TV, Film & Media Industry News Roundup, Tuesday 2 July 2024

Equity seeks new film/TV deals; Derbez keynotes Content Americas; Raindance, AAFCA winners; Chicken Soup bankruptcy; "Inside Out 2" hits $1B; Hunter Biden sues Fox; FIDMarseille, London Film Fest.

Today’s Highlights:

• Equity's New Film and TV Agreements: Equity, the British actors' union, submitted new agreements focusing on residuals, AI provisions, and ending misuse of "special stipulations" by American buyers.

• Eugenio Derbez Keynote at Content Americas 2025: Mexican actor Eugenio Derbez will deliver the keynote address and receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at Content Americas 2025.

• Raindance Film Festival Winners: Jason Yu's "Sleep" and Brant Anderson's "The Strangers' Case" won awards at the 32nd Raindance Film Festival in London.

• Steve McQueen's 'Blitz' to Open London Film Festival: Steve McQueen's film "Blitz" will premiere at the London Film Festival. It depicts WWII London through the eyes of a young boy.

• AAFCA TV Honors 2024 Winners: "The Bear," "Masters of the Air," and "Genius: MLK/X" are among the winners at the 6th Annual AAFCA TV Honors.

• Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment Bankruptcy: Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and appointed Bart Schwartz as the new CEO.

• FIDMarseille Grand Prix Winner: "bluish," directed by Lilith Kraxner and Milena Czernovsky, won the Grand Prix at FIDMarseille.

• Hunter Biden Lawsuit Against Fox News: Hunter Biden is suing Fox News over a fictionalised miniseries depicting a criminal trial related to his business dealings.

• 'Inside Out 2' Box Office Milestone: "Inside Out 2" became the fastest animated movie to reach $1 billion at the global box office.

• New Australian TV Dramas Behind Paywalls: Notable local Australian productions, including a new series by Asher Keddie and Imogen Banks, are increasingly available only on paid platforms.

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NEWS

Equity Demands Revealed: British Actors Union Seeks Residuals Revamp & End To Misuse Of “Special Stipulations” From American Buyers

The British actors' union Equity has submitted its claim for new film and TV agreements with PACT. Equity focuses on revamping residuals and AI provisions and ending the misuse of "special stipulations" by American giants. Equity aims to govern UK TV series and indie movies, including those made by streamers, for the next two to three years. While the TV and film agreements remain separate, Equity has long sought to unify them, though this goal is unlikely to be achieved soon.

From: Deadline

Eugenio Derbez Will Deliver The Keynote At Content Americas 2025

Content Americas has announced Mexican actor and producer Eugenio Derbez as the first confirmed speaker for its 2025 edition. Derbez, a SAG and Emmy award winner, will deliver a keynote on his career milestones and discuss how his company, 3Pas Studios, develops stories for Hispanic audiences and forges industry alliances. He will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Rose d'Or Latinos gala during Content Americas. Derbez starred in the Oscar-winning film "CODA" (Apple TV+), which won Best Picture in 2021.

From: Señal News

Raindance film festival winners include Korean debut ‘Sleep’, ‘The Strangers’ Case’

Jason Yu’s Sleep and Brant Anderson’s The Strangers’ Case were winners at the 32nd Raindance Film Festival's jury awards ceremony in London. Korean filmmaker Yu, a former assistant director to Bong Joon Ho, won the Discovery Award for Best Debut Feature with Sleep. The black comedy stars the late Lee Sun-kyun and Jung Yu-mi and follows a pregnant wife who must stop her husband’s dangerous sleepwalking habits.

From: Screen Daily

Steve McQueen’s ‘Blitz’ To Open London Film Festival As World Premiere 

Steve McQueen will debut his latest feature, Blitz, exploring London during World War II, on opening night at this year’s London Film Festival. The film, directed, produced, and written by McQueen, follows 9-year-old George (Elliott Heffernan), sent to safety in the English countryside by his mother, Rita (Saoirse Ronan). Determined to return home to East London, George embarks on a dangerous adventure as Rita searches for her missing son. Blitz is McQueen’s first sole feature screenwriting credit.

