2013 Golden Globes nominations announced

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- Steven Spielberg's Civil War epic "Lincoln" led the Golden Globes on Thursday with seven nominations, among them best drama, best director for Spielberg and acting honors for Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field and Tommy Lee Jones.

Tied for second-place with five nominations each, including best drama are Ben Affleck's Iran hostage-crisis thriller "Argo" and Quentin Tarantino's slave-turned-bounty-hunter tale "Django Unchained."

Other best-drama nominees are Ang Lee's shipwreck story "Life of Pi" and Kathryn Bigelow's Osama bin Laden manhunt thriller "Zero Dark Thirty."

Nominated for best musical or comedy were: the British retiree adventure "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel"; the Victor Hugo musical "Les Miserables"; the first-love tale "Moonrise Kingdom"; the fishing romance "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen"; and the lost-soul romance "Silver Linings Playbook."

Globe attention can give contenders a boost for Hollywood's top honors, the Academy Awards, whose nominations come out Jan. 10, three days before the Globe ceremony.

The directing lineup came entirely from dramatic films, with Affleck, Bigelow, Lee, Spielberg and Tarantino all in the running.

"It's very gratifying to get this many nominations from the HFPA for a film I worked so hard on and am so passionate about. I look forward to having fun at the Golden Globes with my cast mates and fellow nominees," Tarantino said in a statement.

Filmmakers behind best musical or comedy nominees were shut out for director, including Tom Hooper for "Les Miserables" and David O. Russell for "Silver Linings Playbook."

Along with Day-Lewis as Abraham Lincoln in Spielberg's epic, best dramatic actor contenders are Richard Gere as a deceitful Wall Streeter in "Arbitrage"; John Hawkes as a polio victim trying to lose his virginity in "The Sessions"; Joaquin Phoenix as a Navy veteran under the sway of a cult leader in "The Master"; and Denzel Washington as a boozy airline pilot in "Flight."

Dramatic-actress nominees are Jessica Chastain as a CIA analyst hunting Osama bin Laden in "Zero Dark Thirty"; Marion Cotillard as a whale biologist beset by tragedy in "Rust and Bone"; Helen Mirren as Alfred Hitchcock's strong-minded wife in "Hitchcock"; Naomi Watts as a woman caught up in a devastating tsunami in "The Impossible"; and Rachel Weisz as a woman ruined by an affair in "The Deep Blue Sea."

For musical or comedy actress, the lineup is Emily Blunt as a consultant for a Mideast sheik in "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen"; Judi Dench as a widow who retires overseas in "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel"; Jennifer Lawrence as young widow in a new romance in "Silver Linings Playbook"; Maggie Smith as an aging singer in a retirement home in "Quartet"; and Meryl Streep as a wife trying to save her marriage in "Hope Springs."

Nominees for musical or comedy actor are Jack Black as a solicitous mortician in "Bernie"; Bradley Cooper as a troubled man fresh out of a mental hospital in "Silver Linings Playbook"; Hugh Jackman as Hugo's long-suffering hero Jean Valjean in "Les Miserables"; Ewan McGregor as a British fisheries expert in "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen"; and Bill Murray as Franklin Roosevelt in "Hyde Park on Hudson."

Competing for supporting actor are Alan Arkin as a Hollywood producer helping a CIA operation in "Argo"; Leonardo DiCaprio as a cruel slave owner in "Django Unchained"; Philip Seymour Hoffman as a mesmerizing cult leader in "The Master"; Tommy Lee Jones as firebrand abolitionist Thaddeus Stevens in "Lincoln"; and Christoph Waltz as a genteel bounty hunter in "Django Unchained."

The supporting-actress picks are Amy Adams as a cult leader's devoted wife in "The Master"; Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln in "Lincoln"; Anne Hathaway as a mother fallen into prostitution in "Les Miserables"; Helen Hunt as a sexual surrogate in "The Sessions"; and Nicole Kidman as a trashy mistress of a Death Row inmate in "The Paperboy."

Kidman was a dual nominee, also in the running as best actress in a TV movie or miniseries for "Hemingway & Gellhorn." ''Quartet" star Smith also had a second nomination, for supporting actress in a TV series, miniseries or movie for "Downton Abbey."

Snubbed completely was the low-budget critical darling "Beasts of the Southern Wild," which won top honors at last January's Sundance Film Festival. Also shut out was the stripper hit "Magic Mike," which had good buzz for supporting player Matthew McConaughey, who also earned acclaim for roles in "Bernie" and "Killer Joe."

With three nominations, "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen" was a surprise, since the film had virtually no awards buzz behind it.

Globe acting winners often go on to receive the same prizes at the Oscars. All four Oscar winners last season -- lead performers Streep of "The Iron Lady" and Jean Dujardin of "The Artist" and supporting players Octavia Spencer of "The Help" and Christopher Plummer of "Beginners" -- won Globes first.
The Globes have a spotty record predicting which films might go on to earn the best-picture prize at the Academy Awards, however.

The Globes feature two best-film categories, one for drama and one for musical or comedy. Last year's Oscar best-picture winner, "The Artist," preceded that honor with a Globe win for best musical or comedy.
But in the seven years before that, only one winner in the Globe best-picture categories -- 2008's "Slumdog Millionaire" -- followed up with an Oscar best-picture win.

Along with 14 film prizes, the Globes hand out awards in 11 television categories.

The nominees for best television drama series are: "Boardwalk Empire," ''Breaking Bad," ''Downton Abbey," ''Homeland" and "The Newsroom." And the nods for best TV comedy series are: "The Big Bang Theory," ''Episodes," ''Girls," ''Modern Family" and "Smash."

Jodie Foster, a two-time Oscar and Globe winner for "The Accused" and "The Silence of the Lambs," will receive the group's Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement at the Jan. 13 ceremony.

There will be some friendly rivalry among the hosts at the Globe ceremony, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. Both were nominated for best actress in a TV comedy, Fey for "30 Rock" and Poehler for "Parks and Recreation."

Fey and Poehler follow Ricky Gervais, who was host the last three years and rubbed some Hollywood egos the wrong way with sharp wisecracks about A-list stars and the foreign press association itself.

With stars sharing drinks and dinner, the Globes have a reputation as one of Hollywood's loose and unpredictable awards gatherings. Winners occasionally have been off in the restroom when their names were announced, and there have been moments of onstage spontaneity such as Jack Nicholson mooning the crowd or Ving Rhames handing over his trophy to fellow nominee Jack Lemmon.

"Lincoln," "Les Miserables" lead SAG film nominees

LOS ANGELES The actors of drama "Lincoln," musical "Les Miserables" and comedy "Silver Linings Playbook" led nominations for the Screen Actors Guild film awards on Wednesday, winning four nominations apiece, including best ensemble cast.

Joining them among nominees for best movie cast - the organization's top prize - were the actors of Iranian hostage drama "Argo" and British comedy "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel."

Thriller "Zero Dark Thirty" about the U.S. hunt for Osama bin Laden was left out of the best ensemble cast picks but Jessica Chastain was nominated best actress for her performance as a CIA agent.

The awards from the Screen Actors Guild, or SAG, are among the most-watched honors during Hollywood film awards season leading up to the Academy Awards because actors make up one of the largest voting groups for the Oscars.

As a result, SAG nominees usually figure prominently on many ballots by members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which hands out the Oscars in February.

The SAG awards will be given out in Los Angeles on January 27 in a live telecast on the TBS and TNT networks.

