Hollywood Revealed

Los Angeles: January 24, 2012

The 84th Academy Awards were announced this morning in Beverly Hills. Martin Scorsese’s “Hugo” has the most nominations with 11, “The Artist” follows with 10.

Here is a partial list of nominees.

Best Picture

The Artist
The Descendants
Moneyball
Midnight in Paris
The Tree of Life
The Help
Hugo
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
War Horse

Best Director

Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Alexander Payne, The Descendants
Martin Scorsese, Hugo
Woody Allen Midnight in Paris
Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life

Best Actor

Damian Bichir, A Better Life
George Clooney, The Descendants
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Brad Pitt, Moneyball

Supporting Actor

Kenneth Branagh, My Week With Marilyn
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Nick Nolte, Warrior
Max Von Sydow, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Christopher Plummer, Beginners

Best Actress

Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis, The Help
Rooney Mara, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn

Supporting actress

Berenice Bejo, The Artist
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer, The Help

Animated feature

A Cat in Paris
Chico & Rita
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss In Boots
Rango

Documentary feature

Hell and Back Again, Danfung Dennis and Mike Lerner
If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front, Marshall Curry and Sam Cullman
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory, An @radical.media Production, Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky
Pina, Wim Wenders and Gian-Piero Ringel
Undefeated, TJ Martin, Dan Lindsay and Richard Middlemas

Foreign language

Bullhead, Belgium
Footnote, Israel
In Darkness, Poland
Monsieur Lazhar, Canada
A Separation, Iran

Adapted Screenplay

The Descendants, Screenplay by Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash
Hugo, Screenplay by John Logan
The Ides of March, Screenplay by George Clooney & Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon
Moneyball, Screenplay by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin, Story by Stan Chervin
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Screenplay by Bridget O’Connor & Peter Straughan

Original Screenplay

The Artist, Written by Michel Hazanavicius
Bridesmaids, Written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig
Margin Call, Written by J.C. Chandor
Midnight in Paris, Written by Woody Allen
A Separation, Written by Asghar Farhadi

Los Angeles: January 23, 2012

In the recently released motion picture “16-Love,” actor Mark Elias manages to do a lot with little. The film’s plot-line deals with “Ally Mash” played by Lindsay Black, a young, female tennis pro, who after an ankle injury, meets up with and begins to motivate “Farrell Gambles” (Chandler Massey), a handsome up-and-coming tennis player who wants badly to be a contender. In the process, the couple manage to fall in love and wouldn’t you know it, by the end of the last reel, Ally is fully healed and manages to win her big match against Russian arch-rival “Katrina Apranova,” well played both on the tennis court and on screen by Susie Abromeit.

While the picture, (rated PG) doesn’t claim to break any new ground or reveal much about teen angst we haven’t already seen in, oh, probably a hundred other movies, “16-Love” is an enjoyable, lighthearted film that is perfect for family viewing.

While the leads handle their roles with charm and professionalism, it is journeyman actor, Elias that manages to grab your attention in his supporting role. His natural unaffected performance got a number of the bigger laughs at the recent L.A. screening at USC. We managed to talk to Elias afterwards and questioned him about his life and career.

HR: You had a strong screen presence in “16-Love.” Funny and natural. Any of your good scenes end up on the cutting room floor?

ME: Actually, yeah I was pretty bummed to see one scene in particular didn’t make the final cut. Chandler (Massey), Steven (Christopher Parker) and I are playing Wii Tennis together and just having a great time. We shot it on the first day of filming and it really helped show our friendship, our bonding. But hey that’s filmmaking. Maybe it’ll make the DVD extras.

HR: Talking of cutting room, you starred in a film of the same name shortly after arriving in Los Angeles. Tell us about how that happened?

ME: I was hired by the director after he saw a short film I did with a mutual friend. He thought I was right for the part and that was pretty much it.

HR: Were you shocked to be offered the lead? Did his investors want a name in the role, like most money people do?

ME: Luckily he and the investors decided to go with me and I think it showed, although there were definite names being thrown around for the role. When I got the call it was a Friday night and I was elated all weekend and then some.

HR: What did you learn on that film, and how did it help your career?

ME: I learned that you can never predict how a scene or a shoot is going to go, so you have to be as prepared as possible and just roll with it. And have fun with it. And play a lot of video games. Lots of video games. Like… Lots.

HR: How did you land the role of “Nate” in “16-Love?”

ME: The audition was a lot of improv and British accents for the tennis announcing scene. It was a fun audition and we given the ability to have fun and create. I was happy it worked out.

