Opening day: 'Christmas Carol' debut not looking too jolly</h1> <article> <h1>Opening day: 'Christmas Carol' debut not looking too jolly</h1> <p>Company Town — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:45:48 GMT</p> Walt Disney Studios' big-budget holiday bet "A Christmas Carol" got off to a soft start Friday, selling a studio-estimated $9 million in the U.S. and Canada. Based on the performance of similar films, that means the motion-capture-animated tale starring Jim......(<a href="http://cs.entertainmentcareers.net/blogs/newsmain/archive/2009/11/07/opening-day-christmas-carol-debut-not-looking-too-jolly.aspx">read more</a>) </article> <article> <h1>Former chief negotiator Nick Counter, 69, dies</h1> <p>Company Town — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 02:13:46 GMT</p> Nick Counter, the longstanding former negotiator for the major studios who squared off against Hollywood's writers during a 100-day strike in 2008, has died. He was 69. The former president of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, was......(<a href="http://cs.entertainmentcareers.net/blogs/newsmain/archive/2009/11/06/former-chief-negotiator-nick-counter-69-dies.aspx">read more</a>) </article> <article> <h1>Breaking up the boys' club in Hollywood labor negotiations</h1> <p>Company Town — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:34:04 GMT</p> Carol Lombardini may have the toughest, if least glamorous, job in Hollywood. As the chief negotiator for the major studios, she must find consensus among a group of executives who often have conflicting interests and priorities. But Lomabardini, the newly......(<a href="http://cs.entertainmentcareers.net/blogs/newsmain/archive/2009/11/06/breaking-up-the-boys-club-in-hollywood-labor-negotiations.aspx">read more</a>) </article> <article> <h1>Ways to object to "Precious."</h1> <p>IFC.com - Indie Eye — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:22:00 GMT</p> For anyone familiar with habitual barnburner Armond White and his politics, it's zero surprise that the NY Press critic object strenuously to "Precious." His review of the film has, as usual, much food for the comment trolls, particularly in his insistence that, by attaching their names and confessing personal histories of abuse, Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey are converting "their private agendas into heavily hyped social preoccupation," which I guess means... child abuse...(<a href="http://cs.entertainmentcareers.net/blogs/indie/archive/2009/11/06/ways-to-object-to-quot-precious-quot.aspx">read more</a>) </article> <article> <h1>The Morning Fix: Waiting for Oprah. Moonves is bullish! Walmart slashing prices. Littlefield to pen tell-all (or more likely, tell-some)</h1> <p>Company Town — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:48:39 GMT</p> After the coffee. Before getting depressed that "Sesame Street" turned 40. Will she or won't she? It's that time of the decade again where everyone starts trying to figure out whether Oprah Winfrey will keep doing her daytime talk show......(<a href="http://cs.entertainmentcareers.net/blogs/newsmain/archive/2009/11/06/the-morning-fix-waiting-for-oprah-moonves-is-bullish-walmart-slashing-prices-littlefield-to-pen-tell-all-or-more-likely-tell-some.aspx">read more</a>) </article> <article> <h1>A guide to Roland Emmerich's early work.</h1> <p>IFC.com - Indie Eye — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:05:00 GMT</p> I've had so much fun writing about "2012," I'm almost sad it'll actually be coming out next Friday. Almost. In a fairly amazing recent interview with Roland Emmerich, the schlock auteur explains he could get away with casting John Cusack because "I make movies where the movie itself is the star" and says it's totally cool that "2012" is a whopping 158 minutes because "The ten most successful movies of all time are all around three hours long. My...(<a href="http://cs.entertainmentcareers.net/blogs/indie/archive/2009/11/06/a-guide-to-roland-emmerich-s-early-work.aspx">read more</a>) </article> <article> <h1>CBS reports third-quarter profit; advertisers 'knocking down the doors,' Moonves says</h1> <p>Company Town — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 01:12:16 GMT</p> CBS Corp., which owns the most-watched TV network, released earnings this afternoon that revealed glimmers of hope that the recession's grip on the advertising market finally might be easing. Higher syndicated rerun sales of its television shows, including "Criminal Minds,"......(<a href="http://cs.entertainmentcareers.net/blogs/newsmain/archive/2009/11/05/cbs-reports-third-quarter-profit-advertisers-knocking-down-the-doors-moonves-says.aspx">read more</a>) </article> <article> <h1>Redbox revenue still booming, but growth is slowing</h1> <p>Company Town — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:29:19 GMT</p> Good news for the three Hollywood studios lined up against Redbox: the $1-per-night DVD rental kiosk company's revenue growth slowed in the third quarter. Good news for the four studios that have signed deals with Redbox: Its revenue was up......