Trump Appoints Special Hollywood Ambassadors

 

Trump with Stallone, Gibson, and Voight

Yesterday, President-elect Trump announced the appointment of three "special Hollywood Ambassadors, to make Hollywood great again."

The three are Sly Stallone, Mel Gibson, and Jon Voight. Their goal will be to bring back business to Hollywood which has been lost to foreign countries.

According to Trump, "Hollywood is a great but very troubled place right now. These Ambassadors will serve as Special Envoys to me for the purpose of bringing Hollywood, which has lost much business over the last four years to foreign countries, back bigger, better, and stronger. These people will be my eyes and ears, and I will get done what they suggest - it will be the Golden Age of Hollywood."

Gibson stated that he, "Will heed the call. My duty as a citizen is to give any help and insight I can." He added, "any chance the position comes with an ambassador's residence?" Gibson's home in Malibu was completely destroyed last week in the L.A. fires.

Currently, all three are active in the film industry. Gibson has a movie being released later this month, "Flight Risk' and is working on a sequel to "The Passion of Christ" entitles "The Resurrection of Christ". Stallone is currently starring in the hit series "Tulsa King" and co-wrote and produced the upcoming Jason Statham film "Working Man". Voight recently appeared in the Coppola film "Megalopolis" and the biopic "Reagan"

Our best wishes to the success of these three very talented film veterans. 

By: Jim Lavorato

Very Rich Go Private to Fight Fires

 If you're very rich and your priceless home is in peril, what do you do? Well, you hire your own firefighters. That's right you hire private firefighting services.

Fire Force has private trucks for pumping water

This consists of crews with all appropriate equipment, trucks, chemical retardants, and even bring their own water supply. Private firefighting services sprang up after the 2018 L.A. fires that devastated large portions of the city. Yet, little is known about these services.

Private crews use the latest in firefighting equipment

"The reality here is that you've got to protect your investments, and a large investment needs unusual protection", stated a top media executive. And it's not just the structure, as many of the very rich and powerful possess uncommon valuables - including massive auto and art collections. 

The cost for private firefighting ranges from $5,000 per day for a small crew with equipment up to $20,000 per day for fighters, trucks, etc. In many cases, the private crews are better equipped than regular firemen.

By: Jim Lavorato

The Fires of L.A.

 

Anyone with even a passing interest in the movie business cannot ignore the devastating fires that are raging across Los Angeles. These fires have impacted moviedom on a personal and business level, as thousands of displaced residents are now seeking housing where none exists.

Dylan Eckhardt, a high-end realtor says he "had $73 million in house listings wiped out in Malibu and Pacific Palisades where over 10,000 homes and other structures were obliterated. I'm waiving my commission for anyone who is directly affected by the fires."

Not only is renting or buying in the immediate aftermath of the fires at issue but the rebuilding after the fires die out will take, an estimated, seven to ten years. Rental properties in the adjacent areas range in price from $15,000-$45,000 per month.

Fanned by the Santa Ana winds (referred to as the evil winds) the fires did the most damage to the upscale Pacific Palisades (median house value of $7 million), Malibu, and the Altadena area of Los Angeles. Notable names of the individuals whose homes were destroyed were Anthony Hopkins, Billy Crystal, Paris Hilton, James Woods, Mel Gibson, and Jeff Bridges just to name several. 

Beachfront homes in Malibu destroyed

Insurance recovery is not available for many who have lost their homes. For example, in July, State Farm Insurance dropped coverage on 72,000 homes in California, including 1,600 in Pacific Palisades.

Other Problems

Those whose homes escaped the flames but fled because they lived in an evacuation area are now dealing with looting, which has become a major issue.

Economic losses now total over $60 billion - the most ever in California, and the fires are still raging. The largest being the Palisades Fire, which was moving eastward toward Santa Monica. The Sunset Fire broke out, as well, in the Hollywood Hills area scorching over 40 acres.

What Are the Issues

Incompetence, some would say dereliction of duty, within the public sector is event. Governor Newsom, LA Mayor Bass, and the Head of the Fire Department instantly come to mind. The State Insurance Commission and the Public Safety Commission are also guilty of poor, if not bad, judgement. And finally, the State Legislature.