"Lincoln," director Steven Spielberg's movie about U.S. President Abraham Lincoln's battle to outlaw slavery, brought nominations on Wednesday for lead actor Daniel Day-Lewis and supporting actors Sally Field as his wife, and Tommy Lee Jones.

Hugh Jackman was nominated for best actor while Anne Hathaway was chosen for her supporting role in the movie adaptation of hit stage musical "Les Miserables."

Other actors nominated on Wednesday included the stars of quirky comedy "Silver Linings Playbook" - Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence and Robert DeNiro - and John Hawkes and Helen Hunt for the independent movie "The Sessions" about a disabled man and his sex therapist.

One of the biggest surprises was "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel," the story of a group of elderly Britons who retire to a ramshackle Indian hotel. The film, which stars Judi Dench, Tom Wilkinson and Bill Nighy, had two nominations - best ensemble and best supporting actress for Maggie Smith.

Smith also was nominated in SAG's television category for her role as a sarcastic aristocrat in period drama "Downton Abbey." The show also was among the picks for ensemble acting in the TV category.

Other TV drama nominations went to the casts of "Boardwalk Empire," "Homeland," "Mad Men" and "Breaking Bad."

In TV comedy, old favorites "30 Rock," "Glee," "The Big Bang Theory," "Modern Family," "Nurse Jackie" and "The Office" were nominated.

Counterfeit DVD Sites Among Those Seized in Fed Shutdown

During Cyber Monday the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE), working with several domestic and international law enforcement agencies, took down more than 130 Internet domains accused of selling counterfeit merchandise.

While a majority of the sites dealt in illegal sporting goods and more than two dozen were selling knock-off Louis Vuitton merchandise, ICE nabbed a handful of sites that were dealing in bogus DVD product, including dvdhood.com,

tvdvdset.com and dvdsetshop.com. Federal agents made undercover purchases of the DVDs to confirm they were pirated, ICE said in a statement.

Visitors to those sites today are greeted with a notice from ICE that the domains have been seized.
An ICE spokesman said the European Police Office (Europol) may have shut down more home entertainment-related sites outside of those registered in the United States. A Europol spokesman was not immediately available for comment.

“This operation is a great example of the tremendous cooperation between ICE and our international partners at the [National Intellectual Property Rights, or IPR] Center,” said ICE director John Morton. “Our partnerships enable us to go after criminals who are duping unsuspecting shoppers all over the world. This is not an American problem, it is a global one.”

ICE worked with law enforcement agencies in Belgium, Denmark, France, Romania and the United Kingdom to shut down the sites.

It’s the third straight year the American government has taken the lead on shutting down counterfeit products online during the Thanksgiving shopping holiday. However, it’s the first year the U.S. government actively sought cooperation from foreign agencies to combat dubious retail websites.

Dubbed “Operation in Our Sites,” the annual endeavor has shuttered more than 1,600 sites accused of dealing in counterfeit goods since 2010, with dozens of those sites selling pirated discs.

“Europol became a member of the IPR Center this year, and I am glad to be able to announce these operational successes,” said Rob Wainwright, director of Europol. “IPR theft is not a harmless and victimless crime. It can cause serious health and safety risks, and it undermines our economy.”

ICE and its partners are seeking to prosecute the people who run the shuttered sites, and are specifically marking those who used eBay-owned PayPal to facilitate transactions.

“We couldn’t be more pleased with the opportunity to … shut down criminals targeting our customers and our brand just as the holiday season takes off,” said Tod Cohen, VP and deputy general counsel of government relations for eBay.

Media Crusade Against Chick-Fil-A Continues

Chick-Fil-A President Dan Cathy stated that he was “guilty as charged” when it came to supporting the traditional family, and commented on a radio show that “I think we are inviting God’s judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at him and say: You know, ‘We know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage.’”

That’s tantamount to heresy in Hollywood and in New York and D.C. newsrooms. The media have proven themselves in the tank for same sex marriage, and Chick-Fil-A is learning what it means to cross them.

Media Join Fight Against Chick-Fil-A

On July 19, CNN reporter Alison Kosik acknowledged that efforts to boycott Chick-Fil-A are not new, noting that: “It’s not the first time that people have called for a boycott of the restaurant chain.” Lately, however, media outlets have deployed their resources to help the left destroy the Christian chicken chain.

MSNBC host Thomas Roberts declared that any supporter of gay marriage eating at Chick-Fil-A was a “Chicken-eating Judas.” Dean Reynolds, reporting for CBS ‘This Morning’ on July 27, declared on air, “At Chick-Fil-A, the menu offers up sandwiches, nuggets, and strips, but to critics these days, it also includes a side order of bigotry.” ABC also played up the Chick-Fil-A controversy.

San Francisco outlet SFist even linked the sudden death of Chick-Fil-A’s PR head Donald Perry to the fanatical Westboro Baptist Church, including the phrase “God Hates Flacks” in a headline.

Politicians supporting Chick-Fil-A also faced the media’s wrath and mockery. CNN, introducing a segment showing Sarah Palin eating at Chick-Fil-A, played the song “Stupid Girls.” (A CNN spokesman claimed the song choice was unintentional.) Gawker’s Rich Juzwiak whipped himself into a frenzy over Sarah Palin’s visit to the chicken chain, snarling: “On Friday, Sarah Palin tweeted/Facebooked a picture of herself and her husband in a Chick-Fil-A looking so fucking happy. They're way happier than the oldest gay couple in America on their wedding day. Sarah and Todd are beaming hateful joy. It's really visceral.”

Descent into Lunacy

Comedy outlets couldn’t resist poking fun at Chick-Fil-A. Jon Stewart made light of the incident on the July 23 Daily Show, snarking: “Wow, open your eyes owner of Chick-Fil-A,” he said. “You are being such an asshole that even Boston won’t tolerate you.” The Onion published a satirical article about a Chick-Fil-A holding a press conference introducing a new ‘homophobic sandwich’ called the “Queer-Hatin’ Cordon Bleu.”

But several media stories and celebrity responses to the Chick-Fil-A were so bizarre they only looked like comedy.

Unhinged comedienne Roseanne Barr launched anatomically incorrect, expletive-laden broadsides against Chick-Fil-A, ranting: “S--- my d--- chick filet nazi f-----g pricks” and “Giving ur kds Cancer from processed fast food is child abuse.” 

The Huffington Post also displayed similarly warped judgment regarding the chicken chain. Dominick Scudera wrote an unfunny satire piece displaying his breathtaking ignorance of the Bible, obliviously concluding his piece: “And I thank the Lord that I live in a country where fast food is a place of judgment and where chicken sandwiches bring me closer to the Almighty God.”

The Huffington Post also featured Mark Pettit’s self-righteous five-step plan to stop Chick-Fil-A’s “public relations nightmare.” The self-proclaimed “crisis communications expert” lectured the company: “Going forward no ‘anti’ anything groups (as in anti-gay marriage) should receive funds from the company. Not one cent. Not one chicken biscuit.” Instead, he advised the company to donate up to $5 million to build a National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta.

So, in Petitt’s mind, the heads of Chick-Fil-A need to explicitly reject the Biblical principles that the company was built upon and alienate the customers who support traditional marriage in order to resolve the crisis. Perhaps the “crisis” expert should check Facebook. Former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee called for ‘Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day’ on Wednesday, Aug. 1. As of this writing, over 500,000 people have pledged to visit a Chick-Fil-A that day.

