TV, Film & Media Industry International News Roundup, Thursday 29 August 2024
Screenrights funds new initiatives; Nebula hikes prices; CA limits AI replicas; Paris drives sports docs; Pluto TV sale uncertain; Greek Oscars chaos; multiplex decline; villain homes evolve.
Today’s Highlights:
Screenrights Announces Projects for $289,000 Cultural Fund Six projects, including a new First Nations writers initiative, will receive nearly $289,000 from Screenrights' 2024 Cultural Fund, which supports screen content initiatives in Australia and New Zealand.
Australians in Film, Screen Australia Unveil 2024 Untapped Recipients Six emerging filmmakers have been selected for the 2024 Untapped Development Lab, where they will receive mentorship and professional development from top industry creatives.
Nebula Implements First Significant Price Increase Indie streamer Nebula will raise its subscription fees for the first time, with monthly costs increasing from $5 to $6 and annual fees from $50 to $60.
California Bill to Limit AI Replicas Approved The California Senate passed a bill requiring explicit consent to use performers' digital replicas, extending protections to various forms of media.
Paris Olympics Prompt Record Number of Sports Doc Commissions Ampere Analysis reports a surge in sports-themed documentaries, with 103 new titles released globally between May and July 2024, driven by the upcoming Paris Olympics.
Challenges in Paramount's Potential Sale of Pluto TV Paramount Global is considering selling Pluto TV, a profitable streaming platform, but its integration with Paramount's programming complicates the potential sale.
Hollywood's Evolution of Villainous Architecture, The portrayal of movie villains, has evolved, with their homes now often depicted as sophisticated, modernist structures that enhance their sinister allure.
Uncertain Future for Super-Sized Multiplex Cinemas in the UK Changing viewer habits and the rise of streaming services are challenging the viability of large multiplex cinemas in the UK.
Greek Oscar Selection Process in Turmoil Greece's Oscar selection process has faced significant challenges, with most eligible films withdrawing from consideration, prompting industry-wide discussions on reforms.
Real-Life Holocaust Escape Behind' Tattooist of Auschwitz' Adaptation The Emmy-nominated music for the TV adaptation of The Tattooist of Auschwitz highlights the intense real-life escape that inspired the story.
Plus: News, Insights, Festivals, In Development, Deals, Renewals and Jobs with Prime, AFTRS, Audible, Foxtel, Fifth Season, CAA, Virgin & Berlin Film Festival.
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NEWS
Screenrights announces projects for $289,000 Cultural Fund
Six projects, including a new First Nations writers initiative from Screenworks, will share $288,654 from the Screenrights 2024 Cultural Fund. Now in its seventh year, the fund supports initiatives that promote screen content in Australia and New Zealand. This year, applicants focused on the theme "Big Issues: Creative Solutions," with an increased funding pool of $50,000. Screenrights board director Rachel Antony noted a record number of applications for the 2024 fund. Read More
Australians in Film, Screen Australia Unveil 2024 Untapped recipients
Jeni Bezuidenhout, Tamara Hardman, Sophie Morgan, Nicholas Lin, Jack Voegt, and Phoebe Wolfe have been selected for the 2024 Untapped Development Lab by Australians in Film (AiF) and Screen Australia. The participants will receive mentorship, creative feedback, and professional development from top writers and directors. The program includes one-on-one story consultations, pitch coaching, and group sessions with acclaimed Australian creatives following a series of online masterclasses. Read More
Why Indie Streamer Nebula Has Decided It’s Time for a Price Increase
As the 11th season of the popular travel competition series Jet Lag: The Game premieres on Nebula, the indie streamer will implement its first significant price increase on Sept. 1. The subscription fee will rise from $5 to $6 per month and from $50 to $60 annually. Despite the hike, Nebula remains more affordable than major streamers like Netflix and Max. Nebula also offers a 40% discount on the new annual membership price, reducing it to $36 when using codes promoted by Nebula creators. Read More
SAG-AFTRA Wins Passage of California Bill to Limit AI Replicas
The California Senate approved a bill to protect performers from unauthorised AI replicas on Tuesday, and it is now headed to the governor’s desk. Supported by SAG-AFTRA, the actors union, the bill (AB 2602) would require explicit consent to use a performer’s "digital replica." The legislation mirrors protections in the SAG-AFTRA contract that ended last year’s strike and extends those safeguards to other performances, including video games, audiobooks, commercials, and non-union work. Read More
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INSIGHTS
Stuck in Middle-earth with Lou
Director Louise Hooper shares insights on directing season two of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, filmed for the first time in the UK. Known for her work on The Witcher and The Sandman, Hooper applied her genre expertise to craft intense psychological drama, electrifying battles, and introduce the undead Barrow-wights across four episodes. She transformed key scenes and elevated the series' epic fantasy elements. Read More
Paris Olympics prompt record number of sports doc commissions: Ampere Analysis
UK research firm Ampere Analysis revealed a record number of sports-themed documentaries aired in the lead-up to the Paris Olympics, with 103 new titles released between May and July 2024. This surge in sports content, mainly driven by European public broadcasters like France Télévisions and the BBC, accounted for 25% of all new factual releases globally in July. Ampere notes a significant rise in sports programming, with documentaries now representing 12% of first-run releases in 2024. Read More
Paramount's challenges in Pluto TV sale analysis
Paramount Global has signalled plans to sell assets tied to the declining linear TV ecosystem, including Pluto TV. However, with Skydance Media potentially acquiring Paramount, this strategy may change. Pluto TV, a profitable streaming platform generating $1 billion annually, could attract interest from buyers like Roku. Still, its integration into Paramount's programming and ad sales could complicate a sale. Analysts suggest Pluto TV might align better with Skydance Media's "tech hybrid" strategy, making its sale uncertain. Read More
Why do movie villains have the best houses?
