TV, Film & Media Industry News Roundup, Wednesday 19 June 2024

'The Gathering' wins at Monte-Carlo; Equity strike; Cortellesi’s film wins; TIFF premieres; Netflix complexes; Adams honored; FilmLA fees up; Seoul drama awards; streaming record; Jackson's podcast.

Today’s Highlights:

• 'The Gathering' Wins Big at Monte-Carlo TV Festival—The British thriller "The Gathering" won the Golden Nymph Award for best fiction series, and its leads, Eva Morgan and Warren Brown, received best actress and actor prizes.

• Actors' Equity Strike Over Developmental Work - The Actors' Equity union went on strike after contract negotiations with the Broadway League stalled.

• Paola Cortellesi's Film Wins at Sydney Film Festival - Paola Cortellesi's Italian drama "There's Still Tomorrow" won the $60,000 prize at the Sydney Film Festival.

• Toronto Film Festival Premieres—TIFF announced the world premieres of films including "Nightbitch," "The Wild Robot," and the Elton John documentary "Never Too Late."

• Netflix to Open Entertainment Complexes in 2025 - Netflix plans to open shopping, dining, and entertainment complexes in King of Prussia, PA, and Dallas, featuring experiences tied to popular franchises.

• Amy Adams and David Cronenberg will be honoured at TIFF 2024, with Sandra Oh chairing the fundraising gala.

• FilmLA Increases Fees Due to Decline in Local Filming - FilmLA announced fee increases starting July 1, 2024, due to a decline in local filming and strike-related work stoppages.

• Seoul International Drama Awards Finalists Announced—Seven stars from six countries are among the finalists for "Outstanding Asian Star." The winners will be chosen by global fan votes.

• Streaming Hits Record Usage in May - Streaming accounted for 38.8% of total TV usage in May, with "Bridgerton" Season 3, Part 1 as the most streamed show.

• 'La La Land' Producer Mike Jackson Launches Podcast Series - Mike Jackson's new podcast series "Why Not Me?" features John Legend, Gabrielle Union, and Stephen A. Smith among its first guests.

Want to stay informed with the latest in TV, film, and media? 

Subscribe to our daily news roundup for exclusive insights, early access to industry news, and the convenience of having the latest updates in one place. 

Our subscribers include executives from: 

• Streamers: Netflix, Apple, Viaplay, SkyShowTime, Amazon Prime.

• Broadcasters: NBC Universal, France Televisions, Sky, ABC, Channel 4, ITV, A+E Networks, CBC, TV2, SVT, ARTE, RTBF, SBS Play.

• Producers: Fifth Season, Banijay, Fremantle, Endemol Shine, Gaumont, Pathé, Warner Bros Television Productions, UFA Fiction, Vivendi, Entertainment One, BBC Studios, Paramount Television International, Warner Bros Discovery, Talpa Studios, Tiger Aspect, Wild Bunch TV, Red Planet Pictures, Go Quest Media, Eureka Productions, The Ink Factory, Nordisk Film, Reel One Entertainment, Bunya Productions, Beach House Pictures, Beyond, The Global Agency, Esha Bargate Productions, blue Entertainment, Paper Plane Productions, Paprika Studios, Playmaker, Off the Fence, Goalpost Pictures.

• Also: Aarhus Series Festival, The Wit, Norwegian Film Commission, New Zealand Film Commission, IMDA, MIA, Getty Images, Ottawa Film Office, Simkins, Harbottle & Lewis, Screen Brussels, Sheffield DocFest, FilmChain, Documentary Business, Zero Gravity Management.

NEWS

British Thriller ‘The Gathering’ Wins Best Series, Actress, Actor at Monte-Carlo Television Festival

On Tuesday, British thriller The Gathering won the Golden Nymph Award for best fiction series at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival. The show's leads, Eva Morgan and Warren Brown, also took home the best actress and actor prizes.

From: Variety

Actors’ Equity Goes on Strike Against Developmental Work

The strike came after negotiations for a new contract with the Broadway League had stalled, according to the union.

From: The Hollywood Reporter

Paola Cortellesi’s ‘There’s Still Tomorrow’ wins SFF Prize, head of programs Jenny Neighbour announces departure

This year’s $60,000 Sydney Film Festival prize is coming to Rome. Paola Cortellesi’s Italian drama There’s Still Tomorrow was awarded the honour at Sunday’s closing night gala.

From: IF

Toronto film festival world premieres include ‘Nightbitch’, Elton John doc, ‘The Wild Robot’

Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has made its first 2024 line-up announcements, setting world premieres for six films, including Marielle Heller’s dark comedy Nightbitch starring Amy Adams, DreamWorks Animation’s The Wild Robot, and documentary Elton John: Never Too Late.

From: Screen Daily

‘La La Land’ Producer Mike Jackson Launches Podcast Series ‘Why Not Me?’; John Legend, Gabrielle Union & Stephen A. Smith Among First Guests

“This is purely strategic,” exclaims Why Not Me? Host and La La Land executive producer Mike Jackson of having John Legend as the first guest on his new podcast series. “There’s a method to the madness.”

