Thunderbird can be a choose Giustra

VANCOUVER -- Lionsgate founder Frank Giustra is returning for the entertainment biz, developing a significant acquisition of Vancouver-based Thunderbird Films to improve and broaden its TV methods. Although the amount of gold gold coin wasn't revealed on Wednesday, every time they visit the Canadian businessman and philanthropist among Thunderbird's major traders, per the expansion company's co-founders Tim Gamble and Michael Shepard, who work as Boss and leader, correspondingly. "After we expand our business and step-up production, Frank's support guarantees that individuals can maintain our independence and parlay incredible options," Gamble mentioned. Taking a non-traditional approach to rights management, Thunderbird can provide producers distribution advances. "By delivering producers with advances, we're capable of guide them into finance and production options after which be flexible with distribution contracts, which makes way to greater options," mentioned Shepard. Giustra's investment goes a extended way towards acquiring and creating future programming. "I am thrilled to get this acquisition of Thunderbird and admire the success Tim, Michael in addition to their team have accomplished using the organization throughout yesteryear eight years," mentioned Giustra. "Thunderbird will obtain access to sufficient capital to give consideration to as being a prominent entity inside the production and distribution of television programming getting a unique concentrate on rights management. I anticipate moving the business the next step of success, having its independence to make the most of global options." Thunderbird may even soon unveil a completely new title that will better reflect its various methods. It's presently experiencing success having its TV series, "Mr. Youthful," that's been running on Disney XD and was recently gone after a primetime slot. The business also has a 50% stake inside the "Edge Runner" film franchise. A classic investment banker, Giustra setup Lionsgate in 1997 to make use of the growing Vancouver film industry. He offered nearly all his stake six years later. He's presently a board member. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Brave gets a new TV spot

Brave has followed up its recent archery-based trailer with a brand new TV spot, and of all the promotional footage we've seen so far, this is the one that has really got us excited for Pixar's new one.The film tells the story of a rebellious young princess who inadvertently unleashes chaos in the kingdom when she defies convention, and rejects her parents' plans to marry her off to a worthy suitor.Where previous trailers have been slightly mundane, this one is bursting at the seams with lush visuals and rousing "prepare for battle sequences", as well as hinting at the bond between Kelly MacDonald's princess and her parents.Take a look at the new spot, below... This looks much more like a traditional Pixar movie to us, now. Previously we'd seen a few gags and a bit of action, but not much in the way of heart. Call us suckers for an emotive soundtrack, but this one seems much more stirring than anything we've seen previously.Boasting the vocal talents of Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson, Kevin McKidd, Robbie Coltrane and Julie Walters, Brave opens in the UK on 13 August 2012.

AFTRA Members Approve Network TV Code

LOS ANGELES (Feb. 22, 2012)– The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, AFL-CIO a national union of more than 70,000 performers, recording artists and broadcast professionals today announced that AFTRA members have approved an agreement with the four major television broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox) and other producers on terms for a successor agreement to the AFTRA National Code of Fair Practice for Network Television Broadcasting, aka, the Front of the Book. AFTRA Members passed the agreement 96% in favor, achieving their primary objective in this negotiation: a 1% increase in employer contributions to the AFTRA Health & Retirement Funds upon ratification, which will bring the total H&R contribution rate to 16.5%. The three-year agreement will run retroactivelyfrom Nov. 16, 2011 through Nov. 15, 2014. Other highlights include: Increase wages by 6% over the term of the agreement (2% each year) for most categories Increase minimum hazard pay for dancers from $80 to $100 per day, and from $100 to $125 per program The $37.50 overtime rate for singers will be paid starting at the 7th instead of the 9th hour Increase the minimum work day for stand-ins who work on primetime variety and award shows, which will increase the minimum daily rate by 20% to 67% Improved contract language to increase equal employment opportunities for union performers, including an agreement to prohibit discrimination based on a member’s gender identity. I am proud our members overwhelmingly voted in favor of this hard-fought contract. Our negotiating committee of rehearsal and background actors, promo announcers, freelance newspersons, stunt performers, singers, dancers and, of course, actors, worked tirelessly to secure increased wages, improved working conditions, and stronger protections for AFTRA members in all categories and across all program formats who work under our largest contract, said AFTRA National President Roberta Reardon. Negotiations beganon Nov. 7, and were held at the offices of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers in Sherman Oaks, Calif. A tentative agreement was reached on Dec. 9, 2011. The AFTRA National Board unanimously approved the agreement on Jan. 28, 2012 and sent it out to the membership for ratification. Ballots were mailed to members on Jan. 30 and were returned Feb. 22. AFTRA National Executive Director Kim Roberts Hedgpeth served as Chief Negotiator for the Union, and was assisted by co-negotiators Joan Halpern Weise, AFTRA Assistant National Executive Director of Entertainment Programming, and Stephen Burrow, AFTRA NY Local Executive Director. The Network Code Front of the Book is the Unions largest national collective bargaining agreement and generates more than $250 million a year in member earnings. The Code covers programming in all television day parts (except for scripted primetime programs on the networks and the CW which are covered under the AFTRA Exhibit A contract) and programming produced for digital media. Covered programs include dramas in first-run syndication, morning news shows, talk shows, serials (soap operas), variety, reality, sports, contest programs, award shows and promotional announcements. Current programs covered by this contract include: Good Morning America, The View, The Price is Right, The Young and the Restless, Saturday Night Live, Jeopardy, Dancing with the Stars, Late Show with David Letterman, The Voice, Amazing Race, Deal or No Deal, The Tonight Show and American Idol, among many others.