Californians themselves need to take responsibility as well, for electing people that are not capable administrators or legislators except for the fact that they meet DEI based social criteria. We must come to grips with the fact that the most meritorious and qualified get appointed and elected to these very critical positions. 

As regards the cost of rebuilding - it should be on the shoulders of Californians and not the entire nation. Perhaps if they are stuck with the bill for the devastation the citizens of California will understand that they must change their ways as regards to the very liberal policies they hold and where they spend their tax dollars. Woke don't work.

By: Jim Lavorato

National Popcorn Day

 

National Popcorn Day celebration

Sunday, January 19th is National Popcorn Day, and many cinemas are celebrating by having a 'Bring Your Own Bucket' event.

It can be any kind of bucket - a movie collectable bucket, snack bowl, or water bucket, all will be filled. Some cinemas, like Cinemark, are charging $5 per bucket - no matter the size. In other cinemas, it's free of change. The purchase of a movie ticket is not required, just bring any bucket but one not does not exceed 400 ounces.  

National Popcorn Day is one of the best days for moviegoers and cinemas. If you are a cinema owner/operator and you are going to celebrate the day do so in a big way. Your patrons deserve it, and it will reap big payoff going forward.

By: Jim Lavorato

Dealmaking Will Be Prevalent in 2025

2025 will see a frenzy in dealmaking within all entertainment sectors.

- Paramount Global is being acquired by a consortium led by Sundance Media and RealBird Capital.

   - Comcast (NBC-Universal) and Warner Bros. Discovery are going to separate their cable networks from their other operations - this is already in the works.

   - Warner Bros.is going to take it DC Comics unit public given it high intrinsic value.

There will be more and more consolidation in legacy media. This coupled with the Trump Administrations' favorable regulatory stance will spur on dealmaking activity throughout the year.

- Look for a lot of activity in the small, sub-scale direct-to-consumer streaming platforms. This merging of the small entities will be necessary if they want to complete. While consumers are willing to pay for two -to-four subscriptions, it leaves the smaller streamers at a disadvantage; therefore, streamers like Peacock, WBMAX, and Paramount+ could partner-up or sign consolidation deals. This type of coalescing will increase their subscription base, strengthen content offerings, and reduce marketing costs.

2025 will turn out to be a pivotal year in terms of the further consolidation of media companies across the entertainment industry.

BY: Jim Lavorato

First Lady Docu

A documentary on Melania Trump is being produced and will be distributed, in the first half of this year, by MGM. It is being directed by Brett Ratner. The film will have a theatrical, as well as a streaming release on Amazon Prime.

A spokesperson for Amazon said the film will "give viewers an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes look at the First Lady. We are excited to share this truly unique story with our millions of customers around the world."

Melania was shunned by the press, both on-air and print media, during the first term of the Trump presidency. But now with a new book, entitled 'Melania' and this documentary, her story will now be told. 

Ratner receiving 'Walk of Fame' Award & Star

Brett Ratner has not directed any projects since 2017 when he was wrongfully accused of sexual misconduct under, the now discredited, #MeToo movement. No charges were ever brought against Ratner, but he nonetheless suffered blackballing by Hollywood. 

I'm predicting that this film will be a box office hit and gross many times its cost to produce and market. Melania Trump's story is a fascinating and, in many ways, an inspirational one.

By: Jim Lavorato

Hollywood Uncovered

Think of it this way...something with a premium price tag needs a premium experience to justify the price. The fact that a trip to the cinema to view a single movie can cost as much or more than a month's worth of streaming service, is a huge hurdle for cinemas. But, augmented and tailor-made to demographic programming will lure audiences in.

Nobody can afford to make films in Hollywood

For example, Sony Pictures' purchase of the Alamo Drafthouse circuit. It's the in-person experience that's the big draw. There's more to life than couching at home to an endless stream of good, bad, and worst content. 

It's all about an 'experienced economy', where value is placed on verbs, not nouns. Cinemas tell us about the world. It has always been art that defines great civilizations, and in our time the cinema is one of these arts.