From: Deadline

‘The Bear,’ ‘Masters of the Air,’ and More to Accept 2024 AAFCA TV Honours

The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) has announced the winners of the 6th Annual AAFCA TV Honors, with “The Bear,” “Masters of the Air,” and “Genius: MLK/X” winning multiple categories. Held on August 24 at the historic Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles, the invitation-only event celebrates achievements in television and streaming. Special honorees include Glynn Turman (Legacy Award) for "Black Cake," Michelle Buteau (Trailblazing Award) for "Survival of the Thickest," and Nkechi Okoro Caroll (Salute to Excellence Award) for “All American,” “All American: Homecoming,” and “Found.”

From: IndieWire

Bankrupt Redbox Parent Chicken Soup For The Soul Entertainment Installs New CEO And Board Of Directors

Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Saturday and appointed Bart Schwartz as its new CEO, replacing Bill Rouhana. Schwartz, who lacks significant media or entertainment experience, will join the company's board of directors. Employees were informed via email and await a Delaware bankruptcy court's decision on a "debtor in possession" loan to cover payroll after a 10-day delay.

From: Deadline

Lilith Kraxner and Milena Czernovsky’s ‘bluish’ wins the top prize at FIDMarseille

Austrian directors Lilith Kraxner and Milena Czernovsky's "bluish" won the Grand Prix in international competition at FIDMarseille, held from June 25-30. The film, which stars Leonie Bramberger and Natasha Goncharova, follows two disoriented twenty-somethings drifting through a city's gloomy winter days. Square Eyes handles world sales. "bluish" previously won the Screen International Award at Rome’s Mia Market in October 2023. Czernovsky and Kraxner’s earlier feature, "Beatrix," premiered at FIDMarseille in 2021.

From: Screen Daily

Fox News Sued By Hunter Biden Over Fictionalised Trial Miniseries

Hunter Biden is suing Fox News over a fictional six-part miniseries that staged a criminal trial related to his foreign business dealings. Filed on Sunday in New York’s state Supreme Court, the lawsuit alleges the series “intentionally manipulates the facts” and “distorts the truth” while showing explicit images of him. Biden claims violations of New York’s revenge porn law, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and unjust enrichment. Though Fox pulled the miniseries in April after legal threats, Biden alleges the network continues to profit from promotional reels and clips.

From: The Hollywood Reporter

'Inside Out 2' is the Fastest Animated Movie To Hit $1 Billion at the Box Office | THR News

'Inside Out 2' hit a significant box office milestone and made history! The Pixar and Disney film has crossed the $1 billion mark at the global box office in record time for an animated film after playing a significant role in reviving the summer box office. The movie achieved the feat on Sunday, its 19th day of release. That's faster than any animated film in history.

INSIGHTS

Why you now have to pay to watch Australia’s best TV dramas

Actor Asher Keddie and producer Imogen Banks reunited for a project inspired by Stephanie Wood’s 2019 memoir, Fake. They created an eight-part series exploring the psychological and social conditions that make someone vulnerable to fraud. The series, written by Anya Beyersdorf, shifts the story from Sydney to Melbourne, with Keddie as journalist Birdie Bell and David Wenham as Joe Burt. Premiering on July 4, the drama is available exclusively on Paramount+. This reflects a broader trend of notable local productions being locked behind paywalls, including shows on Foxtel, Prime, Stan, Disney+, and Netflix.

From: The Sydney Morning Herald

Love and Finance: How ‘Falling Into Place’ was put together as a UK-German co-production

‘Falling Into Place’ is screening as part of the German focus at this month’s Raindance Film Festival in London.

From: Screen Daily

How ‘Searching For Amani’ spotlights climate change through a tragic personal story

The Kenya-set film follows a boy’s search for his father’s killers.

