Disney Dominates and That's Bad For The Cinema

Disney will account for roughly 40% of U.S. box office admissions this year - and that is NOT good for the industry. Yes, Disney makes great films. Yes, Disney has the movie franchises that generate the really big box office bucks (Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, Avatar, to name several). Yes, Disney deserves all the kudos it gets for being a well managed mass media/content company. BUT, is this good for the movie industry?

In looking at the Disney movie roster the theme is all about catering to a younger audience. Fan-based films with high-impact special effects, light plots with cult-driven character development, all bolstered by massive marketing budgets and tie-ins with merchandising and theme park attractions.

Star Wars fans were all aglow recently when Disney announced that it would be producing three more franchise films after 'The Rise of Skywalker' which will be released later this year.

Advertisement

The question: Is it good for the industry to have one studio dominate the box office the way Disney does?  Should the 25 of so films that generate close to 50% of the box office gross bode well for the film community in the long-run?

CMG's take is that it doesn't matter! The top 50 films, out of a universe of 600+ each year, account for about 70% of the entire box office - and this scenario has been going on for years. CMG has termed the other 550+ films (which includes all of the films that win all of the awards) marquee fodder. Fillr'-ins between the releases of the big, currently Disney-dominated, franchise films.

Right or wrong this is the current state of the cinema business and the only competition to Disney are the content streamers. I don't believe Bob Iger worries too much about the other HWD studios, but he does lose sleep over Netflix, Amazon, and Apple.

Jim Lavorato
President, Entertainment Equipment Corp.

Who Really Makes BANK in HWD

'There's no biz like show biz', and that's especially true for the men (no women, as yet) who rule giant media. These media moguls are virtually unknown to the public.

Recognize these guys?

Walking down a crowded street in LA or NYC they would never be noticed, but these are the people that control what we all see, hear, and experience on a day-in-day out basis.

They are oblivious to social concerns and are driven by the bottom-line. What motivates them?  Their compensation and as you'll see it is quite substantial.
Collectively the 8 top media execs made $394m in 2018 or $49m on average. That's the equivalent to 640 years pay for the average U.S. worker.

The question is: Do these guys possess that unique a skill-set to warrant their compensation?
It was once the norm that compensation was based upon the performance of the company, but, alas, that formula didn't always work in favor of the CEOs so its been scrapped. Now execs are paid by crafting deals such as merger and acquisitions: AT&T buys Warners, Disney acquires Fox assets, etc.

What The Guys Banked Last Year 

AT&T  Randall Stevens  $29m + $7.4m bonus

Stevens

 2018 Shareholder return:  - 22.3%
One of the lowest paid in terms of compensation. But of course shareholders didn't fair to well.



CBS  Joseph Ianniello  $27m + $23m bonus
          2018 Shareholder return:  - 24.9%

Ianniello

Took the reins at CBS after Les Moonves was ousted for sexual harassment charges. Moonves made
$47m for his 8 months of work and is entitled to an additional $120m, which is being arbitrated.

Roberts

Comcast  Brian Roberts  $35m + $85m in stock options which now total $2b.
2018 Shareholder return:  - 12.7%
No house-hold name, Roberts manages cable giant, Universal studios, and vast media holdings.

Zaslav

Discovery  David Zaslav  $130m salary + bonus
2018 Shareholder return:  + 10.5%
Received incentive bonus to persuade him to stay on as CEO through 2023. One of highest paid.

Iger

Disney  Bob Iger $66m + $12m bonus
2018 Shareholder return:  +20.6%
Highly paid. Was to retire two years ago but was coerced to remain as CEO.

Hastings

Netflix  Reed Hastings  $36m
2018 Shareholder return:  +39.4%
No extra perks but benefits from stock options. As co-founder his ownership stake stands at $3.7b

murdoch

Fox   Rupert Murdoch  $49m
2018 Shareholder return: 78.3%
Disney deal "delivered incomparable value to shareholders".