Even Huckabee’s rally in support of the chicken chain drew bizarre media criticism. Washington Post opinion columnist Dana Milbank criticized Huckabee for the move, opining: “His defense of the fast-food restaurant will make Chick-Fil-A a fat target in the culture wars and will further divide Americans.” Milbank conveniently ignores all the vitriol spewed at the company by the left – and the fact that liberal politicians have been gunning for the company, as well

Read more at http://www.mrc.org/node/40772

ICVM (International Christian Visual Media) 2012 Crown Award Winners

The Crown Awards are designed to recognize excellence in production and content of films and videos that are created to reflect Christian values in a secular world. Any member producer can nominate a film. This includes producers around the world who are working in visual media in any way. A project can be nominated for any of the applicable categories.

 

List of Nominees & Winners

STUDENT PRODUCTION

• The Forgotten Martryr: Lady Jane Grey - Joe & Jerica Henline - GOLD CROWN AWARD
• A Fuller Heart - Sean O'Conner - Asbury University - SILVER CROWN AWARD
• One Split Second -  James Dickenson - Taylor University - BRONZE CROWN AWARD
• Good to Praise - ICVM (International Christian Visual Media) 2012 Crown Award WinnersSean O'Connor - Asbury University
• Journey's End - Ashley Zahorian - Regent University
• Love, Jack - Taylor Herky - BIOLA University
• The Good Fight - Ryan Mickens - Taylor University
• Twirl - Nate Winkler - Asbury University
• Two Wrongs Don't Make a Right - Jennifer Gibbens

BEST CURRICULUM

• Honor Begins at Home - Kendrick Brothers - GOLD CROWN AWARD
• The Foundations - Answers In Genesis - SILVER CROWN AWARD
• Frontier Boys: Explore - Grooters Productions - BRONZE CROWN AWARD
• Deditos - Noah & The Flood - Asociacion Vina
• Israel, The Womb of the Kingdom of God on Earth - Hatikvah Film Trust
• Watch & Talk - Grooters Productions

BEST CHILDREN'S FILM

• Torchlighters: The William Booth Story - Vision Video - GOLD CROWN AWARD
• Jesus: He Lived Among Us - Vision Video - SILVER CROWN AWARD
• I Dig Dinosaurs - Vision Video - BRONZE CROWN AWARD
• Deditos - Noah & The Flood - Asociacion Vina
• Deditos - The Children of Abraham - Asociacion Vina
• For the Glory - 1 Voice Films

BEST YOUTH FILM

• Milltown Pride - Unusual Films - GOLD CROWN AWARD
• For the Glory - 1 Voice Films - SILVER CROWN AWARD
• Jesus: He Lived Among Us - Vision Video - BRONZE CROWN AWARD
• Prodigal - Lost Coin Productions

BEST MUSIC VIDEO

• Wholehearted - Charl Folscher - GOLD CROWN AWARD
• When We're Together - Kendrick Brothers - SILVER CROWN AWARD

BEST TELEVISION FORMAT

• Crimedoc - Family 7 - GOLD CROWN WARD
• Discoveries of Israel - DBM Communications - SILVER CROWN AWARD
• City of David - DBM Communications - BRONZE CROWN AWARD

BEST SHORT FILM

• Check This Out - Answers In Genesis - GOLD CROWN AWARD
• Donata Wenders - ERF Media - SILVER CROWN AWARD
• Meet Hiram Edson - ERF Media - BRONZE CROWN AWARD

BEST SERIES

• The Foundations - Answers In Genesis - GOLD CROWN AWARD
• Torchlighters: The William Booth Story - Vision Video - SILVER CROWN AWARD
• People of Faith - Vision Video - BRONZE CROWN AWARD
• City to City Europe - AVK The Netherlands
• History of Christian Worship: Pt 4 The Music - Vision Video
• Singles & Stinking Thinking - Crown Entertainment
• We Believe in Jesus - Third Milennium Ministries

BEST DOCUMENTARY UNDER $50,000

• Through A Lens Darkly: Grief, Loss & CS Lewis - Vision Video - GOLD CROWN AWARD
• I Dig Dinosaurs - Answers In Genesis - SILVER CROWN AWARD
• A Call to India - Charl folscher - BRONZE CROWN AWARD
• City to City Europe - ZVK The Netherlands
• Donata Wenders - ERF Media
• History of Christian Worship: Pt 4 The Music - Vision Video
• Mightier Than the Sword - Christian Television Associaion
• See That Justice is Done - ZVK The Netherlands

BEST DOCUMENARY OVER $50,0000

• Undaunted - DBM Communications - GOLD CROWN AWARD
• Taking the Hill: A Warrior's Journey Home - Vision Video - SILVER CROWN AWARD
• People of Faith - Vision Video - BRONZE CROWN AWARD
• The Foundations - Answeres In Genesis
• City of David - DBM Communications
• Discoveries of Israel - DBM Communications
• Israel, The Womb of the Kingdom of God on Earth - Hatikvah Film Trust

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM

• Deditos - The Children of Abraham - Asociacion Vina - GOLD CROWN AWARD
• Deditos - Noah & The Flood - Asociacion Vina - SILVER CROWN AWARD
• Donata Wenders - ERF Media - BRONZE CROWN AWARD

BEST DRAMA

• Courageous - Kendrick Brothers - GOLD CROWN AWARD
• Trade of Innocents - Dean River Productions - SILVER CROWN AWARD
• 25 Hill - Echolight Studios - BRONZE CROWN AWARD
• 1 Message - Echolight Studios
• For the Glory - 1 Voice Films
• Heaven's Rain - Echolight Studios
• Milltown Pride - Unusual Films
• Prodigal - Lost Coin Productions
• Undaunted - DBM Communications

BEST EVANGELISTIC FILM

• Undaunted - DBM Communications - GOLD CROWN AWARD
• Taking the Hill: A Warrior's Journey Home - Vision Video - SILVER CROWN AWARD
• Torchlighters: Theh William booth Story - Vision Video - BRONZE CROWN AWARD
• A Call to India - Charl Folscher
• City to City Europe - ZVK The Netherlands
• Courageous - Kendrick Brothers
• For the Glory - 1 Voice Films
• Jesus: He Lived Among Us - Vision Video
• Mightier Than The Sword - Christian Television Association
• Milltown Pride - Unusual Films
• See That Justice is Done - ZVK The Netherlands

BEST PICTURE

• Trade of Innocents - Dean River Productions - GOLD CROWN AWARD
• Courageous - Kendrick Brothers - SILVER CROWN AWARD
• 25 Hill - Echolight Studios - BRONZE CROWN AWARD
• 1 Message - Echolight Studios
• A Call to India - Charl Folscher
• For the Glory - 1 Voice Films
• Heaven's Rain - Echolight Studios
• Israel, The Womb of the Kingdom of God on Earth - Hatikvah Film Trust
• Jesus: He Lived Among Us - Vision Video
• Milltown Pride - Unusual Films
• Prodigal - Lost Coin Productions
• Undaunted - DBM Communications

'Breaking Bad', 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes' Take Home Saturn Awards

Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Super 8 were the big film winners at the 38th annual Saturn Awards, presented by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films in the genre world’s version of the Oscars. Breaking Bad, meanwhile, was the dominant force on the television side.

Apes took home honors for best science fiction film, best supporting actor for Andy Serkis and best special effects, while Super 8 received awards for best director (J.J. Abrams), best music (Michael Giacchino) and best performance by a younger actor (Joel Courtney).

Breaking Bad was named best syndicated/cable TV series, and also received Saturns for best actor on television (Bryan Cranston) and best supporting actor on television (Aaron Paul).

In other film categories, best fantasy film was awarded to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 while The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo nabbed best horror thriller and Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol received best action/adventure film.