In Hollywood's past, villains were often depicted in shabby, anonymous spaces, symbolising their moral decay. However, mid-century cinema introduced the "sophisticated baddie," whose modernist, often strikingly designed homes became a visual shorthand for menace. These structures, perched in dramatic locations and reflecting a sense of inviolability, suggest a deeper connection between architecture and villainy. Iconic examples, like the Vandamm house in North by Northwest (1959), highlight how such lairs amplify the villain's complex, dangerous allure, merging sophistication with sinister intent. Read More
Is the super-sized multiplex cinema on its way out in the UK?
The future of super-sized multiplex cinemas in the UK is under scrutiny as changing viewer habits and the rise of streaming challenge traditional movie-going experiences. With attendance figures declining, industry experts are questioning whether these large venues can remain viable. Read More
Watch ‘Lady in the Lake’ Creator Alma Har’el Discuss Why Her Adaptation Gave Black Characters Greater Depth Than the Book
In just one episode, Apple TV+’s limited series Lady in the Lake makes it clear that it’s far from a typical thriller. Created by Alma Har’el and adapted from Laura Lippman’s novel, the series stars Natalie Portman as a Baltimore housewife-turned-investigative journalist who investigates the murder of a Black woman in 1960s Baltimore. The period piece evolves into an expressionistic character study, using dream sequences to explore how the characters’ actions are shaped by their subconscious. Read More
How Do You Turn a $20 Million Indie Action Flick Into a Streaming Phenomenon?
On July 18, William Eubank’s Land of Bad, an indie action film with a $20 million budget, unexpectedly became the #1 movie on Netflix. The military thriller, starring Russell Crowe and Liam Hemsworth, tells the story of a drone pilot guiding a lone survivor to safety. Its success as a streaming and VOD hit is a rare achievement, especially for an indie film produced outside the U.S. Read More
Greek Oscar Chaos Deepens as Government, Industry Look for Way Forward After ‘Unacceptable and Distressing’ Selection Fiasco
One week after Greece’s Oscar selection process fell into chaos, with 21 of 23 eligible films withdrawing from consideration for the international feature film category at the 97th Academy Awards, industry representatives met with government officials to address their grievances. Producer Maria Drandaki, part of the Audiovisual Producers’ Association of Greece delegation, described the Oscars debacle as “the tip of the iceberg” in the troubled Greek film industry. Read More
The Intense Real-Life Holocaust Escape That Made ‘Tattooist of Auschwitz’ Possible
After working on the score for Prehistoric Planet, Hans Zimmer and Kara Talve composed the Emmy-nominated music for The Tattooist of Auschwitz, a TV adaptation of Heather Morris’ novel. The story centres on a Slovak Jew imprisoned at Auschwitz who falls in love with a girl he tattoos. The composers discuss Talve’s connection to the story, the challenges of addressing such sensitive material, and the collaboration with Barbra Streisand on the finale song. Read More
Cate Blanchett Is an Inept World Leader in ‘Rumours’ Teaser
Cate Blanchett is making waves in 2024, starring in Rumours, a political satire that premiered at Cannes and will also screen at TIFF and NYFF. Directed by Guy Maddin and brothers Evan and Galen Johnson, the film blends comedy, apocalyptic horror, and soap opera. Rumours follow the seven leaders of the world's wealthiest democracies at a G7 summit, where Blanchett's character, the Chancellor of Germany, faces unexpected chaos while drafting a statement on a global crisis. Read More
Disasters Averted, the Fall Festival Sales Market Has Run Out of Reasons to Be Slow
This year marks the first time in five years that the Toronto and Venice film festivals are free from major disruptions like labour strikes, pandemics, or virtual screenings. With the focus solely on film-seeking buyers, the question is whether the calm will translate into successful indie film sales. As one sales agent noted, if sales are slow this year, there are "no more excuses." The indie sector faces challenges as theatrical viewing habits have changed, and streamers like Netflix and Amazon have significantly scaled back on acquisitions, making big buys the exception rather than the norm. Read More
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