Bakish

Viacom   Bob Bakish  $20m + 9.4m bonus
2018 Shareholder return: 24.5%
One of the lower compensated but still not too shabby.





Who makes the big bucks in HWD? It's the illusive helmers that function below the social radar that their companies control.

Jim Lavorato, President
Entertainment Equipment Corp.






       

Big Win For Netflix

Yesterday, Netflix scored a big victory when the Academy voted not to change the eligibility rule for streaming services regarding Oscar nominations. 

Reed Hastings. Netflix's CEO. happy over Academy's vote

Amid calls for a crack-down on streamers from some of tinsel-town's heavy-weights , the Academy's Board of Governors voted to retain the current rule which states that 'a feature-length film must screen for one-week in a Los Angeles cinema with paid admissions to qualify for best picture and other nominations.

Spielberg, became an outspoken and vocal critic of Netflix, and other content streamers, after 'Roma' (a Netflix feature film) won three Oscars.
Yesterday, Spielberg upped his rant to the Board but obviously to no avail.

Netflix used the 'four walling' distribution model for 'Roma', whereby it rented out the movie theaters and kept the box office gross.

Spielberg, still ranting over Oscar nom. for streamers

The 92nd Oscars will be held on Sunday, Feb.9, 2020 at the Dolby Theater. It will be aired by ABC.

CMG is in total favor of the Academy's decision. Movies from any source should be eligible and screened at cinemas. Take note independent exhibs. No reason why you can't screen Netflix films. 

Best,
Jim Lavorato, President (entequip610@gmail.com)
Entertainment Equipment Corp.

Is H'wood's Disdain For Trump Hurting The Cine Boxoffice

Hollywood's elite, along with the Democrats and the U.S. mainstream media have been on a tear regarding the Trump administration over the last two years. It needs to stop.

Trump's H'wood Walk of Fame Star Vandalized

The entertainment industry led by many named H'wood actors have spewed their anti-Trump views be it in song, film, award show speeches, etc. However, social media has taken over from mainstream broadcast and cable news outlets and, I believe, H'wood has lost much of its once powerful influence on pop culture.

The glitterati was in complete melt-down upon release of the Mueller Report. Many used their social media bullhorns to refer to the Mueller Report as a "cover-up" and then attacked Attorney General Bill Barr for agreeing with Mueller's findings that there was no evidence that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia or obstructed justice.

John Cuscak tweeted "it's all a complete whitewash cover-up, 100% corrupt".
Rob Reiner, "Trump is guilty as hell"
Jamie Lee Curtis, "unable to reach justice"

CMG's take: Get Over IT! Admit your mistake and move on. Your opinions are more meaningless than they were before. You're just hurting the industry with your unfounded rants. The cinema needs more support then ever. Competition is fierce for eye-balls and having consumers, who feel slighted by actors who feel they are the arbiters of truth, boycotting the cinema is bad for the box office.

Just saying,
Jim Lavorato
Entertainment Equipment Corp.

The Polanski Predicate

Caught up in the #METOO movement, Roman Polanski is trying to get back his membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences which ousted him last May.

At 85, Polanski needs to put a sock-in-it.

Polanski filed suit demanding reinstatement  saying the Academy did not follow proper protocol in dismissing him. Stating, "my dismissal is not supported by findings, and the Academy's finding are not supported by evidence." He wants the decision reversed and is requesting the Academy reimburse him for all costs incurred by the suit.

"The procedure taken to expel Mr. Polanski was fair and reasonable. The Academy stands behind its decision as appropriate" said a spokesperson for the Academy. His expulsion required a two-thirds approval by the 54-member board of governors.

Polanski was dismissed along with comedian Bill Cosby in the response to Hollywood's reaction to the Harvey Weinstein sex scandal and the #MeToo movement.