Michael Shannon took home best actor for Take Shelter while Kirsten Dunst was named best actress for her performance in Melancholia. Best supporting actress went to Emily Blunt for The Adjustment Bureau.

Puss in Boots was awarded best animated film while The Skin I Live In received the Saturn for best international film.

In television, the Saturn for best network series went to Fringe. Best television presentation went to The Walking Dead while Teen Wolf grabbed best youth-oriented series.

Fringe star Anna Torv picked up the prize for best actress, The Killing’s Michelle Forbest received best supporting actress, while Tom Skerritt was awarded best guest star for his appearance on Leverage.

Among the other notable awards were lifetime career awards to Frank Oz of Yoda fame and actor James Remar, and an innovative award to The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman.

'Dark Knight' Shooting: In Gesture of Sympathy, Studios May Not Report Box Office Grosses This Weekend

Hollywood studios are rallying together in the wake of the shooting that left at least 12 dead inside a midnight screening of "The Dark Knight Rises."

In an unprecedented move, no box office numbers could be reported for any film this weekend as Hollywood studios and independent distributors navigate the aftermath of the Colorado theater massacre that left a dozen moviegoers dead and dozens injured.

Warner Bros. said late Friday afternoon that it wouldn't report weekend grosses for The Dark Knight Rises out of respect for the victims of the shooting, which occurred during a midnight screening of the film in the Denver suburb of Aurora.

Throughout the evening, other studios and independent distributors began indicating they would refrain from reporting grosses as well over the weekend. Ditto for Rentrak, the service that collects box office data from theater owners across the country.

That doesn't mean studios won't know how their films are doing, including Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures -- who partnered on Dark Knight Rises -- since the data will still be available via Rentrak.

Box office observers reported late Friday evening that traffic for Dark Knight Rises may have slipped as the evening wore on. But the movie could still score the second-best opening of all time with a three-day gross in the $170 million to $180 million range.

Emmys 2012: 'Downton Abbey' Invades Drama Series Category With 16 Nominations

PBS’ Downton Abbey – last year’s outstanding miniseries winner – this year invaded the drama series category with sterling results. The PBS period soap opera about an aristocratic family and their servants earned nominations for outstanding drama series and lead performers Michelle Dockery and Hugh Bonneville. Additionally, Maggie Smith, Joanne Froggatt, Brendan Coyle and Jim Carter received supporting performer nominations, giving Downton nominees in all of the main acting categories. And Brian Percival and series creator Julian Fellowes earned nominations for directing and writing, respectively.

Downton received 16 nominations in all. But Mad Men and American Horror Story received the most, with 17 each. Mad Men will be going for its record fifth outstanding drama series Emmy this year.

Downton and Med Men will compete against HBO's Boardwalk Empire and Game of Thrones, AMC's Breaking Bad and Showtime's Homeland. Mad Men stars Jon Hamm and Elisabeth Moss are nominees again this year as are Breaking Bad's Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul.

Michael C. Hall (Showtime's Dexter) and Steve Buscemi (HBO's Boardwalk Empire) round out the lead drama actor field.

FX’s Ryan Murphy thriller, American Horror Story received noms in the miniseries category and for lead actress Connie Britton and supporting performers Frances Conroy, Jessica Lange and Denis O'Hare. And History’s Hatfields & McCoys – which premiered to a record 14.2 million viewers in May – broke into the Emmys in a big way. The mini earned 16 nominations overall, including one for outstanding miniseries and lead actor noms for Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton. 

With first-time nominees in multiple performance categories and nominations for freshman series including Showtime’s Homeland, Fox’s New Girl and HBO’s Girls and Veep, there will be plenty of new faces walking the red carpet as nominees at the 64th annual Primetime Emmys.

Lena Dunham, the star and creator of Girls – a slacker Sex and the City – scored her first nomination in the lead comedy actress category, where she’ll compete with fellow newcomer and New Girl star Zooey Deschanel. New Girl supporting actor Max Greenfield also received his first nomination.

Dunham and Deschanel will compete with last year’s winner Melissa McCarthy (Mike & Molly) and the oft-nominated Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie), Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation) and Tina Fey (30 Rock). Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep) also scored a nomination for comedy lead — she was nominated multiple times for her supporting role on Seinfeld and won comedy lead for The New Adventures of Old Christine in 2006.

While Girls and Veep did receive outstanding comedy series noms, New Girl did not. The complete comedy series field once again includes The Big Bang Theory, 30 Rock, Modern Family and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Don Cheadle earned his first comedy series nom for Showtime’s House of Lies. Jon Cryer, Charlie Sheen’s long-suffering co-star on Two and a Half Men, also earned his first nomination as comedy lead. They will be up against last year's winner Jim Parsons (Big Bang) as well as Larry David (HBO's Curb), Louis C.K. (FX's Louie) and Alec Baldwin (30 Rock), a multiple winner in the category.

Mayim Bialik (Big Bang Theory) and Merritt Weaver (Nurse Jackie) also are first-time nominees in the supporting comedy performer category.

The outstanding drama series performer category also includes many nominees new to their particular categories. Damian Lewis and Claire Danes scored nominations for their roles in Homeland. Anna Gunn and Giancarlo Esposito snagged supporting noms for Breaking Bad, which recently entered its penultimate season on AMC. And Jared Harris, whose character committed suicide on last season’s Mad Men, scored a nom in the supporting drama series category.

Competing against Dockery, Moss and Danes for the lead drama actress Emmy are: Glenn Close (DirecTV's Damages), Julianna Margulies (CBS' The Good Wife) and Kathy Bates for her role in the now-cancelled NBC series Harry's Law. 

HBO once again had the most nominations with 81, followed by CBS (60), PBS (58), ABC (48) and AMC (34).

The Emmys will be broadcast live Sept. 23 on ABC with first-timer Jimmy Kimmel serving as master of ceremonies.

Outstanding Comedy Series
The Big Bang Theory
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Girls
Modern Family
30 Rock
Veep

Lead Actress In A Comedy Series
Lena Dunham, Girls
Melissa McCarthy, Mike & Molly
Zooey Deschanel, New Girl
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep

Lead Actor In A Comedy Series
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm
Don Cheadle, House of Lies
Louis C.K., Louie
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men

Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series
Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory
Kathryn Joosten, Desperate Housewives
Julie Bowen, Modern Family
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family
Merritt Wever, Nurse Jackie
Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live

Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series
Ed O'Neill, Modern Family
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family
Ty Burrell, Modern Family
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family
Max Greenfield, New Girl
Bill Hader, Saturday Night Live

Guest Actress In A Comedy Series
Dot-Marie Jones, Glee
Maya Rudolph, Saturday Night Live
Melissa McCarthy, Saturday Night Live
Elizabeth Banks, 30 Rock
Margaret Cho, 30 Rock
Kathy Bates, Two and a Half Men

Guest Actor In A Comedy Series
Michael J. Fox, Curb Your Enthusiasm
Greg Kinnear, Modern Family
Bobby Cannavale, Nurse Jackie
Jimmy Fallon, Saturday Night Live
Will Arnett, 30 Rock
Jon Hamm, 30 Rock

Writing for a Comedy Series
Community, Remedial Chaos Theory
Girls, Pilot
Louie, Pregnant
Parks and Recreation, The Debate
Parks and Recreation, Win, Lose, or Draw

Outstanding Drama Series
Boardwalk Empire
Breaking Bad
Downton Abbey
Game of Thrones
Homeland
Mad Men


Lead Actress In A Drama Series
Glenn Close, Damages
Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Kathy Bates, Harry's Law
Claire Danes, Homeland
Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men