HR: How many call backs?

ME: I think I booked it straight from the first audition.

HR: How much of your stuff in the film is ad-libbed, if any, or did you guys stick to the script?

ME: We tried sticking to the script but a lot of the stuff that ended up working was when we improved and got up off the page. Leigh Dunlap, the writer gave us really cool characters to play with so I just took that and ran with it. Developed some aspects of Nate’s personality, like his geek pop culture love.

HR: Where are you from and how long have you been an actor?

ME: I was born in Houston and raised in Philadelphia. So I’m basically a Philly boy. Which generally means trouble! And I’ve been an actor since the first time I tried to get out of trouble.

HR: When did you realize you would have to make the move to L.A?

ME: I quickly realized that being in LA was the right place to be to take an acting career seriously. I can’t put a finger on the exact date but it was very much a feeling of “I’m going to do this.” And began to take it seriously.

HR: What’s the first thing you did when you got here?

ME: The first thing that propelled my career in L.A. was signing up for classes at the Beverly Hills Playhouse. That was the “I’m doing this one hundred percent” moment.

HW: What did your family think when you told them that acting was going to be your chosen career path?

ME: Next question? Ha. I remember it wasn’t an overwhelming feeling of agreement but I knew if I was going to do it, I needed to do it right and do it then, and rely on my family’s “hard work breeds success” attitude.

HR: What are the bigger challenges you face as you try to further your career in Hollywood?

ME: I think a huge step is making it to the next level but in a more specific terms I want to get films made that I’m creating, not just acting in.

HR: So are you planning to write and direct?

ME: It’s something that I’d like to do when the time is right, directing. Writing is quickly becoming an enjoyment that I’m trying to keep as a fun outlet and not “work.” I don’t want to end up caught in chasing the next hot idea and get lost in that tunnel.

HR: You directed a short film called “The Juggler” that had some famous faces in it. Can you tell us about it?

ME: It really started out as a fun exercise and all of a sudden friends of mine were getting excited about it and a lot of them were in between gigs and it just worked out really well. Josh Sussman, Penn Badgeley, Shawn Pyfrom, Aviva, they were all willing and excited to be a part of it. The story itself was sort of a nod to the Chaplin era films, a lead character with no dialogue, an every day guy, based around his girlfriend’s high school party.

HR: Who’s been your biggest influences?

ME: I think as a kid, the actor that amazed me the most was Dustin Hoffman. I saw “Rain Man,” “The Graduate,” “Little Big Man,” and “Midnight Cowboy” in the span of about two days. Also Robert Downey Jr,’s screen presence and unpredictability are great qualities I always try to be aware of. He’s just got his own style of doing things. I’m also a huge fan of Charlie Chaplin.

HR: What are some of the other films audiences might have seen you in?

ME: I was in a little horror film called “Animals” directed by Doug Aarniokoski, and I also have a few other feature projects in post right now. One is called “From the Head” and another called “Favor.”

HR: And on television?

ME: I had a great little part on Justified which is a show with a lot of buzz. I also was recently on The Event and Criminal Minds.

HR: What’s been your favorite role to date and why? On stage or on film.

ME: Most recently, I really enjoyed playing Nate in “16-Love” because it was a great, great feeling to be funny and make the background actors laugh by just doing improv. It was immediate feedback of what worked and what didn’t!

HR: What recent film do you wish you had been a part of?

ME: “The Artist.” I am in love with silent films.

HR: What’s the worst thing about being an actor in Hollywood?

ME: The eyes that roll when you say you’re an actor. Gotta love the cynics.

HR: And the best?

ME: Just being creative and expressive.

HR: What’s your main focus in the coming months?

ME: My feature “Beachwood Drive” that I actually wrote and hope to have shot by this summer.

HR: Describe your perfect L.A. weekend.

ME: VEGAS!

HR: Thanks for talking to us, Mark.

Hollywood: January 23, 2012

With the 2012 Sundance Film Festival underway in Utah from January 19th through January 29th, we cannot help but ask this question.

Does a filmmaker without a famous last name, without representation by a major agency or a “festival rep” or without having a recognizable name in his or her film have even a remote chance of being accepted by Sundance or by any of the top tier festivals?

In looking at the Sundance lineup this year, it would seem highly unlikely. Sundance is a private club reserved for the famous and the connected.

Sundance should release a list. They should be accountable and tell us how many films playing in their festival were submitted by “civilians.” People without industry connection or access to star power. Prove us wrong, Sundance.