(<a href="http://cs.entertainmentcareers.net/blogs/newsmain/archive/2009/11/05/redbox-revenue-still-booming-but-growth-is-slowing.aspx">read more</a>) </article> <article> <h1>Movie projector: Holiday season kicks off with Disney's pricey 'Christmas Carol'</h1> <p>Company Town — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:48:56 GMT</p> We just got past Halloween. Thanksgiving is still three weeks away. You know what that means. Christmas baby!Friday, Walt Disney Studios opens "A Christmas Carol," its nearly $200-million version of the classic holiday tale starring Jim Carrey, with the majority......(<a href="http://cs.entertainmentcareers.net/blogs/newsmain/archive/2009/11/05/movie-projector-holiday-season-kicks-off-with-disney-s-pricey-christmas-carol.aspx">read more</a>) </article> <article> <h1>"Nailed" is back, Tony Kaye is probably not.</h1> <p>IFC.com - Indie Eye — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:45:00 GMT</p> David O. Russell ("I Heart Huckabees") and Tony Kaye ("American History X") are both fearsomely talented directors and, from most accounts, extremely difficult human beings; their projects attract trouble on a regular basis. Both had the bad luck to get tied up with Capitol Films when the company imploded. It's a complicated saga, but essentially Capitol heads David Bergstein and Ron Tutor owe a lot of people money and are trying to sell their remaining movies even though...(<a href="http://cs.entertainmentcareers.net/blogs/indie/archive/2009/11/05/quot-nailed-quot-is-back-tony-kaye-is-probably-not.aspx">read more</a>) </article> <article> <h1>The Cinema Eyes love "The Cove."</h1> <p>IFC.com - Indie Eye — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:09:35 GMT</p> "The Cove," Louie Psihoyos' much-lauded documentary about Japanese dolphin hunting, is the big fish (heh) amongst this year's nominees for the Cinema Eye Honors, the awards dedicated to excellence in non-fiction filmmaking. "The Cove" was nominated in seven categories, including feature of the year, in which it will compete with Anders Ostergaard's "Burma VJ," Robert Kenner's "Food, Inc.," Darius Marder's "Loot" and Michael Palmieri...(<a href="http://cs.entertainmentcareers.net/blogs/indie/archive/2009/11/05/the-cinema-eyes-love-quot-the-cove-quot.aspx">read more</a>) </article> <article> <h1>Wal-Mart slashes DVD prices to $10, potentially spurring price war</h1> <p>Company Town — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:30:05 GMT</p> In an unprecedented discounting move that could signal a price war that would benefit the major movie studios and cash-strapped consumers, Wal-Mart has slashed the price of a number of the upcoming DVDs of big-budget summer movies to $10 on......(<a href="http://cs.entertainmentcareers.net/blogs/newsmain/archive/2009/11/05/wal-mart-slashes-dvd-prices-to-10-potentially-spurring-price-war.aspx">read more</a>) </article> <article> <h1>TCM, now a film festival.</h1> <p>IFC.com - Indie Eye — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:36:00 GMT</p> There are over 700 film festivals worldwide, but only a few are devoted entirely to showing old movies -- which is odd, considering that these days, it's just as hard to see most older films in a theater as it is to see any of the new festival darlings. Those that do exist tend towards the obscure and specialized. MoMA's annual "To Save and Project" series (which is now in progress) alternates between the well-known (say, a new print of Cassavetes' "A Woman Under The Influence"...(<a href="http://cs.entertainmentcareers.net/blogs/indie/archive/2009/11/05/tcm-now-a-film-festival.aspx">read more</a>) </article> <article> <h1>Yanks, Fox celebrate Series win</h1> <p>Company Town — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:29:17 GMT</p> Although a Game 7 would have been sweet for Fox, the network ended up getting its biggest audience for the Fall Classic in five years. Some 22.3 million people tuned in last night to watch the New York Yankees defeat......(<a href="http://cs.entertainmentcareers.net/blogs/newsmain/archive/2009/11/05/yanks-fox-celebrate-series-win.aspx">read more</a>) </article> <article> <h1>Britain gets ready for rapsploitation.</h1> <p>IFC.com - Indie Eye — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:52:00 GMT</p> Unlike the US -- where the ghetto issue movie has for years been its own subgenre -- the UK only recently got with the program. Friday sees the release of the UK's first hip-hop musical, "1 Day," which shows how quickly their film industry is adapting to the inner-city turf it previously ignored. In 2004, there was the pioneering "Bullet Boy," followed soon by "Kidulthood" and its follow-up "Adulthood." Watching the trailers in chronological order, the...(<a href="http://cs.entertainmentcareers.net/blogs/indie/archive/2009/11/05/britain-gets-ready-for-rapsploitation.aspx">read more</a>) </article> <article> <h1>Scripps makes its travel plans, and they're not cheap</h1> <p>Company Town — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:36:17 GMT</p> Scripps Networks Interactive has bought a majority stake in the Travel Channel in a deal that values the cable network at $975 million. That price tag is sure to raise eyebrows in the industry. When Travel Channel parent Cox Communications......(<a href="http://cs.entertainmentcareers.net/blogs/newsmain/archive/2009/11/05/scripps-makes-its-travel-plans-and-they-re-not-cheap.aspx">read more</a>) </article> <article> <h1>The Morning Fix: Disney messes with Mickey! Christmas comes earlier. The agent to the toys! CNN's woes.