Category: media

The movie (which had the worst opening weekend of any Clint Eastwood-directed film) is Eastwood in chair-ranting mode, and then there’s the issue of the lie that a reporter from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution slept with a source to get info. Outrage abounds online, but”Billy Ray, the screenwriter of Richard Jewell, and Warner Bros., the studio distributing it, have defended the movie by taking a page from the current political moment. They’ve doubled down on their misrepresentation, attacking their accusers without addressing, in any detail, the falsehood that they’re accused of telling.” Oof. – Variety

The boom in streaming has led to massive content demands – and nowhere is that more obvious than “in Denmark, where thanks to years of rising demand, there are many more critically-praised series and movies being made than ever before. But what there isn’t, in this country of just 5.6 million people, is enough skilled professionals to produce them all. Help-wanted ads are popping up all over industry Facebook groups. Certain shows have had to postpone production by six months, or indefinitely.” – The New York Times

Jones, who played the Anansi-inspired character Mr. Nancy, posted the video to Twitter. He said that new showrunner Charles Eglee, who is white, “thinks that Mr. Nancy’s angry get-shit-done is the wrong message for black America.” – Slate

Among stations with annual membership income above $4 million, the median change in fees is a 9% increase, according to NPR; among stations with income below $250,000, an 8% decline. – Current

Brazilian cinema – put on the map by global hits such as City of God and Aquarius – has suffered a succession of blows since Bolsonaro took office in January, from a general lack of interest in the arts to more pointed attacks on films dealing with themes such as sexual diversity and race. – The Guardian

Films such as Greta Gerwig’s Little Women, Melina Matsoukas’s Queen & Slim, Lulu Wang’s The Farewell, Olivia Wilde’s Booksmart, and Lorene Scafaria’s Hustlers have been nearly shut out of the Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nominations. Reporters Nicole Sperling and Brooks Barnes look into the reasons. – The New York Times

“In recent weeks, hundreds of TV and film assistants … have begun to speak out about their experiences on the bottom rung of the industry, mounting a fight for better pay and fair treatment.” Many of those assistants are paid only $12 and hour, California’s minimum wage, and the stories of bizarre demands and mistreatment by bosses are legion. – The Guardian