The Directors Guild of America is moving forward with plans to establish a diversity committee for its Jewish members.
At its most recent meeting in Los Angeles on Feb. 11 (held the day after the 2024 DGA Awards), the national board approved the formation of a provisional Jewish committee, which all guild subgroups pass through before receiving official standing. The most recent diversity groups to gain permanent status are the disability committee, which was created as a provisional committee last May before being officially adopted at the Feb. 11 board meeting, and the LGBTQ+ committee, which was voted in as a provisional group in June 2021 before earning its permanent designation in January 2022.
It was at that meeting officially establishing the LGBTQ+ unit that member Stuart Acher first thought of doing the same for Jewish directors. “Everyone was cheering, and one member said, ‘Now all minorities are represented,’ and I couldn’t help but to feel,...
At its most recent meeting in Los Angeles on Feb. 11 (held the day after the 2024 DGA Awards), the national board approved the formation of a provisional Jewish committee, which all guild subgroups pass through before receiving official standing. The most recent diversity groups to gain permanent status are the disability committee, which was created as a provisional committee last May before being officially adopted at the Feb. 11 board meeting, and the LGBTQ+ committee, which was voted in as a provisional group in June 2021 before earning its permanent designation in January 2022.
It was at that meeting officially establishing the LGBTQ+ unit that member Stuart Acher first thought of doing the same for Jewish directors. “Everyone was cheering, and one member said, ‘Now all minorities are represented,’ and I couldn’t help but to feel,...
- 3/19/2024
- by Rebecca Sun
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Oscars may have concluded, but there’s one more piece of the awards season worth checking out before we fully move on to 2024 in cinema. A welcome annual tradition, the Directors Guild of America gathered their nominees for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film––Martin Scorsese (Killers of the Flower Moon), Christopher Nolan (Oppenheimer), Greta Gerwig (Barbie), Yorgos Lanthimos (Poor Things), Alexander Payne (The Holdovers) and ––for an extensive, nearly two-hour conversation. Moderated by Jeremy Kagan, the conversation took place in February at the DGA’s Los Angeles Theater ahead of Nolan taking home the top award.
The wide-ranging talk dives deep into the preparation and production of each of the features, with Gerwig discussing the intentional dreamlike artificiality of her Barbie sets, Nolan on his fascinating approach of shooting the tower that held the Trinity Test bomb, Scorsese on how Robert De Niro’s real-life injury brought...
The wide-ranging talk dives deep into the preparation and production of each of the features, with Gerwig discussing the intentional dreamlike artificiality of her Barbie sets, Nolan on his fascinating approach of shooting the tower that held the Trinity Test bomb, Scorsese on how Robert De Niro’s real-life injury brought...
- 3/13/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
When Martin Scorsese set to work making "Hugo," a film based on Brian Selznick's children's book "The Invention of Hugo Cabret," it immediately got tongues wagging. What on Earth was the director behind films like "Taxi Driver," "Goodfellas," and "The Departed" doing helming a whimsical kids' adventure? At the time, his youngest daughter, Francesca (who's now internet famous for the Tiktok videos she makes with her old man), was only a preteen "We always joke around, my wife saying, 'Make a film your kid can see for once,'" Scorsese told THR. He added that it wasn't the only reason he made the film, "but it did help."
The point is, sometimes filmmakers just want to make a film their kids can watch. Such was the case for Stuart Gordon back in the late 1980s. The late multi-hyphenate had burst onto the horror scene earlier that decade thanks to...
The point is, sometimes filmmakers just want to make a film their kids can watch. Such was the case for Stuart Gordon back in the late 1980s. The late multi-hyphenate had burst onto the horror scene earlier that decade thanks to...
- 7/30/2023
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
A welcome annual tradition, the Directors Guild of America has once again gathered their nominees for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film––Todd Field (TÁR), Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick), Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert (Everything Everywhere All at Once), Martin McDonagh (The Banshees of Inisherin), and Steven Spielberg (The Fabelmans)––for an extensive, nearly 2.5-hour conversation. Moderated by Jeremy Kagan, the conversation took place on February 18 at the DGA’s Los Angeles Theater ahead of Daniels taking home the top award.
The wide-ranging talk dives deep into the preparation and production of each of the features, with Daniels sharing their eccentric warm-up processes (sometimes involving all-crew fighting) while Spielberg chimed in about his champagne toasts for the first and last shots, no matter the time of day. The Fabelmans director also revealed he called Paul Thomas Anderson to see what it was like working with Paul Dano on There Will Be Blood...
The wide-ranging talk dives deep into the preparation and production of each of the features, with Daniels sharing their eccentric warm-up processes (sometimes involving all-crew fighting) while Spielberg chimed in about his champagne toasts for the first and last shots, no matter the time of day. The Fabelmans director also revealed he called Paul Thomas Anderson to see what it was like working with Paul Dano on There Will Be Blood...
- 3/3/2023
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
At the annual pre-dga Awards nominees symposium Saturday morning, “Top Gun: Maverick” nabbed the most enthusiastic applause (after a breathtaking clip of Tom Cruise soaring in an F-14). And as usual for these panels, the “Everything Everywhere All at Once” directing duo Daniels scored the most laughs. They even had the packed audience at the DGA participate in one of their daily warm-up exercises, waving their hands and feet.
After an extended season of prolonged PR exposure, there might not seem to be anything new to learn from these accomplished filmmakers, but here are some nuggets wrested from them by DGA moderator Jeremy Kagan.
1. During rehearsals for “The Banshees of Inisherin,” Brendan Gleeson figured that his character had been suicidal during the period before the movie begins. Going forward, breaking off his friendship with Colin Farrell’s character was an essential strategy for survival, so he could be harsh about it.
After an extended season of prolonged PR exposure, there might not seem to be anything new to learn from these accomplished filmmakers, but here are some nuggets wrested from them by DGA moderator Jeremy Kagan.
1. During rehearsals for “The Banshees of Inisherin,” Brendan Gleeson figured that his character had been suicidal during the period before the movie begins. Going forward, breaking off his friendship with Colin Farrell’s character was an essential strategy for survival, so he could be harsh about it.
- 2/18/2023
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
George Lucas didn't just revolutionize the film business with "Star Wars" in 1977, he also turned relative unknowns Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford into overnight superstars. These actors entered homes all over the United States as Kenner action figures, and their images adorned everything from bed sheets to lunch boxes. They were recognizable superstars to children and adults alike.
There was no roadmap to deal with this kind of stardom. The three principal actors knew a second journey to that galaxy far, far away loomed on the horizon, but what they should do in the interim was something of a puzzle. Were they box-office draws outside of "Star Wars?"
Hamill and Fisher were so young and fresh-faced that it wasn't clear how they could capitalize on their unprecedented fame. They were still ingenues. Ford, however, was well into his 30s, and, after a decade-long struggle to make good on his big-screen promise,...
There was no roadmap to deal with this kind of stardom. The three principal actors knew a second journey to that galaxy far, far away loomed on the horizon, but what they should do in the interim was something of a puzzle. Were they box-office draws outside of "Star Wars?"
Hamill and Fisher were so young and fresh-faced that it wasn't clear how they could capitalize on their unprecedented fame. They were still ingenues. Ford, however, was well into his 30s, and, after a decade-long struggle to make good on his big-screen promise,...
- 12/23/2022
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Legendary Hollywood men typically stick to specific archetypes when playing the romantic lead in their films. Where Humphrey Bogart was often coarse and cynical with a heart of gold, Cary Grant tended to be debonair and sharp-witted with a mischievous streak. At the peak of his movie stardom, Harrison Ford had a touch of both those gents. He was a cocky scoundrel who bore his skepticism like a shield yet would allow himself to be unguarded and even sweet in the right company. Ford was also just as foxy donning a fedora as he was rocking the adorkable getup of a mild-mannered professor.
After breaking out as the suave cosmic reprobate Han Solo in "Star Wars: A New Hope," Ford co-starred in Jeremy Paul Kagan's 1977 Vietnam War veteran drama, "Heroes" (a film he worked on prior to "A New Hope" reaching theaters), and Guy Hamilton's 1978 "Guns of Navarone" sequel,...