From: Deadline

Netflix to Open Massive Entertainment, Dining and Shopping Complexes in Two Cities in 2025

They’re not precisely theme parks, but the new Netflix Houses—to open next year in King of Prussia, Pa., and Dallas—will feature a wide array of shopping outlets, eateries, and experiential activities tied to the streamer’s significant franchises such as “Bridgerton,” “Stranger Things,” and “Squid Game.”

From: Variety

Amy Adams and David Cronenberg Honored at TIFF 2024 as Festival Unveils First Programming

Sandra Oh will also chair the fundraising gala, which toasts "Nightbitch" star Adams and "The Shrouds" director Cronenberg. Both films will be shown at the festival.

From: IndieWire

FilmLA Raises Fees Due to Decline in Local Filming, Strike-Related Work Stoppages

FilmLA will raise its fees beginning July 1, 2024. Local jurisdictions are expected to follow suit. In a statement, the official film office for the city and county of Los Angeles noted that it “receives no direct financial support from state or local government for the services we provide” and was “directly affected by periods of work disruption, as well as the observed, multi-year pattern of production decline in Greater Los Angeles.”

From: The Wrap

The Animation Film Festival to Have Its Seventh Edition In Los Angeles

Animation is Film (AIF) and its partner, the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, announced the seventh edition of the U.S.-based festival, which will be held this fall from October 18-20 at the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres in Hollywood. Founded in 2017, AIF celebrates animated films worldwide, embracing the medium's highest aspirations as an artistic cinematic art form on par with live action.

From: Señal News

Seoul International Drama Awards Reveals Finalists Of "Outstanding Asian Star"

The Seoul International Drama Awards organising committee has revealed the finalists for "Outstanding Asian Star." Seven stars from six Asian countries (Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand) are participating in the category. The winners of "Outstanding Asian Star" and "Outstanding Korean Drama O.S.T." will be determined by votes from global fans.

From: Señal News

Streaming Hits Record 38.8% of Total TV Usage in May

“Bridgerton” Season 3, Part 1 was the most streamed show of the month, with over 5.5 billion viewing minutes, according to Nielsen’s The Gauge.

From: The Wrap

Senate Economics Committee - Screen Offset Changes

On Thursday, 13 June 2024, SPA CEO Matthew Deaner and SPA Council President Tracey Vieira (Hoodlum Entertainment CEO) addressed the Senate Economics Committee, giving evidence on announced changes to the Location and Producer Offsets.

INSIGHTS

‘Lawmen: Bass Reeves’ Star David Oyelowo on the Character’s Branding: It Represents the ‘Juxtaposition of the Beauty and the Violence’

David Oyelowo plays the title character in “Lawmen: Bass Reeves,” the true story of a man who escaped enslavement and became one of the first U.S. Deputy Marshals. While there is no shortage of stories from the 1860s and 1870s, only four known images of Bass Reeves exist.

From: Variety

UKTV’s Emma Ayech On Programming Strategy For Drama

Part of the UKTV bouquet of channels, Drama has been squarely positioned to deliver Britain the best-quality drama—from period to contemporary, family to comedy. From July 16, Drama will become U&Drama to sit within the new master brand U, uniting UKTV’s free-to-air channels. Emma Ayech, channel director for Drama and Alibi, discusses the strategy for acquisitions, commissions and co-productions.

From: TV Drama

Peter Morgan, Issa López and More Talk Peak IP, Painful Passes and On-Set Cavity Searches at THR’s TV Producers Roundtable

Six of TV’s top creatives — including Jonathan Nolan, Francesca Sloane, Steven Zaillian and Jen Statsky — go deep on the worst part of pitching in 2024 and why there won’t be more of 'The Crown' anytime soon: “I can honestly promise you I don’t give it a single thought.”

From: The Hollywood Reporter

‘Hit Man’ Hits the Netflix Sweet Spot: An Original That Both Critics and Subscribers Love

Warner Bros. won the "Godzilla" vs. "Godzilla" race, while "Civil War" remains strong on VOD in its fourth week.

From: IndieWire

USA: The SVOD Market Growth Is Slowing Down

In 2024, the SVOD sector saw a 10.2% year-over-year (YoY) increase in total subscriptions, marking a slowdown from the 18.8% YoY growth recorded in 2023, as reported by Antenna's “State of Subscriptions: Pricing and Packaging” report. The specialty SVOD segment outperformed the premium segment, growing by 15.8% YoY compared to the premium segment's 9.4% YoY growth. The company explained that the industry is transitioning from its rapid expansion phase to a more mature stage marked by stable growth, strategic pricing adjustments, and an increased focus on profitability.

From: Señal News

Exhibitors and distributors share hopes and fears at CineEurope

Box office worldwide suffered a wobble in April and May this year, but the narrative needs to be switched up.

From: Screen Daily

‘Young Sheldon’ Flexes Cross-Platform Might in May

According to Nielsen's monthly rankings, streaming hits a new high in viewing share.

From: The Hollywood Reporter

Fact File: Song of the Sun God

Karen Radzyner, executive producer and head of development at Sydney’s Photoplay Films, talks about the upcoming drama Song of the Sun God, adapted from Shankari Chandran’s novel.