Lead Actor In A Drama Series
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Hugh Bonneville, Downton Abbey
Damian Lewis, Homeland
Jon Hamm, Mad Men

Supporting Actress In A Drama Series
Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad
Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey
Joanne Froggatt, Downton Abbey
Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife
Christine Baranski, The Good Wife
Christina Hendricks, Mad Men

Supporting Actor In A Drama Series
Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad
Giancarlo Esposito, Breaking Bad
Brendan Coyle, Downton Abbey
Jim Carter, Downton Abbey
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Jared Harris, Mad Men

Guest Actress In A Drama Series
Martha Plimpton, The Good Wife
Loretta Devine, Grey's Anatomy
Jean Smart, Harry's Law
Julia Ormond, Mad Men
Joan Cusack, Shameless
Uma Thurman, Smash

Guest Actor In A Drama Series
Mark Margolis, Breaking Bad
Dylan Baker, The Good Wife
Michael J. Fox, The Good Wife
Jeremy Davies, Justified
Ben Feldman, Mad Men
Jason Ritter, Parenthood

Writing for a Drama Series
Downton Abbey, Episode 7
Homeland, Pilot
Mad Men, The Other Woman
Mad Men, Commissions And Fees
Mad Men, Far Away Places

Miniseries or Movie
American Horror Story
Game Change
Hatfields & McCoys
Hemingway & Gellhorn
Luther
Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia

Lead Actress In A Miniseries Or A Movie
Connie Britton, American Horror Story
Julianne Moore, Game Change
Nicole Kidman, Hemingway & Gellhorn
Ashley Judd, Missing
Emma Thompson, The Song of Lunch

Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie
Woody Harrelson, Game Change
Kevin Costner, Hatfields & McCoys
Bill Paxton, Hatfields & McCoys
Clive Owen, Hemingway & Gellhorn
Idris Elba, Luther
Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia

Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or A Movie
Frances Conroy, American Horror Story
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story
Sarah Paulson, Game Change
Mare Winningham, Hatfields & McCoys
Judy Davis, Page Eight

Supporting Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie
Denis O'Hare, American Horror Story
Ed Harris, Game Change
Tom Berenger, Hatfields & McCoys
David Strathairn, Hemingway & Gellhorn
Martin Freeman, Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia

Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special
Game Change
Hatfields & McCoys • Part 2
The Hour
Luther
Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia

Reality-Competition Program
The Amazing Race
Dancing With the Stars
Project Runway
So You Think You Can Dance
Top Chef
The Voice

Host For A Reality Or Reality-Competition Program
Phil Keoghan, The Amazing Race
Ryan Seacrest, American Idol
Betty White, Betty White’s Off Their Rockers
Tom Bergeron, Dancing With the Stars
Cat Deeley, So You Think You Can Dance

Outstanding Variety Series
The Colbert Report
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
Real Time With Bill Maher
Saturday Night Live 

For the complete list of nominees, including awards to be handed out during the Creative Arts ceremony, head to the Emmys website.

Viacom Pulled from DirecTV

Apparently, Viacom is looking for a 30 percent rate increase. DirecTV, as you might imagine, isn't down with that.

The sad fact of being a satellite TV subscriber is that you have to deal with seemingly constant struggles for content. Dish has been dealing with the loss of content thanks to their new DVR and now DirecTV faces the loss of channels due to a licensing agreement.

"We have been very willing to get a deal done," says DirecTV EVP of Content Derek Chang, "but Viacom is pushing DirecTV customers to pay more than a 30% increase, which equates to an extra $1 billion, despite the fact that the ratings for many of their main networks have plummeted and much of Viacom's programming can be seen for free online."

"We proposed a fair deal that amounted to an increase of only a couple pennies per day, per subscriber, and we remained willing to negotiate that deal right up to this evening's deadline," says Viacom in a statement. "However, DirecTV refused to engage in meaningful conversation."

Source: Multichannel News

'Amazing Spider-Man' Nets $7.5 Million at Midnight

The Amazing Spider-Man earned an estimated $7.5 million from midnight shows last night. Among comic book movies, that's much lower than The Avengers ($18.7 million) and The Dark Knight, but about on par with Iron Man 2 ($7.5 million). Sony is also reporting that the figure is identical to Spider-Man 3's midnight haul from the first weekend of May 2007. IMAX showings at 300 locations accounted for $1.2 million, or 16 percent of the gross.

While the Spider-Man 3 comparison is a flattering one (that movie wound up earning $151.1 million through its first three days), it isn't really an apples-to-apples one. With kids still in school, the first weekend of May rarely turns out strong midnight numbers, while all kids and many adults are off leading in to the Fourth of July holiday. Also, the way in which audiences attend midnight movies has changed noticeably in the past few years: the top eight midnight openings ever have taken place since 2009 (only five of the top eight opening weekends are in that same time frame). Finally, with the addition of 3D and the drastically increased number of IMAX venues, tickets for The Amazing Spider-Man are much more expensive than those for Spider-Man 3.

Still, The Amazing Spider-Man and Spider-Man 3 are very different movies. The Amazing Spider-Man is a reboot with a completely fresh cast and some weird baggage associated with the previous franchise, while Spider-Man 3 was the highly-anticipated follow-up to the first two entries in Sam Raimi's franchise. For The Amazing Spider-Man to have the same midnight haul, even with inflated ticket prices and a more hospitable release date, is a minor accomplishment for sure.

It's hard to predict exactly how The Amazing Spider-Man will fare through its first six days, given the lack of comparable Tuesday releases. It is clear now that $100 million is a guarantee, while $150 million also appears to be a very reachable figure.

Inspiration goes Mainstream

By  John W. Kennedy

Today’s special dispatches from the crossroads of faith, media and culture are comprised of notes from the Variety Family Entertainment & Faith Based Summit that was held in LA last Thursday. I just flew back and, boy, are my arms tired. Incredibly lame jokes aside, the event provided ample evidence that family and faith-supportive entertainment is now attracting some of the entertainment industry’s top talent while actually outperforming more supposedly hip and edgy fare.

1. Early arrival.  I got the Sofitel Hotel on Beverly Boulevard about an hour before the event was scheduled to begin. Good thing I was already registered because, as I understand, it was already sold out. The summit was organized in association with the public relations firm Rogers & Cowan. I was happy to get the opportunity to meet up with a few of the folks who have frequently helped me with this blog in the past, including Senior V.P. Lesley Burbridge, Kimberly Schroeder and Christina Garvin. Their professionalism was on display throughout the entire day which extremely well-produced and came off without any apparent hitches. Hats off to them!

2. Stats. The summit began with some data analysis presented by Rentrak Chief Research Officer Bruce Goerlich, Dove Foundation CEO Dick Rolfe and Mastermedia International CEO Larry W. Poland. The general gist of their reports pointed to an audience for family, faith and values-friendly films and TV shows that is wide, culturally-diverse, educated and, to boot, carries excellent credit ratings (which should be of interest to advertisers).

Dick Rolfe distributed the Dove Foundation’s 2012 Film Profitability Study which examined film box office results from 2005 through 2009.  The report found that of the 1000 most-widely-distributed film during that time frame, 376 (38%) were rated R, 412 (41%) were PG-13, 178 (18%) were PG and only 34 (3%) were rated G.  During the same period, G-rated movies averaged profits of 108.5 million dollars with PG films averaging 65.5 million in plus-side revenues.  PG-13 film, meanwhile, averaged 59.7 million in profits. Bringing up the rear were R-rated movies with average profits of about 12.7 million.

