Studio Briefs & Project Development Briefs – Mar 11, 2015

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11 Mar 2015

Studiobriefs03

We will be providing briefs of what comes out of the studios or independent project development on a daily basis and summarizing them in daily posts.   These will be a quick way to attempt to keep everyone updated on movement of projects.   This post is updated throughout the day.  So check back for the latest updates.

 

 

NON-SPECIFIC (NOT SPECIFIC TO A GIVEN ENTITY)

ABC/DISNEY/AMC FAMILY/LIFETIME

 

AMC NETWORKS/AMC ENTERTAINMENT/A&E

 

 

CBS/CW/CBSFILMS/SHOWTIME/Pop

  • At an investor conference on Wednesday, Leslie Moonves talked about digital services for Showtime and how the digital subscription service for CBS  has been strong.   CBS’s All Access subscription streaming service has surpassed projections, in face when asked if it had more than the 100,000 people who tried Dish’s Sling TV, he would not share actual numbers but did say it was more than that number.   He said that the service has attracted mobile device users or as he called them “cord-cutters”.   CBS Corporation is considering launching it across more station affiliates and reaching other parts of the country soon.With the success they have had with All-Access for CBS, CBS Corp. is now looking at launching Showtime OTT service in the not too distant future.  HBO’s announcement with Apple for HBO Now, Moonves felt was good news for Showtime stating that the “floodgates are now open” explaining that immediately following the Apple-HBO announcement that CBS Corp. received calls from pay TV and digital companies who had talked to CBS about Showtime’s planned OTT service before.  “Other than a little bit of consternation from the existing [pay TV companies], I don’t see how anybody cannot view this as a positive for HBO and also a positive for Showtime. There is going to be more revenue.  I applaud the showmanship of Apple and HBO.”Moonves also talked about how CBSN news service has attracted strong usage around news events.  The ad market returned, with improved advertising sales as of December and increased volume.  “We are looking at the upfront from a position of strength,” emphasizing a strong schedule, NFL Thursday games, The Super Bowl and ratings weakness at competitors.Moonves does not feel that the large number of channels in the home are over but emphasized that “you can’t live without CBS” and that how people still call CBS a “geezer network” that CBS actually saw FOX attracting older ages than CBS this year.CBS is not looking to sell of any further assets when asked if they would be selling off smaller businesses like their book publishing or radio units responding with “In terms of getting smaller, I don’t think you’ll see that from us.”
  • ‘NCIS: New Orleans’ Bringing on Dylan Walsh in Story Arc
  • ‘The Big Bang Theory’s’ Jim Parsons Honored with Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame March 11
  • CBS has renewed two more Chuck Lorre comedies, Mom and Mike & Molly .   Mom stars Anna Faris and Allison Janey and will be entering its third season with the renewal.  Mike & Molly stars Melissa McCarthy and Billy Gardell and with the renewal will enter its sixth season.  Lorre’s crown jewel, The Big Bang Theory already has two more years following this current 8th season under contract.  News of the renewals leaked out on social media, trumped the company plans to announce show renewals all at once at a future date, causing the original social media posts to be pulled but by then the news had spread. Both Warner Bros. TV and CBS declined to comment.
  • Deadline Exclusive:  Jake McDorman To Topline CBS Pilot Limitless Based on 2011 Movie

 

DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION (AOL, AMAZON, HULU, NETFLIX, YAHOO)

 

DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS (DISCOVERY CHANNEL)

 

 

DREAMWORKS /DREAMWORKS ANIMATION

  •  Verizon has ordered more than 200 hours of programming annually from DreamWorks Animation units AwesomenessTV and DreamWorksTV which will launch later this year for Verizon US Customers as part of a multi-year deal.   The deal is designed to create two new “over-the-top” channels for online video audiences.  Targeted to teens and young millennials, AwesomenessTV channel will provide both scripted and unscripted content.  The family-oriented DreamWorksTV will feature animated and short-form live-action programming, which will include some of the best-known animated characters DreamWorks has acquired or created over the years.   AwesomenessTV claims 112 million subscribers for its channels.“This is an incredible opportunity to expand the audience for both AwesomenessTV and DreamWorksTV,” said AwesomenessTV CEO Brian Robbins. “Mobile is where our audience lives which is why we are looking forward to working with Verizon to introduce our programming and talent to their massive customer base.”
  • DreamWorks’ action picture, Motorcade has just signed Joe Carnahan to write and direct the film with Walter Parks and Laurie MacDonald executive producing.  the most recent draft of the script was penned by Bill Ray.  Motorcade is about terrorists attacking the US President’s motorcade as it navigates through Los Angeles.