After breaking out as the suave cosmic reprobate Han Solo in "Star Wars: A New Hope," Ford co-starred in Jeremy Paul Kagan's 1977 Vietnam War veteran drama, "Heroes" (a film he worked on prior to "A New Hope" reaching theaters), and Guy Hamilton's 1978 "Guns of Navarone" sequel,...
- 12/6/2022
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
Mark Hamill's Luke Skywalker might've been the protagonist of George Lucas' "Star Wars," but Harrison Ford was its breakout star as the charming interstellar rapscallion Han Solo. He would've broken out eight years earlier in Jacques Demy's "Model Shop," but the genius head of Columbia Pictures at the time believed Ford had "no future" as a film actor. Having finally kicked down the door at the age of 35, Ford was determined to not get pigeonholed as his generation's Flash Gordon à la Buster Crabbe. So before "Star Wars" hit theaters on May 22, 1977, the actor chased down a supporting role in a small, independently produced film.
The film was Jeremy Kagan's "Heroes," a quiet drama about a Vietnam veteran (Henry Winkler) who escapes a mental hospital in New York City and sets out on a quest to start a worm farm in Northern California. Winkler is joined by...
The film was Jeremy Kagan's "Heroes," a quiet drama about a Vietnam veteran (Henry Winkler) who escapes a mental hospital in New York City and sets out on a quest to start a worm farm in Northern California. Winkler is joined by...
- 12/3/2022
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
A welcome annual tradition, the Directors Guild of America has once again gathered their nominees for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film––Paul Thomas Anderson (Licorice Pizza), Jane Campion (The Power of the Dog), Steven Spielberg (West Side Story), Denis Villeneuve (Dune), and Kenneth Branagh (Belfast)––for an extensive, 2.5-hour conversation. Moderated by Jeremy Kagan, the conversation took place on March 12 at the DGA’s Los Angeles Theater ahead of Campion taking home the top award.
The wide-ranging talk dives deep into the preparation and production of each of the features, with PTA revealing that the rehearsal scenes in Drive My Car rang true to his process for readying Licorice Pizza, Spielberg discussing the precise visual rhythms of West Side Story with extensive storyboarding, Villeneuve discussing how having a bad trip with his son helped him prep for Dune, Campion talking about how working with a dream coach was...
The wide-ranging talk dives deep into the preparation and production of each of the features, with PTA revealing that the rehearsal scenes in Drive My Car rang true to his process for readying Licorice Pizza, Spielberg discussing the precise visual rhythms of West Side Story with extensive storyboarding, Villeneuve discussing how having a bad trip with his son helped him prep for Dune, Campion talking about how working with a dream coach was...
- 3/23/2022
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
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By Fred Blosser
To say that George Roy Hill’s “The Sting” (1973) was a hit is like calling Amazon a successful little internet business. Starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford, “The Sting” placed second in ticket sales for its year of release ($159.6 million), surpassed only by “The Exorcist.” In the Academy Awards ceremonies on April 2, 1974, it earned seven Oscars, notably honors for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay. The Best Picture award sparked a brief controversy as to whether the stylish but relatively lightweight film about an elaborate confidence scheme deserved the accolade. The pot was further stirred during the awards broadcast, when the screenwriter, David S. Ward, flashed a gesture on stage after picking up his statuette. It was the same signal used by real-life con artists to declare victory over unwary dupes, some observers asserted. Whatever the merits of the argument,...
By Fred Blosser
To say that George Roy Hill’s “The Sting” (1973) was a hit is like calling Amazon a successful little internet business. Starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford, “The Sting” placed second in ticket sales for its year of release ($159.6 million), surpassed only by “The Exorcist.” In the Academy Awards ceremonies on April 2, 1974, it earned seven Oscars, notably honors for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay. The Best Picture award sparked a brief controversy as to whether the stylish but relatively lightweight film about an elaborate confidence scheme deserved the accolade. The pot was further stirred during the awards broadcast, when the screenwriter, David S. Ward, flashed a gesture on stage after picking up his statuette. It was the same signal used by real-life con artists to declare victory over unwary dupes, some observers asserted. Whatever the merits of the argument,...
- 10/16/2020
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
“The whole world is watching,” we hear chanted repeatedly in the first The Trial of the Chicago 7 trailer. After riots, which may have begun due to the excessive force by the police, overtook the 1968 Democratic National Convention, the federal government tried to charge a group of counterculture activists with conspiracy in one of the most infamous trials in American history. Written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, and featuring an all-star cast headlined by Sacha Baron Cohen, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Mark Rylance, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, the Netflix film merits global consideration. Subscribers will have access to the film starting on Oct. 16
The Trial of the Chicago 7 was originally going to be released by Paramount Pictures, but the studio sold the distribution rights to Netflix due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Trial of The Chicago 7 was initially set to be released in September, but the deal between Paramount and Netflix pushed it back a few weeks.
The Trial of the Chicago 7 was originally going to be released by Paramount Pictures, but the studio sold the distribution rights to Netflix due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Trial of The Chicago 7 was initially set to be released in September, but the deal between Paramount and Netflix pushed it back a few weeks.
- 9/14/2020
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
It’s one of the best moments of award season. No, not the Oscars this weekend. Rather, the Directors Guild of America has shared their extensive, 2-hour, 41-minute conversation with this year’s nominees for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film Award, featuring Bong Joon Ho (Parasite), Martin Scorsese (The Irishman), Quentin Tarantino (Once Upon a Time in… Hollywood), Taika Waititi (Jojo Rabbit), and winner Sam Mendes (1917).
Moderated by Jeremy Kagan, it’s a shame that Greta Gerwig and the Safdies, among others, were snubbed from nominations and therefore weren’t invited to the conversation but nonetheless, it’s a fascinating talk. While Scorsese had to video chat in from New York City, the rest were there in person (and Waititi in fine comedic form) as they discussed virtually every aspect of the directing process, from their thoughts on video village, how they work with actors, finding their endings, and much,...
Moderated by Jeremy Kagan, it’s a shame that Greta Gerwig and the Safdies, among others, were snubbed from nominations and therefore weren’t invited to the conversation but nonetheless, it’s a fascinating talk. While Scorsese had to video chat in from New York City, the rest were there in person (and Waititi in fine comedic form) as they discussed virtually every aspect of the directing process, from their thoughts on video village, how they work with actors, finding their endings, and much,...
- 2/8/2020
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
The 29th annual Directors Guild Symposium, held Saturday morning before the DGA Awards that night, hosted two first-time Feature Film nominees — Korean Bong Joon Ho, nominated for his seventh film, family comedy “Parasite,” and New Zealander Taika Waititi, recognized for his fifth, Nazi satire “Jojo Rabbit” — both of whom are contending for the big prize against veterans Sam Mendes (World War I actioner “1917”), who won the award 20 years ago for his film debut “American Beauty,” Quentin Tarantino with his ninth film, showbiz bromance “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” and “The Irishman” director Martin Scorsese, who participated via live-video feed from New York.
Per usual, moderator Jeremy Kagan quizzed the filmmakers on their process. The directors turned out to have much in common, from directing children, recreating the past, and dealing with violence, to drawing storyboards and relying on VFX.
Here are the most compelling things I learned from this two-hour and 43-minute interview.
Per usual, moderator Jeremy Kagan quizzed the filmmakers on their process. The directors turned out to have much in common, from directing children, recreating the past, and dealing with violence, to drawing storyboards and relying on VFX.
Here are the most compelling things I learned from this two-hour and 43-minute interview.
- 1/26/2020
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
The 29th annual Directors Guild Symposium, held Saturday morning before the DGA Awards that night, hosted two first-time Feature Film nominees — Korean Bong Joon Ho, nominated for his seventh film, family comedy “Parasite,” and New Zealander Taika Waititi, recognized for his fifth, Nazi satire “Jojo Rabbit” — both of whom are contending for the big prize against veterans Sam Mendes (World War I actioner “1917”), who won the award 20 years ago for his film debut “American Beauty,” Quentin Tarantino with his ninth film, showbiz bromance “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” and “The Irishman” director Martin Scorsese, who participated via live-video feed from New York.
