Showbiz Sandbox 372: Firing Movie Directors Has Become A Complicated Business
June 26, 2017
Hollywood history is littered with tales of filmmakers being replaced on projects in the middle of production. But when LucasFilm fired directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller from the stand-alone Han Solo project with just a few weeks before principal photography was completed, it raised a host of questions that needs to be addressed by the industry at large.
For instance, who will receive directing credit now that Ron Howard has signed on to complete the movie? And how will residuals and profit participation be handled? In an age when blockbusters are being manufactured by media conglomerates with oversight committees, the frequency with which these questions need to be answered is likely to increase.
Meanwhile, in China the government may have its own questions about where Wanda is finding all the money to acquire cinema chains such as AMC, Odeon and Hoyts, not to mention production companies such as Legendary. There are rumors that the country’s banking regulators are looking into whether all that debt financing is on the up-and-up.
Of course, we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including Time Warner’s plans to start making shows for Snapchat, “NCIS” continues to win awards for being the most watched television series in the world and three-time Oscar winner Daniel Day-Lewis announces his retirement from acting.
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Showbiz Sandbox 301: The Current Reality of Virtual Reality
November 9, 2015
Until the past few years virtual reality felt more like actual fiction, as proponents offered up underwhelming demonstrations which requiring expensive and cumbersome equipment. The days however, the ongoing work by the pioneers developing VR has transformed the technology into a viable platform for more than just the odd hardcore gamer.
As VR products and content make their way into the consumer market, it seems no industry trade show or film festival is complete without addressing the technology in some way. In fact, just last week, the Sundance Institute announced they would begin a residency program in VR and the New York Times launched their own VR initiative. We dive into the hype behind VR and try to make some sense out of what all the fuss is about.
Meanwhile, as the MPAA confirmed a new agreement for film distribution in China, and with the country on track to surpass North America as the world’s largest movie market in 2017, a number of organizations are claiming China isn’t abiding by international trade rules to which it had originally agreed.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including the nominees from this year’s European Film Awards, Showtime’s plans for the revival of “Twin Peaks” and why a number of police departments are calling for their officers to boycott Quentin Tarantino’s upcoming movie.
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Showbiz Sandbox 296: Entertainment Industry Numbers Are Often A Comedy of Errors
September 28, 2015
It is said numbers don’t lie, however in the entertainment business they don’t always tell the truth either. When it comes to box office grosses, television ratings, home video earnings and book sales, numbers can often present misleading or incomplete information which paint an unrealistic, or at times purposefully skewed, financial picture.
Netflix, for instance, released data detailing what they claim is the episode when their customers get hooked on a television series. However, the “hook study” performed by the subscription video streaming service was limited in scope and may simply be an example of how good Netflix is at spinning its numbers into great PR opportunities.
Meanwhile, like every other area of the entertainment industry, the book world has been rocked by the digital revolution. But publishers believe the business is leveling out based on sales figures which leave out large segments of the market. None of this explains why e-books cost more than paperbacks though.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including Amy Schumer’s big book advance, a lawsuit over the movie “Goodfellas”, which Warner Bros. says was a huge flop, and the Harry Potter origin story will become a two part theatrical production on London’s West End.
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