TV, Film & Media Industry International News Roundup, Monday 2 September 2024
California's AI law, Cineworld's restructuring, TV show cancellations, Hallmark's reality TV, Tubi's market share rise, and Vinterberg's Danish refugee crisis series highlight key industry shifts.
Today’s Highlights:
California Passes Law Requiring Consent for AI Digital Replicas of Dead Performers - The California state Senate passed a law requiring consent for using deceased performers' likenesses in AI-created digital replicas.
Travelodge Owner Leads Cineworld Restructuring Amid Rent Dispute—GoldenTree, the owner of Travelodge, is spearheading a radical restructuring of Cineworld. Cineworld collapsed owing £4 billion, leading to potential rent cuts for UK landlords.
New Zealand Film Initiative, Rebrands to 'Day One | Hāpai Te Haeata' - The New Zealand film project formerly known as 'The Outlook for Someday' has rebranded, aiming to uplift young filmmakers and amplify youth voices in the industry.
TV Shows Are Being Cancelled Faster Than Ever Before - Streaming platforms are increasingly cancelling shows soon after their release, as seen with Disney+'s "Star Wars: The Acolyte," reflecting the evolving dynamics of the industry.
The Real-Life Finance World Behind HBO's 'Industry' - HBO's "Industry" delves into the dark side of finance, portraying the high-stakes, cutthroat banking world through intense and sometimes gruesome storytelling.
Apple TV+'s 'Disclaimer' and Other TV Shows Invade Film Festivals - High-profile TV shows like "Disclaimer" at the Venice Film Festival highlight the growing convergence of film and television.
Hallmark Enters Reality TV with Hallmark+—Hallmark Media is launching reality TV shows on its rebranded streaming platform, Hallmark+, which will focus on heart-centered content.
Tubi Matches Disney+ in TV Market Share But Remains Unprofitable—Tubi reached a 2.1% share of US TV viewing, equal to Disney+, but it continues to struggle with profitability despite its large user base.
Summer 2024 Box Office Sees Solid Return to Cinemas—The 2024 summer box office performed well, with films like "Bad Boys: Ride or Die" drawing audiences back to theatres despite a shift in streaming service models.
Thomas Vinterberg's 'Families Like Ours' Explores a Danish Refugee Crisis - The series imagines Denmark as a refugee nation due to an impending flood, exploring the human drama resulting from this catastrophic event.
Plus: News, Insights, Festivals, Executive Moves, In Development and Jobs with BBC, Google, Sheffield DocFest, Paramount, Disney & Prime.
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NEWS
California Passes Law Requiring Consent for AI Digital Replicas of Dead Performers
The California state Senate has passed a law requiring consent to use deceased performers' likenesses in AI-created digital replicas. Supported by SAG-AFTRA, this legislation aims to help the estates of deceased performers maintain control over AI-generated fakes and replicas. The bill, AB 1836, now awaits Gov. Gavin Newsom's signature. This follows the recent passage of AB 2602, which strengthens consent requirements for using AI to replicate living performers. Read More
Travelodge owner has front-row seat in Cineworld rent row
The Wall Street owner of Travelodge, GoldenTree, is leading a radical restructuring of Cineworld, which collapsed into administration last year, owing creditors £4 billion. After a failed auction of the UK and Ireland business, GoldenTree, Dubai-based Sirius Capital and Mayfair's Blantyre Capital took control through a debt-for-equity swap. The restructuring may leave UK ratepayers out of pocket, with many Cineworld landlords facing steep rent cuts. Cineworld, operating 128 sites in the UK and Ireland, argues that the business could become insolvent without lease restructuring. Six closures have already been announced, and further rent adjustments are proposed for 49 more sites. Read More
NZ film initiative 'The Outlook for Someday' becomes 'Day One | Hāpai Te Haeata'
The New Zealand emerging filmmakers’ project formerly known as The Outlook for Someday has rebranded as Day One Hāpai te Haeata. The initiative, which has supported young filmmakers for 17 years, aims to uplift and amplify youth voices in the film industry by providing tools, guidance, and opportunities. The rebrand was led by Tāmaki Makaurau-based creative agency Curative, with input from academic Hēmi Kelly, who gifted the project its Māori name, Hāpai te Haeata, symbolising the breaking of dawn. Read More
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INSIGHTS
TV shows are being cancelled faster than ever before. Here’s why
Losing a favourite show mid-story has become a recurring disappointment for TV fans, with Star Wars: The Acolyte being the latest casualty. Cancelled just a month after its Disney+ premiere, the show leaves viewers without a resolution to its cliffhanger ending. This is part of a broader trend, with recent cancellations like Prime Video's My Lady Jane and Netflix's The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself and Lockwood & Co. adding to the growing list. Dr Faye Woods, Associate Professor in Film and Television at the University of Reading, suggests this is a natural consequence of the streaming boom, as platforms rushed to make their mark by green-lighting numerous new programs. Read More
The real-life finance world behind HBO's 'Industry'
In a Cardiff editing bay, Mickey Down and Konrad Kay, creators of HBO's Industry, scrutinised a scene from the show's third season. The moment it involved a banker, after excessive drug use, bleeding from his nose—digitally enhanced blood that appeared too gruesome. Down, concerned it was overly intense, suggested dialling it back to make it just noticeable. The scene took a darker turn when the blood splattered onto a newborn's cheek, highlighting Industry's exploration of depravity, lethal greed, and the ruthless ambition perpetuated within the high-stakes world of finance. When the series debuted in 2020, it depicted a diverse group of new hires at a fictional London financial firm who quickly embraced the institution's culture of self-dealing and backstabbing rather than disrupting it. Read More