People appear to be much more particular about which films they will watch at a cinema. That is why the product has to be of top quality and exciting visually. At present, there are very few jobs being created in Hollywood and the LA economy is feeling the pain...the LA entertainment industry has been upended. 

California has become a very expensive place to make films, or for that matter, to make anything. Now, other States, smelling blood in the water, are providing tax incentives and rebates to filmmakers - Georgia, New Mexico, Florida, Ohio, and Virginia to name several. 

Hollywood has been uncovered and unfortunately, it's not the place to be making movies. It's too expensive, too woke, too regulated, and too out-of-vogue.

By: Jim Lavorato

Game Awards

 

The 2024 Game Awards, held in December, drew over 154 million global livestreams. Marking its 10th anniversary the Show does not have any exclusive streaming deals with a network or streaming service, so it is carried across all platforms - large and small.

To put this viewership in perspective, the Super Bowl had 124 million viewers. When debuting in 2014 the Game Awards had only 1.9 million views - it has grown exponentially over the last 10 years.

This year's top winner was 'Astro Bot', which won three Awards in addition to 'Game of the Year'. It was produced by Tean Asobi for the PlayStation platform. Other Award winners included 'Metaphor:ReFantanzio' and 'Balatro'.

Notable presenters for this year's Awards were Aaron Paul, Harrison Ford, Hideo Kojima, Sam Lake, Shannon Woodward, and Trey Bake.

By: Jim Lavorato

The Cinema's Future

Where will the cinema industry be in five years? Ten years?

The cinema is anything but static. I believe producers, distributors, and exhibitors are doing everything they can to stay at the top of the entertainment heap. In the face of the strident competition the future of the cinema is one plagued with ups and downs, twists and turns, but then again, it has always struggled. 

For example, AI is here, and its impact will be profound on the cinema; however, there will always be skilled and one-off thinking storytellers that will engage audiences on all media platforms. Film sets are uniquely energetic because they are created by humans with experience and ideas that excite and create. AI will be a reality for moviemakers to cope with, but the answer is for them to embrace and use it to their advantage.

Currently, I see the cinema in a growth phase - reinvigorated and ready to take on streaming media and actually prospering from it. Streaming, for the cinema, has become a hedge against box office failures as content is shown again and again on different streaming platforms earning license fees all along the way. 

Could this be the future of cinema

Streaming of episodic series like 'Squid Games' or 'Breaking Bad' is the media mode required but good films need to be viewed on the big screen and intellectually ingested in one viewing. Cinemas provide a premium experience unavailable elsewhere, and viewers have an option of screening formats - from IMAX to a local theater with 5.1 channel sound. But no matter where viewed the experience is fun and unlike anything available at home. Moviegoing doesn't have to be inexpensive, but people want and more importantly, need to be entertained at a reasonable price. Perhaps toying with charging different admissions for different movies.

The cinema will be here in 10, 20 ,30 years. People want and need to be entertained, and viewing a movie is, and will continue to be, the premium way to experience a film.

By: Jim Lavorato

2025 The Box Office Turnaround?

In reviewing the roster of films for 2025 it appears it may be the turnaround year exhibitors have been praying for. Getting back to the pre-covid attendance numbers.

There will be superhero reboots, best-sellers made into films, and of course, sequels.

'Captain America: Brave New World', Thunderbolts', and 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps'. all from Marvel Comics. Other potential big earners will be 'Jurassic World Rebirth', 'Superman', and 'Five Nights at Freddy's 2'. 

Drawing in both adults and children there will be a good supply of family friendly films, including 'Paddington', 'A Minecraft Movie', 'Elio', 'Zootopia', and 'The Sponge Bob Movie; Search for Square Pants', and 'Wicked: Part Two'.

Avatar, Mission, and Wicked will all be big earners for 2025

The long anticipated next episode in the 'Avatar' series is scheduled for release. For sure there will be product for all tastes. 'Mickey 17' a sci-fi thriller and 'Snow White' whose release was postponed due to the Hollywood strikes will be a musical fantasy. 

