Exclusive: Veteran unscripted agent and producer Bill Thompson, former Head Of Unscripted Television at Verve, is launching his own management and production company, Artists Group | Unscripted.
“In the past twenty years, I’ve never seen disruption like we are having now. But disruption breeds opportunity and now is the time to be nimble and pivot away from the traditional way of doing things,” Thompson said. “With a focus on forging new pathways, Agu will bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to the unscripted television industry. Additionally, Agu will be heavily focused on representing and working with international IP/Format creators to tap into the global demand for fresh content”.
The list of international content creators signed by Thompson include the creator of The Masked Singer, Wonwoo Park, and his Seoul-based Diturn Productions.
Agu also will continue to represent longtime Thompson executive producer/showrunner clients including five-time Emmy-winning Mark Bracero (Queer...
“In the past twenty years, I’ve never seen disruption like we are having now. But disruption breeds opportunity and now is the time to be nimble and pivot away from the traditional way of doing things,” Thompson said. “With a focus on forging new pathways, Agu will bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to the unscripted television industry. Additionally, Agu will be heavily focused on representing and working with international IP/Format creators to tap into the global demand for fresh content”.
The list of international content creators signed by Thompson include the creator of The Masked Singer, Wonwoo Park, and his Seoul-based Diturn Productions.
Agu also will continue to represent longtime Thompson executive producer/showrunner clients including five-time Emmy-winning Mark Bracero (Queer...
- 3/1/2024
- by Nellie Andreeva and Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For daily updates follow us @NotebookMUBI.The Deep Blue Sea.REMEMBERINGTerence Davies has died, aged 77. Michael Koresky, who wrote a monograph on Davies in 2014, penned a beautiful Sight & Sound obituary, in which he wrote that “no one made movies like Davies, who precisely sculpted out of a subjective past, creating films that glided on waves of contemplation and observation, inviting viewers to join him in the burnished darkness of a past about which he felt complex, contradictory feelings.” Last year, Dan Schindel wrote for Notebook about the role of poetry in Benediction (2022), and in 2012, Michael Guillen interviewed Davies about The Deep Blue Sea (2011). "The problem with film is that it's always in the eternal present,” says Davies. “But it's closest, I think, to music. You don't have to be a musician to follow a symphonic argument. If you love the music,...
- 10/11/2023
- MUBI
Duane Davis, a former gang member known as Keffe D, was indicted on one count of murder with a deadly weapon by a Nevada grand jury Friday.
The victim: Tupac Shakur.
It’s a case that has made national headlines since 1996 when it took place and has been the subject of a multitude of documentaries and scripted projects.
Dear Mama: The Saga of Afeni and Tupac Shakur, directed by Allen Hughes, one-time friend and one-time foe of Tupac’s, was the most high-profile recent series, having premiered in April. The series focuses on Tupac’s relationship with his mother Afeni, a Black Panther activist, rather than his death.
Hughes told Deadline that today was a “great day for the family.”
He revealed that when he was pitching the project around Hollywood, he had a different subtitle: This Is Not A Murder Investigation.
“[Dear Mama] was very matter of fact, very frank about what happened.
The victim: Tupac Shakur.
It’s a case that has made national headlines since 1996 when it took place and has been the subject of a multitude of documentaries and scripted projects.
Dear Mama: The Saga of Afeni and Tupac Shakur, directed by Allen Hughes, one-time friend and one-time foe of Tupac’s, was the most high-profile recent series, having premiered in April. The series focuses on Tupac’s relationship with his mother Afeni, a Black Panther activist, rather than his death.
Hughes told Deadline that today was a “great day for the family.”
He revealed that when he was pitching the project around Hollywood, he had a different subtitle: This Is Not A Murder Investigation.
“[Dear Mama] was very matter of fact, very frank about what happened.
- 9/30/2023
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
A&e Network is taking a deep dive into the life of R&b legend Bobby Brown with a two-night Biography event special and new docuseries.
A&e will premiere Biography: Bobby Brown, a two-night event which follows the ups and downs of Brown’s journey to pop culture fame, on May 30 and May 31 at 8 Pm. Following at 10 Pm May 31, is the premiere of 12-episode docuseries Bobby Brown: Every Little Step, with new episodes airing weekly on Tuesdays thereafter at 9 Pm.
Biography: Bobby Brown takes a personal look at the American Music Award winner’s journey to superstardom and the fallout from his personal struggles with sobriety and the tragic deaths of his two children and first wife, Whitney Houston. according to A&e. The documentary includes interviews with Usher, Jermaine Dupri, Keith Sweat, Babyface, New Edition’s Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, Ronnie DeVoe and Johnny Gill, as well as his family,...