Discovery ink deal with Colombia gov't

Discovery Communications has forged a co-production partnership with Colombia's Secretary of condition for this and Communications (TIC) to produce content for adding to Colombia additionally to advertise and spur television production training programs within the u . s . states.Multiple-year alliance might be the very first media partnership for your Colombian government together with an initial for Discovery in South Usa. Discovery has inked similar initiatives elsewhere, the newest, named "China Imagica," was with China's Condition Council Information Office this season to co produce docus featuring the singular areas of China for worldwide auds.Latest pact boosts numerous queries about the talking about of costs and revenues, that the Discovery representative wasn't at liberty to talk about.Development expects to tap local talent including producers, authors, crew etc. It is also opened up up a place of work inside the Colombian capital of Bogota, which causes it to be its fourth in the region after Buenos Aires, Sao Paolo and Mexico City.While no specific projects have yet been introduced, the primary mandate is always to create documentaries about Colombia across non-fiction genres, including engineering, science, natural background analysis.An advisory board of Colombian and worldwide experts activly works to make certain the subjects selected attracts local additionally to worldwide auds. The partners be ready to bring their first co-production to Discovery and Colombian public TV this year.Development follows a string of media businesses that have setup shop within the u . s . states such as the new the new sony Pictures Television, NBCU's Telemundo and Fox. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Malin Akerman's 'Inferno' Has 'No Porn,' Is 'Very Dark'

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Mary Tyler Moore: Idol of capri to acting icon