'Mission Impossible - The Final Reckoning' will release in May and may be Tom Cruises' last mission in the Impossible series. 'Lilo & Stitch' a remake of the Disney 2002 classic will release in May. June will usher in the much-anticipated John Wick spinoff, 'Ballerina' which will feature all the prior actors in the Wick franchise, including Keanu Reeves. 

Ana de Armas stars in the Wick spinoff 'Ballerina'

Transitioning from an animated feature to a live action film will be 'How to Train Your Dragon'. Other notable '25 releases will be: '28 Years Later', 'F1', 'M3GAN 2.0', 'Freakier Friday', 'Micheal' (a biopic on Michael Jackson), 'Tron Ares', and 'Predator: Badlands'.

Well, 2025 looks to be a lot better in terms of product over 2024. Let's keep our fingers crossed. 

By: Jim Lavorato

 

2024 Inductees to National Film Registry

 

The National Film Registry is overseen by the Library of Congress. Its purpose is to highlight and preserve America's movie heritage.

There is a total of over 2 million moving image assets held in the Library of Congress of which 900 are part of the Registry. This year's inductees spanned over 130 years, from silent films to a 2010 release.

The 25 films selected this year were:

• Annabelle Serpentine Dance 1895
• Koko's Earth Control 1928
• Angels With Dirty Faces 1938
• Pride of the Yankees 1942
• Invaders From Mars 1953
• The Miracle Worker 1962
• The Chelsea Girls 1966
• Ganja and Hess 1973
• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 1974
• Uptown Saturday Night 1974
• Zora Lathan Student Films 1975/76
• Up In Smoke 1978
• Will 1981
• Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan 1982
• Beverly Hill Cop 1984
• Dirty Dancing 1987
• Common Threads: Stories From the Quilt 1989
• Powwow Highway 1989
• My Own Private Idaho 1991
• American Me 1992
• Mi Familia 1999
• Compensation 1999
• Spy Kids 2001
• No Country for Old Men 2007
• The Social Network 2010

The public submitted 6,744 titles for consideration this year. Anyone can submit nominations throughout the year on the Library of Congress's website. Nominations for 2025 will be accepted from January 1st to August 15th. Cast your selection at loc.gov/film. 

By: Jim Lavorato

Best Docus of 2024

 Nonfiction films or documentaries are movies that depict reality in hopefully a meaningful and truthful way. The following are my picks for the best docus of 2024.

Bad Faith: Christian Nationalism's Unholy War on Democracy 

An anti-Trump romp attempts to mesh his authoritarianism with Christian nationalism with the goal of transforming the U.S. into a theocracy. An interesting premise but unfortunately not a reality-based film. It's a good example of what a poorly conceived and misrepresented documentary can be when based upon conspiracy theories. 

The Bibi Lives

An expose' on Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel. The film centers around the accusations of corruption, bribery and fraud brought against him and his, thus far, successful attempts to forestall any legal actions pertaining to these charges.

Black Box Diaries 

Shiori Ito's documented five-year struggle to bring to justice Noriyuki Yamaguchi, a powerful and renowned TV reporter who sexually assaulted her. The film progresses, without any manipulation, of the investigative facts, including videos and audio tapes. The viewer is taken through the ups and downs of a hard-fought legal case.

Catching Fire: The Story of Anita Pallenberg

Pallenberg with Richards

This film is one of my favorites. It is a portrayal of life on bad side of rock's counterculture during the 1960's. It is built upon home videos taken by Pallenberg and Keith Richards (a member of the Rolling Stones rock group) and provides a first-hand depiction of the dark side of the rock and roll world and is definitely worth a view. 

Ernest Cole: Lost and Found

A thought-provoking journey that tells the story of Ernest Cole and his collection of photos depicting apartheid in South Africa, which was chronicled in his 1967 book, "House of Bondage". Cole subsequently moved to NYC and was never heard from or seen again. Cole's photos make up a large part of the film.

The mystery of Cole's life was further complicated when 60,000 additional photos of his were discovered in three deposit boxes in a Stockholm bank.

How to Come Alive with Norman Mailer

Mailer, the fighter

This film brought back memories for me, as I had met and conversed with Mailer on several occasions when living in Brooklyn Heights during the early 1980s. He was a neighbor. 