Per usual, moderator Jeremy Kagan quizzed the filmmakers on their process. The directors turned out to have much in common, from directing children, recreating the past, and dealing with violence, to drawing storyboards and relying on VFX.
Here are the most compelling things I learned from this two-hour and 43-minute interview.
Per usual, moderator Jeremy Kagan quizzed the filmmakers on their process. The directors turned out to have much in common, from directing children, recreating the past, and dealing with violence, to drawing storyboards and relying on VFX.
Here are the most compelling things I learned from this two-hour and 43-minute interview.
- 1/26/2020
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
The 50th anniversary of the American Film Institute Conservatory drew a storied array of graduates from its inaugural Class of 1969 back to the film school’s original campus, Beverly Hills’ Greystone Mansion.
Nearly all of the first class — nine of the original 18 AFI Fellows — reconvened for the celebration at the estate-turned-city park, including acclaimed cinematographer Caleb Deschanel (The Natural, The Lion King), screenwriter Matthew Robbins (MacArthur, Crimson Peak), writer-producer Paul Davids (Roswell), director academic Jeremy Kagan (The Journey of Natty Gan, Chicago Hope), producer David Wyles (Pumping Iron), screenwriter Jack Weinstein, director/playwright/lyricist Ken Luber and filmmakers ...
Nearly all of the first class — nine of the original 18 AFI Fellows — reconvened for the celebration at the estate-turned-city park, including acclaimed cinematographer Caleb Deschanel (The Natural, The Lion King), screenwriter Matthew Robbins (MacArthur, Crimson Peak), writer-producer Paul Davids (Roswell), director academic Jeremy Kagan (The Journey of Natty Gan, Chicago Hope), producer David Wyles (Pumping Iron), screenwriter Jack Weinstein, director/playwright/lyricist Ken Luber and filmmakers ...
- 9/20/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
The 50th anniversary of the American Film Institute Conservatory drew a storied array of graduates from its inaugural Class of 1969 back to the film school’s original campus, Beverly Hills’ Greystone Mansion.
Nearly all of the first class — nine of the original 18 AFI Fellows — reconvened for the celebration at the estate turned city park, including acclaimed cinematographer Caleb Deschanel (The Natural, The Lion King), screenwriter Matthew Robbins (MacArthur, Crimson Peak), writer-producer Paul Davids (Roswell), director academic Jeremy Kagan (The Journey of Natty Gan, Chicago Hope), producer David Wyles (Pumping Iron), screenwriter Jack Weinstein, director/playwright/lyricist Ken Luber ...
Nearly all of the first class — nine of the original 18 AFI Fellows — reconvened for the celebration at the estate turned city park, including acclaimed cinematographer Caleb Deschanel (The Natural, The Lion King), screenwriter Matthew Robbins (MacArthur, Crimson Peak), writer-producer Paul Davids (Roswell), director academic Jeremy Kagan (The Journey of Natty Gan, Chicago Hope), producer David Wyles (Pumping Iron), screenwriter Jack Weinstein, director/playwright/lyricist Ken Luber ...
- 9/20/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The awards season is chock full of the same anecdotes being passed around with each interview, but give a group of directors a few hours, and more interesting, new insight into the filmmaking process will arise. This is always the case with the Directors Guild of America’s yearly talk with their nominees, and thankfully in recent years they’ve published the talk in full for our viewing and listening pleasure.
This year, Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film Award nominees Bradley Cooper (A Star Is Born), Alfonso Cuarón (Roma), Peter Farrelly (Green Book), Spike Lee (BlacKkKlansman), and Adam McKay (Vice) gathered, with moderation from Jeremy Kagan. It’s certainly a shame that one of the great female directors of this year weren’t represented, but one can skip through McKay and Farrelly to get some compelling insight into Cuarón (who went on to win the top award), Lee and even Cooper’s processes.
This year, Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film Award nominees Bradley Cooper (A Star Is Born), Alfonso Cuarón (Roma), Peter Farrelly (Green Book), Spike Lee (BlacKkKlansman), and Adam McKay (Vice) gathered, with moderation from Jeremy Kagan. It’s certainly a shame that one of the great female directors of this year weren’t represented, but one can skip through McKay and Farrelly to get some compelling insight into Cuarón (who went on to win the top award), Lee and even Cooper’s processes.
- 2/10/2019
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Bradley Cooper left Spike Lee stunned and delighted at the Directors Guild Theatre on Saturday morning by recalling auditioning for Lee long before Cooper became famous.
Lee was discussing his process for auditioning actors during the Meet the Nominees Feature Film event and emphasized the importance of being courteous and attentive while moving quickly. Cooper then recalled that he had auditioned for Lee for a television pilot, evoking a huge laugh from Lee — who could not remember the occasion.
“You get a chance to read for Spike Lee, you’re never going to forget that,” Cooper said. “You said ‘Hello, how are you,’ you asked me about Philly, you did the thing and you got me out quick. You were going hard. You’re a very present human being.”
Lee, whose first directing credit came on 1983’s “Joe’s Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads,” expressed admiration for actors for their...
Lee was discussing his process for auditioning actors during the Meet the Nominees Feature Film event and emphasized the importance of being courteous and attentive while moving quickly. Cooper then recalled that he had auditioned for Lee for a television pilot, evoking a huge laugh from Lee — who could not remember the occasion.
“You get a chance to read for Spike Lee, you’re never going to forget that,” Cooper said. “You said ‘Hello, how are you,’ you asked me about Philly, you did the thing and you got me out quick. You were going hard. You’re a very present human being.”
Lee, whose first directing credit came on 1983’s “Joe’s Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads,” expressed admiration for actors for their...
- 2/2/2019
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
A panel discussion Saturday morning among the five helmers nominated for the Directors Guild of America’s top award featured passion, levity, directorial process — and racial politics both overt and subtle. The nearly three-hour event, hosted by Jeremy Kagan before a capacity crowd of about 500, was the DGA’s 28th annual "Meet the Nominees" session, and also featured a screening of clips from the nominated films. The awards ceremony is Saturday night, with winners in 11 categories to be revealed.
Much of the morning was devoted to questions about the directorial process — with questions asked such ...
Much of the morning was devoted to questions about the directorial process — with questions asked such ...
A panel discussion Saturday morning among the five helmers nominated for the Directors Guild of America’s top award featured passion, levity, directorial process — and racial politics both overt and subtle. The nearly three-hour event, hosted by Jeremy Kagan before a capacity crowd of about 500, was the DGA’s 28th annual "Meet the Nominees" session, and also featured a screening of clips from the nominated films. The awards ceremony is Saturday night, with winners in 11 categories to be revealed.
Much of the morning was devoted to questions about the directorial process — with questions asked such ...
Much of the morning was devoted to questions about the directorial process — with questions asked such ...
Tony Sokol Oct 28, 2018
Aaron Sorkin will walk and talk with the Chicago 7 defendants in upcoming drama.
Bobby Seale, who co-founded the Black Panther Party with Huey P. Newton, was one of eight people charged with violating the Rap Brown law for the Vietnam War protests surrounding the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Seale called Judge Julius Hoffman a racist for denying his request for a separate trial. The judge responded by having Seale bound and gagged in court before separating his trial and sentencing him to 48 months in prison. The remaining defendants became known as the Chicago 7. Aaron Sorkin is set to direct the upcoming political drama, The Trial of the Chicago 7, and Sacha Baron Cohen is in the running to star, according to Deadline.
Sorkin, best known for the television series The West Wing and HBO's Newsroom, wrote the screenplay more than 10 years ago, with an eye...
Aaron Sorkin will walk and talk with the Chicago 7 defendants in upcoming drama.