A&e will premiere Biography: Bobby Brown, a two-night event which follows the ups and downs of Brown’s journey to pop culture fame, on May 30 and May 31 at 8 Pm. Following at 10 Pm May 31, is the premiere of 12-episode docuseries Bobby Brown: Every Little Step, with new episodes airing weekly on Tuesdays thereafter at 9 Pm.
Biography: Bobby Brown takes a personal look at the American Music Award winner’s journey to superstardom and the fallout from his personal struggles with sobriety and the tragic deaths of his two children and first wife, Whitney Houston. according to A&e. The documentary includes interviews with Usher, Jermaine Dupri, Keith Sweat, Babyface, New Edition’s Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, Ronnie DeVoe and Johnny Gill, as well as his family,...
- 1/26/2022
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: The controversial death Eazy-e, frontman of groundbreaking rap group Nwa, is to be explored in a new docuseries.
WEtv has ordered The Mysterious Death of Eazy-e and the four-part limited series will investigate the gangsta rap icon’s 1995. It comes from Critical Content.
Eazy-e, otherwise known as Eric Lynn Wright, died on March 26, 1995, a month after being admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in LA. He was diagnosed with HIV/AIDs. But there are conspiracies about the nature of his death.
There have long been rumblings about how he contracted the deadly disease. Death Row Records founder Suge Knight once discussed, on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, how killing someone with a contaminated blood injection, “an Eazy-e thing”, was the new way to kill people rather than shooting them.
There were also suggestions that Eazy-e, who also ran Ruthless Records and signed artists such as Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, had a hit out on him by white supremacists,...
WEtv has ordered The Mysterious Death of Eazy-e and the four-part limited series will investigate the gangsta rap icon’s 1995. It comes from Critical Content.
Eazy-e, otherwise known as Eric Lynn Wright, died on March 26, 1995, a month after being admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in LA. He was diagnosed with HIV/AIDs. But there are conspiracies about the nature of his death.
There have long been rumblings about how he contracted the deadly disease. Death Row Records founder Suge Knight once discussed, on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, how killing someone with a contaminated blood injection, “an Eazy-e thing”, was the new way to kill people rather than shooting them.
There were also suggestions that Eazy-e, who also ran Ruthless Records and signed artists such as Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, had a hit out on him by white supremacists,...
- 7/15/2021
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Whether you love them or not, the Kardashians fundamentally changed the reality TV genre with their branding and longevity, says Lauren Lazin, a veteran reality TV producer and executive producer of “For Real: The Story of Reality TV.”
“For Real” delves into the origins of a television genre that is now a staple of the pop culture zeitgeist. The series premiere airs Thursday on E!, the same network that propelled the Kardashian family to fame.
Lazin explained how the genre has evolved in the three decades since its inception.
“I think for a lot of the audience, they understand the storytelling tropes,” Lazin said. “They understand what seems real, what doesn’t seem real, what was done for the camera, what’s an authentic moment that was captured. So the audience itself is a lot more knowledgeable about the storytelling and how to view it. For the talent, they’ve gotten a lot more savvy.
“For Real” delves into the origins of a television genre that is now a staple of the pop culture zeitgeist. The series premiere airs Thursday on E!, the same network that propelled the Kardashian family to fame.
Lazin explained how the genre has evolved in the three decades since its inception.
“I think for a lot of the audience, they understand the storytelling tropes,” Lazin said. “They understand what seems real, what doesn’t seem real, what was done for the camera, what’s an authentic moment that was captured. So the audience itself is a lot more knowledgeable about the storytelling and how to view it. For the talent, they’ve gotten a lot more savvy.
- 3/24/2021
- by Lawrence Yee
- The Wrap
Eric Nies, one of the original cast members on MTV’s “The Real World,” says his stint on the pioneering reality TV show helped save his life.
Nies, now 49, reunited with castmates Heather B. Gardner, Julie Gentry and Norman Korpi on “For Real: The Story of Reality TV,” hosted by Andy Cohen. The special “The Real World: New York” episode of “For Real” will air Feb. 24 at 10 p.m. Et/Pt on E!, one month ahead of the series premiere on Thursday, March 25 at 9 p.m. Et/Pt.
Nies was one of the breakout stars of “The Real World,” which debuted in 1992. After the show, he hosted “The Grind” and had a successful modeling career. The show not only launched his career, but it likely saved his life, he said.
“If ‘The Real World’ didn’t happen and my life didn’t go the way that it did, I might’ve been dead,...
Nies, now 49, reunited with castmates Heather B. Gardner, Julie Gentry and Norman Korpi on “For Real: The Story of Reality TV,” hosted by Andy Cohen. The special “The Real World: New York” episode of “For Real” will air Feb. 24 at 10 p.m. Et/Pt on E!, one month ahead of the series premiere on Thursday, March 25 at 9 p.m. Et/Pt.