Mailer wanted to make a difference through his books, films, and any other means possible. He was a cultural warrior with a firebrand reputation. However, to me, he was always courteous and a pleasure to converse with. This film depicts just that - a very complex individual that made a difference. 

By: Jim Lavorato

Star of 'Crocodile Dundee' Dies at 90

 It is with great sadness that I report the demise of Bert, the Australian saltwater crocodile, who played in many movies including the 'Crocodile Dundee' films - Bert was 90 years old and passed peacefully.

Bert, on set and chomping on a light fixture

Paul Hogan, who played in the three 'Dundee' films ('Crocodile Dundee', 'Crocodile Dundee II', and 'Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles') got to know Bert very well.

Bert was captured in the early 1980s in the Reynolds River region of Australia and was known for his independent nature. He was a confirmed bachelor with a fiery disposition and his huge size evoked a commanding presence. He knew when he was on set and actually played to the cameras by posing, mouth agape, for the take.   

Hogan with Bert on set of 'Crocodile Dundee' 

Our condolences to Bert's owner and handlers and we're reminded what a large role animals play in the making of motion pictures. 

By: Jim Lavorato

Who Made This Year's Black List

The 'Black List' is the annual list of Hollywood's best unproduced feature screenplays. This year 83 scripts from writers, known and unknown, repped and unrepped were voted on by a group of 500 film executives. 

Topping this year's list was 'One Night Only' by Travis Braun, which discusses the issue of premarital sex. 'Bust' by Matt Ackels, addresses the health issues regarding silicone breast implants, while a script entitled 'Tony' is a bio on the early life of Anthony Bourdain. Matt Badey submitted a screenplay on the rise and fall of Abercrombie & Fitch called 'King of the Freshman'.

"I look forward to the scripts finding the success and audience that previous annual Black List scripts have found and to watching these movies in theaters, as soon as they're available", says Franklin Leonard, Founder of Black List.

In fact, over the years more than 400 scripts from the annual Black List have been produced, grossing over $28 billion in worldwide box office. Also, they have amassed four Best Picture and 12 Best Screenplay Oscars.

By: Jim Lavorato

Where Is 007?

 The next Bond movie should have been in production years ago. The last 007 film, in the over 50-year-old franchise, was 'No Time to Die' in 2021.

Barbara Broccoli with Daniel Craig, who starred in the last five Bond movies

It appears that long-time Bond producer and rights owner, Barbara Broccoli, and MGM, the production studio for all of the prior 27 Bond films, and was purchased by Amazon in 2021, are at loggerheads as to how future Bond films will be made and marketed. 

Broccoli believes that Amazon does not understand the very character that has made Bond films so successful. She has creative control over the 007 films and says they must have theatrical release and not turned into a streaming series on Amazon Prime. 

Amazon purchased MGM for $8.5 billion

The situation has got so intense that Broccoli recently characterized the status of the new movie in dire terms, "with no script, no story, and no new Bond. Amazon isn't a good home for Bond, the company's core business is selling everything from toilet paper to vacuums."

As part of the original MGM purchase, Amazon committed to releasing all Bond films as first-run cinema movies but now Amazon executives are pushing the idea of Bond TV spin-offs, portraying 007 with different genders, races, and sexes. These portrayals of Bond are completely anathema to Broccoli - who quickly shutdown those ideas. She firmly believes Bond "should always be played by a man, and should always be a Brit."

And to it goes. Too bad, as I, and millions of others, are huge Bond fans which eagerly await the next installment. 

By: Jim Lavorato 

Women & The NFL - A Growing Partnership

 

Who says women don't watch football? According to the NFL, the last Super Bowl had a record-breaking female viewership representing 48% of its total audience.

The NFL has its sights on increasing its female viewership and recently inked a deal with Betches Media, a company that creates content for women. Under the deal, Betches will produce content that "enables millennial and Gen Z women to tap into exciting NFL moments while presenting advertising and sponsorship revenue opportunities for brands looking to reach that demo," says Anna DeLucia, NFL Sr. Mgr. Business Development. 