Bobby Seale, who co-founded the Black Panther Party with Huey P. Newton, was one of eight people charged with violating the Rap Brown law for the Vietnam War protests surrounding the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Seale called Judge Julius Hoffman a racist for denying his request for a separate trial. The judge responded by having Seale bound and gagged in court before separating his trial and sentencing him to 48 months in prison. The remaining defendants became known as the Chicago 7. Aaron Sorkin is set to direct the upcoming political drama, The Trial of the Chicago 7, and Sacha Baron Cohen is in the running to star, according to Deadline.
Sorkin, best known for the television series The West Wing and HBO's Newsroom, wrote the screenplay more than 10 years ago, with an eye...
- 10/28/2018
- Den of Geek
Jeremy Kagan, filmmaker and USC professor is reaching out to educational institutions about his new film, Shot which tells the story of what one bullet does to many lives.
Called “profound…mesmerizing….powerful….moving” this movie is being used as a stimulating way to engage in the essential conversations we all must have about gun violence.
The movie is an intense first person journey of what happens when you get shot.
Noah Wyle in Shot (2017)
We want high school and college students to see the movie and discuss it, and we have created a balanced study guide to go along with the movie.
You can screen the 90min. dramatic movie in a local theater, or in any screening room or class room, or in homes on TVs. And depending on timing, the filmmakers are available to participate in post screening discussions.
Enclosed are information on ways to show the movie,...
Called “profound…mesmerizing….powerful….moving” this movie is being used as a stimulating way to engage in the essential conversations we all must have about gun violence.
The movie is an intense first person journey of what happens when you get shot.
Noah Wyle in Shot (2017)
We want high school and college students to see the movie and discuss it, and we have created a balanced study guide to go along with the movie.
You can screen the 90min. dramatic movie in a local theater, or in any screening room or class room, or in homes on TVs. And depending on timing, the filmmakers are available to participate in post screening discussions.
Enclosed are information on ways to show the movie,...
- 7/30/2018
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Around this time every year, we always get a really cool Q&A discussion from the Director’s Guild of America awards that highlights the year’s nominees. Indeed, this years ceremony saw an amazing line-up of directors vying for the top prize that includes director Guillermo del Toro (‘The Shape of Water‘), Greta Gerwig (‘Lady Bird‘), Martin McDonagh (‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri‘), Christopher Nolan (‘Dunkirk‘), and Jordan Peele (‘Get Out‘). Although Del Toro ended up taking the top prize for the night (you can watch his acceptance speech below), all of the nominees gathered for the annual Q&A and “meet the nominees symposium”.
This year’s Q&A in particular marks the first time that all of the nominees for the DGA’s Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film Award have also been the screenwriters for each of their respective films. In the chat, which was moderated by Jeremy Kagan,...
This year’s Q&A in particular marks the first time that all of the nominees for the DGA’s Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film Award have also been the screenwriters for each of their respective films. In the chat, which was moderated by Jeremy Kagan,...
- 2/14/2018
- by Taylor Salan
- Age of the Nerd
The most substantial peek behind the year’s best films always arrives with the Directors Guild of America nominees talk. This year, the directors in contention were Guillermo del Toro (The Shape of Water), Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird), Martin McDonagh (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri), Christopher Nolan (Dunkirk), and Jordan Peele (Get Out), with del Toro going on to win the DGA’s Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film.
On February 3, the five directors gathered for a three-hour (!) talk, moderated by Jeremy Kagan, as they went through each step of their process. The group–which marks the first time all the DGA nominees were actually the writers of their films–discuss everything from going from the script to screen, where they actually find themselves on set during production, the unique challenges of each film, how they interact with their actors, and much, much more.
Check out the full talk below,...
On February 3, the five directors gathered for a three-hour (!) talk, moderated by Jeremy Kagan, as they went through each step of their process. The group–which marks the first time all the DGA nominees were actually the writers of their films–discuss everything from going from the script to screen, where they actually find themselves on set during production, the unique challenges of each film, how they interact with their actors, and much, much more.
Check out the full talk below,...
- 2/7/2018
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Noah Wyle finds himself back in an ER — only as a patient, not a doctor — in Jeremy Kagan’s drama illustrating that getting shot really, really hurts. Terrifically effective when vividly illustrating the emergency medical procedures necessary to keep a gun victim alive, Shot falls short in terms of narrative. But it will certainly resonate for anyone who’s ever been rushed to a hospital.
The heavy-handedness of Anneke Campbell and Will Lamborn’s screenplay is evidenced by the opening scene, in which the film’s central character, Mark (Wyle), is shown to be a sound mixer adjusting the volume on...
The heavy-handedness of Anneke Campbell and Will Lamborn’s screenplay is evidenced by the opening scene, in which the film’s central character, Mark (Wyle), is shown to be a sound mixer adjusting the volume on...
- 9/21/2017
- by Frank Scheck
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
This is the first trailer for a new film starring Noah Wyle (ER) called Shot. The story is set in Los Angeles and it follows a sound designer, who is struck by a stray bullet. This event will forever affect the lives of three individuals. I like what I'm seeing in this trailer. It looks like an intense film with an interesting story that's worth checking out.
Shot begins as sound mixer Mark Newman (Wyle), is pumping up the volume on a bloody shootout scene in an action film. Hours later, after an argument with his wife Phoebe (Leal), Mark is suddenly felled by a real random bullet, and lies bleeding on the pavement with a chest wound. With Phoebe desperately trying to stop the bleeding, they both agonizingly wait for an ambulance to arrive as Mark fights for his life. Meanwhile, hidden behind a fence across the street, a teenager,...
Shot begins as sound mixer Mark Newman (Wyle), is pumping up the volume on a bloody shootout scene in an action film. Hours later, after an argument with his wife Phoebe (Leal), Mark is suddenly felled by a real random bullet, and lies bleeding on the pavement with a chest wound. With Phoebe desperately trying to stop the bleeding, they both agonizingly wait for an ambulance to arrive as Mark fights for his life. Meanwhile, hidden behind a fence across the street, a teenager,...
- 8/6/2017
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
"I can make those gun shots 'pop!'" Paladin has debuted the official trailer for an indie drama title Shot, set right in Los Angeles in the middle of Hollywood. The film tells the story of a sound designer who is struck by a random stray bullet on the streets of La. "One bullet, three lives changed forever." Noah Wyle stars as the man who gets shot, and Sharon Leal plays his wife who is with him at the time. The full cast includes Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Xander Berkeley, and Elaine Hendrix. Described as a "visceral roller coaster ride unflinchingly exploring the consequences of gun violence in America." I like the intensity and intimacy of this, with the Pov shots following him into the hospital. Might be worth a watch. Check this out below. Here's the first official trailer (+ poster) for Jeremy Kagan's Shot, direct from YouTube: Shot begins...
- 8/2/2017
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Over the weekend, the Directors Guild of America invited the five feature film nominees to a theater to discuss their nominated work. DGA winner Damien Chazelle (“La La Land“), Denis Villeneuve (“Arrival“), Garth Davis (“Lion“), Barry Jenkins (“Moonlight“), and Kenneth Lonergan (“Manchester By The Sea“) all sat with moderator Jeremy Kagan to talk about the process of making their respective films.
Continue reading Massive 2 Hour 40 Minute Talk With DGA Nominees Damien Chazelle, Denis Villeneuve, Garth Davis, Barry Jenkins & Kenneth Lonergan at The Playlist.
Continue reading Massive 2 Hour 40 Minute Talk With DGA Nominees Damien Chazelle, Denis Villeneuve, Garth Davis, Barry Jenkins & Kenneth Lonergan at The Playlist.
- 2/8/2017
- by Charles Dean
- The Playlist
If one wants to take a deep dive into some of last year’s best films, how about a conversation that’s longer than any of those discussed? As they’ve done the last quarter of a century, the Directors Guild of America have gathered their five nominees — Damien Chazelle (La La Land), Garth Davis (Lion), Barry Jenkins (Moonlight), Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester by the Sea), and Denis Villeneuve (Arrival) — for a talk spanning nearly 2 hours and 40 minutes.