Ad: www.gotoeec.com

Polanski was charged in 1977 for raping a 13 year-old girl. He fled to Europe to elude arrest and trial and has lived in France for the last 42 years. He won an Oscar in 2003 for "The Pianist", and his other credits include directing "Chinatown" and "Rosemary's Baby."

At this stage, Polanski should give it up, Live out your days in France and be thankful that you haven't spent a good portion of the last 42 years in jail. The Academy will not budge on their move to expel Polanski - and they shouldn't.

Jim Lavorato
Entertainment Equipment Corp.

Is 2019 Boxoffice Going To Hell, Boy ?

'Hellboy' literally went to hell at the boxoffice, contributing only $11.9m to the very dismal (thus far) 2019 gate.

The YTD U.S. boxoffice stands at only $2.74b, which represents the lowest showing since 2013 and down a full 17% from last year.  Now, we all knew that besting 2018 would be difficult (a record $11.9b U.S. and $41.7b global B.O.) but than again, nothing is impossible.

The summer film roster for this year is very impressive and perhaps the impossible may be achieveable. 'Avengers:Endgame', 'Lion King', 'Frozen 2', 'Toy Story 4', 'Star Wars IX', 'Men In Black International', ' Spider-man: Far From Home',  and the list goes on, could match and possibly exceed 2018.
Wouldn't that be something!

Jim Lavorato
Entertainment Equipment Corp

How Disney's New Streaming Channel Stacks-up

Disney launched Disney+ yesterday - to a lot of hoopla and fanfare. The business press was all aglow in how this online subscription channel would be bad for both Netflix and Apple (which launched its own channel last week).

CMG thinks to the contrary.  We think Disney is too late with too little. At the price point of $6.99 per month, Disney+ is cheaper then the other streamers but also has less to offer - old pixar and other animated films, Star Wars flicks (all of which have already played numerous times on broadcast TV), and the Marvel films (again 'have been seen before over and over').

Disney will get an initial burst of subscribers but then flatten out and don't forget they will have to decide whether or not to run new movies in cinemas (and how long that window will be open) or run day-and-date. My guess is Disney will not want to put their cinema release posture in peril and will screen new films 2-4 months after their theatrical release on Disney+.

In the world of streaming movie and other entertainment content Netflix is in a world of its own (reference all of the posts to this blog on Netflix over the past 3-4 years).  How the other streamers stack up against each other and Disney+  is partly detailed in the above chart. It is forecasted that Disney+ will have 30 million subscribers by 2024, that makes sense. Apple, with it over 1 billion users of its equipment is forecast to have 50 million by 2025, that also makes sense.
In comparison, Netflix currently has over 180 million subscribers worldwide.

Advertisement 

CMG believes Netflix's subscription base will be well north of 225 million in 5 years time - greater than all of the other major streamers combined.

Disney continues to rely too heavily on its past. Hospitality, films, ESPN, etc. just won't cut it going forward. Disney+ is a great idea but it comes too late to the party. Disney will have to produce lots of new content for Disney+ and that will take lots of money - at $6.99 per month, there is no way Disney can run + and make a profit. And don't forget the looming massive debt and management issues that have to be swallowed after the Fox asset purchase. 

Good luck Mickey.

Jim Lavorato, President
Entertainment Equipment Corp.

THX Ultimate : Will This Format Prosper

Recently a strategic alliance between THX and Barco was inked.  As the newest premium large format brand - THX Ultimate Cinema offers a THX certified auditorium that uses a Barco 4K dual laser projector and a THX immersive sound system.

The new system is a direct attack against Imax and Dolby cinema. Exhibitors would purchase the system and create its own ticket pricing. While the cost of the THX Ultimate was not disclosed, it is known that the Barco dual laser can run in the $1 million range, while the sound system can be upwards of $ 70 - 80,000 or higher.

Theater owners would purchase the system and create their own ticket pricing. WOW, this will be a first for the industry and it's high-time people took note of the cinema and how they are treated by the major studios. The rules of cinema exhibition are changing and fast, exhibs take note and move forward.