Nies was one of the breakout stars of “The Real World,” which debuted in 1992. After the show, he hosted “The Grind” and had a successful modeling career. The show not only launched his career, but it likely saved his life, he said.
“If ‘The Real World’ didn’t happen and my life didn’t go the way that it did, I might’ve been dead,...
- 2/22/2021
- by Lawrence Yee
- The Wrap
In today’s TV news roundup, E! announced the premiere date for seven-part limited series “For Real: The Story of Reality TV,” and G4 announced the return and addition of two original cast members and gamers to its First Esports Talent.
Casting
G4 announced two original cast members, Adam Sessler and Kevin Pereira, will return and two new gamers, Ovilee May and Froskurrin, will join as First Esports Talent. Prior to his return, Sessler revived his role as Crazy Adam to launch #G4NeedsTalent. Previously, May and Froskurrin made their official debut on the scene with “The Bleep Esports Show.” The four will join WWE Superstar Xavier Woods on the network. Until its official return in summer 2021, G4 launched web series B4G4, which will air weekly content and incorporate feedback from viewers.
Dates
E! will premiere “For Real: The Story of Reality TV,” hosted and executive produced by Andy Cohen,...
Casting
G4 announced two original cast members, Adam Sessler and Kevin Pereira, will return and two new gamers, Ovilee May and Froskurrin, will join as First Esports Talent. Prior to his return, Sessler revived his role as Crazy Adam to launch #G4NeedsTalent. Previously, May and Froskurrin made their official debut on the scene with “The Bleep Esports Show.” The four will join WWE Superstar Xavier Woods on the network. Until its official return in summer 2021, G4 launched web series B4G4, which will air weekly content and incorporate feedback from viewers.
Dates
E! will premiere “For Real: The Story of Reality TV,” hosted and executive produced by Andy Cohen,...
- 2/12/2021
- by Natalie Oganesyan
- Variety Film + TV
Are you hungry? We tv is. The cable channel has ordered the first season of the Hustle & Soul TV series, featuring restauranteur and chef Lawrence Page. Season one is slated to premiered early in 2017. Dan Cesareo, Ken Martinez and George McTeague executive produce, withKim Osorio co-executive producing. David Stefanou and Lauren Lazin executive produce for We tv.Hustle & Soul season one consists of six hour-long episodes, that follow Page as he seeks a Michelin Star for his Pink Tea Cup restaurant. The achievement would be a first for a soul food establishment. Get the details from this We tv press release.Read More…...
- 8/31/2016
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
By Patrick Shanley
Managing Editor
This year’s best documentary feature nominees continues a long trend of music docs being recognized by the Academy, as two music-related films have earned nominations at this year’s Oscars.
Amy, which tells the story of late songstress Amy Winehouse in her own words through never-before-seen archival footage and unreleased tracks and is nominated for best doc this year, earned nominations for the Queer Palm and Golden Eye awards at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival for director Asif Kapadia.
Filmmaker Liz Garbus earned the second nomination of her career with the Netflix documentary, What Happened, Miss Simone? The film focuses on the life of iconic R&B singer Nina Simone and her life as a singer, mother, and civil rights activist. Garbus earned her first Oscar nomination in 1998 for her documentary The Farm: Angola, USA.
Music-related docs have been a hot topic for the Academy in years past,...
Managing Editor
This year’s best documentary feature nominees continues a long trend of music docs being recognized by the Academy, as two music-related films have earned nominations at this year’s Oscars.
Amy, which tells the story of late songstress Amy Winehouse in her own words through never-before-seen archival footage and unreleased tracks and is nominated for best doc this year, earned nominations for the Queer Palm and Golden Eye awards at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival for director Asif Kapadia.
Filmmaker Liz Garbus earned the second nomination of her career with the Netflix documentary, What Happened, Miss Simone? The film focuses on the life of iconic R&B singer Nina Simone and her life as a singer, mother, and civil rights activist. Garbus earned her first Oscar nomination in 1998 for her documentary The Farm: Angola, USA.
Music-related docs have been a hot topic for the Academy in years past,...
- 1/22/2016
- by Patrick Shanley
- Scott Feinberg
By Anjelica Oswald
Managing Editor
Keep on Keepin’ On, director Alan Hicks’ debut film, follows four years of the friendship and mentorship between jazz legend and trumpeter Clark Terry, who played with Count Basie and Duke Ellington and taught a young Quincy Jones how to play, and Justin Kauflin, a talented 23-year-old blind pianist. The two musicians support each other as Terry begins to lose his eyesight due to health issues and as Kauflin deals with stage fright as a semi-finalist in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition. The film is one of 15 films on the Oscar documentary shortlist, five of which will be nominated on Jan. 15.