Moderated by Jeremy Kagan, the talk took place just a few days ago on February 4, before Chazelle would pick up the award that evening for his modern-day musical. Remarkably, all five of these helmers are first-time nominees so much of the discussion is about them experiencing certain filmmaking aspects for the first time. Spoilers, of course, abound, so if you haven’t seen any of these, you’ll want to revisit after watching.
Moderated by Jeremy Kagan, the talk took place just a few days ago on February 4, before Chazelle would pick up the award that evening for his modern-day musical. Remarkably, all five of these helmers are first-time nominees so much of the discussion is about them experiencing certain filmmaking aspects for the first time. Spoilers, of course, abound, so if you haven’t seen any of these, you’ll want to revisit after watching.
- 2/8/2017
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
2nd Annual Asian World Film Festival Opens in Culver City October 24: Best of Asian World CinemaExecutive Director, Georges N. Chamchoum
This is the first festival of its kind to play in the United States, giving audiences the unique opportunity to see films from Japan and Turkey and everywhere in-between. The festival is held at the height of the awards season to give these Asian filmmakers maximum exposure. The festival’s Executive Director, Georges N. Chamchoum is announcing films from 51 countries which are eligible. Greater recognition to the region’s wealth of filmmakers will strengthen ties between the Asian and Hollywood film industries.
All films selected by their countries as Oscar® or Golden Globes® contenders are automatically invited. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizes these showings as the required official screenings for their members who vote on the Golden Globes®. At last year’s inaugural event some 30 films from 27 countries participated.
This is the first festival of its kind to play in the United States, giving audiences the unique opportunity to see films from Japan and Turkey and everywhere in-between. The festival is held at the height of the awards season to give these Asian filmmakers maximum exposure. The festival’s Executive Director, Georges N. Chamchoum is announcing films from 51 countries which are eligible. Greater recognition to the region’s wealth of filmmakers will strengthen ties between the Asian and Hollywood film industries.
All films selected by their countries as Oscar® or Golden Globes® contenders are automatically invited. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizes these showings as the required official screenings for their members who vote on the Golden Globes®. At last year’s inaugural event some 30 films from 27 countries participated.
- 10/18/2016
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
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More Best Picture Oscar winners have had sequels than you may think. This lot, in fact...
There’s still an element of snobbery where sequels to certain films is concerned. Whereas it’s now almost compulsory to greenlight a blockbuster with a view of a franchise in mind, it’s hard to think of most Best Picture Oscar winners being made with a follow-up in mind. Yet in perhaps a surprising number of cases, a sequel – or in the case of Rocky, lots of sequels – have followed.
These cases, in fact…
All Quiet On The Western Front (1930)
Followed by: The Road Back
Don’t be fooled into thinking sequels for prestigious movies are a relatively new phenomenon. Lewis Milestone’s 1930 war epic All Quiet On The Western Front, and its brutal account of World War I, is still regarded as something of a classic. A solid box office success,...
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More Best Picture Oscar winners have had sequels than you may think. This lot, in fact...
There’s still an element of snobbery where sequels to certain films is concerned. Whereas it’s now almost compulsory to greenlight a blockbuster with a view of a franchise in mind, it’s hard to think of most Best Picture Oscar winners being made with a follow-up in mind. Yet in perhaps a surprising number of cases, a sequel – or in the case of Rocky, lots of sequels – have followed.
These cases, in fact…
All Quiet On The Western Front (1930)
Followed by: The Road Back
Don’t be fooled into thinking sequels for prestigious movies are a relatively new phenomenon. Lewis Milestone’s 1930 war epic All Quiet On The Western Front, and its brutal account of World War I, is still regarded as something of a classic. A solid box office success,...
- 2/25/2016
- by simonbrew
- Den of Geek
Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll‘s Elaine Hendrix has signed on to the cast of the indie drama Shot. Directed by Jeremy Kagan, the film examines what happens to an innocent bystander and his fiancée when a teenager unintentionally shoots him, turning their lives upside down. The film, which stars Noah Wyle, was written by Anneke Campbell and William Lambom, and begins production this week in Los Angeles. Hendrix has also joined the political comedy Swing State where she will play a…...
- 11/4/2015
- Deadline
The Asian World Film Festival (Awff), which is dedicated to bringing the best of a broad selection of Asian World cinema to Los Angeles, has added East West Artists (Ewa) Co-Founder Jaeson Ma as Director of International Relations. The Festival slate will consist of select foreign language films that have been officially submitted to the Academy of Motion Picture, Arts & Sciences (AMPAS) as their country’s Oscar® hopeful and those submitted to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) for Golden Globe consideration.
Awff has also enlisted several notable industry executives for its Honorary Board, including former studio executive Teddy Zee and Carolco Pictures executive producer Mario Kassar ("Rambo," "Basic Instinct") as well as the former Mayor of Los Angeles, Antonio Villaraigosa. With The Wrap serving as the official media partner, Awff will take place October 26-November 2, 2015 and will be based at ArcLight Cinema in downtown Culver City and the luxury iPic Theaters in Westwood.
After recently teaming up with Ma on "The Shack," starring Octavia Spencer, Sumire and Sam Worthington, producer Lani Netter secured Ma, recognizing his ability as a strategic consultant and producer, cultivating global Asian talents at Ewa, (which is in partnership with Untitled Entertainment), and since his expertise directly aligns with Awff’s goal of drawing greater recognition to an underrepresented region of talent and filmmakers.
“Jaeson Ma is an ideal partner and asset to Awff because of his long established relationships with the Hollywood and Asian filmmaking industries. He's a trusted ally and invaluable addition,” said Netter, who serves as the Festival’s Director of Development and Philanthropy.
On joining the Awff Board, Ma shared, “Awff will showcase films and talents from the fastest growing region for entertainment, which is very exciting. There are many incredible films in Asia that are not realized by the international marketplace but now they have a fighting chance to be recognized and celebrated at the highest level through Awff."
The Festival’s Advisory Board welcomed producer Stefan Brunner, Shoreline Entertainment producer, Alex Flores, producer Medha Jaishankar, Emmy-winning TV and film director Jeremy Kagan, Igor Kokarev, scholar and expert on Soviet and American Film History, producer Brad Littlefield, producer and Founder and CEO of the Hollywood Film Academy Gia Noortas, South Korean film producer Keon-Seop Park, producer Eliyas Qureshi, producer Nick N. Raslan and Thomas Small, writer and Cultural Affairs Commissioner to the City of Culver City.
I'm excited to announced that I will be joining a great group including His Royal Highness Prince Gharios of Ghassan, Hany Haddad, immediate Past Chair of Board of Directors at the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, Lebanese philanthropist Maya Ibrahim, Amin Maalouf, best-selling author and member of the French Academy, Oscar®-winning producer Andre Morgan (Million Dollar Baby), director George Ovashvili, Hon. Roy Paul, judge for the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, South Korean film producer and distributor Chul Shin, community leader and Co-Founder of the Hollywood Schoolhouse, Ferris Wehbe, Weissman/Markovitz Communications Chairman and Co-Founder Murray Weissman and Korean activist and public figure Grace Yoo, to serve on this year’s Honorary Board.
Awff will open with a red carpet awards gala on Monday, October 26, recognizing celebrities and well-known foreign talent and filmmakers who have been major contributors throughout the Asian world film community, followed by seven days of films at ArcLight Cinema and the iPic Theater and with the closing night Festival Awards presented along with the closing night film on Monday, November 2. Throughout the week there will also be expert panels on subjects like film financing, distribution, PR, marketing and awards campaigns, editing for a global audience and more to be announced.
Films that will be accepted by the Festival include those from the 50 countries recognized by the Academy and HFPA. Priority will be given to those in the Best Foreign Language Film categories at the 88th Academy Awards and 73rd Golden Globes. In rare cases, the Asian World Film Festival will consider other outstanding films that are not in contention for the Oscars® or Golden Globes, but which have received critical acclaim on the international film festival circuit. More detailed guidelines are available at www.asianworldfilmfest.org/submissions.