Jim Lavorato

NETFLIX The Disruptor

It's fair to say that Netflix has forever changed the TV and Movie industries but they don't believe they are the disruptor some in Hollywood accuse them of being.

According to Ted Sarandos, Netflix's Chief Content Officer, "The disruptor tag has negative connotations. It gets hung on my head a lot, but I feel that it's not really what we are up to. I feel we are trying to preserve and improve on the formats, and improve and grow storytelling."

It has never been Netflix's goal to export Hollywood to the world. Their goal has always been to find the great storytelling from anywhere in the world and take it to the rest of the world. They maintain that Netflix is preserving filmdom's traditions, while giving creatives new opportunities to tell stories.

Advertisement for EEC

"I think TV and films are distinctly different art forms but they tend to be increasingly consumed in similar ways by consumers, and they don't make the distinction between a really great series that, to them, is nothing more than a 13-hour long movie ",  says Sarandos.

Netflix has had a huge impact on the entertainment industry and in the way people view content. CMG believes that their impact will continue and that movie exhibs should embrace Netflix and screen their content in addition to the major studios' films.

Jim Lavorato

Streaming Kills It : More People View On Digital Platform

The number of global subscriptions to online video streamers surpassed cable TV for the first time ever in 2018 ! Worldwide there are now over 615 million streamers vs. 556 cable users.

DVD and Blu-ray sales dropped 15% in 2018 while streaming surged 24%. Americans now spend 52% of their media time on a digital platform - as home entertainment topped $55.7 billion.          

So, it appears that the tremendous growth in streaming at home has devastated movie rental and discs sales and has not impacted cinema admissions in an averse way. The top streaming film for 2018 was Black Panther, followed by The Greatest Showman, and Star Wars Episode VII, The Last Jedi           

                                                          

ATOM Ticketing: Subscription Service For All Cinemas

MoviePass is Dead! Atom Tickets, however, sees opportunity in the movie theater subscription space - and CMG agrees.

Atom is attacking the issue differently than MoviePass did, it is launching a new offering that will enable exhibs to launch their own customized subscription service while relying on Atom's infrastructure and technology. Although it hasn't signed-up any cinemas it is in conversation and plans to pitch the service, named "Atom Movie Access" at CinemaCon next week.

MoviePass was doomed from the get-go. Its premise of low cost movie-going to generate more viewership so higher concession sales could be had was flawed. MoviePass lost hundreds of millions of dollars but it did introduce the notion of subscription service at cinemas - and several of the major circuits, notably AMC and Cinemark grab onto the idea and ran with it to great success.

CMG has touted the idea for several years to independents and now Atom will make it possible for these smaller players to offer this very lucrative admission option.

Advertisement

According to Atom, their goal is "to be a great partner that provides technology that enables exhibitors to create their own subscription programs."  Atom has not, as yet, announced prices for their service but has indicated that the upfront fee "will reasonably priced" and suggested that the company will get a cut of the subscription revenues generated.

The process works as the subscription services will be integrated into Atom's app, allowing users to buy tickets through their plans. On the back-end, Atom will also manage payment process, customer service support, fraud detection, and anti-abuse measures for exhibs.

CMG says "GO Atom" Every cinema should have a subscription service, it's what customers want, and it's a money maker. Contact Entertainment Equipment Corp. (entequip610@gmail.com) for more information on Atom's service and how to get started.

Jim Lavorato

Interactive Storytelling

Netflix is doubling-down on the success of 'Bandersnatch', the interactive series that ran in India. Expect to see more and more interactive story-telling on Netflix for all of its content - sci-fi, comedy, romance, and dramas.

Netflix, now with 169 million subscribers worldwide is expanding its Indian content production using Mumbei's production facilities. It is also increasing that languages its content is streamed from 25 to 30 this year.  Netflix also beat out HBO, Hulu, and Amazon on customer satisfaction surveys.