The Academy is particularly fond of music-related documentaries, nominating 17 since 1942, with eight winning. Keep on Keepin’ On could join the following Oscar-nominated films:
Festival (1967)
Director Murray Lerner’s black-and-white documentary offers a glimpse into three years (1963-1966) of the Newport Folk Festival, which...
Managing Editor
Keep on Keepin’ On, director Alan Hicks’ debut film, follows four years of the friendship and mentorship between jazz legend and trumpeter Clark Terry, who played with Count Basie and Duke Ellington and taught a young Quincy Jones how to play, and Justin Kauflin, a talented 23-year-old blind pianist. The two musicians support each other as Terry begins to lose his eyesight due to health issues and as Kauflin deals with stage fright as a semi-finalist in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition. The film is one of 15 films on the Oscar documentary shortlist, five of which will be nominated on Jan. 15.
The Academy is particularly fond of music-related documentaries, nominating 17 since 1942, with eight winning. Keep on Keepin’ On could join the following Oscar-nominated films:
Festival (1967)
Director Murray Lerner’s black-and-white documentary offers a glimpse into three years (1963-1966) of the Newport Folk Festival, which...
- 1/8/2015
- by Anjelica Oswald
- Scott Feinberg
By Anjelica Oswald
Managing Editor
This year’s Oscar race could make history with two possible best picture nominees directed by women — Ava DuVernay’s Selma and Angelina Jolie’s Unbroken. If both women are nominated for best director, that would also be a historical moment. But though these accomplishments in the narrative field are possible, more women directors are breaking into the documentary categories. Four of the 15 shortlisted documentaries feature women at the helm: Jennifer Grausman (co-directed with Sam Cullman and Mark Becker) with Art and Craft, Tia Lessin (co-directed with Carl Deal) with Citizen Koch, Laura Poitras with Citizenfour and Rory Kennedy with Last Days in Vietnam. Additionally, three of the eight shortlisted documentary shorts feature female directors: Ellen Goosenberg Kent with Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1, Aneta Kopacz with Joanna and Lucy Walker with The Lion’s Mouth Opens. More often than not, women directors tend to...
Managing Editor
This year’s Oscar race could make history with two possible best picture nominees directed by women — Ava DuVernay’s Selma and Angelina Jolie’s Unbroken. If both women are nominated for best director, that would also be a historical moment. But though these accomplishments in the narrative field are possible, more women directors are breaking into the documentary categories. Four of the 15 shortlisted documentaries feature women at the helm: Jennifer Grausman (co-directed with Sam Cullman and Mark Becker) with Art and Craft, Tia Lessin (co-directed with Carl Deal) with Citizen Koch, Laura Poitras with Citizenfour and Rory Kennedy with Last Days in Vietnam. Additionally, three of the eight shortlisted documentary shorts feature female directors: Ellen Goosenberg Kent with Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1, Aneta Kopacz with Joanna and Lucy Walker with The Lion’s Mouth Opens. More often than not, women directors tend to...
- 12/16/2014
- by Anjelica Oswald
- Scott Feinberg
Showtime will give viewers a look inside the daily struggles of a group of Southern lesbians in the feature documentary, L Word Mississippi: Hate The Sin, which will premiere on the network on Friday, August 8th at 9 Pm Et/Pt. The 90-minute film, executive produced by filmmaker Ilene Chaiken (The L Word, The Real L Word) and the award-winning Magical Elves directing and production team of Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz, spotlights the unique challenges of being lesbians in between the "coasts" in the religious, conservative deep South. Directed by Oscar and Emmy nominee Lauren Lazin (Tupac: Resurrection), the documentary will make its world premiere on Wednesday, August 6th...
- 5/28/2014
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
There's life left in Showtime's The L Word. The premium cable network announced Wednesday that it will debut L Word Mississippi: Hate the Sin, a documentary from series creator Ilene Chaiken, in August. L Word Mississippi is a 90-minute documentary that hails from Chaiken and Real L Word executive producers Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz's Magical Elves banner. The doc will be directed by Emmy nominee Lauren Lazin and explore the daily struggles of a group of Southern lesbians. Chaiken and the Elves will visit Bible Belt towns like Laurel, Gulfport and Hattiesburg to tell the stories of a
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- 5/28/2014
- by Lesley Goldberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It’s all about the the original programming for Bravo this year as the network unveiled its largest slate of original programming-to-date with 17 new and 18 returning unscripted series, and three new scripted projects in development.