The prizes given out are of significant value to enhance the awards campaign and will feature top prizes for Best Film, Jury Selection and Audience awards including The Wrap’s Awards Special Screening Series and full page ads in the Foreign Film and Oscar Wrap issues valued at over $50,000.
Awff has also enlisted several notable industry executives for its Honorary Board, including former studio executive Teddy Zee and Carolco Pictures executive producer Mario Kassar ("Rambo," "Basic Instinct") as well as the former Mayor of Los Angeles, Antonio Villaraigosa. With The Wrap serving as the official media partner, Awff will take place October 26-November 2, 2015 and will be based at ArcLight Cinema in downtown Culver City and the luxury iPic Theaters in Westwood.
After recently teaming up with Ma on "The Shack," starring Octavia Spencer, Sumire and Sam Worthington, producer Lani Netter secured Ma, recognizing his ability as a strategic consultant and producer, cultivating global Asian talents at Ewa, (which is in partnership with Untitled Entertainment), and since his expertise directly aligns with Awff’s goal of drawing greater recognition to an underrepresented region of talent and filmmakers.
“Jaeson Ma is an ideal partner and asset to Awff because of his long established relationships with the Hollywood and Asian filmmaking industries. He's a trusted ally and invaluable addition,” said Netter, who serves as the Festival’s Director of Development and Philanthropy.
On joining the Awff Board, Ma shared, “Awff will showcase films and talents from the fastest growing region for entertainment, which is very exciting. There are many incredible films in Asia that are not realized by the international marketplace but now they have a fighting chance to be recognized and celebrated at the highest level through Awff."
The Festival’s Advisory Board welcomed producer Stefan Brunner, Shoreline Entertainment producer, Alex Flores, producer Medha Jaishankar, Emmy-winning TV and film director Jeremy Kagan, Igor Kokarev, scholar and expert on Soviet and American Film History, producer Brad Littlefield, producer and Founder and CEO of the Hollywood Film Academy Gia Noortas, South Korean film producer Keon-Seop Park, producer Eliyas Qureshi, producer Nick N. Raslan and Thomas Small, writer and Cultural Affairs Commissioner to the City of Culver City.
I'm excited to announced that I will be joining a great group including His Royal Highness Prince Gharios of Ghassan, Hany Haddad, immediate Past Chair of Board of Directors at the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, Lebanese philanthropist Maya Ibrahim, Amin Maalouf, best-selling author and member of the French Academy, Oscar®-winning producer Andre Morgan (Million Dollar Baby), director George Ovashvili, Hon. Roy Paul, judge for the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, South Korean film producer and distributor Chul Shin, community leader and Co-Founder of the Hollywood Schoolhouse, Ferris Wehbe, Weissman/Markovitz Communications Chairman and Co-Founder Murray Weissman and Korean activist and public figure Grace Yoo, to serve on this year’s Honorary Board.
Awff will open with a red carpet awards gala on Monday, October 26, recognizing celebrities and well-known foreign talent and filmmakers who have been major contributors throughout the Asian world film community, followed by seven days of films at ArcLight Cinema and the iPic Theater and with the closing night Festival Awards presented along with the closing night film on Monday, November 2. Throughout the week there will also be expert panels on subjects like film financing, distribution, PR, marketing and awards campaigns, editing for a global audience and more to be announced.
Films that will be accepted by the Festival include those from the 50 countries recognized by the Academy and HFPA. Priority will be given to those in the Best Foreign Language Film categories at the 88th Academy Awards and 73rd Golden Globes. In rare cases, the Asian World Film Festival will consider other outstanding films that are not in contention for the Oscars® or Golden Globes, but which have received critical acclaim on the international film festival circuit. More detailed guidelines are available at www.asianworldfilmfest.org/submissions.
The prizes given out are of significant value to enhance the awards campaign and will feature top prizes for Best Film, Jury Selection and Audience awards including The Wrap’s Awards Special Screening Series and full page ads in the Foreign Film and Oscar Wrap issues valued at over $50,000.
- 8/19/2015
- by Peter Belsito
- Sydney's Buzz
Hemdale became one of the largest indie studios of the 80s with films like The Terminator and Platoon. Ryan charts its turbulent history...
When Platoon won four Oscars in 1987, it marked not only a new chapter in Oliver Stone's career as a filmmaker, but also the end of a decade-long battle. Since the 1970s, Stone had been struggling to make his harrowing account of the horrors he'd seen firsthand as a soldier in the Vietnam conflict, but was famously turned down by every major studio in Hollywood.
Platoon, and Stone, finally found sanctuary at a small independent studio with a grand-sounding name: the Hemdale Film Corporation. It was Hemdale, and its co-founder John Daly, that had taken a chance on Stone, and when Platoon came out in 1986, the gamble proved to be a shrewd one: its $6m investment was covered by the first month's ticket sales, and the film...
When Platoon won four Oscars in 1987, it marked not only a new chapter in Oliver Stone's career as a filmmaker, but also the end of a decade-long battle. Since the 1970s, Stone had been struggling to make his harrowing account of the horrors he'd seen firsthand as a soldier in the Vietnam conflict, but was famously turned down by every major studio in Hollywood.
Platoon, and Stone, finally found sanctuary at a small independent studio with a grand-sounding name: the Hemdale Film Corporation. It was Hemdale, and its co-founder John Daly, that had taken a chance on Stone, and when Platoon came out in 1986, the gamble proved to be a shrewd one: its $6m investment was covered by the first month's ticket sales, and the film...
- 4/2/2015
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
The annual Directors Guild Symposium with the five feature-nominated directors every year is always a treat. As moderator Jeremy Kagan digs into their process, gems are revealed. In this case, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu and Morten Tyldum both admitted that they dramatically changed their film's endings. The original "The Imitation Game" bookends were supposed to start with the police interrogation and end with Alan Turing having committed suicide, said Tyldum, which simply didn't work. So he cut it out. While Gonzalez Inarritu was going "150 kilometers per hour" two weeks into production on "Birdman," the filmmaker realized his ending was terrible and needed to be changed--even with a 28-day shoot and anxious financiers. The hospital room set was added, was all he was willing to say. The pivotal scene where Michael Keaton's character shoots himself onstage was always a challenge, the director said--at the beginning in extensive rehearsals...
- 2/8/2015
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Noah Wyle will star in Shot.
The ER actor has signed on for Jeremy Kagan's movie, Global Genesis Group has announced.
He will play a bystander who is accidentally shot by teenager.
The film deals with the effect this has on him, his fiancée and the shooter.
Wyle is the star of TNT's Falling Skies and is due to reprise his Librarian role as Flynn Carsen in the upcoming The Librarians series.
Shot will begin shooting in February.
The ER actor has signed on for Jeremy Kagan's movie, Global Genesis Group has announced.
He will play a bystander who is accidentally shot by teenager.
The film deals with the effect this has on him, his fiancée and the shooter.
Wyle is the star of TNT's Falling Skies and is due to reprise his Librarian role as Flynn Carsen in the upcoming The Librarians series.
Shot will begin shooting in February.
- 11/7/2014
- Digital Spy
Whatever Makes You Happy
"Arrow" star Stephen Amell is in talks to join actresses Susan Sarandon and Allison Janney in Cindy Chupack's directorial debut "Whatever Makes You Happy" at Mandalay Pictures. Filming begins in New York City in June.
Based on William Sutcliffe's novel, the story follows a trio of suburban mothers who have been friends since their sons were in grade school. Two decades later, the mothers, feeling marginalized and forgotten, impulsively decide to pay an unannounced visit to their sons in New York City. [Source: Variety]
Who Gets the Dog
Alicia Silverstone will star in Steven C. Miller's romantic comedy "Who Gets the Dog?" for Epic Pictures Group. The story centers on a divorcing couple who are fighting over custody of their beloved dog. Matt J.L. Wheeler & Rick Rapoza penned the script and filming begins December 3rd in Chicago. [Source: Variety]
Is That a Gun In Your Pocket?...
