galactica star Richard Hatch and it is also produced by
Sky Conway (also the producer of the upcoming Trek fan film Star Trek
Of Gods and Men) and directed by Robert Dyke.
Transformers Movie Delivered By Satellite
(comingsoon.net) Microspace Communications Corporation
(Microspace) today announced that it will deliver the North American
premiere of DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures' release of
Transformers to the L.A. Film Festival on June 27, 2007.
The exclusive pre-release screening of Transformers will represent the
first time a motion picture has been delivered via satellite to the
L.A. Film Festival. The distribution will be one of the largest film
premieres in history and will be screened simultaneously to thousands
of viewers.
"Digital delivery is a key element in the change to digital cinema,"
said Jim Tharp, president, domestic distribution for Paramount
Pictures. "We are so pleased to partner with Microspace for satellite
delivery of 'Transformers' at the L.A. Film Festival."
"Satellite delivery of motion pictures continues to gain significant
traction among studios and exhibitors as return-on-investment is
realized," said Curt Tilly, manager of digital cinema distribution at
Microspace. "The quality and reliability that digital delivery yields,
enables both studios and exhibitors to feature the highest quality
presentation the first time and every time."
Buddy Holly Vs. Zombies?
(moviehole.net) Ream Enterprises and CineXperia Productions
have announced the curiously titled "Buddy Holly Vs. The Living Dead",
a new film written and directed by Justin Cash Kirkpatrick.
"Evil Dead" make-up man Tom Sullivan and Lee Behymer, a prominent and
respected make-up effects artist whose resume includes work on Francis
Ford Coppola's "Dracula", are involved in the production.
"At its core the film is about fanaticism in all its forms; from
gambling to drinking to false idolization; it opens the flood gates to
the subconscious where viewers realize that the real horror element of
the film lies not within the ominous flesh eating monsters", a press
release tells us. "The movie itself centers on the key players
involved in making a 1950's zombie movie and the effects of living the
sort of life that lends itself to such chronic exposure to gratuitous
excess. By shifting back and forth between the two plotlines Justin
creates the foreboding sensation that the "fantasy" plot bears on the
"real" plot. That as things gets worse within the "movie" so too do
they get worse in "real life". The impending hordes of undead are
cleverly used as an allegory; a rotting decrepit evil descending on a
seemingly wholesome town, bent on devouring everyone along with their
Americana values and consequently turning them into mindless drones."
Leif Garret Vs. Dracula is bound to be just around the corner.
Confirmed: Star Trek 11 to Focus on Young Kirk & Spock
(Slashfilm.com) We have finally received official
confirmation on the plot of Star Trek XI (kinda). In an article in
Sunday's NY Times, screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman
revealed that the film focuses "on the earliest adventures of Captain
Kirk and Mr. Spock." Okay, so most of us already knew or assumed this,
but I believe this is the first time it's been officially confirmed.
And I've always found it amusing when a film has a release date before
a script. In the article, the Star Trek scribes tell this interesting
antidote:
"What was a little daunting, was while we were writing it, they sent
over a poster with the release date on it. We hadn't written 'fade in'
yet," said Kurtzman.
Orci added:
"We've never had a movie poster before we've had a script. That's pressure."
Sony Pictures Imageworks Breaks Ground at Albuquerque Studios
(prweb.com) Gov. Bill Richardson broke ground for Sony Pictures
Imageworks' 100,000 square-foot digital animation production facility
at Albuquerque Studios at Mesa del Sol on June 23rd.
The decision by one of Hollywood's major studios to establish a new
facility in Albuquerque is the latest indication of New Mexico's
rapidly expanding film industry. Once the building is completed, an
estimated 300 Sony Pictures Imageworks employees will move to
Albuquerque from Los Angeles. Sony Pictures Imageworks has also
recently welcomed University of New Mexico as a new member in its
Imageworks Professional Academic Excellence program in an effort to
nurture young talent.
In attendance:
Bill Richardson
Governor of New Mexico
Martin Chavez
Mayor of Albuquerque
Tim Sarnoff
President, Sony Pictures Imageworks
Hal Katersky
CEO Pacifica Ventures/Albuquerque Studios
Dr. Christopher Mead
Dean of the College of Fine Arts, University of New Mexico
Ed Angel
Director of ARTS Lab, University of New Mexico
Michael Daly
Forest City Covington/Mesa del Sol
Nick Smerigan
Chief Operating Officer, Albuquerque Studios
Disney Execs Pray For Pixar Backlash
(jimhillmedia.com) Here's the official party line for the
Walt Disney Company nowadays : That everyone who works in Burbank is
just thrilled that John Lasseter & Ed Catmull now exert so much
control over the corporation. More importantly, that all Mouse House
employees have been eager to embrace Pixar's "Quality is a great
business plan" aesthetic.