From: Drama Quarterly

Dakota Johnson: Only A Woman Directing ‘Daddio’ Could Make Sean Penn’s Character ‘Permissible Rather Than Cancelable’

Johnson talks about Christy Hall's feature directorial debut "Daddio," wrapping Celine Song's "The Materialists," and potentially reuniting with Luca Guadagnino.

From: IndieWire

Inside the Drowning of ‘Crystal Lake’: How Unpaid Writers, Inexperienced Execs and Questionable Bookkeeping Undid the ‘Friday the 13th’ Series

More than a half-dozen insiders intimately involved in the planned $85 million Peacock series, A24’s first significant foray into IP.

From: The Wrap

Meet the mentors

As six emerging writers join Jed Mercurio’s mentorship programme, the Line of Duty creator joins Wilderness screenwriter Marnie Dickens to share some advice they are passing on to aspiring writers.

From: Drama Quarterly

Jeff Probst on His Future on ‘Survivor,’ the Format Change He Was Told Would ‘Kill the Franchise’ and Already Planning for 51

Jeff Probst is a planner. For the last 24 years, he’s been designing seasons of “Survivor.” With Seasons 45 and 46 airing during this year’s Emmys window — and production on Seasons 47 and 48 underway in Fiji following a press campaign for the show — Probst is already thinking ahead about the highly anticipated 50 … and beyond.

From: Variety

How David Beckham Changed My Mind From Thinking, “This Guy’s Going to Be Brutal,” to Directing His Doc

Over dinner with the soccer legend and his wife, Victoria Beckham, Fisher Stevens went from “Everything is so calculated” to realising, “Oh my God, this could be good.”

From: The Hollywood Reporter

Kathleen Finch Talks Factual Innovation

Kathleen Finch, the chairman and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) 's U.S. networks, discussed what’s driving viewership at the channel brands she oversees at the TV Real Festival.

From: TV Drama

Yul Vazquez & Danny Pino Talk Hotel Cocaine and Playing Petey in Severance | Interview

Actors Yul Vazquez and Danny Pino spoke with MovieWeb's Will Sayre about their new TV series on MGM+, Hotel Cocaine. The series is a crime thriller set in the 1970s by the creators of Narcos and Godfather of Harlem.

Keynote: Doc Filmmaker Dawn Porter

Dawn Porter, the founder of Trilogy Films, discussed her work and navigating the evolving documentary landscape in her TV Real Festival keynote today.

From: TV Real

Beat The Channel Beats The Ratings

Beat the Channel debuted five years ago, launching as Joko & Klaas gegen ProSieben on the German broadcaster. Florida Entertainment developed and created the show to “ revolutionise the studio game-show format,” according to Tim Gerhartz, managing director of Red Arrow Studios International, which sells Beat the Channel worldwide.

From: TV Formats

It Starts On The Page: Read ‘Griselda’ E5 Script “Paradise Lost” By Doug Miro, Giovanna Sarquis & Ingrid Escajeda

In the penultimate episode, “Paradise Lost,” directed by Andrés Baiz, Griselda (Vergara) continues her ascension to La Madrina status. But as she celebrates the high life with a lavish birthday party for her third husband, Darío Sepúlveda (Alberto Guerra), unbeknownst to her, law enforcement is hot on her trail.

From: Deadline & Read the Script

'Shogun' Star Anna Sawai & Creators on Mariko's Climactic Castle Gate Fight Scene | Making a Scene

'Shogun' star Anna Sawai, creators Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks, director Frederick E.O. Toye and stunt choreographer Lauro Chartrand-DelValle break down the climactic scene from the 'Crimson Sky' episode. They describe how historical accuracy, precise fight choreography and Sawai's mesmerising performance as Mariko combined to create such a memorable scene.

‘The Boys’ Eric Kripke on Not Wanting to "Make Edgelord Material for Incels" | Showrunners Sitdown

'The Boys’ Showrunner and Executive Producer Eric Kripke break down the on-set antics, writing to the actors’ strengths, not wanting to "make edge lord material for incels" and expanding the 'Boys' universe.

How Gary Oldman Landed His Dream Role as a Farting Slob in 'Slow Horses' | TheWrap Magazine

Several years ago, Gary Oldman was talking to his manager, Douglas Urbanski, when he made a modest request. He wanted, he told Urbanski, to do a project — a TV series, maybe — where he could play a well-written character over a more extensive arc than you’d get in a two-hour movie. He’d rather not have to do an accent or wear cumbersome costumes — in fact, he’d prefer it if there weren’t too many costume changes. He didn’t want a role that required the kind of prosthetics and extensive makeup work that helped win him an Oscar for “Darkest Hour.” Oh, and it’d be great if it was set in the world of espionage.

Austin - Behind the Scenes

Co-creator / co-director Darren Ashton reveals how Michael Theo’s appearance in Love on the Spectrum sparked the idea for a new television comedy, Austin.

Subscribe to read on for the latest in Executive Moves, In Development, Deals & Renewals