Mary Tyler Moore and Dick van Dyke on 'The Dick Van Dyke Show'Mary Tyler Moore has spoken at many panels to offer awareness on diabetes, from which she has long suffered. There have been few TV actresses who have been beloved as Mary Tyler Moore, who played a writer at a Minneapolis news station in her self-titled '70s CBS comedy. 'Ordinary People'When Brooklyn-born Mary Tyler Moore took tap, ballet and modern jazz classes as a young girl, a career in dancing was the goal.Though her legacy would be in acting, what signifies her greatest roles very much relates to the dancer's ability to know when to shine with a partner -- as one half of the warmly funny Petrie couple on "The Dick Van Dyke Show" -- and when to bravely go solo, as she did as groundbreakingly independent Mary Richards on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show."The Screen Actors Guild's latest Life Achievement Award honoree remembers what dancing first taught her, though, about the profession she would ultimately go into: "It taught me to be relaxed about myself and forget myself," reflects Moore. "which is the essence of acting."Another lesson? "Do it better next time," she says, laughing.Her career is practically a testament to that credo. She started out in commercials in the 1950s, dancing across the screen as an appliance mascot -- the Happy Hotpoint girl -- but hoping for something more. "You keep trying, and believe that it's not forever," she says.If conquering show business comes in bits and pieces, Moore's breakthrough role seemed to exemplify that, literally. As the sexy telephone operator on "Richard Diamond, Private Detective," only her voice, legs, and eyes were featured."It certainly caught the audience's attention," says Moore.It wasn't long before Carl Reiner picked Moore to play housewife Laura Petrie, which she turned into an especially vivacious version of the sitcom spouse: caring, opinionated and occasionally a crying mess.Moore parses her gift for comedically decorum-bursting tears -- whether a neurotic Laura meltdown or a Mary Richards stress-filled outburst -- this way: "Let those awful gurgles happen, and let yourself not be able to finish the sentence because you've run out of breath from trying so hard to be real. Just try to remember the last time you cried as an adult."She also made capri pants wildly popular. But as Moore points out, they started out as an acting choice."Every housewife on television wore these floral frocks, with little bowties around the waist," she remembers. "I want to do what I do in real life, what my friends do, and that's be a realistic wife who wears pants and doesn't care how she looks."Moore's Emmy-winning turn as Laura Petrie on "The Dick Van Dyke Show" was so culturally imprinted that when "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" was being developed in 1969 through her just-formed company MTM Enterprises, it was determined that the character of new-to-Minneapolis, single Mary Richards couldn't be divorced. (Imagined average viewer: "You mean she left that lovely Dick Van Dyke?")What emerged, though, over the seven-year-run of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" was a television persona every bit as memorable as her '60s portrayal of domestic bliss: an independent woman on her own, motivated by work, supported by female friends and a peer of the men in her life rather than a romantic object.TV news producer Mary Richards wasn't necessarily the perfect modern woman, but her struggles and triumphs meant something to female viewers, and they often let Moore know."I still hear it," says Moore, who won her second Emmy for her groundbreaking self-titled show and saw a bronze statue of the character's iconic opening-credits hat toss erected in Minneapolis. "I hear, 'You made me feel that there was hope for me to be successful.'?"There was still another facet to her acting abilities to show the public, however, and that came when Robert Redford cast her as brittle, grief-paralyzed and seemingly unconscionable mother Beth Conrad in the 1980 film "Ordinary People." The performance earned her an Oscar nomination and a decided change in people's reactions to her on the street."If I would run into somebody, they would rush over, then you could see them almost take a few steps back, as if they were scared," says Moore, laughing. "It's one of the highpoints of my career, my recognizing that I did perhaps have some talent."Moore has also used her celebrity to raise awareness about diabetes, a condition she's dealt with for over 40 years."I've been one of the lucky ones," she says of her health. "But to be able to talk to kids, to tell them not to lose hope, not to assume the worst about yourself, that gives me a wonderful feeling. I know how much it would have meant to me if there had been someone like me talking to them."Colleagues shine light on Moore"I had heard that when they were casting 'The Dick Van Dyke Show' it was suggested that they contact the gal who supplied the legs on 'Richard Diamond, Private Detective.' They brought her in and, ever since then, she has proved to the world that the legs are only the beginning of an enormous talent that rises to her beautiful lips and her golden voice." -- Ed Asner"Mary and I were close friends even before 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show' ever happened. My beloved husband, Allen Ludden, and Mary's then-husband, Grant Tinker, were best friends. In fact, Mary and Grant were the first of Allen's friends he took me to meet when we started going together. He and I were in the original 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show' pilot audience with our fingers and toes tightly crossed. It worked obviously. My first memory of working with Mary was the way she captured any scene she was in, no matter what the dialogue was. She could say, 'Won't you sit down,' and the scene was hers. It has been that way ever since. Needless to say, we still love each other with all our hearts."-- Betty White"Mary's talent and sense of humor come from a place of compassion, courage and understanding. She deserves every honor that comes her way." -- Dick Van Dyke"Not one but two major TV shows owe a debt of gratitude to Mary Tyler Moore and her extraordinary talents. She can do it all: act, sing, dance, and melt the hardest of hearts. I salute you, Mary, and I will continue saluting you."-- Carl ReinerSAG AWARDS 2012Idol of capri to acting icon | Howard talks up AFTRA merger | Acad, SAG share same voter pool | Partygoers relax, revel after the show | Stunts given due | Brisk pace gives winners last word | Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Helmers go first

Elizabeth Banks and Sarah ChalkePic's Genesis Rodriguez with Summit's Take advantage of Friedman Mike Worthington and Asger LethElizabeth Banks felt no fear at Monday's preem in the Chinese for "Guy on the Ledge." Filming the Summit thriller seemed to be fairly terror free -- despite a lot of the experience happening at 21 tales up in midtown Manhattan."I am a thrill seeker and so i anticipate such things as high cliff diving and also the curler coasters at Cedar plank Reason for Sandusky, Ohio," Banks noted. "I loved doing the ledge moments, but we did need to take a rest every 45 minutes approximately. You receive totally exhausted."Asger Leth remembered the ledge moments needed that seven blocks all around the Roosevelt Hotel needed to be closed lower for that shoot, forcing the development to shoot only on weekends. "We began around the ledge on the very first day of shooting, I went around the ledge first because I could not request the stars to get it done basically did not get it done myself," stated Leth.