Category: media

“The Toronto film and television industry yesterday assailed the Toronto Transit Commission for making it so difficult to get approval to film in the city’s subway system that the city loses business to more film-friendly competitors… The basic complaint from the industry is that the TTC takes much longer than other transit agencies to approve and organize filming in the subway, most of which takes place at an unused TTC station below the Bay-Bloor station.”

The British Phonographic Industry apparently likes what it has seen of the techniques employed by its American counterpart in combating online music piracy. File-swapping is down in the U.S. since the industry began publicly suing individual offenders, and now, the BPI is warning UK swappers that a similar fate could befall them if they don’t curb their habit of acquiring copyrighted music without paying.

“The average cost to produce and promote a film in 2003 rose above $100 million for the first time ever with the average cost up 8.6 percent to $63.8 million and advertising and other expenses up a whopping 28 percent to about $39 million, according to the Motion Picture Association of America.”

The Canadian government has pledged to increase its contribution to the Canadian Television Fund by $38 million a year, news which is being hailed by independent documentarians and producers nationwide. Cuts to the fund in recent years contributed to a dismal year for the industry in 2003, and new Prime Minister Paul Martin made a point of calling for the restoration of previous funding levels. But some other Canadian arts groups are none too pleased with the PM’s priorities, as major arts organizations will see little in the way of similar funding increases.

“Perennially cash-strapped public television producers and filmmakers would ordinarily be thrilled that the Corporation for Public Broadcasting recently unveiled a long-awaited initiative to fund $20 million worth of documentaries on post-Sept. 11 terrorist attack themes. Instead, a recent forum in New York where the organization’s executives explained more precisely what kinds of programs they are seeking for ‘America at a Crossroads’ turned into a shouting and name-calling session.” At issue is the perception of filmmakers that the CPB is soliciting propaganda films promoting the Bush administration’s view of the world.

Lynden Barber, film critic for The Australian newspaper, has been one of the Sydney Film Festival’s harshest critics. So maybe it’s a surprise that he’s just been named as the festival’s next director. “It is a poacher-turns-gamekeeper appointment considering Barber, 48, wrote that film industry insiders were calling for a rocket under the festival after “another mediocre performance” last year. He quoted critics as saying the festival was aloof and slow to address deep structural problems.”

After 38 years, Jack Valenti is stepping down as head of the Motion Picture Association of America. “In his decades on the job Mr. Valenti, a spry, white-haired Texan who was a special assistant to President Lyndon B. Johnson, has become a familiar figure on the Hollywood scene. He is also known for creating the current movie ratings system.”

After 25 years hosting National Public Radio’s Morning Edition, Bob Edwards is being edged out of the job. “Mr. Edwards said he found out early this month that he was being reassigned. ‘I was called into an office, and they said, `We’re making a change,’ You get a line like that, and I guess you should come back with some snappy rejoinder. But of course I did not. I was very surprised.”

Ontario’s movie and TV production fell 11 percent in 2003. “Spending on film and television productions fell to $874.1-million last year from $984.5-billion in 2002. The peak occurred in 2000, when spending hit $1-billion. Last year, the amount of foreign production fell to $369.9-million from $574.4-million in 2002.”

Hollywood movie studios took in almost $11 billion in 2003 – a record. “The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) put the 5% rise since 2002 down to rising ticket prices. Although ticket earnings have risen, the total tickets sold has dropped 5% internationally and 12% in Europe.”