Here's Where Netflix Is Available

It appears that the follow-ons such as Warners, Disney, and Apple are gunning for Netflix. Their only problems is that they are late in the game, are planning on charging too much for their streaming, and are limited to their own libraries of content for screen fodder. Most folks in the U.S. are already committed to Netflix and perhaps Amazon through Amazon Prime membership. Most consumers are not going to be adding two or three other services to their cadre of streamers.

Netflix is king of the hill, spending more than $9 billion on content last year and upping the ante this year. Their content is worldwide and their subscriptions are growing at the rate of 8.5-9 million per quarter.

Best
Jim Lavorato

copyright (c) James Lavorato 2019 All rights reserved

Apple Streaming : Where It Stands

Details of Apple's proposed video streaming service are quite secret - but a few key features are to be unveiled at a 3/25 scheduled press event.

Apple Disputes Use Of Red Apple logo by Norway Political Group

Rumor has it that Apple's new streaming service will contain both original content and others' as well. Some of the Apple's content will be free while other will carry a subscription fee - very similar to Amazon'a Prime Video.

Apple's new Event logo

However, Apple does have a one up, and that its content will be suitable for viewing on the 189 million iPhones in use within the U.S. Additionally, there are millions of iPads where the Apple streaming app could be used. Given this, Apple will be a major force in video streaming. Will it hurt Netflix? No. There business models are quite different. Netflix is an only subscription-based service and does not charge for one-off content viewing. Plus you don't need to purchase a device to view its content, ala Apple.

No doubt Apple will be a contender in the streaming arena and adding streaming to his roster of products will enhance its financial performance. The one player that will feel the pain is Disney + (Disney's upcoming streaming service) as they are intending to follow the same model that Apple is adopting.

Jim Lavorato

copyright (c) 2019 James Lavorato, All Rights Reserved 

Showbiz Bans The Burger : But Just Some

Double Double with Lettuce Wraps vs. Bun

It's in vogue to serve fast-food at high-end galas and parties. From the White House to H'wood mega-parties and the Oscars were no exception this year. 'In-N-Out' is the burger-haus of choice as they make a very good burger. However, politics have now gotten involved in the burger trend.

A week before the Oscarfest, PETA, the animal rights group, sent a letter to a bunch of H'wood insiders urging them not to eat 'In-N-Out burgers but to opt for other fast-food fare from McDonald's, Burger King, and Carl's Jr.'s.  It appears that the burger of choice for these anti-gourmand parties is the 'In-N-Out' Double Double burger.  In fact, 'People' mag did a photo gallery last month with 26 images of stars from Julia Roberts to Aziz Ansari chowing-down on these burgers.

Love this PETA ad w/Pink. I fully endorse the fur ban

PETA confirmed that it had sent letters to "Hollywood's elite" asking them to skip In-N-Out and go to another outlets for their burger-fix. Better still, the letter encouraged the stars to go meatless. As quoted from the letter, "every person who goes vegan spares nearly 200 animals every year daily misery and a terrifying death."  Heck, I didn't think I consumed that many head of cattle per year - that's a lot of meat! Me thinks it's a tad overstated.

Not to be left out, 'Beyond Meat' a plant-based meat company said they were also a logical alternative to meat burgers and threw their hat into the fray.  Now, I have to confess that I have had burgers from 'In-N-Out' and all of the other fast-food burger outlets from 'Five Guys' to 'Zin Burger'  and I can attest that the 'In-N-Out' makes a pretty darn good burger (when ordering say you want the Double Double Animal Style - not on the menu).

The problem is PETA singled out 'In-N'Out' not because they serve burgers  but because this privately-owned chain leans right politically, much akin to the 'Chick-fil-a' chain, and PETA doesn't like that.

To be honest, I've had some very good tasting veggie burgers as well but it's a totally different taste and I've never had one that tasted like a really good beef burger. O! Don't forget if going vegan order the veggie burger sans cheese and mayo.