So, the study points out, Hollywood released 11 times more R-rated movies than G-rated movies from 2005 through 2009 — yet the averaged G-rated film produced over eight times the profit of its R-rated counterpart.  As the report notes, the market for G-rated fare seems far from saturated.

The Dove Foundation, as you may know, also awards its seal of approval to films that support positive human values. The report notes that, during the period covered,  Dove-approved films were 2.5 times more profitable as film that failed to meet it human values criteria.  Dove-approved PG films were 2.8 times more profitable than other PG films.  Dove-approved PG-13 films, meanwhile, were 1 3/4 times as profitable as non Dove-approved films with the same rating.

The bottom line appears to be that audiences prefer movies that support traditional values (i.e. faith, family, kindness, forgiveness, gratitude) to those that ignore them or even treat them with ridicule and contempt.


3. Simon says the advertisers are there to support family/values-based programming. Following the numbers display, Variety Deputy Editor Cynthia Littleton  interviewed Ben Simon who heads up Walmart’s global family entertainment marketing initiatives  and is co-chair of the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) Alliance for Family Entertainment. The latter group was begun by P&G  and Johnson & Johnson out of a concern that, as network television edged toward edgier and edgier programming, it was losing its effectiveness as a means of reaching all members of a family. What’s more, their customers were clearly telling them that they wanted prime-time programs they could comfortably watch with their children. (Full list of ANA Alliance for Family Entertainment members here).

The ANA Alliance has been instrumental in supporting the development of such shows as Gilmore Girls and Friday Night Lights and in finding talented writers who may be the creators of family-family hits of the future. Toward the end, the organization has named Megan Angelo as the winner of its America’s Newest Comedy Writer contest for her sitcom script O’Connell for Congress.

Simon, who has been a major force behind Family Movie Night, a series films/backdoor pilots Walmart and P&G got onto the prime-time schedules of NBC and Fox (albeit mostly on Saturday nights), convincingly argued that that family audience isn’t a niche audience. It is, in fact, the mainstream audience.
Yes, the audience is there. But, beyond that, if networks want to please their advertisers, they’d be wise to get behind programs that speak to families.

4.  Mark Burnett previews The Bible. The man behind Survivor and The Voice gave an enthusiastic audience an early look at clips from his upcoming 10-hour miniseries which he’s producing with his wife Roma Downey (Touched by an Angel) who also has an acting role in the epic.  Says Burnett, “I couldn’t give a shit about the business model. This was about love and faith.” ( More at Variety)

5. GMC (Gospel Music Channel) and Magic Johnson team up to create a positive cable network. As part of a panel discussion on The State of Family and Faith-Based Entertainment, GMC Vice Chairman Brad Siegel talked about branding his channel as home of “Uplifting Entertainment” (i.e. positive TV movies and TV series in the vein of 7th Heaven). He also talks about partnering up with the NBA legend to create Aspire TV. Set to debut on Comcast systems next Sunday (June 30), the 24-hour channel will offer positive and uplifting entertainment programming tailored toward the African-American community.
Also contributing to the conversation (moderated by Variety’s Cynthia Littleton) were Ben Howard (Provident Films), Simon Swart (Fox Home Entertainment), Darren Melameth (Crown Media Family Networks) and Dale Ardizzone (The Inspiration Networks).

6. The School That Fell From the Sky. During a networking break, I met with Vince Gratzer, the proprietor of the independent Las Cruces Productions. He’s optioned the rights to the harrowing-but-inspirational autobiography of Fred Hargesheimer. Shot down by the Japanese during World War II, the reconnaissance pilot survived the deadly jungles of enemy-occupied New Britain where (after pleading to God for help) he was finally rescued by villagers who risked their lives to nurse him back to health.  Years after the war, Hargesheimer returned to the impoverished village that protected him and spent several years building schools, libraries and clinics in gratitude to God and the people who protected him in his darkest hours. Vince is seeking a production partner/production company to partner with to bring Fred’s story to the screen.
(Read more here)

7. Marketing Them and They Will Come. A discussion of how to market family and faith-based films was led by Dan Merrell, President and CEO of the Nashville-based entertainment marketing firm Propeller. Participants included Richard Ingber who heads worldwide marketing for Alcon Entertainment, Spark Networks CEO Greg Liberman, Rio Cyrus (SVP/Marketing for Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment), Movie to Movement Founder Jason Jones, Arleen Lopez (who handles faith marketing for Pantelion Films) and Kim Dorr-Tilley who is both co-owner and founder of Defining Artists Agency and an associate pastor with Bel Air Presbyterian Church’s Entertainment Ministries.

8. How to make successful faith-based entertainment? That topic was discussed by a panel comprised of people who have achieved great success doing just that. Motive Marketing CEO Paul Lauer led the discussion. Participants included Brian Bird of Believe Pictures, John Shepherd of MPower Pictures, Michael Van Dyck of the Paradigm Talent Agency, Rich Peluso (Affirm Films), John Kilkullen (Bible 360) and Movieguide Publisher Ted Baehr. If you want to be inspired, read the personal stories of Brian Bird and Michael Van Dyck.

9. Lunch. Great food. Spoke with a rep from The 168 Film Project.

10. The Chronicles of Walden. Variety Film Critic Peter Debruge interviewed Walden Media Co-Founder Michael Flaherty about how the company behind the film version of The Chronicles of Narnia came to be.

11. A New Age. How new technologies present new challenges and new opportunities for family and faith-based media was discussed by a panel led by Variety TV Editor Andrew Wallenstein. Michael Jay Solomon, an industry legend who ran Lorimar/Telepictures (during the original Dallas era)  talked about Truli.net, a new social networking  site featuring Christian content due to officially launch on July 9th.  Other participants included Jonathan Yang (Salem Web Network), Susan Jackson (Freestyle Digital Media), Dean Waters (Vimby) and Maura Dunbar of Odyssey Networks. Odyssey Networks, Dunbar noted, also remains heavily involved in developing content for traditional television, including the Jeff Foxworthy-hosted The Great American Bible Quiz set to bow soon on GSN (Game Show Network).

12. What’s Next in Family Entertainment? Variety Managing Editor Kirstin Wilder asked October Baby director Jon Erwin, Oogieloves creator Kenn Viselmann, Charlie Ebersol(Executive Producer of USA’s The Moment), Documentary Channel CEO James Ackerman and Flashlight Entertainment Co-Founder Brian Wells.

13. A Star is Born? During a break someone asked me to check out the Official Campaign for Baby Peggy Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Here’s her story, per Wikipedia.

14. Follow the Money. But to follow it, you have to know where to look for it. Tips on that were offered by MJM Entertainment Group Founder Mark Joseph (producer of Doonby). Participants included George Taweel (George Taweel Productions), Cindy Bond (Mission Pictures International), Lance McAlindon (Front Porch Entertainment), GG Filmz Founder Deborah Giarratana (producer of Machine Gun Preacher) and October Baby Executive Producer Dave Johnson.