Apple TV+'s 'Disclaimer' and more TV shows invading Film Festivals
Apple TV+'s Disclaimer is among the television series making waves at the Venice Film Festival this year. The presence of high-profile TV shows at the prestigious film festival underscores the growing convergence between film and television and the increasing recognition of serialised storytelling as a significant artistic medium. Read More
Sarah Bassiuoni on creating 'Critical Incident' and building her career as a screenwriter
Sydney-based writer and director Sarah Bassiuoni transitioned from a human rights lawyer to a successful filmmaker after a pivotal conversation with a junior lawyer inspired her to pursue screenwriting. With credits including Ladies In Black, The Heights, and House of Gods, she now presents Critical Incident, a six-part crime drama set in Western Sydney, produced by Matchbox Pictures and streaming on Stan. Drawing on her life experience, Bassiuoni discusses the creation of the series, the importance of representing Western Sydney authentically, and her journey to becoming a sought-after filmmaker. Read More
Hallmark dives into reality TV shows with Hallmark+
After more than a year of planning, Hallmark Media is set to enter the reality TV space, aiming to bring heartfelt connections and experiences to the genre. When Hallmark Movies Now rebrands as Hallmark+ on September 10, 2024, the streamer will continue to feature beloved romcoms and dramas and introduce original reality shows hosted by Hallmark stars like Lacey Chabert and Wes Brown. David Stefanou, Hallmark Media’s head of unscripted programming, emphasised that these heart-centred reality shows align with the core mission of Hallmark+. Read More
Tubi equals Disney+ in July TV market share but is still losing money
Tubi Media Group's ad-supported streaming platform, Tubi, reached a significant milestone in July, matching Disney+ with a 2.1% share of overall TV viewing in U.S. households, according to Nielsen. Tubi also maintained its position as the top free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) platform, outperforming The Roku Channel (1.6%) and Pluto TV (0.7%), as well as subscription services like Peacock (1.5%), Max (1.4%), and Paramount+ (1.1%). Despite its success and 80+ million monthly active users, Tubi is not yet profitable, similar to Disney+, which only shows profitability when combined with Hulu and ESPN+. Read More
YouTube Stars Want Some Respect
‘Hot Ones,’ ‘Chicken Shop Date’, and ‘Good Mythical Morning’ draw big audiences but aren’t getting the kind of ad dollars and accolades TV shows do. Read More
Haley Joel Osment Sees Contentment
Twenty-five years after breaking through in the smash “Sixth Sense,” the actor has worked steadily, finding a balance that has eluded some child stars. Read More
How The Summer 2024 Box Office Got Moviegoing Back On Track
This summer saw a solid return to cinemas, echoing the "revenge travel" trend as people resumed their pre-pandemic activities. The domestic box office generated $3.6 billion, slightly below last summer's $4.09 billion, mainly due to the delayed release of a major Marvel film amidst the Hollywood strikes. Despite concerns, the theatrical industry proved resilient, with Sony’s Bad Boys: Ride or Die igniting a season of blockbuster films. Meanwhile, the shift in streaming services to resemble traditional TV with ads has driven 274 million people to seek the more affordable out-of-home entertainment offered by movie theatres, where the average adult ticket costs $12.36. Read More
‘Families Like Ours’ Director Thomas Vinterberg On His Apocalyptic Series: “I Started Thinking, What Would Happen If We Became The Refugees?”
In his seven-part series Families Like Ours, Denmark's Thomas Vinterberg offers a unique twist on the global refugee crisis, imagining a scenario where Denmark faces an impending flood and must evacuate its population. Rather than a straightforward disaster tale, Vinterberg explores the human drama that unfolds as ordinary citizens, like high-schooler Laura (Amaryllis August), are forced to make heart-wrenching choices amid the chaos. Drawing on the empathetic realism of his films like Another Round, Vinterberg examines the lives of those caught in the upheaval, from Laura's family dynamics to a working-class boy whose football dreams lead him to an apprenticeship in the U.K. Read More
‘The Wizard Of Oz’ & ‘The Sound Of Music’ Created A Safe Harbor For Young Heather Graham & Led Her To A Fine Career: The Film That Lit My Fuse
Heather Graham, known for her roles in films like Boogie Nights, Drugstore Cowboy, The Hangover, and Austin Powers, has always balanced vulnerability with confidence. In one of the final instalments of The Film That Lit My Fuse, she shares how movies like The Wizard of Oz and The Sound of Music offered refuge from a troubled family life, inspiring her acting career. Her latest role in A Place of Bones sees her fiercely defending her ranch from outlaws in 1876. Read More
K-Pop Idols Creators Discuss Their Apple TV+ Docuseries with BLACKSWAN, Jessi & Cravity | Interview
Executive producers Jack Turner and Bradley Cramp discuss developing and producing the new Apple TV+ docuseries K-Pop Idols. They shared insights into the challenges of exploring the Korean music and idol industry, building trust with performers and music companies, and the intense, often painful efforts young aspiring stars undergo to achieve fame.
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