“Bravo’s ongoing investment in high-quality original content across every platform continues to drive our growth year-over-year, securing our top 10 network ranking,” said Frances Berwick, President of Bravo and Style Media. “Bravo’s signature lifestyle entertainment brand continues to engage our growing passionate ‘affluencer’ audience.”
One compelling reality standout is Newlyweds: The First Year (Monday, May 6), which follows four newly married couples for an entire year.
“Bravo’s ongoing investment in high-quality original content across every platform continues to drive our growth year-over-year, securing our top 10 network ranking,” said Frances Berwick, President of Bravo and Style Media. “Bravo’s signature lifestyle entertainment brand continues to engage our growing passionate ‘affluencer’ audience.”
One compelling reality standout is Newlyweds: The First Year (Monday, May 6), which follows four newly married couples for an entire year.
- 4/2/2013
- by Abby West
- EW - Inside TV
I support this new NYC Film Fest which a lot of our friends attended and also support. I went to their inaugural event in NYC a few weeks back and it felt good and I certainly like their Indie lineup. The following is from a recent press release:
Celebrating first-time filmmakers with a grand prize of theatrical distribution, hosted by the historic Players Club, First Time Fest also had additional participants to this year's unique event.
Harry Belafonte, Gay Talese, Michael Shannon & Ellen Burstyn have joined Christine Vachon, Fred Schneider, Sofia Coppola, Todd Solondz, Barbara Kopple, Scott Foundas, Eric Kohn, Emily Russo, Jenny Lumet, Darren Aronofsky, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Hal Hartley, Peter Saraf, Nancy Savoca, Amy Ryan And Martin Scorsese participated In First Time Fest.
Belafonte & Shannon appeared onstage in the Ftf’s “Stand Alone! – Conversations With The Outstanding” series, one-on-one interview with notable cinema artists. Renowned author Gay Talese joined Christine Vachon and the B-52s Fred Schneider as another of the Ftf’s five jurors (the entire live audience at each of the 12 competition films was the 5th juror). Together, the jury and audience ultimately selected Grand Prize winner, Sal, a modern-day Western by Argentinian writer-director Diego Rougier which was offered theatrical distribution and full international sales representation from the renowned American film distributor, Cinema Libre Studio.
Acclaimed actress Ellen Burstyn, who worked with both Scorsese and Aronofsky served as the host of the Ftf Closing Night Awards program. As part of that festive evening, Martin Scorsese added his illustrious presence and belief in the art of cinema, presenting the first John Huston Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinema to Darren Aronofsky. John Huston was one of the most prolific and versatile directors in the history of cinema. And with his mesmerizing debut film, Pi – made independently on black-and-white 16mm film – Darren Aronofsky was instantly recognized as a uniquely gifted new talent. His subsequent films: Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain, The Wrestler and Black Swan, have more than fulfilled that promise.
In addition, Ftf had a special presentation of Andy Grieve and Lauren Lazin’s documentary about the band The Police, Can't Stand Losing You, featuring Sting, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers.
On an exciting party note, and in conjunction with Ftf’s presentation of the Australian/Mongolian documentary Mongolian Bling, First Time Fest and Hip Hop Saves Lives presented “Project Haiti,” an album release party for Zing Experience at Webster Hall.
Representing a hybrid between a traditional film festival and a highly motivated audience participation event, Ftf presented a dozen Competition Films, which were judged by a panel of industry luminaries and the Ftf audience. All competition screenings were followed by “hot-seat” discussions between the jury and filmmakers, and all audience members then voted on the films. It was truly a contest of the best emerging filmmakers competing for the Ultimate Audience Award.
Competition Films – (please visit here for competition films & descriptions).
In addition to the Competition Films, Ftf presented First Exposure, a series of first films from now prominent filmmakers. Joining the line-up - and mostly attending the fest - was the exciting Opening Night presentation of Sofia Coppola with The Virgin Suicides, Todd Solondz with Welcome to the Dollhouse, Wes Anderson’s Bottle Rocket, Barbara Kopple with Harlan County, USA, Melvin Van Peebles with The Story of a Three-Day Pass, Pi from Darren Aronofsky, The Maltese Falcon from director John Huston, Poison from Todd Haynes, Jack Goes Boating from director Philip Seymour Hoffman, Hal Hartley’s The Unbelievable Truth, and True Love from Nancy Savoca.
First Exposure Films – (please visit here, for First Exposure descriptions)
First Exposure also includes a 60th Anniversary Tribute to Morris Engel’s The Little Fugitive, a cinema vérité classic from 1953 that was shot on Coney Island and has inspired countless filmmakers, from Jean-Luc Godard to the Coen brothers. The tribute included a panel hosted by film historian Foster Hirsch including Mary Engel, daughter of Morris Engel and Ruth Orkin, and James Sanders, author of Celluloid Skyline: New York and the Movies. In addition there was a Special Presentation of Everardo Gout’s thrillingly over-the-top action thriller Days Of Grace (Dĺas De Gracia), which won the Mexican Academy of Film’s prestigious Ariel Award for Best First Feature and was nominated for the Camera d’Or at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.