Okay. Now do you want to know what's really going on? Take a gander at
this excerpt from an e-mail that I received late last week from a
Disney executive:
There are a lot of people here who are now actively hoping for a Pixar
backlash. The transition has not been handled well, due mostly to the
great care & attention that's being lavished on Pixar. Every attempt
has been made to make sure that that animation studio's creative
culture have been kept intact. Meanwhile, Disney Studio's own unique
traditions & operating systems are being plowed under.
Many of us here feel that Disney's own executives (Who in some cases
have decades of working experience) are needlessly being forced to
take a backseat to the crew from Emeryville. Meanwhile the people from
Pixar are afforded stronger creative control, get superior treatment,
receive more credit and have their asses kissed regularly by Iger &
associates.
The good news is that all of this may all change once "Ratatouille" 's
box office receipts get counted. Though Brad Bird has made a great
little movie, it won't hit the B.O. numbers that Wall Street wants and
that will get a lot of attention.
Not exactly what you expected to hear, right? Wait. The news gets worse.
How much worse? Well, let's now talk about "Ratatouille" 's box office
projections. Nikki Finke over at DeadlineHollywoodDaily has been
reporting that Pixar's latest should pull in something around $60
million over its opening weekend. Which then puts "Ratatouille" pretty
much on par with what "Monsters, Inc.," "Cars," and "Toy Story 2"
earned over their opening weekends.
Mind you, those three Pixar productions would then go on to earn $242
million, $255 million & $245 million over their respective domestic
releases. Unfortunately, according to current box office projections,
"Ratatouille" isn't expected to do nearly as well as that.
According to information that studio insiders have shared with me,
this Brad Bird movie should only earn $150 - $170 million during its
entire domestic run. Which then puts Pixar's latest on par with what
"A Bug's Life" (I.E. That studio's lowest grossing animated feature to
date) earned back in 1998. Which only took $162 million domestically.
Okay. So you now have "Ratatouille" (Due to the fact that this Pixar
production is being released during a particularly competitive summer
when people's movie-going habits are rapidly changing) projected to
make only $150 - $170 million during its entire domestic release.
Which will be $70 - $90 million less than "Cars" made last summer. And
given that many investment analysts still consider that John Lasseter
film to be a disappointment because it failed to achieve "Finding
Nemo" -sized grosses ... Well, how do you think that those folks are
going to react when they hear this news?
The word that Disney & Pixar officials fear most here is "trend." As
in " ... 'Ratatouille' 's disappointing box office receipts continued
the downward trend that began last year with the release of 'Cars.' "
Which -- of course -- then re-opens the door to the whole
"Did-Disney-over-pay-for-Pixar ?" question.
Which is why -- over the past few weeks -- Disney's PR machine has
gone into overdrive. Placing all sorts of pre-emptive pieces in major
news weeklys about "Ratatouille." Which -- even as these articles
talked up this film's artistic achievements -- they also downplayed
the importance of this Brad Bird movie needing to make any real money.
More: http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hill/archive/2007/06/25/monday-mouse-watch-could-underwhelming-box-office-receipts-for-ratatouille-really-spell-trouble-for-disney-pixar-officials.aspx
Indiana Jones 4 to Film at Hamakua Coast, Hawaii
(Hawaii Tribune-Herald) Scenes for Indiana Jones 4 will be shot
for three weeks at the Hamakua Coast on the Big Island of Hawaii in
August. Here's a clip:
Location shooting will take place along the Hamakua Coast and
Lucasfilm has opened a production office in Hilo. There is no word yet
on any casting call or other local production hires.
Filming on the project, to be released May 22, 2008, started Monday in
Deming, N.M., where part of the town has been decked out to resemble
Morocco during World War II.
Security surrounding the yet-to-be-titled film, which has been dubbed
"Project X" by those close to the production, has been even tighter
than around past film projects on the island.