Just saying,

Jim Lavorato

Rotten Tomatoes : Starting to Stink

Rotten Tomatoes .... Yes, its over.

I have written in this blog that Rotten Tomatoes' days were numbered. The beginning of the end started when Twitter, Instagram, and texting came to the fore. It's now heating-up and the Tomatoes are beginning to stink.

To counter their falling from relevance, last week RT announced that it was remodeling its scoring system so trolls could no longer torpedo films before they have opened. The statement read, "We are disabling the comment function until after a movie's release." RT has also made layout changes to its website - the Tomatometor is still being used but, I believe, its days are numbered.

Ask yourself, what is the valued-added for moviegoers by RT? Their ratings, for sure, will be so late to the game as to be irrelevant.  Moviegoers quickly know from their circle of friends, family, and acquaintances whether the movie is worth viewing or not.

The Tomatoes have been on the vine too long. The advancement of technology has made it passe' - like MoviePass and Fandango, it is only a matter of time before RT is relegated to the trash-bin of cinema history.

Jim Lavorato

The Predictable Death of MoviePass

It's demise was from the get-go.

As predicted by CMG, MoviePass, the movie subscription service, has (more or less) been relegated to the trash-bin of cinema history as its parent company, Helios and Matheson Analytics has shrunk to less than a penny a share in value. However, the idea of a movie subscription is alive and well.

Take AMC Theaters, for example, which took the MoviePass strategy, tweaked it to suit their own needs, and now has over 700,000 subscribers. As an alternative to MoviePass, AMC's service allows moviegoers to view three films a week in any format for $19.95 - $23.95 per month, depending upon the State where they reside. The membership also includes free popcorn and soda upgrades, free corn refills, and express service at the box office and concession stand.

To counter AMC, Cinemark's Movie Club grew to over 560,00 members. Started four months after MoviePass launched its one-ticket-per-day service for only $10 per month. Cinemark's Movie Club cost $8.99 per month and provides on-line ticket purchases fee-free (a hit to Fandango), a 20% concession discount, and one admission per month.

So, a good idea was taken to the extreme by its inventor which lost big, but was copied by others that are generating huge revenue based upon the original idea but suited to their business mission.

The CINEMA SUBSCRIPTION : The Way Forward For ALL Cinemas.

H'wood Studios: Their Backs To The Wall

Barry Diller, ex-film and TV CEO and currently Head of the Expedia Group, warned the Hollywood studios, last week, that they have lost  substantial power saying, "Hollywood is now irrelevant and those that chase Netflix are fools."

Diller argued that the studios do not understand and can not replicate the content streamers entertainment model - be it Netflix, Amazon, or Apple. "The entertainment business has become the media business", says Diller.

He did give some credit to Disney for their pending launch of Disney+, but he, like this blog, sees Disney playing only a peripheral role in content streaming. The era of the major studios dominating the movie industry is OVER!  The six (soon to be five) majors are making movies vs. making movies and distributing them to the mass public.

As I have stated in numerous posts to the CMG blog, movie exhibitors MUST form an alliance with Netflix and other alternative content providers and begin to screen their content. Make no mistake, Netflix, and others, will be major producers/distributors of movies in the future and must be engaged by exhibitors.

Just saying and warning,

Jim Lavorato

Another Academy Mis-step

You can't make this stuff up. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences issued an edit yesterday, stating that going forward the winners of four categories will have their Oscars given to them during the commercial breaks - and will not be seen by the show's viewers.

Oscarfest Just Gets Worse and Worse

This will be a first for the 91st Oscarfest and the choices meet with great criticism by the Academy's rank and file. The four categories are: Cinematography, Film Editing, Live-action Shorts, and Make-up.