From: Screen Daily

Sabre truth

Made in secret, Operation Sabre dramatises the events around the assassination of Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić in 2003. Creator Goran Stankovic, producer Snezana van Houwlingen, and actors Milica Gojkovic and Dragan Micanovic reflect on this award-winning series. The eight-part crime drama's sensitivity required "super NDAs" to ensure secrecy, keeping details about the project's nature and characters strictly confidential.

From: Drama Quarterly

Ti West Interview: The ‘MaXXXine’ Director Ends The ‘X’ Trilogy With A Look At The Seedy Side Of Hollywood In The Excessive ’80s – Karlovy Vary

Christmas has come early for genre fans with the release of MaXXXine, the third part of a horror trilogy that began with 2022’s X, set in the ’70s porn industry. Directed by Ti West and starring Mia Goth, the trilogy continues with MaXXXine, where Maxine Mink (Goth) escapes the "Texas Porn-Shoot Massacre" and pursues a legitimate acting career. Her past catches up when a sleazy PI (Kevin Bacon) and a satanic serial killer target her and her friends in the sex work industry.

From: Deadline

Netflix, Amazon International Original Content Orders Outpace U.S.

According to Ampere Analysis, in the first quarter of 2024, Netflix and Amazon dominated original content commissioning for streaming platforms. Together, they accounted for 53 per cent of all global SVOD commissions. Netflix commissioned its highest number of new titles since Q3 2021, while Amazon set a new record for quarterly commissions. This surge comes as budget-conscious rival streamers have cut back on commissioning.

From: The Hollywood Reporter

You Can Skip Ads on YouTube, So Why Are Kids Remembering Them So Well?

TV commercials are often seen as annoying, but for Gen Alpha, YouTube ads are a can’t-miss. A Precise TV and Giraffe Insights study found that 53% of kids ages 2-12 recall YouTube ads more than any other platform. YouTube delivers 2.3 times better ad recall than broadcast and cable TV and 2.6 times better than video-on-demand. Last year, a similar study found that 60% of teens preferred watching YouTube ads to skipping them.

From: IndieWire

Brilliant Adaptations: Formats In LatAm

Scripted and unscripted formats remain highly popular in Latin America, with media companies continually innovating to meet a diverse and demanding audience. From thrilling telenovelas to captivating reality shows, the region offers varied TV content for all tastes. Behind the scenes, international entertainment concepts are adapted for local viewers. Amid rising production costs, reduced budgets, and numerous emerging platforms, leading media firms develop strategies to enhance their regional offerings efficiently.

From: TV Formats

Beat The Channel Beats The Ratings

Five years ago, "Beat the Channel" debuted as "Joko & Klaas gegen ProSieben" on the German broadcaster, developed by Florida Entertainment. According to Tim Gerhartz, managing director of Red Arrow Studios International, the show aimed to revolutionise the studio game-show format by pitting stars against their own broadcasting channel. The innovative concept quickly became a channel-defining brand for ProSieben, boosting ratings across all demographics. Season one saw a 15.6 per cent market share in the key 14-to-49 demo, with recent seasons significantly increasing younger audience shares.

From: TV Formats

Alternative options emerge for Picturehouse cinemas amid Cineworld restructuring

Exhibition analysts warn that the UK cinema sector is undergoing a brutal transition similar to the collapse of high-street businesses in recent years. Debt-laden cinema giant Cineworld wants to restructure its UK operations, potentially offloading or closing its most minor profitable sites. John Sullivan of leisure consultancy The Big Picture draws a direct parallel between this restructuring process and that experienced by department store brands like Bhs, Debenhams, and Frasers.

From: Screen Daily

Steven Soderbergh on Struggles for Control, Why Sex Scenes Are “Ridiculous” and Taylor Swift

Steven Soderbergh has been highly visible at the 58th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF). On Monday, he shared his insights on AI, sex scenes, movie release windows, Hollywood’s current "correction," new projects, and even Taylor Swift's success with reporters. As a featured guest at the festival, he introduces his films Kafka (1991) and its 2021 re-edit Mr Kneff, both starring Jeremy Irons, in a retrospective honouring Franz Kafka's 100th death anniversary.

From: The Hollywood Reporter