 

 

FOX ENTERTAINMENT GROUP/FOX SEARCHLIGHT/NEW REGENCY

 

LIONSGATE

 

 

MGM, ORION, UNITED ARTISTS

 

 

NBC/UNIVERSAL STUDIOS/USA NETWORK/COMCAST/E!/SyFy

 

 

 

SONY/TRISTAR/COLUMBIA

  •  Sony Pictures Classics’ Still Alice co-writer and c0-director, Richard Glatzer died on Tuesday from complications related to his ALS diagnosis.  The late-63-year-old’s collaborator and husband Wash Westoreland released the following statement:“I am devastated. Rich was my soul mate, my collaborator, my best friend and my life. Seeing him battle ALS for four years with such grace and courage inspired me and all who knew him. In this dark time, I take some consolation in the fact that he got to see Still Alice go out into the world.  He put his heart and soul into that film and the fact that it touched so many people was a constant joy to him. Richard was a unique guy — opinionated, funny, caring, gregarious, generous, and so so smart.” In addition to his husband, Glatzer is survived by his sister Joan Kodner, several nieces and nephews and his daughter Ruby Smith.
  • Deadline Exclusive:  Sony Pictures Wins Auction for The Axmann Conspiracy; Black List Scribes Jacob Crane and Jonathan Stewart to Write

 

 

TIME WARNER/WARNER BROS./HBO/ TURNER/TNT/TBS/NEWLINE

 

 

VIACOM/COMEDY CENTRAL/PARAMOUNT/MTV

  •  Latest layoffs from Viacom restructuring is Paramount Pictures.   Paramount laid off between 30-40 employees across all departments on Wednesday.  According to a Paramount Pictures spokesperson,”The personnel changes made today are part of Viacom’s previously announced restructuring effort. These changes are designed to realign resources and create efficiencies in line with the evolving business environment.”In an investor phone conference this past Monday, Viacom CEO Phillippe Dauman expected the restructuring to be completed by the end of the month which will result in a $250 Mil savings. He also denied all rumors that hte company would be selling a stake of Paramount stating” It’s completely untrue; people see meetings being done and they like to think that it is transformational.”

 

 

INDIE

  • THR Exclusive:  VOX Media Launches Entertainment Division, Signs with WME
  • THR Exclusive:  Fifty Shades Stars Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan to Seek Seven-Figure Raises for Sequel
  • John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin, known as the Monty Python troupe, will reunite in New York this April to celebrate the 40th Anniversary screening of the comedy Monty Python and the Holy Grail.   But Holy Grail isn’t the only title that Tribeca will host.   Also bowing at Tribeca will be  Monty Python- The Meaning of Live documentary by Roger Graef and James Rogan about the group’s preparations for its 2014 reunion shows as the O2 in London as well as screenings of Monty Python’s The Life of Brian and The Meaning of Life. Holy Grail has just been added to the Tribeca Film Festival lineup, where the troupe will appear at the Beacon Theater on April 24, with some members planning to be available for Q&A session for other Python film screenings at the festival.  Tribeca Film Festival runs April 15-26 this year.
  • Jim Burke has been named President of Production for Focus Features, in addition to promoting Senior Vice President of Production, Josh McLaughlin to Executive Vice President who will report to Burke.  Burke will report to Peter Schlessel, Focus Features’ CEO.
Posted in: ABC, AMC, CBS, Film, FOX, NBC, Televsion ⋅ Tagged: abctag, , , , foxtag, nbctag,

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