The NFL will provide Betches event access to the Super Bowl, NFL Draft, sponsored interviews with athletes, etc. This partnership will launch with the 2025 Pro Bowl being aired on February 5th. 

According to DeLucia, "whether you're cheering very Sunday or new to football, this relationship invites women into the NFL conversation in a way that's fun, approachable, and engaging."

Per Betches, NFL football is the most popular sport among its female audiences. "It's been amazing to witness the cultural shift of women and their participation in sports, and pro football in particular" says, Aleen Dreksler, Betches CEO.

Betches Media reaches one-in-five women in the U.S. and has 250 million users globally.

By: Jim Lavorato

2025 Great Year for Exhibition...According to NATO

 

According to a survey just released by the National Association of Theatre Owners, 85% of moviegoers plan to go to the cinema as much or more in 2025 vs. this year. That increase in admissions due principally from Gen Zers  (Zoomers) and Hispanic audiences.

Zoomers are particularly enthusiastic about movies - among the 10–14-year-olds viewing a movie on opening weekend is their #1 preferred activity - regardless of time or expense.

The NATO report concluded that 72% of those surveyed, across 14 countries, stated they are going to the cinema "more" or "the same" as they did six months ago. 76% of Americans 12-74 saw at least one movie at a cinema in 2024, with cinema loyalty programs seeing a 12% increase in new subscriptions in 2024 reaching 119 million loyalty club members.

Zoomers are the most active moviegoers with 90% females and 89% of males going to the movies at least once a year. Hispanic moviegoers continue to be the strongest of any demographic with 27% attending six movies or more per year.  

NATO is also predicting more movie releases in 2025 - forecasting 110 movies with wide-release (more than 2,000 screens) vs. 95 in 2024.

"To gauge the true viability of movie exhibition, you must look beyond the weekly numbers and rely on a number of other factors in determining the strength of the industry," says Micheal O'Leary, NATO Head. Although, he did not elaborate on these other factors.

Moviegoers want diversity of genres 

In addition to high impact superhero films, moviegoers want to see more comedies, family films, horror, and independent movies on marquees. Consumers want and seek out exciting and thought-provoking movies that can be enjoyed on a big screen with immersive sound. For 2025, there will be more films across all genres to ensure there is entertainment for everyone. 

By: Jim Lavorato

The Movies - Recapping 2024

It was all about sequels in '24 - Deadpool, Godzilla, Inside Out 2 and others accounted for nine of the top ten grossers with Wicked being the only non-sequel to make it into the top ten.

Call them sequels, follow-ups, spinoffs, or offshoots 2024 stands in stark contrast to 2023 when the big bankers were Barbie, Super Mario Bros., and Oppenheimer - all non-sequels. 

Disney, Universal, and Warner Bros. took credit for the top 2024 grossers, unfortunately the entire movie business has yet to fully recover from COVID and last year's industry strikes, and work stoppages took their toll. There were just not enough titles on exhibitors' marquees in '24. One bright spot was that both Apple and Amazon began to release films in cinemas as a way to bring attention to their streaming businesses. But the jury is still out on this tactic as the streamers need to produce quality films that people will pay to watch on the big screen. 

2024 Studio Recaps

Disney: After a dismal 2023, Disney had a great comeback in '24, with three-billion-dollar blockbusters: Inside Out 2 ($1.7b), Deadpool & Wolverine ($1.4b), and Moana 2 ($1.0b).

Paramount: Although not boasting any billion-dollar hits, Gladiator II earned over $400 million, and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 should be one of the top gainers during this Christmas season. Additionally, a number of very low budget films grossed very well, including Mean Girls ($140 million on a $36 million budget), and Smile 2 ($137 million on a $28 million budget).

Sony: Not a great year for this studio. Its hits were Garfield ($257 million), Bad Boys ($404 million), Venom ($468 million), and It Ends with Us ($350 million). Sony had no big hits in 2024.

Universal: The bright spot for this studio was making musicals popular again. Although it had no blockbusters, its films did set the stage for follow-ups. Wicked ($525 million), Despicable Me 4 ($969 million), Kung Fu Panda ($547 million), and Wild Robot ($321 million).