(nhregister.com) NEW HAVEN — Starting Thursday, downtown
will become a Hollywood shoot, and that means driving will be
something of a perilous
However, which streets, and when, is really "kind of a fluid thing,"
as police spokeswoman Bonnie Posick put it.
Director Steven Spielberg, actor Harrison Ford and maybe even Cate
Blanchett will be in town to shoot a chase scene for the fourth
"Indiana Jones" movie, along with hundreds of locally cast extras,
gaffers, best boys and other cinematic technical types.
Some streets will be closed for long periods. On others, cars will be
stopped for a few minutes so they don't appear on camera.
While Chapel Street will be closed to motorized vehicles, except for
1950s sedans and a motorcycle, for much of Thursday through Saturday,
you'll still be able to walk up the street and into Woolworth's.
Woolworth's?
The world-famous five and dime, which once had doorways on Chapel and
Church streets, will seem to reappear at Chapel and High streets for
the movie, according to Joe DeStefano, who was directing the "set
dressers" Friday. You know it as Starbuck's, Allegra Print and Imaging
and Savitt Jewelers.
Put in the simplest terms, the block around Yale's Old Campus, bounded
by Chapel, High, Elm and College streets, will be the most affected.
But it won't be simple.
"They won't all be closed at the same time … and they'll move from one
street to the other," said Barbara Lamb, director of the city's Office
of Cultural Affairs.
A lot of the time, a street will be closed intermittently, remaining
open while shots are being set up.
Because of the probability of changes in the filming schedule, the
production crew will post the next day's schedule each night on the
city's Web site, www.cityofnewhaven.com.
The dates are reasonably certain at this point, barring weather delays
or other unforeseen events. Shooting will start as early as 6 a.m.
Thursday and run through July 7, except for Sunday and the Fourth of
July.
Posick suggested leaving the car at home. "They want to encourage
people to use public transportation if you can, so if you work
downtown you won't be affected."
As of late last week, plans for Thursday were to shoot inside William
L. Harkness Hall and the Yale Law School, and on the following
streets, at least part of the time: College Street between Grove and
Crown streets; Chapel, Elm and Grove between Temple and York streets;
High between Crown and Elm; and Prospect Street between Trumbull and
Grove streets.
Friday and Saturday's schedules are similar.
Lamb said the film crew will keep Elm and other streets open during
rush hours and will adjust if traffic seems to be getting especially
backed up.
One change the Paramount decision-makers have made is that they will
not use a Yale practice field in the scene. "Their creative team
decided that they're not going to use Derby Avenue for the chase
scene," said West Haven Police Chief Ronald M. Quagliani.
Lamb said that part of the schedule will be filled with something new.
"They're creating a new scene, which hasn't even been confirmed yet,
so that's going to go in there," she said.
That's Hollywood!
The Hulk is Coming to Trenton
(thewhig.com) He's big, he's green, and he's coming to CFB
Trenton. And while he's there, things are bound to get smashed.
On July 26 and 27, crews filming the new movie The Incredible Hulk
will arrive at the air base.
In an interview from Toronto Thursday, executive producer Jim Van Wyck
told the Intelligencer that this incarnation of the superhero is a
"total reinvention" from that seen in 2003's The Hulk.
"The Hulk is unbelievably amazing compared to the Hulk in the first
film," Van Wyck said. "He's not the chlorophyll green he was in the
first film."
Created by comic book legends Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the Hulk is one
of the pillars of the Marvel Comics empire.
Brilliant scientist Bruce Banner turns into the Hulk, a powerful,
rage-filled behemoth, when his emotions rise.
The result is always chaos.
Van Wyck said everything about the new film, which is set for release
June 13, 2008, is different. He said that the new approach is
"completely intentional."
"It's a stand-alone movie with respect to the first movie and respect
to the TV series," said Van Wyck, whose credits include work on 16
Blocks, Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, Free Willy,
Swordfish, and The Babe.
"It's probably more loyal to the TV series than the first one was, but
it is definitely an original.
"We've got an absolutely fantastic group of actors," Van Wyck said.
The Incredible Hulk stars Edward Norton, who reportedly turned down
the role of Harvey Dent in The Dark Knight, next year's sequel to
Batman Begins, to play Banner. He replaces Eric Bana, who played the
Hulk in the 2003 film.
Liv Tyler portrays Banner's fellow scientist Betty Ross, who was
played by Jennifer Connelly in 2003.