With thousands of film schools around the country promising young filmmakers a career, perhaps they should also be teaching “ass-kissing” as a subject.

We’re just saying.

Los Angeles: January 9, 2012

French director Michael Hazanavicius was selected as one of the five DGA feature film nominees confirming that his film, The Artist is on an unstoppable march toward numerous Academy Award nominations.

Hazanavicius joined directors Woody Allen, David Fincher, Alexander Payne and Martin Scorsese as DGA nominees for 2011.

Far more surprising than those nominated, were the two big names left off: Steven Spielberg and Terrence Malick. Considering that both ‘War Horse’ and ‘Tree of Life’ were thought to be primarily “director” films, Spielberg and Malick’s failure to earn DGA nominations provides strong evidence that their Oscar chances could be fading out. ‘Moneyball’ director Bennett Miller was another notable name left off the list.

Here’s the full list of the DGA nominees:

Woody Allen – ‘Midnight in Paris’

David Fincher – ‘The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo’

Michael Hazanavicius – ‘The Artist’

Alexander Payne – ‘The Descendants’

Martin Scorsese – ‘Hugo’

Beverly Hills, December 15, 2011

The Golden Globe Nominations for 2011 were announced this morning and a black and white silent film, The Artist led the pack with six nominations. The Descendents that some critics found to a big screen TV drama not worthy of all the award buzz also fared well, as did the southern drama, The Help. Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris also become a front runner. The George Clooney directed Ides of March was recognized as was Clooney’s co-star in that film, Ryan Gosling, who received two nods. Even Brad Pitt got some love for his fine turn in Moneyball as did Michael Fassbender for his gutsy, balls out acting in Shame.

For the women, Michelle Williams was recognized for her work in My Week with Marilyn as was Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady.

The brilliantly funny Bridesmaids went to the wedding today and Charlize Theron scored with her acting in Young Adult.

But it was some of the films that did not get mentioned that will be tweeted about in Tinsel Town today.

Perhaps most notably, the complete shutout of a perceived Oscar front-runner, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, a post-9/11 drama from Stephen Daldry and the producer Scott Rudin. Steven Spielberg also fared poorly, with his old-fashioned War Horse only picking up a pair of nominations and Mr. Spielberg missing from the best director category.

Here is a complete list of nominees.

FILM

Best Picture (Drama)
The Descendants
The Help
Hugo
The Ides of March
Moneyball
War Horse

Best Picture (Comedy/Musical)
50/50
The Artist
Bridesmaids
Midnight in Paris
My Week with Marilyn

Best Actor in a Drama
George Clooney, The Descendants
Leonardo DiCaprio, J. Edgar
Michael Fassbender, Shame
Ryan Gosling, The Ides of March
Brad Pitt, Moneyball

Best Actor in a Comedy
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Brendan Gleeson, The Guard
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, 50/50
Ryan Gosling, Crazy Stupid Love
Owen Wilson, Midnight in Paris

Best Actress in a Drama
Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis, The Help
Rooney Mara, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Tilda Swinton, We Need to Talk About Kevin

Best Actress in a Comedy
Jodie Foster, Carnage
Charlize Theron, Young Adult
Kristen Wiig, Bridesmaids
Michele Williams, My Week with Marilyn
Kate Winslet, Carnage

Best Supporting Actor
Kenneth Branagh, My Week with Marilyn
Albert Brooks, Drive
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Viggo Mortensen, A Dangerous Method
Christopher Plummer, Beginners

Best Supporting Actress
Bérénice Bejo, The Artist
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer, The Help
Shaline Woodley, The Desecendants

Best Director
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
George Clooney, The Ides of March
Michel Hazavanicious, The Artist
Alexander Payne, The Descendants
Martin Scorsese, Hugo

Best Screenplay
Midnight in Paris
The Ides of March
The Artist
The Descendants
Moneyball

Best Foreign Film
The Flowers of War
In the Land of Blood of Honey
The Kid With a Bike
A Separation
The Skin I Live In

Best Original Score
Ludovic Bource , The Artist
Abel Korzeniowski, W.E.
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo
Howard Shore, Hugo
John Williams, War Horse

Best Animated Feature Film
The Adventures of Tintin
Arthur Christmas
Cars 2
Puss In Boots
Rango

Best Original Song
“Hello Hello,” Gnomeo & Juliet (Elton John)
“Lay Your Head Down,” Albert Nobbs (Sinead O’Connor)
“The Living Proof,” The Help (Mary J. Blige)
“The Keeper,” Machine Gun Preacher (Gerard Butler)
“Masterpiece,” W.E. (Madonna)