15. Creative Masters in Family and Faith-Based Entertainment. The final panel discussion was anchored by Variety’s Brian Lowry. Participants included X-Men producer Ralph Winter, Psych and LA Law star Corbin Bernsen (who starred in and directed Rust, a faith-based drama that earned him a Director’s Choice Award at the San Diego Christian Film Festival), producer-writer Dean Batali, producer Lori McCreary (Invictus) and producer Jason Carbone (Beverly’s Full House

Read more: http://blog.beliefnet.com/faithmediaandculture/#ixzz1z1LnpiiQ

The Family Entertainment and Faith-Based Summit

The Family Entertainment and Faith-Based Summit produced by Variety in association with Rogers & Cowan will look at the business of television and film product that is created for families and faith-based audiences. The Summit will explore the development, production and marketing of this content and look into the future of these markets.   (FROM June 21, 2012)

 

8:30 – 9:30am   Check-In/Welcome Remarks/Morning Networking

9:30 – 10:00am Research/Case Studies
9:30 a.m. to 9:40 a.m. Rentrak ResearchPresented by Bruce Goerlich, Chief Research Officer, Rentrak
9:40 a.m. to 9:50 a.m. Dove Study on Family Film ProfitabilityPresented by Dick Rolfe, Co-Founder & CEO, The Dove Foundation
9:50 to 10:00 a.m. Study on the Evangelical Community "Evangelicals: Research on 100 million media consumers who are diverse, traditional, and not so..."
Presented by Larry W. Poland, PH.D., Chairman and CEO of Mastermedia International

10:00 – 10:30am Keynote Conversation with Ben Simon, Director, Walmart & Co-Chair, ANA Alliance for Family Entertainment
Interviewed by Cynthia Littleton, Deputy Editor, Variety

10:30 – 10:40am Mark Burnett - To Talk About His New Bible Series For History

10:40 – 11:20am State of Family and Faith-based EntertainmentAs audiences are increasingly divided across growing media options, family entertainment like The Blind Side, Narnia, Courageous and October Baby has the power to unify and attract massive audiences worldwide. At the same time, successful outreach to the faith-based communities can mean a measurable boost in box office and ratings for family entertainment. Top studio and TV chiefs will discuss the key ingredients to building these cross-over hits.
*What are critical story elements to rally family audiences and entice major studios to handle these projects? What is the right balance between a compelling plotline and content that fits into audience values?
*What are the marketing models for film and TV – is it easier to strike important co-promotional relationships with brands on family projects?
*Historically, home entertainment has been a strong sector for family and faith-based titles. How have changes to this industry impacted the family and faith-based genre?
*What are exciting projects on the horizon that may boost this entertainment category, such as high-profile directors Darren Aronofsky and Steven Spielberg attached to Noah and Moses respectively?
Moderated by Cynthia Littleton, Deputy Editor, Variety
Confirmed Speakers:
Ben Howard, Co-Founder, Provident Films
Simon Swart, EVP & GM, Fox Home Entertainment
Darren Melameth, VP, Program Planning & Scheduling, Crown Media Family Networks(Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movie Channel)
Brad Siegel, Vice Chairman, GMC TV
Dale Ardizzone, COO, The Inspiration Networks

11:20 – 11:30am Networking Break

11:30 – 12:15am Reaching Family and Faith-Based Audiences: Launching and Marketing Films to Create Universal Hits The family and faith-based audiences do share some similarities in content choices, such as demand for projects that are safe for kids to watch. Studios hope to reach both in launching their films and TV series to maximize their potential – but what is the best way to pitch a mainstream family film to the faith-based segment to ensure you gain fans and don’t alienate anyone along the way? And vice versa, how do you promote projects with spiritual and religious content for mainstream success, such as profitable bonanza Soul Surfer? Top marketers and their partners will analyze what it means to pitch movies and TV projects to different audience groups for an overall impactful and cohesive campaign.
*What were the results of recent pitching broadly-targeted non-religious themed projects to the faith-based demographic – i.e. Relativity’s Act of Valor, TLC’s Sarah Palin’s Alaska, Alcon’s Dolphin Tale; Sony’s The Vow? What works in these sorts of campaigns?
*What elements of certain broad films are necessary to cross over between larger family audiences and the faith-based demographic?
*What were the secret ingredients of the Soul Surfer campaign getting out to mainstream audiences?
*What partnerships are critical in campaigns – aligning with which family-friendly organizations, church groups and pastors, bloggers, etc.?
Moderated by Dan Merrell, President, CEO & Founder, PROPELLER
Confirmed Speakers:
Richard Ingber, President, Worldwide Marketing, Alcon Entertainment
Greg Liberman, President & CEO, Spark Networks
Rio Cyrus, SVP, Marketing, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Jason Jones, Founder, Movie to Movement
Kim Dorr-Tilley, Co-Owner & Founder, Defining Artists Agency & Associate Pastor, Entertainment Ministries, Bel Air Presbyterian Church
Arleen Lopez, Project Manager, Faith Marketing (Gril in Progress), Pantelion Films

12:15 – 1:00pm The Opportunity in Faith-Friendly and Faith-Based Content: What is Success Today?
There is tremendous opportunity in backing faith-centered projects. The faith-based audience is underserved as they seem to crave the relatively few films released in this genre, and are large enough in number to impact box office – such as with Facing the Giants and Courageous. However, not every faith-based project has broken through and found an audience –as people are spread across so many entertainment choices and platforms, the faith-based included. Top distributors, creators and marketers of faith-based content will explore what it means to thrive in this space.
* What is the opportunity for production companies and distributors to enter this business?
* What is the status of TV and delivering faith-based content? The genre seems to skew heavier on the theatrical and DVD side, but it seems like cable/satellite/broadband channels, and their ability to support niche interests can be a viable delivery tool?
* What is necessary to know about the faith-based market to spark their interest for projects?
* What are budget considerations when filming within this niche – is it tricky to attract big name production and acting talent to faith-based projects? Is being labeled a ‘religious’ director/actor/producer controversial in Hollywood?
Moderated by Paul Lauer, Founder & CEO, Motive Marketing
Confirmed Speakers:
Brian Bird, Partner, Believe Pictures
John Shepherd, President, Mpower Pictures
Ted Baehr, Founder and Publisher, Movieguide
Michael Van Dyck, Agent, Paradigm Talent Agency
Rich Peluso, VP, Affirm Films, Sony Pictures Entertainment
John Kilkullen, President, Bible 360, Hearst Corporation

1:00 – 2:00pm Lunch

2:00 – 2:30pm Afternoon Keynote Conversation with Michael Flaherty, Co-Founder, Walden MediaInterviewed by Peter Debruge, Senior Film Critic, Variety

2:30 – 3:15pm Harnessing Digital Media for Family and Faith-Based Entertainment The growth of digital technology has been a boon for niche content producers, in that they don’t have to rely on mainstream-skewing studios/networks to release or market their product. This translates within digital theaters and their alternative programming campaigns; in the home with video-on-demand and streaming; and through digital gaming and apps. Can digital distribution and social media open critical doors for different niches to reach audiences? Top faith-based and family distributors and technology partners will talk about how digital media is advancing their business.
*What content distributors are succeeding in expanding audiences through digital platforms? What is the best strategy given so much choice in how new technologies can deliver content?
*What is the impact of Web communities, apps and other interactive entertainment geared towards family and faith-based audiences? Examples include Jesus Daily on Facebook and the Journey of Moses App.
Moderated by Andrew Wallenstein, TV Editor, Variety
Confirmed Speakers:
Michael Jay Solomon, CEO & President, Truli Media Group & Co-Founder, Telepictures
Jonathan Yang, VP, Sales, Salem Web Networks
Maura Dunbar, EVP & Chief Content Officer, Odyssey Networks
Susan Jackson, CEO, Freestyle Digital Media
Dean Waters, CEO, Mark Burnett Productions' Vimby