The Hulk's arch-enemy, Betty's father Gen. Thaddeus "Thunderbolt"
Ross, is played by William Hurt. Tim Roth has been recruited to play
Emil Blonsky, also known as the monstrous Abomination.
Hurt and Roth are the only stars expected to be on location in
Trenton, Van Wyck said.
"True to the comic books, Gen. Ross's lifelong obsession has become
hunting down and capturing the Hulk. And Trenton fills in as his base
of operation."
Van Wyck said 15 of the shoot's projected 18 weeks will be shot in
Canada, mostly in Toronto and Hamilton. One week is devoted to New
York, the other two to Rio de Janeiro.
He said the scenes involving Trenton are set at a secret military base
that is never named.
"I think everybody that knows Trenton will recognize Trenton," he
said, adding a CC-130 Hercules kept at the base will be a key part of
the shooting.
"The folks at 8 Wing have been most gracious," he said. "One of the
things I'm actually most excited about is I've asked them to explore
the possibility of having the folks who work on the base there work as
extras."
However, he said, that possibility is still being discussed.
Pixar Boys Take Over DisneyToon Studios
(news.awn.com) DisneyToon Studios (DTS) is being
restructured and will now operate as a separate unit under the
supervision of Walt Disney Animation Studios. The studio will pursue
original DVD productions and has curtailed making sequels to its
features.
John Lasseter, chief creative officer for Walt Disney and Pixar
Animation Studios, and Ed Catmull, president of Walt Disney and Pixar
Animation Studios, assume responsibilities of DTS. Morrill, a 15-year
Disney veteran who was president of DTS since 2004, assumes new duties
within the studio, which will include working on a variety of special
projects.
"John and I are truly excited to be working with the talented team at
DisneyToon Studios in developing and producing original stories for
the home entertainment audience," Catmull added. "The first project
includes TINKER BELL and a whole new cast of Fairy characters that
have all the ingredients of wonder, magic and enchantment that our
audiences expect. With DisneyToon Studios, now part of Walt Disney
Animation Studios, we hope to explore a wide variety of fun and
original story ideas and projects."
'Evan' All Wet
(boxofficemojo.com) Though it cost more than twice s much to
make Evan Almighty wasn't nearly as powerful as Bruce Almighty,
delivering an opening less than half the size.
Universal Pictures' religious comedy sequel loaded an estimated $32.1
million on approximately 5,200 screens at 3,604 theaters, compared to
Bruce Almighty's $68 million start four years ago as well as Click's
$40 million this time last year. The Noah's Ark-themed Evan sold about
as many tickets as Dr. Dolittle 2, another animal-stocked sequel aimed
at a family audience, did on the same weekend in 2001.
Overseas Maya Animation Academy Launched
(Televisionpoint.com) Maya Academy of Advanced Cinematics
(MAAC), a leading animation and special effects institute, and a
division of Maya Entertainment (MEL), launched its first
stat-of-the-art multimedia education facility in Coimbatore.
Equipped with the latest equipment, multimedia courseware and hi-tech
laboratory, the centre will have its faculty drawn from the upper
echelons of the entertainment industry to impart quality
careeroriented education.
Aruna Kumar, general manager (operations-South), MEL, said
"Coimbatore's vibrant business environment, upcoming IT infrastructure
and large creative talent pool makes it an ideal location for the
animation industry".
Kingshuk Gupta, general manager, MEL, said the Indian animation
industry is currently pegged at $550 million with 42%, 31% and 15% of
its animation content in Film & Broadcast, Gaming and Web
respectively.
"The emergence of new markets and the encroachment of 3D over the 2D
market is expected to provide India with over $2 billion worth
animation business within the next three years," he added.
After consolidating its presence in the West and North, MAAC is now
focussing on the South, which is evolving into an animation hub.
"There is a huge potential in the region. Many studios are coming up
in Bangalore and Hyderabad as companies find more skilled animators
are being generated in these cities," Gupta said.
Star Trek Actors Regroup For Sci-Fi Movie
(Trekweb.com) Star Trek The Next Generation actress Marina
Sirtis is now filming a new science-fiction movie titled InAlienable,
produced and written by TOS actor Walter Koenig.
Here is a synopses of the movie : "Still guilt-ridden over the
accident that took his family's lives, Eric Norris discovers that his
body is host to a parasite from another world. Except, it is more than
a parasite: it carries his DNA. Is this his new son or--as the
government believes--a threat to mankind?"