Now, while I'm all in favor of the time saving efforts to shorten the Oscar telecast, I, also, question the choices.  Cinematography and Film Editing are at the center of any film's production and really deserve telecast recognition. But, once again, the Academy blew-it and made another huge mis-step.


Jim Lavorato

Hollywood's TOP SOCIAL MEDIA RANKING

Well, it's not WHO you Think! Social media is all about fan-base and how you interact with your base.  Finding that perfect demographic that will cling to your tweets, selfies, Instagram pics, and Facebook and YouTube videos. Right now, the Top 10 Hollywood socialistas are the following:

1. Dwayne Johnson
2. Will Smith
3. Prijanka Chopra
4. Kevin Hart
5. George Takei
6. Tommy Chong
7. Jussie Smollett
8. Ricky Gervais
9. Terry Crews
10. Jason Momoa

Hollywood TIDBITS by: Seymour Flix

Academy Awards Get Worse By The Year

Who will be singing at the Oscars?

It's no secret that CMG is a big critic of the Oscars - prior posts abound regarding the ridiculous nature of the Awards from the political use of the podium to the very type of Awards bestowed.
That said, this year did not disappoint. Finding it impossible to even get a noted celeb to host the show this year's show is destined to be another flop.

For example, last week the studios representing three of the nominated Best Original Song were told that they had no time for them to perform their 'tunes' during the Oscarcast. Then..... this week they were told they would be included. So, as it stands now all five songs will be performed but (here's the catch) in a 'truncated 90 second form'. It this nuts!

It was not clear which, if any, of the performers associated with the nominated songs had accepted the Academy's offer to perform, be it Emily Blunt, Lady Gaga, Kindred Lamar and SZA, or Willie Watson.

Sources tell CMG that all of the nominees had united and told the Academy it was an "all perform or none perform" deal. It should be noted that the Academy tried to substitute the nominated songs with an opening of 'Bohemian Rhapsody' by member of Queen. This was resoundly rejected by Queen and will not be happening.

The five Best Original Songs nominated are:
- "I'll Fight" - 'RBG' - by Kate Hudson
- "The Place Where Lost Things Go" - 'Mary Poppins Returns'  by Emily Blunt
- "Shallow" - 'A Star Is Born' by Lady Gaga
- "All The Stars" - 'Black Panther' by Kindred Lamar and SZA
- "When A Cowboy Trades His Spurs For Wings" - "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs by Willie Watson 

Speaking of the Oscars, the CinemaCon gets the Cold-shoulder as well?

Losing Its Grip?

Sony Pictures will be spurning CinemaCon this year and Fox hasn't decided if it will attend the annual gathering of studios and movie exhibitors.

A representative of Sony confirmed that the studio decided against attending the fest. Sony did not elaborate on why it is opting out. Normally, all of the major studios give an hour-long presentation of their upcoming roster of films with footage and high-profile actors hyping the movies.

Fox, which is being acquired by Disney, has not yet decided whether to made a separate presentation of have it folded into Disney's presentation.

CinemaCon is operated by the National Association of Theatre Owners. Could this be the beginning of the end for the fest? With Netflix, Amazon and other non-Hollywood players now being part of the movie-scene and not being part of the cinema exhibition who knows?

Brits Are Happy, as Film and TV Production in UK passes $4 Billion Mark

Topping 3.1 billion pounds in 2018 the spending on high-end TV was up 4% and was the highest since tax breaks were introduced for big-budget productions in 2013.

England remains a production hot-spot, with multiple new studio projects in the works. Three of 2018s top five grossers at the British boxoffice were filmed in the U.K. - "Avengers: Infinity War", "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again", and "Bohemian Rhapsody".

For 2019, the now Bond film will go into production as will TV biggie "Game of Thrones", and there is talk of Netflix setting up a U.K.-based production hub in Pinewood.

So, it appears that the U.K. will remain one of the most in-demand places in the world to create movie and TV content.

Just saying,

Seymour Flix
Movie critic  & Raconteur

'And The Winner Is'

And The Winner Is!