3:15 – 4:00pm What’s Next in Family Entertainment?
Within the family and faith-based genres – there is much diversity in the types of content that can fall under these labels. How has the launch of Hub, DisneyXD and other kids-centric channels impacted the business? Can popular faith-based comics, such as Shonda Pierce, break into mainstream with her PG-rated and safe-for-families comedy? Pioneers of these family and faith-based categories and their partners will talk about the significance of these sub-genres.
Moderated by Kirstin Wilder, VP & Managing Editor, Variety
Confirmed Speakers:
Jon Erwin, Director, October Baby
Kenn Viselmann, Founder, Itsy Bitsy Entertainment Company & Producer/Creator, The Oogieloves
Charlie Ebersol, Co-Founder, The Hochberg Ebersol Company (THE Company)/Executive Producer, The Moment on USA Network
James Ackerman, President & CEO, The Documentary Channel
Brian Wells, Co-Founder, Flashlight Entertainment

4:00 – 4:15pm Networking Break

4:15 – 5:00pm Film Finance and Production for Family and Faith-based Entertainment Brands and advertisers have long pleaded with Hollywood to create more family content in which their products can safely and positively be integrated. Walmart and Proctor & Gamble have famously been huge family entertainment advocates, having funded movies that are distributed on the major broadcast networks and promoted in stores. Investment angels, family-advocacy organizations and churches want to support this content as well. Leading financing entities and their production partners will discuss the marketplace for funding family and faith-based entertainment.
Moderated by Mark Joseph, Producer (Doonby, Reagan) and Founder, MJM Entertainment Group
Confirmed Speakers:
George Taweel, Founder, George Taweel Productions
Cindy Bond, Co-Founder & President, Mission Pictures International
Lance McAlindon, Chief Research Officer, Front Porch Research
Deborah Giarratana, Producer, Machine Gun Preacher& Founder, GG Filmz
Dave Johnson, Executive Producer, October Baby

5:00 – 5:45pm Creative Masters in Family and Faith-Based Entertainment Top directors, producers and writers of hit family and faith-based projects will talk about what is driving their storytelling.
*What plotlines and characters are attracting audiences – is it important to look for cross-over potential between faith-based audience and general family viewers?
*With faith-based projects, is there concern of being pigeonholed into only being successful in that category?
*What are dream projects that leading directors, producers and writers would like to make in the future?
Moderated by Brian Lowry, Senior Columnist, Variety
Confirmed Speakers:
Ralph Winter, Producer, X-Men:Wolverine, X-Men: The Last Stand
Corbin Bernsen, Actor/Producer (Psych, The Big Year)
Dean Batali, Producer & Writer, That 70's Show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Chonda Pierce's This Ain't Prettyville)
Lori McCreary, Producer (Invictus, The Magic of Belle Island)
Jason Carbone, Executive Producer (Tia and Tamera, Beverly's Full House)

5:45pm Networking Reception

Supreme Court Rules Against FCC Profanity, Nudity Policy

The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled against the FCC's policy regulating curse words and nudity on broadcast television.

In an 8-0 decision, the high court threw out fines and sanctions imposed by the Federal Communications Commission. The case involved some uncensored curse words and brief nudity on various networks,

"Because the FCC failed to give FOX or ABC fair notice prior to the broadcasts in question that fleeting expletives and momentary nudity could be found actionably indecent, the Commissions' standards as applied to these broadcasts were vague," the Supreme Court said in its opinion.

The court said the FCC is "free to modify its current indecency policy" in light of the ruling.

The justices, though, declined to issue a broad ruling on the constitutionality of the FCC indecency policy. Instead, the court concluded only that broadcasters could not have known in advance that obscenities uttered during awards show programs and a brief display of nudity on an episode of ABC's NYPD Blue could give rise to sanctions. ABC and 45 affiliates were hit with proposed fines totaling nearly $1.24 million.
It was the second time the court has confronted, but not ruled conclusively on, the FCC's policy on isolated expletives. Justice Anthony Kennedy said in his opinion for the court that "it is unnecessary for the court to address the constitutionality of the current policy."

The case arose from a change in the FCC's long-standing policy on curse words. For many years, the agency did not take action against broadcasters for one-time uses of curse words. But, following several awards shows with cursing celebrities in 2002 and 2003, the FCC toughened its policy after it concluded that a one-free-expletive rule did not make sense in the context of keeping the air waves free of indecency when children are likely to be watching television.

Forecast: Cruise, Sandler Indulge in 80s Nostalgia This Weekend

The box office gets a heavy dose of 80s nostalgia this weekend thanks to musical Rock of Ages, which utilizes 80s rock tunes for all of its songs, and R-rated comedy That's My Boy, which finds Adam Sandler sporting an 80s mullet. This isn't the first time that a June weekend has harkened back to that decade: in 2010, The Karate Kid remake and The A-Team adaptation opened to a combined $81 million. There's virtually no chance that Rock of Ages and That's My Boy deliver a similar result, and Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted will likely hold on to first place.

Rock of Ages and That's My Boy feature two of the most bankable stars in recent movie history, though Tom Cruise's portrayal of fictional rock legend Stacey Jaxx isn't likely to have a huge impact on the initial box office haul for Rock of Ages. Cruise was one of, if not the, biggest box office draw in the world up until a few years ago, when some poor movie choices and bizarre behavior seemed to weaken his brand a bit. He's coming off a monster success in Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, though, which set a new record for Cruise with over $693 million worldwide.

The Stacey Jaxx character is outside of Cruise's action star wheelhouse, though, and Rock of Ages advertising has almost completely ignored his presence in the movie (he makes an appearance in all of the material, but Cruise's name is rarely referenced and the character's signature long hair and sun glasses makes the actor hard to recognize). Instead, the focus of the Rock of Ages campaign has been the retro setting and the catchy music, and advertisements attempt to assure audiences that the movie is "Nothin' But a Good Time." This has been effective enough, and fans of the Broadway production and jukebox-style TV shows like American Idol should be able to drive the movie to an opening level similar to recent Summer musicals Hairspray and Mamma Mia! (both over $27 million).

With advertisements putting Adam Sandler front-and-center, star power will be much more relevant for That's My Boy, which opens at 3,030 locations this weekend. Beginning with The Waterboy in 1998, Sandler has had 12 movies reach $100 million at the domestic box office, which is the most for any lead actor during that period in time. However, he's coming off one of his worst box office performers ever in Jack and Jill, which debuted last November and ultimately earned $74.2 million. That's not enough to declare that Sandler's lost his mojo, but it's definitely possible that his shtick is growing a bit tired.

In That's My Boy, Sandler echoes some of his star-making roles (Happy Gilmore, Billy Madison) by playing a crude, belligerent man-child. This movie goes a step further with most of its antics, though, and as a result was tagged with an R rating. That could be a plus, since there's clearly demand for R-rated comedy (The Dictator didn't do the trick), and since fans of Sandler's early work are probably old enough to make it to That's My Boy. At the same time, Sandler has been working almost exclusively in PG-13 territory through his entire career, and as of late he's been a big draw for family audiences who won't be attending his newest movie in any significant way. Even with the clever Father's Day tie-in, it's unlikely That's My Boy gets close to the $30-million-plus that most of his movies open to (Sony is modestly projecting something in the high-teen-millions).

Weekend Forecast (June 15-17)
1. Madagascar 3 - $33.8 million (-44%)
2. Rock of Ages - $28.6 million
3. That's My Boy - $24.5 million
4. Prometheus - $23.5 million (-54%)

Bar for Success
As long as it gets close to Hairspray and Mamma Mia! ($27+ million), Rock of Ages will be off to a good start. Giving That's My Boy some leeway due to its R-rating, it's in solid shape at around $25 million.