</h1> <p>Company Town — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:19:20 GMT</p> After the coffee. Before throwing a fit that some stores are already in Christmas mode. Makeover for Mickey. Apparently forgetting what happened when Warner Bros. messed with Bugs Bunny and gave him and other Looney Tunes characters a new look......(<a href="http://cs.entertainmentcareers.net/blogs/newsmain/archive/2009/11/05/the-morning-fix-disney-messes-with-mickey-christmas-comes-earlier-the-agent-to-the-toys-cnn-s-woes.aspx">read more</a>) </article> <article> <h1>Studios and theaters clash over FCC waiver</h1> <p>Company Town — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:22:50 GMT</p> The nation's theater owners and movie studios are once again at odds when it comes to the future distribution of movies.In regulatory filing today, the Motion Picture Assn. of America, the chief lobbying group for the major studios, restated its......(<a href="http://cs.entertainmentcareers.net/blogs/newsmain/archive/2009/11/04/studios-and-theaters-clash-over-fcc-waiver.aspx">read more</a>) </article> <article> <h1>Oprah channel OWN hires another creative executive</h1> <p>Company Town — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:11:03 GMT</p> The highly anticipated but delayed cable channel OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network will soon have a new chief creative officer -- Lisa Erspamer. But unlike those who have gone before her, this executive has something that others at OWN have......(<a href="http://cs.entertainmentcareers.net/blogs/newsmain/archive/2009/11/04/oprah-channel-own-hires-another-creative-executive.aspx">read more</a>) </article> <article> <h1>"Ice Age" heats up News Corp.'s earnings, but overall revenues experience cooling</h1> <p>Company Town — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:04:14 GMT</p> A strong summer box office, a healthy cable business and strong book sales helped News Corp. report an 11% increase in net income, helping to offset decreases in the media conglomerate's broadcast television, newspaper and Internet businesses. The company reported......(<a href="http://cs.entertainmentcareers.net/blogs/newsmain/archive/2009/11/04/quot-ice-age-quot-heats-up-news-corp-s-earnings-but-overall-revenues-experience-cooling.aspx">read more</a>) </article> <article> <h1>Networks preparing to battle cable and maybe their own affiliates over retransmission consent</h1> <p>Company Town — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:59:26 GMT</p> In the search for new revenue streams, the broadcast networks are going to their affiliates with their hands held out or their guns drawn, depending on one's viewpoint. Specifically, if their affiliates are getting money from cable and satellite operators......(<a href="http://cs.entertainmentcareers.net/blogs/newsmain/archive/2009/11/04/networks-preparing-to-battle-cable-and-maybe-their-own-affiliates-over-retransmission-consent.aspx">read more</a>) </article> <article> <h1>IATSE and AFI settle labor dispute</h1> <p>Company Town — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:55:40 GMT</p> The AFI Fest won't have to worry about a "Norma Rae" scene playing out in Hollywood. An ugly labor dispute between the union representing Hollywood's below-the-line workforce and the American Film Institute has been settled. Last week, Matt Loeb, president......(<a href="http://cs.entertainmentcareers.net/blogs/newsmain/archive/2009/11/04/iatse-and-afi-settle-labor-dispute.aspx">read more</a>) </article> <article> <h1>Jeff Bewkes jumps to Warner Bros.' defense as Time Warner boosts outlook</h1> <p>Company Town — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:55:01 GMT</p> When it comes to talking smack about the movie business, just leave Warner Bros. out of it. That's the word from Time Warner Chief Executive Jeff Bewkes. On a conference call with analysts, Bewkes said Warner Bros. is marching toward......(<a href="http://cs.entertainmentcareers.net/blogs/newsmain/archive/2009/11/04/jeff-bewkes-jumps-to-warner-bros-defense-as-time-warner-boosts-outlook.aspx">read more</a>) </article> <article> <h1>"Gentlemen Broncos" gets corralled.</h1> <p>IFC.com - Indie Eye — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:44:45 GMT</p> Fox Searchlight has become to the '00s what Miramax was to the '90s: a company that gets known for putting out "niche" movies that aren't honestly the toughest of sells. With the trifecta of "Napoleon Dynamite," "Little Miss Sunshine" and "Juno," they basically cracked open the window for the mainstreaming of Sundance quirk. But they've hit a wall this year, with the exception of "(500) Days of Summer": "Amelia" is tanking...(<a href="http://cs.entertainmentcareers.net/blogs/indie/archive/2009/11/04/quot-gentlemen-broncos-quot-gets-corralled.aspx">read more</a>) </article> <article> <h1>ABC's 'V' lands with big bang</h1> <p>Company Town — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:24:26 GMT</p> They came. They saw. They sort of conquered. ABC's remake of "V" got off to a strong start Tuesday night. The series, which will run through November and then return in March, came in second to CBS's juggernaut "NCIS" in......(<a href="http://cs.entertainmentcareers.net/blogs/newsmain/archive/2009/11/04/abc-s-v-lands-with-big-bang.aspx">read more</a>) </article> </main></body></html>