Category: media

“As the government drafts the nation’s first cultural policy in 20 years, Arts Minister Simon Crean said he wanted to encourage the use of new technologies to develop and distribute fresh creative talent.”

“Everyone in Hollywood says they wish they could do it like Pixar, but they really don’t. There’s no secret at Pixar, but there is a belief in letting people pursue something with passion and take chances, and most of Hollywood, really, doesn’t like that.”

“Britain’s small and independent film distributors are today facing serious financial problems in the wake of last night’s fire at the Pias/Sony distribution centre in Enfield. A large portion of the DVD stock belonging to UK film distributors has been destroyed.”

“The U.S. subscription-TV industry first showed a small net loss of subscribers a year ago. This year, that trickle has turned into a stream. The chief cause appears to be persistently high unemployment and a housing market that has many people living with their parents, reducing the need for a separate cable bill. But it’s also possible that people are canceling cable in favor of cheap Internet video.”

“Super 8mm, unleashed by Kodak in 1965, … no longer had to be threaded laboriously into place; instead it came in 3,600-frame cassettes that could be inserted in a couple of seconds. These developments increased the picture-area on each frame by 50 per cent and allowed space for a soundtrack as well. Suddenly, Everyman was a real film-maker. So were his kids.”

“Last year’s box-office earnings topped $1.5 billion, a 64 percent increase from 2009, making China’s movie market on target to be the world’s second-largest by 2015. Sometimes dubbed “Chollywood,” China’s movie industry pumped out 526 films in 2010 (versus 754 in the U.S.), and the government has announced plans to more than double the size of the entertainment industries, including movies and television, over the next five years.”

“The general rule across the TV business is to keep lead performers on new network prime-time series to $125,000 an episode.”

“Despite worries of a possible double-dip recession, so far companies are not pulling back from their television ad spending plans, demonstrating the resiliency of the medium even when faced with a downturn and the persistent threat of the Internet to steal viewers.”

“Platt was the production designer and uncredited costume designer on the film. It was she who spotted the then unknown Cybill Shepherd on a magazine cover and suggested her for the role of the seductive Jacy Farrow.”

“The best thing about the Television Critics Association awards, though, is that they are not televised, which means everyone is a million times more relaxed, real, and hilarious — and OH, THE IRONY, we know.”