Movie theaters in Norway will reopen on May 7 with a mandatory minimum of one meter of space between each audience member and no more than 50 patrons total in any one space. (These rules follow those of Sweden, which did not close its cinemas when the novel coronavirus arrived.) If everything goes smoothly, the limit will be increased to 200 patrons per screen on June 15. – Variety
Category: media
How Reopening Hollywood Might Look
The LA Times looks at what a new Hollywood might look like when it reopens. On the table: everything. How movies are shot, how they open in theatres (if they do), what movie theatres might look like. Everything. – Los Angeles Times
AMC/Odeon, World’s Largest Cinema Chain, Boycotts Universal Pictures
AMC has announced that, in both its U.S. outlets and its Odeon Cinemas abroad, “it will refuse to show movies released by Hollywood studio Universal. The latter had just declared it would continue to release films simultaneously via cinemas and streaming, after the coronavirus pandemic restrictions are lifted.” – The Guardian
20 Major Film Festivals Will Stream An Online Festival
The 10-day “We Are One: A Global Film Festival” will feature content curated by the Berlin, Cannes, Venice, Sundance, Toronto and Tribeca film festivals, among others, starting on May 29, organizers Tribeca Enterprises and YouTube said in a statement on Monday. – Reuters
Why Zoom Makes You Feel Bad
To be sure, video calls are great for letting toddlers blow kisses to their grandparents, showing people what you’re cooking for dinner or maybe demonstrating how to make a face mask out of boxer briefs. But if you want to really communicate with someone in a meaningful way, video can be vexing. – The New York Times
Just For This Year, Oscars Will Relax Rule That Contenders Must Be Shown In Theaters
“During a meeting on Tuesday, the [Academy’s] board of governors approved a temporary hold on the requirement that a film needs a seven-day theatrical run in a commercial theater in Los Angeles County to qualify for the Oscars. Instead, films will be allowed to be released digitally without playing in theaters. However, … to be considered, the streamed film must have already had a planned theatrical release.” – Variety
Texas Governor Says Movie Theatres Can Reopen This Week. Movie Theatres Say… Er, No…
“Opening safely is a very complex project that involves countless new procedures and equipment, all of which require extensive training. This is something we cannot and will not do casually or quickly.” – Los Angeles Times
Alamo Drafthouse Won’t Reopen Texas Theaters This Weekend Despite Governor Approval
“Opening safely is a very complex project that involves countless new procedures and equipment, all of which require extensive training,” said a statement from company management. “This is something we cannot and will not do casually or quickly.” (Meanwhile, here are the precautions one arthouse cinema in Tulsa is taking as it prepares to reopen in May.) – Variety
If Ever The BBC Proved Its Worth, It’s Now
Nick Hornby: “Before all this started, the BBC was under assault, apparently because of its independence. It was, is, being threatened with all sorts, including the loss of its lifeblood licence fee. The BBC, one of our crowning achievements as a nation! I will not waste space here listing what it has given us, the comedy and the drama and the sport, some of the things that have helped to define who we are now . You know that already, even if you’re the dimmest Tory MP in Parliament. But right now, the BBC is helping me to live through and understand a crisis.” – Penguin
Netflix Is Soaring Right Now. But Is Its Subscription Model A Loser?
The fact it has to offer thousands of movies is quite expensive. And not necessarily efficient. Pay-per-view services might be more cost-effective and chew up Netflix’s model. – The Conversation