First Time Fest included a series of panels called “How They Did It,” in which a diverse group of award-winning filmmakers moderated filmmaking case studies and spotlighted some of the most successful and accomplished masters of the industry.
First Time Fest is a four-day, multi-faceted event hosted in New York City’s Gramercy Park by the celebrated Players (16 Gramercy Park South), the club founded by Edwin Booth, Mark Twain and John Singer Sargent, the oldest and most exclusive arts organization of its kind whose membership includes the greatest stars of stage and screen. Each of First Time Fest’s twelve finalists receive high-level industry mentorship and a one-year membership to The Players. The Players was the location for all Ftf panels and events as well as the Filmmaker and VIP Lounge. First Time Fest’s screenings were all held at the Loews Village VII on Third Avenue (on 11th St. & 3rd Ave).
Among the Fest’s terrific sponsors is the delicious Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte. "The forward-thinking Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte draws its inspiration from the call of ‘faraway lands.’ One of the youngest and most fashionable Champagne brands, Nicolas Feuillatte has captured the world's imagination by sharing its passion for creativity and arts in a record 37 years, becoming the #1 Champagne in France. In its role as discoverer of talent, the brand awards its prestige cuvée Palmes d'Or to First Time Fest's winners to complement the celebration in style."
Other terrific sponsors of the fest include Brooklyn Brewery, Moscot, Marquis Vodka and Technicolor Postworks.
For additional Festival Information - Visit The Festival Website at www.FirstTimeFest.com
Johanna Bennett and Mandy Ward are the co-founders of First Time Fest. As an accomplished philanthropist, actor and social entrepreneur, as well as the daughter of singer Tony Bennett, Johanna Bennett has immersed herself within the entertainment and artistic community her entire life. Mandy Ward has worked in the film industry for the past decade in varied capacities, namely as a film producer of several projects. Mitch Levine, CEO of The Film Festival Group, is producing the festival. Through his company, Mitch offers consulting services and expertise to film festivals, film commissions, distribution companies and filmmakers around the world, and was formerly the CEO and Executive Director of the renowned Palm Springs International Film Festival. The Festival’s Director of Programming is David Schwartz, the Chief Curator of Museum of the Moving Image.
Celebrating first-time filmmakers with a grand prize of theatrical distribution, hosted by the historic Players Club, First Time Fest also had additional participants to this year's unique event.
Harry Belafonte, Gay Talese, Michael Shannon & Ellen Burstyn have joined Christine Vachon, Fred Schneider, Sofia Coppola, Todd Solondz, Barbara Kopple, Scott Foundas, Eric Kohn, Emily Russo, Jenny Lumet, Darren Aronofsky, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Hal Hartley, Peter Saraf, Nancy Savoca, Amy Ryan And Martin Scorsese participated In First Time Fest.
Belafonte & Shannon appeared onstage in the Ftf’s “Stand Alone! – Conversations With The Outstanding” series, one-on-one interview with notable cinema artists. Renowned author Gay Talese joined Christine Vachon and the B-52s Fred Schneider as another of the Ftf’s five jurors (the entire live audience at each of the 12 competition films was the 5th juror). Together, the jury and audience ultimately selected Grand Prize winner, Sal, a modern-day Western by Argentinian writer-director Diego Rougier which was offered theatrical distribution and full international sales representation from the renowned American film distributor, Cinema Libre Studio.
Acclaimed actress Ellen Burstyn, who worked with both Scorsese and Aronofsky served as the host of the Ftf Closing Night Awards program. As part of that festive evening, Martin Scorsese added his illustrious presence and belief in the art of cinema, presenting the first John Huston Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinema to Darren Aronofsky. John Huston was one of the most prolific and versatile directors in the history of cinema. And with his mesmerizing debut film, Pi – made independently on black-and-white 16mm film – Darren Aronofsky was instantly recognized as a uniquely gifted new talent. His subsequent films: Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain, The Wrestler and Black Swan, have more than fulfilled that promise.
In addition, Ftf had a special presentation of Andy Grieve and Lauren Lazin’s documentary about the band The Police, Can't Stand Losing You, featuring Sting, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers.
On an exciting party note, and in conjunction with Ftf’s presentation of the Australian/Mongolian documentary Mongolian Bling, First Time Fest and Hip Hop Saves Lives presented “Project Haiti,” an album release party for Zing Experience at Webster Hall.