"Arrow" star Stephen Amell is in talks to join actresses Susan Sarandon and Allison Janney in Cindy Chupack's directorial debut "Whatever Makes You Happy" at Mandalay Pictures. Filming begins in New York City in June.
Based on William Sutcliffe's novel, the story follows a trio of suburban mothers who have been friends since their sons were in grade school. Two decades later, the mothers, feeling marginalized and forgotten, impulsively decide to pay an unannounced visit to their sons in New York City. [Source: Variety]
Who Gets the Dog
Alicia Silverstone will star in Steven C. Miller's romantic comedy "Who Gets the Dog?" for Epic Pictures Group. The story centers on a divorcing couple who are fighting over custody of their beloved dog. Matt J.L. Wheeler & Rick Rapoza penned the script and filming begins December 3rd in Chicago. [Source: Variety]
Is That a Gun In Your Pocket?...
- 11/7/2014
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Noah Wyle will star in Shot, the story of what happens to an innocent bystander and his fiancée when a teenager unintentionally shoots him and all of their lives are turned upside down. Jeremy Kagan directs from a script by William Lambom and Anneke Campbell. The film, which starts production in February, is being repped at Afm by Global Genesis Group. ER alum Wyle, who stars on TNT’s Falling Skies, next appears in the TNT series The Librarians, indie drama The World Made Straight and miniseries To Appomattox. He is repped by UTA and Brillstein Entertainment Partners.
- 11/7/2014
- by The Deadline Team
- Deadline
• Who Gets the Dog? has found its lead in Alicia Silverstone. Steven C. Miller will direct from a script by Matt J.L. Wheeler and Rick Rapoza. The romantic comedy follows a divorcing couple that fights for custody of their pet. [Variety] • Sharon Stone has been cast as the lead in Darknet. Jacques Malaterre will direct the psychological thriller, which also stars Billy Zane, Gina Gershon, and Caterina Murino. Set in post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans, the film takes a deep dive into the world of organ trafficking. It centers on Stone’s character whose husband is murdered when he nearly uncovers...
- 11/7/2014
- by C. Molly Smith
- EW - Inside Movies
Noah Wyle has signed on to star in Jeremy Kagan's indie movie “Shot,” which the Global Genesis Group will begin shopping at Afm. “Shot” chronicles what happens to an innocent bystander and his fiancé when a teenager unintentionally shoots him, turning all of their lives upside down. Kagan is directing from a script that William Lamborn and Anneke Campbell wrote, based on a story by Kagan. Production will begin in February. Wyle currently stars on TNT's “Falling Skies” and he'll reprise his role as Flynn Carsen in TNT's upcoming series “The Librarians.” Wyle is represented by UTA and Brillstein Entertainment Partners.
- 11/7/2014
- by Jeff Sneider
- The Wrap
At the 23rd annual Directors Guild Symposium held the morning of the DGA Awards, the frontrunner was a no-show--"Gravity" director Alfonso Cuaron was flying in from Italy in time for the awards dinner Saturday. (Update: as expected, he won.) That left room for the other four DGA rivals to dig into each of their widely different films. Moderator Jeremy Kagan quizzed Brits Paul Greengrass ("Captain Phillips") and Steve McQueen ("12 Years a Slave") and Americans David O. Russell ("American Hustle") and Martin Scorsese ("The Wolf of Wall Street") on their process. They turned out to have more in common than you might expect, from dreaming their movies to vomiting on set. Here are the five most compelling things I learned from this 160-minute interview (the DGA has posted video here). 1. David O. Russell likes to jam his cast and crew into a 15-passenger mini-van every morning before the shoot in...
- 2/6/2014
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Thanks to our friends at Focal Press, Filmmaker has two copies of Michael Rabiger and Mick Hurbis-Cherrier’s newly updated book, Directing: Film Techniques and Aesthetics, which is recommended by USC professor Jeremy Kagan as “the only comprehensive book on filmmaking that I recommend to my students.” This current edition, the book’s fifth, has been fully updated to be relevant to today’s readership and not only features practical exercises and immersive projects, and also has a website that complements and expands on all that is featured in the book. To win a copy of the book, simply email nick At filmmakermagazine Dot …...
- 4/19/2013
- by Nick Dawson
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
Los Angeles – DGA President Taylor Hackford today announced the results of a series of elections that took place at yesterday’s National Board Meeting. Former DGA President Michael Apted, who had been appointed to fill the position of Secretary-Treasurer when Gil Cates passed away last fall, was elected Secretary-Treasurer by the DGA’s National Board of Directors at the regularly-scheduled board meeting yesterday. Board Alternate Jon Favreau was elected to fill Apted’s board seat, and Todd Holland was elected to fill Favreau’s alternate board seat. After many years of Guild service, Ed Sherin, who was named DGA Honorary Life Member at Saturday’s DGA Awards, announced that he was resigning his seat on the National Board. Sherin served as National Vice President, Second Vice President and National Board Member for many years and dedicated himself to protecting and advocating on behalf of his fellow DGA members, especially those based on the East Coast.
- 1/31/2012
- by NIKKI FINKE
- Deadline Hollywood
Los Angeles – DGA President Taylor Hackford today announced the results of a series of elections that took place at yesterday’s National Board Meeting. Former DGA President Michael Apted, who had been appointed to fill the position of Secretary-Treasurer when Gil Cates passed away last fall, was elected Secretary-Treasurer by the DGA’s National Board of Directors at the regularly-scheduled board meeting yesterday. Board Alternate Jon Favreau was elected to fill Apted’s board seat, and Todd Holland was elected to fill Favreau’s alternate board seat. After many years of Guild service, Ed Sherin, who was named DGA Honorary Life Member at Saturday’s DGA Awards, announced that he was resigning his seat on the National Board. Sherin served as National Vice President, Second Vice President and National Board Member for many years and dedicated himself to protecting and advocating on behalf of his fellow DGA members, especially those based on the East Coast.
- 1/31/2012
- by NIKKI FINKE
- Deadline TV
Los Angeles – Director Taylor Hackford was re-elected President of the Directors Guild of America by acclamation at the Guild’s National Biennial Convention held today at DGA National Headquarters in Los Angeles. Additionally, 140 delegates representing the 14,500 members of the DGA elected a new slate of officers and members of the National Board of Directors. Steven Soderbergh was re-elected National Vice President; Gilbert Cates, who formerly served two terms as DGA president, was re-elected Secretary-Treasurer. Also elected were First Vice President Paris Barclay; Second Vice President William M. Brady; Third Vice President Betty Thomas; Fourth Vice President Gary Donatelli; Fifth Vice President Thomas Schlamme; Sixth Vice President Vincent Misiano; and Assistant Secretary-Treasurer Scott Berger. A complete list of the new officers and board members is below. Complete List of DGA Officers and Board Members President - Taylor Hackford National Vice-President - Steven Soderbergh Secretary-Treasurer - Gilbert Cates Assistant Secretary-Treasurer - Scott Berger...
- 6/26/2011
- by NIKKI FINKE
- Deadline Hollywood
The Sundance Institute has announced fourteen projects for its 30th director and screenwriting labs. To be held at the Sundance Resort in Utah from May 30-June 30, 2011, the lucky lab participants are listed below, along with details of their selves and their feature projects. Here’s the official word from the Institute:
Sundance Institute today announced the 14 projects selected for its annual June Directors and Screenwriters Labs, taking place at the Sundance Resort in Utah May 30 – June 30, 2011. Under the leadership of Michelle Satter, Director of the Sundance Feature Film Program, and the artistic direction of Gyula Gazdag, the projects selected for this year’s program include emerging filmmakers and projects from the United States, Israel, Romania, Mexico, the Philippines and Algeria. Sundance Institute is marking the 30thanniversary of its first Directors Lab, led by Robert Redford and Satter in 1981.
Over the course of the Directors Lab, Fellows work with an accomplished group of Creative Advisors,...