The movie also stars Star Trek actors Koenig, Gary Graham and Alan
Ruck, original Galactica star Richard Hatch and it is also produced by
Sky Conway (also the producer of the upcoming Trek fan film Star Trek
Of Gods and Men) and directed by Robert Dyke.
Transformers Movie Delivered By Satellite
(comingsoon.net) Microspace Communications Corporation
(Microspace) today announced that it will deliver the North American
premiere of DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures' release of
Transformers to the L.A. Film Festival on June 27, 2007.
The exclusive pre-release screening of Transformers will represent the
first time a motion picture has been delivered via satellite to the
L.A. Film Festival. The distribution will be one of the largest film
premieres in history and will be screened simultaneously to thousands
of viewers.
"Digital delivery is a key element in the change to digital cinema,"
said Jim Tharp, president, domestic distribution for Paramount
Pictures. "We are so pleased to partner with Microspace for satellite
delivery of 'Transformers' at the L.A. Film Festival."
"Satellite delivery of motion pictures continues to gain significant
traction among studios and exhibitors as return-on-investment is
realized," said Curt Tilly, manager of digital cinema distribution at
Microspace. "The quality and reliability that digital delivery yields,
enables both studios and exhibitors to feature the highest quality
presentation the first time and every time."
Buddy Holly Vs. Zombies?
(moviehole.net) Ream Enterprises and CineXperia Productions
have announced the curiously titled "Buddy Holly Vs. The Living Dead",
a new film written and directed by Justin Cash Kirkpatrick.
"Evil Dead" make-up man Tom Sullivan and Lee Behymer, a prominent and
respected make-up effects artist whose resume includes work on Francis
Ford Coppola's "Dracula", are involved in the production.
"At its core the film is about fanaticism in all its forms; from
gambling to drinking to false idolization; it opens the flood gates to
the subconscious where viewers realize that the real horror element of
the film lies not within the ominous flesh eating monsters", a press
release tells us. "The movie itself centers on the key players
involved in making a 1950's zombie movie and the effects of living the
sort of life that lends itself to such chronic exposure to gratuitous
excess. By shifting back and forth between the two plotlines Justin
creates the foreboding sensation that the "fantasy" plot bears on the
"real" plot. That as things gets worse within the "movie" so too do
they get worse in "real life". The impending hordes of undead are
cleverly used as an allegory; a rotting decrepit evil descending on a
seemingly wholesome town, bent on devouring everyone along with their
Americana values and consequently turning them into mindless drones."
Leif Garret Vs. Dracula is bound to be just around the corner.
Confirmed: Star Trek 11 to Focus on Young Kirk & Spock
(Slashfilm.com) We have finally received official
confirmation on the plot of Star Trek XI (kinda). In an article in
Sunday's NY Times, screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman
revealed that the film focuses "on the earliest adventures of Captain
Kirk and Mr. Spock." Okay, so most of us already knew or assumed this,
but I believe this is the first time it's been officially confirmed.
And I've always found it amusing when a film has a release date before
a script. In the article, the Star Trek scribes tell this interesting
antidote:
"What was a little daunting, was while we were writing it, they sent
over a poster with the release date on it. We hadn't written 'fade in'
yet," said Kurtzman.
Orci added:
"We've never had a movie poster before we've had a script. That's pressure."
Sony Pictures Imageworks Breaks Ground at Albuquerque Studios
(prweb.com) Gov. Bill Richardson broke ground for Sony Pictures
Imageworks' 100,000 square-foot digital animation production facility
at Albuquerque Studios at Mesa del Sol on June 23rd.
The decision by one of Hollywood's major studios to establish a new
facility in Albuquerque is the latest indication of New Mexico's
rapidly expanding film industry. Once the building is completed, an
estimated 300 Sony Pictures Imageworks employees will move to
Albuquerque from Los Angeles. Sony Pictures Imageworks has also
recently welcomed University of New Mexico as a new member in its
Imageworks Professional Academic Excellence program in an effort to
nurture young talent.