Representing a hybrid between a traditional film festival and a highly motivated audience participation event, Ftf presented a dozen Competition Films, which were judged by a panel of industry luminaries and the Ftf audience. All competition screenings were followed by “hot-seat” discussions between the jury and filmmakers, and all audience members then voted on the films. It was truly a contest of the best emerging filmmakers competing for the Ultimate Audience Award.
Competition Films – (please visit here for competition films & descriptions).
In addition to the Competition Films, Ftf presented First Exposure, a series of first films from now prominent filmmakers. Joining the line-up - and mostly attending the fest - was the exciting Opening Night presentation of Sofia Coppola with The Virgin Suicides, Todd Solondz with Welcome to the Dollhouse, Wes Anderson’s Bottle Rocket, Barbara Kopple with Harlan County, USA, Melvin Van Peebles with The Story of a Three-Day Pass, Pi from Darren Aronofsky, The Maltese Falcon from director John Huston, Poison from Todd Haynes, Jack Goes Boating from director Philip Seymour Hoffman, Hal Hartley’s The Unbelievable Truth, and True Love from Nancy Savoca.
First Exposure Films – (please visit here, for First Exposure descriptions)
First Exposure also includes a 60th Anniversary Tribute to Morris Engel’s The Little Fugitive, a cinema vérité classic from 1953 that was shot on Coney Island and has inspired countless filmmakers, from Jean-Luc Godard to the Coen brothers. The tribute included a panel hosted by film historian Foster Hirsch including Mary Engel, daughter of Morris Engel and Ruth Orkin, and James Sanders, author of Celluloid Skyline: New York and the Movies. In addition there was a Special Presentation of Everardo Gout’s thrillingly over-the-top action thriller Days Of Grace (Dĺas De Gracia), which won the Mexican Academy of Film’s prestigious Ariel Award for Best First Feature and was nominated for the Camera d’Or at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.
First Time Fest included a series of panels called “How They Did It,” in which a diverse group of award-winning filmmakers moderated filmmaking case studies and spotlighted some of the most successful and accomplished masters of the industry.
First Time Fest is a four-day, multi-faceted event hosted in New York City’s Gramercy Park by the celebrated Players (16 Gramercy Park South), the club founded by Edwin Booth, Mark Twain and John Singer Sargent, the oldest and most exclusive arts organization of its kind whose membership includes the greatest stars of stage and screen. Each of First Time Fest’s twelve finalists receive high-level industry mentorship and a one-year membership to The Players. The Players was the location for all Ftf panels and events as well as the Filmmaker and VIP Lounge. First Time Fest’s screenings were all held at the Loews Village VII on Third Avenue (on 11th St. & 3rd Ave).
Among the Fest’s terrific sponsors is the delicious Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte. "The forward-thinking Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte draws its inspiration from the call of ‘faraway lands.’ One of the youngest and most fashionable Champagne brands, Nicolas Feuillatte has captured the world's imagination by sharing its passion for creativity and arts in a record 37 years, becoming the #1 Champagne in France. In its role as discoverer of talent, the brand awards its prestige cuvée Palmes d'Or to First Time Fest's winners to complement the celebration in style."
Other terrific sponsors of the fest include Brooklyn Brewery, Moscot, Marquis Vodka and Technicolor Postworks.
For additional Festival Information - Visit The Festival Website at www.FirstTimeFest.com
Johanna Bennett and Mandy Ward are the co-founders of First Time Fest. As an accomplished philanthropist, actor and social entrepreneur, as well as the daughter of singer Tony Bennett, Johanna Bennett has immersed herself within the entertainment and artistic community her entire life. Mandy Ward has worked in the film industry for the past decade in varied capacities, namely as a film producer of several projects. Mitch Levine, CEO of The Film Festival Group, is producing the festival. Through his company, Mitch offers consulting services and expertise to film festivals, film commissions, distribution companies and filmmakers around the world, and was formerly the CEO and Executive Director of the renowned Palm Springs International Film Festival. The Festival’s Director of Programming is David Schwartz, the Chief Curator of Museum of the Moving Image.
- 3/11/2013
- by Peter Belsito
- Sydney's Buzz
In the Doc NYC documentary "Can't Stand Losing You," which had its world premiere Friday at the festival, The Police guitarist Andy Summers revisits the past he laid bare in his hit 2007 memoir "One Train Later." Coming on the heels of the band's massively successful worldwide reunion tour that wrapped in 2008, the film, directed by Andy Grieve and Lauren Lazin, frames the English musician's fascinating backstory with exclusive concert footage and behind-the-scenes access. In other words, if you're a fan of The Police (and really, who isn't?), then "Can't Stand Losing You" is a must-see. Prior to the film's unveiling at Doc NYC, Indiewire sat down with Summers in a dimly lit but lavishly outfitted hotel suite -- fit for a rock star, you might say -- at the Gramercy Park Hotel. In our chat with the icon, Summers opened up about why he chose to rehash his life for a second time,...