Sundance Institute today announced the 14 projects selected for its annual June Directors and Screenwriters Labs, taking place at the Sundance Resort in Utah May 30 – June 30, 2011. Under the leadership of Michelle Satter, Director of the Sundance Feature Film Program, and the artistic direction of Gyula Gazdag, the projects selected for this year’s program include emerging filmmakers and projects from the United States, Israel, Romania, Mexico, the Philippines and Algeria. Sundance Institute is marking the 30thanniversary of its first Directors Lab, led by Robert Redford and Satter in 1981.
Over the course of the Directors Lab, Fellows work with an accomplished group of Creative Advisors,...
- 5/2/2011
- by admin
- Moving Pictures Magazine
The Sundance Institute has announced fourteen projects for its 30th director and screenwriting labs. To be held at the Sundance Resort in Utah from May 30-June 30, 2011, the lucky lab participants are listed below, along with details of their selves and their feature projects. Here’s the official word from the Institute:
Sundance Institute today announced the 14 projects selected for its annual June Directors and Screenwriters Labs, taking place at the Sundance Resort in Utah May 30 – June 30, 2011. Under the leadership of Michelle Satter, Director of the Sundance Feature Film Program, and the artistic direction of Gyula Gazdag, the projects selected for this year’s program include emerging filmmakers and projects from the United States, Israel, Romania, Mexico, the Philippines and Algeria. Sundance Institute is marking the 30thanniversary of its first Directors Lab, led by Robert Redford and Satter in 1981.
Over the course of the Directors Lab, Fellows work with an accomplished group of Creative Advisors,...
Sundance Institute today announced the 14 projects selected for its annual June Directors and Screenwriters Labs, taking place at the Sundance Resort in Utah May 30 – June 30, 2011. Under the leadership of Michelle Satter, Director of the Sundance Feature Film Program, and the artistic direction of Gyula Gazdag, the projects selected for this year’s program include emerging filmmakers and projects from the United States, Israel, Romania, Mexico, the Philippines and Algeria. Sundance Institute is marking the 30thanniversary of its first Directors Lab, led by Robert Redford and Satter in 1981.
Over the course of the Directors Lab, Fellows work with an accomplished group of Creative Advisors,...
- 5/2/2011
- by admin
- Moving Pictures Network
Taylor Hackford will succeed Michael Apted as president of the Directors Guild of America.
Hackford was chosen Saturday during the guild's biennial national convention at Directors Guild headquarters in Hollywood. Steven Soderbergh was re-elected national VP and Gilbert Cates was re-elected secretary-treasurer.
The 135 delegates on hand also elected members of a new national board of directors. The DGA includes more than 14,000 members.
After a year and a half of labor unrest, which included a four-month writers strike and a protracted stand-off for the actors union, Hackford faces the challenge of navigating the next round of contract negotiations looming in.
With new-media considerations dominating the previous round's contentious debates, the de facto collective bargaining that will materialize in early should prove once again to be a battle over the digital future and how the creative community should be compensated as content migrates to the Web.
Hackford also took aim at Internet...
Hackford was chosen Saturday during the guild's biennial national convention at Directors Guild headquarters in Hollywood. Steven Soderbergh was re-elected national VP and Gilbert Cates was re-elected secretary-treasurer.
The 135 delegates on hand also elected members of a new national board of directors. The DGA includes more than 14,000 members.
After a year and a half of labor unrest, which included a four-month writers strike and a protracted stand-off for the actors union, Hackford faces the challenge of navigating the next round of contract negotiations looming in.
With new-media considerations dominating the previous round's contentious debates, the de facto collective bargaining that will materialize in early should prove once again to be a battle over the digital future and how the creative community should be compensated as content migrates to the Web.
Hackford also took aim at Internet...
- 7/25/2009
- by By Jay A. Fernandez
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
By Matt Singer
When adventurous treasure hunters Rick and Evelyn O'Connell return for their third film, this summer's "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor," one of them will look a bit different than they had previously. That's because Evelyn was once played by Rachel Weisz, who passed on this sequel and was replaced by Maria Bello. Likewise, the relationship between Bruce Wayne and Rachel Dawes from "Batman Begins" continues in this summer's "The Dark Knight," without Katie Holmes; Maggie Gyllenhaal fills in there.
It's a busy year for actors replacing other actors in sequels . we've already had a new Hulk (Edward Norton) and this fall, we'll have a new Punisher to match (Ray Stevenson) . so it's a good time to look back at some of the most notable substitutes. Sometimes new actors in old roles can make a huge impact; Antonio Banderas broke through with American audiences with "Desperado,...
When adventurous treasure hunters Rick and Evelyn O'Connell return for their third film, this summer's "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor," one of them will look a bit different than they had previously. That's because Evelyn was once played by Rachel Weisz, who passed on this sequel and was replaced by Maria Bello. Likewise, the relationship between Bruce Wayne and Rachel Dawes from "Batman Begins" continues in this summer's "The Dark Knight," without Katie Holmes; Maggie Gyllenhaal fills in there.
It's a busy year for actors replacing other actors in sequels . we've already had a new Hulk (Edward Norton) and this fall, we'll have a new Punisher to match (Ray Stevenson) . so it's a good time to look back at some of the most notable substitutes. Sometimes new actors in old roles can make a huge impact; Antonio Banderas broke through with American audiences with "Desperado,...
- 7/15/2008
- by Matt Singer
- ifc.com
Movies are an evolving art, especially when animals are involved, agreed the six directors nominated for the DGA's feature film award. At the guild's annual "Meet the Nominees: Feature Films" symposium held at the DGA Theatre on Saturday, the filmmakers endured more than two hours of grilling by moderator Jeremy Kagan.
"The making of a film is the learning what you're making," said "The Queen" director Stephen Frears, who joined the group via satellite feed. "The whole thing is a journey as you learn many things. You're creating something complex and making it very simple."
While Martin Scorsese ("The Departed"), Bill Condon ("Dreamgirls"), the husband-and-wife team of Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris ("Little Miss Sunshine") and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu ("Babel") gamely answered Kagan's detailed queries, Frears was more prickly. He enjoyed needling Scorsese about Scorsese's bigger budget, a theme that was picked up by the rest of the panel. When Dayton and Faris looked over at Scorsese as they said that they shot "Little Miss Sunshine" in 30 days, he shrugged.
All the directors admitted that rewrites, rethinking and reshoots were required as what they imagined and planned did not always work out. In order to liven up an intense confrontation between Leonardo DiCaprio and Jack Nicholson, Scorsese decided to shoot it again the next day after telling Nicholson to think of something to punch up the scene. As they were filming, Nicholson picked up a gun. "We didn't know what would happen at that moment," Scorsese said. "This is why I do this. Suddenly, everything goes wrong, then right. When something like that happens and Leo holds his own, that's why I made this film."
Frears also had to reshoot key scenes between Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth II and Michael Sheen as Tony Blair.
"The making of a film is the learning what you're making," said "The Queen" director Stephen Frears, who joined the group via satellite feed. "The whole thing is a journey as you learn many things. You're creating something complex and making it very simple."
While Martin Scorsese ("The Departed"), Bill Condon ("Dreamgirls"), the husband-and-wife team of Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris ("Little Miss Sunshine") and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu ("Babel") gamely answered Kagan's detailed queries, Frears was more prickly. He enjoyed needling Scorsese about Scorsese's bigger budget, a theme that was picked up by the rest of the panel. When Dayton and Faris looked over at Scorsese as they said that they shot "Little Miss Sunshine" in 30 days, he shrugged.
All the directors admitted that rewrites, rethinking and reshoots were required as what they imagined and planned did not always work out. In order to liven up an intense confrontation between Leonardo DiCaprio and Jack Nicholson, Scorsese decided to shoot it again the next day after telling Nicholson to think of something to punch up the scene. As they were filming, Nicholson picked up a gun. "We didn't know what would happen at that moment," Scorsese said. "This is why I do this. Suddenly, everything goes wrong, then right. When something like that happens and Leo holds his own, that's why I made this film."
Frears also had to reshoot key scenes between Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth II and Michael Sheen as Tony Blair.
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