A Hollywood agency, Silicon Valley VCs and AT&T partner to invest in digital media
New York Times Mar 3, 08 12:13 PM CST
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In an unusual partnership, a Hollywood talent agency is teaming up with two Silicon Valley venture capital firms and AT&T to invest in Southern California digital media startups. The William Morris Agency announced the fund on Monday, in which AT&T is a limited partner. The focus is online content and technology for social networking, mobile games, and advertising, reports the New York Times .
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The Other Boleyn Girl debuts in fourth with Portman and Johansson
Variety Mar 2, 08 5:18 PM CST
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Semi-Pro shot to number one at the weekend box office but played worse than expected for New Line, banking just $15.3 million, Bloomberg reports. "It's just Will Ferrell in another funny costume," one analyst said. "The act appeared a bit rote this time." An R-rating and poor reviews may have also hurt the sports laffer, Variety reports.
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Gun that killed JFK assassin, Superman suit among items slated for Vegas auction
Reuters Mar 2, 08 4:45 AM CST
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Indiana Jones' whip. The gun that killed JFK's assassin. Madonna's Like a Virgin wedding dress. All are up for grabs at a massive memorabilia auction scheduled for March 15-16 in Las Vegas, Reuters reports. Billed as the best pop-culture collection ever assembled, the 850-lot treasure trove could fetch more than $5 million, says the president of the auction house.
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93.6% of writers approve contract
Variety Feb 27, 08 10:33 AM CST
(Newser)
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Writers Guild members have ratified the 3-year deal that ended their strike earlier this month, union leaders reported yesterday. “This contract is a new beginning for writers in the digital age,” said WGA chief Patric Verrone. The deal gives the WGA jurisdiction over writing for new-media products, and sets residual payments for Internet reuse, both downloads and streaming of feature films and TV programs.
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OPINION
No prep time meant too many clips, not enough Stewart
USA Today Feb 25, 08 2:00 PM CST
(Newser)
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The Oscars were mediocre, to say the least, and USA Today TV critic Robert Bianco chalks the "padded bore" up to the writers strike. With the standoff settled just 2 weeks before the big night, the staff putting clever lines in Jon Stewart's mouth was on a tight schedule. The result: Stewart became "an amusing but underemployed bystander," and the broadcast relied heavily on collages of old clips.
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Non-Americans are dominating as increasing revenue comes from overseas
Los Angeles Times Feb 25, 08 7:35 AM CST
(Newser)
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For a Hollywood award, Oscar wasn't too fond of Tinseltown last night. The Academy Awards were dominated by a crew of crack European actors—and a pair of maverick brothers, Joel and Ethan Coen, operating far from the Hollywood mainstream. It was a record year for the number of Oscars given to people outside Hollywood, with all four winning actors hailing from Europe, writes the Los Angeles Times .
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UPDATED
Coen brothers flick is top Oscar winner with 4 prizes
Los Angeles Times Feb 24, 08 7:54 PM CST
(Newser)
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Hollywood crowned the Coen brothers' No Country for Old Men with four Oscars tonight, including best picture, best direction, and best adapted screenplay, the Los Angeles Times reports. Javier Bardem won best supporting actor for his role as the film's ice-cold assassin. Daniel Day-Lewis scored best actor prize for There Will Be Blood , and a stunned, tearful Marion Cotillard won for best actress in La Vie en Rose.
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Political thriller opens
in first on slow
Oscar weekend
Variety Feb 24, 08 7:45 PM CST
(Newser)
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Vantage Point took top spot at this weekend's box office by nearly doubling the yield of number-two pic Jumper , Variety reports. The Dennis Quaid political thriller banked $24 million to Jumper' 's $12.7 million and number-three The Spiderwick Chronicles ' $12.6 million, both in their second week. Disney’s Step Up 2 the Streets placed fourth with $9.8 million and Fool’s Gold made fifth with $6.3 million.
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A record four are up for screenwriting awards
Associated Press Feb 23, 08 10:40 AM CST
(Newser)
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When the Oscars for screenplays are awarded tomorrow, chances are pretty good that women's names will be on the envelopes. Three are up for best screenplay and one for adapted screenplay, an Oscar record. Women still make up only 19% of film writers, the AP reports, but the tide may be turning. "We all feel that a victory for one of us is a victory for all," said Diablo Cody, nominated for Juno .
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Top cop slams
push for new anti-paparazzi laws
Huffington Post Feb 22, 08 5:01 PM CST
(Newser)
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The LA police chief says proposed legislation regulating paparazzi would be unnecessary if celebrities stayed away from photographers rather than the other way around, the Huffington Post reports. “What we need is Britney Spears to stay home instead of traipsing all over town,” William Bratton said on KPCC radio. “That would solve the problem. We don't need additional laws.”
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Owners put trade paper on block to focus on alternative media
Los Angeles Times Feb 22, 08 12:39 PM CST
(Newser)
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Hollywood trade paper Variety is on the auction block, the Los Angeles Times reports. Anglo-Dutch owner Reed Elsevier is selling a publishing operation that produces the 103-year-old Variety and hundreds of other titles, including Publisher's Weekly . The sale is part of Reed Elsevier's strategy to ditch advertising-dependent publications to focus on subscription-based offerings and information services less vulnerable to downswings.
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Step Up 2 the Streets and Spiderwick Chronicles take 2nd and 3rd
Variety Feb 17, 08 4:55 PM CST
(Newser)
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Jumper has vaulted to top spot at the box office and may bank the fourth-highest President's Day weekend score ever, Variety reports. Step Up 2 the Streets surprised in second thanks to young females, earning $26.3 million to Jumper 's $33.8 million. The Spiderwick Chronicles took third with $21.4 million. All three were holiday weekend debuts.
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