TELEVISION

Best Drama Series
American Horror Story
Boardwalk Empire
Boss
Game of Thrones
Homeland

Best Comedy Series
Enlightened
Episodes
Glee
Modern Family
New Girl

Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Cinema Verite
Downton Abbey
The Hour
Mildred Pierce
Too Big to Fail

Best Actor (Drama)
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Kelsey Grammer, Boss
Jeremy Irons, The Borgias
Damian Lewis, Homeland

Best Actress (Drama)
Claire Danes, Homeland
Mireille Enos, The Killing
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Madeleine Stowe, Revenge
Callie Thorne, Necessary Roughness

Best Actor (Comedy)
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
David Duchovny, Californication
Johnny Galecki, The Big Bang Theory
Thomas Jane, Hung
Matt LeBlanc, Episodes

Best Actress (Comedy)
Laura Dern, Enlightened
Zooey Deschanel, New Girl
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Laura Linney, The Big C
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation

Best Actor (Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television)
Hugh Bonneville, Downton Abbey
Idris Elba, Luther
William Hurt, Too Big to Fail
Bill Nighy, Page Eight
Dominic West, The Hour

Best Actress (Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television)
Romola Garai, The Hour
Diane Lane, Cinema Verite
Elizabeth McGovern, Downton Abbey
Emily Watson, Appropriate Adult
Kate Winslet, Mildred Pierce

Best Supporting Actor (Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television)
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Paul Giamatti, Too Big to Fail
Guy Pearce, Mildred Pierce
Tim Robbins, Cinema Verite
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family

Best Support Actress (Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television)
Jessica Lange, “American Horror Story”
Kelly Macdonald, “Boardwalk Empire”
Maggie Smith, “Downton Abbey”
Sofía Vergara, “Modern Family”
Evan Rachel Wood, “Mildred Pierce”

The Globes will be presented on January 15, 2012, and will once again be hosted by the hilarious UK comic, Ricky Gervais.

Los Angeles: November 17, 2011

In a statement to The Associated Press today Demi Moore revealed that she and husband, Ashton Kutcher are divorcing.

“It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I have decided to end my six-year marriage to Ashton. As a woman, a mother and a wife there are certain values and vows that I hold sacred, and it is in this spirit that I have chosen to move forward with my life. This is a trying time for me and my family, and so I would ask for the same compassion and privacy that you would give to anyone going through a similar situation,” according to her statement to the AP.

Moore, 49, and Kutcher, 33, married September 2005.

By Alan von Kalckreuth

David Glasser, COO at the Weinstein Company put it clearly at the Future of Film Summit in Hollywood this week, “set success by profit, not box-office”. Along with his fellow Chief Officers from the mini-majors attending this executive studded summit, Glasser was struggling to get his head around the changing dynamics of the movie industry.

An example given of the changing world of the silver screen – twenty-five year old males and their juniors wont go to the movie theater! “My 16 year old son doesn’t go to the movies,” declared Christa Thomas, a film finance banker with SunTrust, “…he goes down to the family-room, to the big screen, and games and facebooks with his friends all week-end.” Thomas at the same time is telling the attendees that another new trend in the industry is that the banks have pretty much given up on financing movies.

Not only is money and twenty-five and under males hard to find, but it appears audiences in general are trending towards stay at home to watch movies, if indeed they actually are watching movies and not surfing the net and gaming. “We made a bowling movie and it stiffed,” explains Rick Nicita, COO at Morgan Creek. A friend had told him that twenty million Americans go bowling every Friday night. “So we made a bowling movie and we opened at the week-end… and no one came. So I called him on Monday and told him, twenty million Americans went BOWLING this Friday!”

“Know your downside,” advised Jin Stein, of Endgame Entertainment. If you’re going to make a movie in today’s changing landscape you’ve got to approach it as a business. Ryan Kavanaugh, CEO of Relativity Media, is clear how to go about things, “Analyze!” he tells the attendees. “At Morgan Creek we look at what’s-the-worst the movie can do,” he explains. He uses a plump data-base of figures on all the movies and all the money they cost, made or lost, to look at comps. He matches genre, audience demographics, release dates, and any other measurable and sees what the averages were. “It’s a tool, if it says 90% of the movies lost money then no. But even if it says 100% made money does not mean we’ll make it.” Kavanaugh was determined the attendees got the idea, “If it turns out a piece of s**t what does it do to us!” Then he added, “…if we’ll break even we’ll go ahead.”