In attendance:
Bill Richardson
Governor of New Mexico
Martin Chavez
Mayor of Albuquerque
Tim Sarnoff
President, Sony Pictures Imageworks
Hal Katersky
CEO Pacifica Ventures/Albuquerque Studios
Dr. Christopher Mead
Dean of the College of Fine Arts, University of New Mexico
Ed Angel
Director of ARTS Lab, University of New Mexico
Michael Daly
Forest City Covington/Mesa del Sol
Nick Smerigan
Chief Operating Officer, Albuquerque Studios
Disney Execs Pray For Pixar Backlash
(jimhillmedia.com) Here's the official party line for the
Walt Disney Company nowadays : That everyone who works in Burbank is
just thrilled that John Lasseter & Ed Catmull now exert so much
control over the corporation. More importantly, that all Mouse House
employees have been eager to embrace Pixar's "Quality is a great
business plan" aesthetic.
Okay. Now do you want to know what's really going on? Take a gander at
this excerpt from an e-mail that I received late last week from a
Disney executive:
There are a lot of people here who are now actively hoping for a Pixar
backlash. The transition has not been handled well, due mostly to the
great care & attention that's being lavished on Pixar. Every attempt
has been made to make sure that that animation studio's creative
culture have been kept intact. Meanwhile, Disney Studio's own unique
traditions & operating systems are being plowed under.
Many of us here feel that Disney's own executives (Who in some cases
have decades of working experience) are needlessly being forced to
take a backseat to the crew from Emeryville. Meanwhile the people from
Pixar are afforded stronger creative control, get superior treatment,
receive more credit and have their asses kissed regularly by Iger &
associates.
The good news is that all of this may all change once "Ratatouille" 's
box office receipts get counted. Though Brad Bird has made a great
little movie, it won't hit the B.O. numbers that Wall Street wants and
that will get a lot of attention.
Not exactly what you expected to hear, right? Wait. The news gets worse.
How much worse? Well, let's now talk about "Ratatouille" 's box office
projections. Nikki Finke over at DeadlineHollywoodDaily has been
reporting that Pixar's latest should pull in something around $60
million over its opening weekend. Which then puts "Ratatouille" pretty
much on par with what "Monsters, Inc.," "Cars," and "Toy Story 2"
earned over their opening weekends.
Mind you, those three Pixar productions would then go on to earn $242
million, $255 million & $245 million over their respective domestic
releases. Unfortunately, according to current box office projections,
"Ratatouille" isn't expected to do nearly as well as that.
According to information that studio insiders have shared with me,
this Brad Bird movie should only earn $150 - $170 million during its
entire domestic run. Which then puts Pixar's latest on par with what
"A Bug's Life" (I.E. That studio's lowest grossing animated feature to
date) earned back in 1998. Which only took $162 million domestically.
Okay. So you now have "Ratatouille" (Due to the fact that this Pixar
production is being released during a particularly competitive summer
when people's movie-going habits are rapidly changing) projected to
make only $150 - $170 million during its entire domestic release.
Which will be $70 - $90 million less than "Cars" made last summer. And
given that many investment analysts still consider that John Lasseter
film to be a disappointment because it failed to achieve "Finding
Nemo" -sized grosses ... Well, how do you think that those folks are
going to react when they hear this news?
The word that Disney & Pixar officials fear most here is "trend." As
in " ... 'Ratatouille' 's disappointing box office receipts continued
the downward trend that began last year with the release of 'Cars.' "
Which -- of course -- then re-opens the door to the whole
"Did-Disney-over-pay-for-Pixar ?" question.
Which is why -- over the past few weeks -- Disney's PR machine has
gone into overdrive. Placing all sorts of pre-emptive pieces in major
news weeklys about "Ratatouille." Which -- even as these articles
talked up this film's artistic achievements -- they also downplayed
the importance of this Brad Bird movie needing to make any real money.
More: http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hill/archive/2007/06/25/monday-mouse-watch-could-underwhelming-box-office-receipts-for-ratatouille-really-spell-trouble-for-disney-pixar-officials.aspx
Indiana Jones 4 to Film at Hamakua Coast, Hawaii
(Hawaii Tribune-Herald) Scenes for Indiana Jones 4 will be shot
for three weeks at the Hamakua Coast on the Big Island of Hawaii in
August. Here's a clip:
Location shooting will take place along the Hamakua Coast and
Lucasfilm has opened a production office in Hilo. There is no word yet
on any casting call or other local production hires.
Filming on the project, to be released May 22, 2008, started Monday in
Deming, N.M., where part of the town has been decked out to resemble
Morocco during World War II.
Security surrounding the yet-to-be-titled film, which has been dubbed
"Project X" by those close to the production, has been even tighter
than around past film projects on the island.