Warner Bros.: Landed a few hits: Dune 2 ($714 million), Godzilla x Kong ($571 million), and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice ($457 million) otherwise its releases were lackluster if not out-right bombs: Furiosa ($173 million), and Horizon ($36 million) were but two examples.

Amazon MGM: testing the waters for films released first to the silver screen Amazon scored very well. The Beekeeper ($150 million) and other releases had solid returns given their very low production costs. Their big bomb was Red One, the Christmas action film which cost $250 million and will gross only $150 million.

Apple: Well, Apple may want to stick to making PCs and phones because, thus far, their movie making has had dismal results. For example, the star-studded Argylle grossed only $96 million and Fly Me to The Moon only $42 million. Apple needs to think through what kind of product it needs to produce for moviegoers and it's not all about filling your films with A-listers. With mega-bucks to spend Apple will stay in the fight. 

Lionsgate: To say this studio had a bad year is an understatement. No film released by Lionsgate made any real dollars. None of its releases grossed over $35 million - '24 was a disaster.

We're all expecting 2025 to be a lot better at the box office than this year. We need to get back to the pre-pandemic admission levels and to get there we need, not only, more releases but releases that moviegoers want to view on the big screen 

By: Jim Lavorato

Memo to Hollywood - "You Can't Stop Technology"

 The Hollywood Guilds and Unions just don't get it. You can't stop technology - be it artificial intelligence, autonomous cars, underwater drones, quantum computers, or the crypto-ecosystem. 

Last week, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) sent a letter to the heads of the major studios, criticizing them for inaction as AI appears to be taking copywritten scripts and using it to "plagiarize stolen works."

The letters were sent to Amazon MGM, Disney, NBCUniversal, Netflix, Paramount Global, Sony Pictures, and Warner Bros. Discovery.

In a nutshell, the Writers' Guild is complaining that the big tech companies are getting the studios to give them the vast archive of works created by generations of union labor to train their AI systems on how to compose and write scripts. 

The WGA goes on to say, "the studios are doing nothing to stop this theft. They have allowed tech companies to plunder entire libraries without permission of compensation. The studios inaction has harmed WGA members, and we demand that the studios take immediate legal action against any company that has used our members' works to train AI systems."

Unfortunately, for the Guild, the WGA contract does not include any protection against AI training and further, in most cases, have no rights regarding the scripts which are owned by the studios. 

What the WGA fails to recognize, is that they have no power and further can't stop AI technology and its use by the entertainment industry. AI is going to be used in the production of content across the entertainment spectrum and that's the reality.

By: Jim Lavorato

Out of Tragedy Comes Good

The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) in the wake of the shooting incident that occurred on the set of the film 'Rust', appointed a pair of industry experts on firearms to be advisors and experts to the film industry.

Larry Zanoff and Brook Yeaton are both long-term prop masters, arms experts, and movie armorers. Their appointments follow on the footsteps of the theatrical debut (in Poland) of 'Rust' which involved an on-set gun incident that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

Hutchins on 'Rust' set before fatal shooting

The two appointees' role will be to work closely with the studios and other content producers regarding firearm safety issues. "I'm honored to be selected by my peers for this position and look forward to bringing my knowledge and experience to this new role of assisting my fellow industry colleagues in maintaining the highest level of safety on set", said Larry Zanoff.

Following the October 2021 'Rust' incident, star and producer, Alec Baldwin, who shot Hutchins, was originally charged with manslaughter but the charges were dismissed. The Armorer on the 'Rust' set was Hannah Reed, who is currently serving an 18-month sentence for negligence pertaining to the shooting.

Reed says, 'RUST' Producers Overruled Her Safety Requests

The Most Powerful Person in Hollywood

 

Do you know this woman? Well, if you want to make it big in tinsel-town you better get to know her, as she holds sway over who may or may not, for instance, get an Oscar. She is Colleen Camp, who at 71 is the fairy godmother of Hollywood. 

Camp is a character actress turned social networker. She is close friends with very mover and shaker in the film industry. She has built a reputation as one of Hollywood's most influential players with her, no press allowed screenings, big-power parties, star-studded dinners, and assorted receptions which have altered the trajectories of hundreds of Oscar campaigns.

