The pre-Sundance prediction this year was that there would be plenty of spending on small but commercially promising films by big studios chasing the next Juno. The trouble with predictions is that they can quickly become expensive self-fulfilling prophecies. So far, though, there hasn’t been a single major purchase at the fest.
Author: sbergman
Annapolis Arts District Gets Off The Ground
The city of Annapolis, Maryland is planning an extensive arts district as part of a downtown revitalization effort. “If the state approves the district, Annapolis would have a green light to exempt arts venues from local admissions and amusement taxes and reduce city and county property taxes for developers who build affordable spaces for artists to live and work.”
The Trouble With Brahms
Despite his clear place as one of the 19th century’s most influential composers, Brahms can be a hard composer to like, says Anne Midgette. “I greet his appearance as you would the entrance of a person at a party whom you’re not all that eager to talk to, even though you may have had intense and intermittently rewarding conversations over the years.”
New World Breaking Ground On High-Tech Facility
“Work is set to begin in Miami Beach on the New World Symphony’s $200 million addition designed by architect Frank Gehry… To be completed in 2010, the new building will house a 700-seat, state-of-the-art performance space with capacity for recording and webcasts and 360-degree projections.”
Smithsonian Legal Woes Now Include Assault Charge
“A former Smithsonian janitor tearfully alleged in federal court this week that a vice president of the museum complex’s business unit assaulted her during an altercation 4 1/2 years ago, but the top official testified that the story was mostly fabricated.”
Doesn’t Anyone Check These Things?
“If we can tell anything about the [presidential] candidates from their campaign theme music, it may be this: They (or perhaps their aides) aren’t paying much attention to the lyrics.” So far this campaign season, Hillary Clinton is using a theme song that celebrates slacker apathy, Barack Obama wants us to think about what we’re tryin’ to do to him, and as for Mitt Romney, well…
Quebec Gets Into The Film Biz In A Big Way
The provincial government of Quebec has acquired a controlling financial stake in Alliance Films, a large Canadian distribution firm. Alliance controls a huge library of Canadian movies, and Quebec takes over the firm from a private equity company which had owned 51% of the company since last summer.
The Global Library Leader
“The Toronto Public Library is undergoing a modest building boom, using a successful strategy that reaches out and continues to draw in more city residents: both the established and newly arrived… On a per-capita basis, the city’s 99 branches are the busiest and most utilized by its citizenry around the globe.”
SF Opera Cuts Ticket Prices For Ambitious New Season
“The San Francisco Opera’s 2008-09 season will boast a rich mix of repertoire – including two premieres and a classic work new to the company – as well as a number of debuting singers alongside well-known stars… [The company] also announced a nearly 50 percent reduction in the price of side orchestra seats and discounts on full and half series subscriptions.”
Case Study: The Politics Of University Architecture
Cleveland’s Case Western Reserve University has been trying to make its architectural mark in the academic world for some time, but “conflicts among administrators, donors and trustees over architecture and urban design have led to uneven performances and lurches from one extreme to another.” It’s a struggle that highlights the difficulty of creating great buildings in a school setting.