This year's Academy Award winner is, hands-down, Netflix. Amassing 15 Award nominations, Netflix was only bested by Fox/Searchlight with 20 and Disney/Universal with 17 each. Amazon, Netflix's content streaming arch rival, picked up three nominations, as did Paramount. Netflix's showing puts it on an equal footing with the major studios and foretells the future of movie distribution. 

Cinema exhibs take note: it's time to seriously consider using Netflix for distribution of their original content. Even if released day-and-date its content consumers want to view and screening by cinemas  will bring in viewers.  Don't dismiss Netflix's current and future influence and clout in the movie industry. Forming a relationship with Netflix would be very wise and prudent.

The big winner at this year's Oscars clearly has already been given and accepted - it's Netflix.

Just saying,

Jim Lavorato, President
Entertainment Equipment Corp.

James Bond: The Franchise With No End In Sight

Connery with iconic Aston Martin DB5

Next Year, 25 motorheads will be taking delivery of new DB5s - the famous car used in the early Bond films, such as 'Goldfinger'.  CMG had previously scribed about this event and now it is a reality. Aston Martin, EON (Bond movie producers) and special effects team at Pinewood Studios will deliver-up 28 of the retro DB5s.  To be dubbed 'Continuations', in a nod to the working title of the next Bond film (#25).

Bullet shield

One of the cars will remain at Aston, one for EON, and one to be auctioned for charity, the remaining 25 are already pre-sold at an all in price of  $4.26 million. The cars will be finished in the original Silver Birch and boast several of the authentic Goldfinger-spec gadgets. The ejector seat won't be present, nor the machine guns, or wheel slashers. The red ejector seat button (which will serve another purpose) will be present, as will the revolving number plates, and hopefully the bullet-proof shield.  Up-to-date navigation, phone, sound, media screens will be repackaged in retro guise complete with old-school handset mounted in the driver's door.

Wheel-slashers won't be included

These DB5s will be a lot of fun for those rich enough to indulge but they will not pass off as the genuine movie cars (of which there were three). The last which sold for $3.35 million or about $900,000 less than the new retros sold for.

Aston Martins are great cars and the DB5 one of their best models ever made. The newest is the DB11 which is being phased out to make way for a new DB12. Can't wait to see it!

Jim Lavorato
Entertainment Equipment Corp.

City of Angels Going To Seed

Tents and trash on the streets in trendy Venice area of LA

Liberal laws regarding squatters' rights have resulted in swelling on-street encampments in Los Angeles - many in up-scale neighborhoods and are a real test case for the area's showbiz residents.

Vandalism, tire-slashing, assaults, home robberies, are rampant as LA grapples with the homeless epidemic. Last year, the city budgeted $100m for affordable housing, addiction treatment, job placement, and health-care services - to no avail.

It has become very difficult for residents with liberal social beliefs to balance their political values with the transient issue they have to endure and the impact the street-people have on their property values.

Encampments of non-domiciled people have swelled in LA's trendy residential areas, where homes easily sell in the eight-digit figures and up!  Tents, set up on the streets (many equipped with mini-refrigerators, TVs, heaters, etc.) vie with pedestrian traffic.  These 'camps' even have names. According to police, the encampment squatters use a media app called 'Next Door' to monitor which residents are most vocal about their opposition to encampments and then target those residents for retribution.

To protect streets of squatters residents construct large planting boxes

Hollywood's vagrant problems started when laws and ballot measures were enacted during the early 2000s. For example, a 2006 ruling by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court required that law enforcement in LA could no longer enforce a ban on sleeping on sidewalks anywhere in the city.  While two CA ballot measures, that were overwhelming approved in 2016, decriminalized many felonies to address the State's over-populated prisons.

There seems to be no quick-fix for the issue, and like its sister city San Francisco, it is and will remain one of LA's most difficult problems. 

Best,
Jim Lavorato