"I'm an enthusiast. I'm also a fixer" is how she describes herself. According to Producer/Director Jerry Bruckheimer, "She's a kingmaker. A great force. You always want her on your side - if you want to win."

Camp's fingerprints are all over scores of Oscar winners, from 'The Joker' to 'Black Swan'. In Hollywood, where everyone says they're friends with whoever, but aren't, she actually is.

Camp, started out as an actress, and has appeared in over 100 films. Her first role was in the 1973 'Love, American Style'. She played Miss May in 'Apocalypse Now' and in 'Wayne's World', Over the years Camp cultivated close connections with Hollywood's big and little which eventually turned her, not merely into an awards playmaker, but an icon in a town where playmaking is an art form.

By: Jim Lavorato

Making Bank in Hollywood

 From the C-suite to the stars to movie extras here's a peek of who makes what in Hollywood.

Workers on movie set

Editor - most TV editors earn $5000/week. Top feature editors can earn $20-25,000/week.

Publicist - Mid-level agency publicists earn $100-150,000/yr. One with their own firm over $1 million.

Studio Executive - Entry-level executive assistant $50,000/yr. but there is huge growth potential.          Executive VPs earn $500,000-600,000. Studio head millions.

Lawyer - Deal makers that work on 5% commission instead of an hourly rate go for $175-250,000.

Director - Early-career directors $1 million. The Director's Guild minimum rate for a big-budget film    is $23,767/week with a 10-week guarantee. Big, named directors can earn up to $20                          million/film.

Stunt Person - $1,200/day but can increase this depending upon stunt person and danger of stunt.

Makeup Artist - $1,000-1,250/makeup job.

Stylist - $1,500/event or job plus extra fees for outside work.

Content Creator - a picture (photo) of a celebrity or event can be worth $1,000 or more. Videos can be worth $5,000 or more.

Gaffer - A union chief lighting technician makes $60.53/hour with a weekly guarantee of $3,647 while on a film set.

Minions on strike

Agent - Entry-level agency representatives earn $80-100,000/year. Older experience agents $600,000    and heavy hitters eight figures. Agency mailroom clerk makes $20/hour.

Intimacy Coordinator - a relatively new job category these people aid actors in shooting sex/nude        scenes and earn $1,200/day.

Actor - A-listers make big bank. Robert Downey Jr. made $80 million as Dr. Doom. Ryan Reynolds        makes about $30 million per film. Big TV names can earn up to $1 million per episode.                            Background or extras in movies or TV shows make $216/day.

Animator - a member of the Animation Guild earns $1,800/week, a supervising writer $3,000/week.

Producer - veteran producers up to $2 million up front and more on the backside of a hit movie.

Screenwriter - the average for a first draft script sells for $350-500,00.

CEO - as with most industries, belt-tighting never hits the tippy-top of the corporate ladder. For              example, the co-CEO of Netflix earned $49.8 million in 2023. Disney's $31.6 million, Warner                Bros. honcho $49.7 million. The highest paid was TKO Group top dog at $83.9 million. Lowest              paid was Amazon's at $1.4 million, but he has a stock grant deal worth $250 million.

By: Jim Lavorato

De-constructing The Ruby Slippers

The ruby shoes (slippers) worn by Judy Garland in the 'Wizard of Oz' film of 1939 sold at auction on December 7th for $28 million. 

Auctioned by Heritage Auctions of Dallas, TX the final price including auction fees was $32.5 million. Prior estimates by Heritage set the value at a mere $3 million, but with over 800 bidders at the auction house, on mobile and online the value rose exponentially.

De-constructed

The slippers were manufactured by the Innes Shoe Co. They have red silk faille (a soft, light-woven fabric having a ribbed texture) heels with the upper shoe and heels covered with hand-sequined silk. They are lined in white leather with leather soles painted red with orange felt adhered to the front foundation of each shoe.

The bows are hand-cut buckram cloth (course linen stiffened with paste) and are slightly different in size. Rhinestones rim the bows, which are filled with red beads surrounding center jewels.

By: Jim Lavorato