The cold, objective realities of making movies in the second decade of the Twenty-First century it appears reduces filmmaking to a business. No one is going to take chances. Keep exposure down, max production value while saving on production costs, don’t burn investors, make it a win-win for everyone and keep them in town. Release digitally, market wisely and strategically, and remember, as if anyone might have forgotten, have a compelling, engaging story.

On Thursday, Nov. 3, 2011, Hong Kong Day was celebrated at the American Film Market (AFM). A series of events was put on by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) to put a spotlight on the benefit of co-productions in Hong Kong.

Day began with a ceremonial ribbon cutting at the entrance of the Loews Hotel, followed by a seminar about co-producing in Hong Kong and the China market, and a cocktail reception for invited guests.

“Given the success of our first Hong Kong Day at AFM last year, we are once again thrilled to highlight the vibrant film industry in Hong Kong and its role as an important route into both the Chinese mainland and Asian markets,” HKTDC Regional Director of Americas, Louis Ho, said. “The influx of American companies at this year’s FILMART, led by the efforts of the Independent Film & Television Alliance, and from first-time exhibitors representing Cambodia, Iceland, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, provided a nearly 9% increase in exhibitors. We look forward to expanding our relationships with the global film community even further in the coming year and exploring new co-production opportunities.”

Los Angeles, CA (November 1st, 2011) – Academy Award-winning director Ron Howard attends the American Film Market to meet with buyers and talk about his vision for his new film RUSH on behalf of Exclusive Media Group (“Exclusive”).

Alongside Exclusive co-chairmen Nigel Sinclair, and Guy East and Cross Creek’s Brian Oliver, Howard participated in a number of intimate round table meetings about the epic Formula 1 feature film and highlighted how he’d become such a fan of the sport.

RUSH is co-produced and co-financed by Exclusive with Cross Creek Pictures. This marks the third collaboration between Exclusive and Cross Creek, who are also co-producing the picture with Imagine Entertainment, Working Title and Revolution Films. Howard, Brian Oliver, Brian Grazer, Eric Fellner, Peter Morgan and Andrew Eaton are all named as producers. Exclusive’s co-chairmen Nigel Sinclair and Guy East executive produce RUSH with Exclusive’s Head of Production Tobin Armbrust. Imagine’s Todd Hallowell will also Executive Produce. Chris Hemsworth (THOR) and Daniel Brühl (INGLORIOUS BASTERDS) star in the film penned by Peter Morgan (FROST/NIXON).

Alex Walton, President of Exclusive Films International, is debuting RUSH to buyers at AFM.

Currently in production, RUSH is being released by Universal Pictures in the US in 2012.

Photo Credit — Alexandra Wyman – Getty Images

Los Angeles. November 2, 2011

It was a full and enthusiastic house at the opening night of the 8th Annual Red Nations Film Festival at the Simon Wiesenthal Plaza in Beverly Hills last night.

Among celebrities in attendance were Ed Begley Jr. Michael and Eddie Spears, Zahn McClarnon, Sam Bearpaw, Rick Mora and Lenore Andriel, writer and star of the new indie western, “Yellow Rock.”

The film was the perfect choice to open this festival. It paints a realistic picture of the plight of native Americans told through a tale that also highlights the greed and callousness of the white men who went in search of California gold in the 19th century.

Andriel gives a heartfelt and impressive performance as “Dr. Sarah” a kindly doctor who helps and is trusted by the local Indians. Things take a turn for the worst when a band of rogue cowboys led by “Dietrich” (James Russo) show up and force the doctor to convince the natives to allow them access to Indian land for their own self-serving purposes.

While things don’t end well for the cowboys, the film also leaves us with sadness for the Indian people who, as time would tell, suffered the loss of not only their land but also their dignity.

Ably directed by Nick Vallelonga, “Yellow Rock” features some stand-out performances. Particularly impressive was Eddie Spears as “Angry Wolf,” Michael Biehn as “Tom Hanner” and Christopher Backus in a quiet but compelling turn as “Cobb” that told us more about his character then was ever implied in the story line. Backus’ powerful screen presence drew attention to himself without even trying. He is certainly a young actor to watch.

Lenore Andriel and her producing partner, Steve Doucette are to be commended for this important work. Made on a limited budget it boasts impressive production values, a large and talented cast and a poignant message that resonates. “Yellow Rock” is a film well worth seeing.

Update:
“Yellow Rock” scored the following prizes at the Red Nation Film Festival in Los Angele:

BEST PICTURE
BEST DIRECTOR – Nick Vallelonga
BEST ACTOR – Michael Spears