- 11/14/2012
- by Nigel M Smith
- Indiewire
With their upfronts happening tonight, Bravo announced that it has greenlit 11 new unscripted series, including spin-offs for Top Chef and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, as well as season orders for eight of their returning favorites. Viewers can expect to see another season of Flipping Out, Tabatha Takes Over, Million Dollar Decorators, Million Dollar Listing Lost Angeles, Top Chef Masters, Chef Roble & Co., Pregnant in Heels, and Inside the Actors Studio.
Click below for a description of Bravo’s new shows.
New Series Greenlights:
Silicon Valley (working title)
Produced by Den of Thieves with Jesse Ignjatovic and Evan Prager...
Click below for a description of Bravo’s new shows.
New Series Greenlights:
Silicon Valley (working title)
Produced by Den of Thieves with Jesse Ignjatovic and Evan Prager...
- 4/4/2012
- by Tim Stack
- EW - Inside TV
Eleven new shows, including a spinoff for "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Lisa Vanderpump and a new "Top Chef" series with Jen Carroll, Richard Blais, Fabio Viviani and Spike Mendelsohn, are heading to Bravo. The network has also renewed eight shows, including "Tabatha Takes Over."
"Sur" goes inside "Housewives" star Vanderpump's La hotspot restaurant. "Life After Top Chef" follows the personal and professional lives of the four former "Top Chef" cheftestants. There are also new shows set on yachts, in the offices of icanhascheezburger.com and in art galleries and the network also announced seven new unscripted projects in development.
Two scripted shows are in the works at Bravo, but the subject matter is familiar to the established audience. "22 Birthdays" follows the lives of a group of parents at a private school, with each episode centered around a lavish birthday party. "Blowing Sunshine" hails from "90210's" Jason Ning and...
"Sur" goes inside "Housewives" star Vanderpump's La hotspot restaurant. "Life After Top Chef" follows the personal and professional lives of the four former "Top Chef" cheftestants. There are also new shows set on yachts, in the offices of icanhascheezburger.com and in art galleries and the network also announced seven new unscripted projects in development.
Two scripted shows are in the works at Bravo, but the subject matter is familiar to the established audience. "22 Birthdays" follows the lives of a group of parents at a private school, with each episode centered around a lavish birthday party. "Blowing Sunshine" hails from "90210's" Jason Ning and...
- 4/4/2012
- by Chris Harnick
- Huffington Post
Eleven new shows, including a spinoff for "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Lisa Vanderpump and a new "Top Chef" series with Jen Carroll, Richard Blais, Fabio Viviani and Spike Mendelsohn, are heading to Bravo. The network has also renewed eight shows, including "Tabatha Takes Over."
"Sur" goes inside "Housewives" star Vanderpump's La hotspot restaurant. "Life After Top Chef" follows the personal and professional lives of the four former "Top Chef" cheftestants. There are also new shows set on yachts, in the offices of icanhascheezburger.com and in art galleries and the network also announced seven new unscripted projects in development.
Two scripted shows are in the works at Bravo, but the subject matter is familiar to the established audience. "22 Birthdays" follows the lives of a group of parents at a private school, with each episode centered around a lavish birthday party. "Blowing Sunshine" hails from "90210's" Jason Ning and...
"Sur" goes inside "Housewives" star Vanderpump's La hotspot restaurant. "Life After Top Chef" follows the personal and professional lives of the four former "Top Chef" cheftestants. There are also new shows set on yachts, in the offices of icanhascheezburger.com and in art galleries and the network also announced seven new unscripted projects in development.
Two scripted shows are in the works at Bravo, but the subject matter is familiar to the established audience. "22 Birthdays" follows the lives of a group of parents at a private school, with each episode centered around a lavish birthday party. "Blowing Sunshine" hails from "90210's" Jason Ning and...
- 4/4/2012
- by Chris Harnick
- Aol TV.
Austin, TX – The Foo Fighters have a documentary coming along which will coincide with the bands seventh studio album release this spring.
Foo Fighters: Back And Forth, chronicles 16 years of the Foo Fighters history, the formation, good times and rocky times for the band.
The film had its premiere here at the SXSW Film festival.
Iframe Embed for Youtube
Press Release
For Immediate Release
Exclusive Media Group’S Spitfire Pictures And RCA/Jive Announce Foo Fighters Feature-length Documentary
Film Theatrical Release Slated For Spring 2011
Directed by Academy Award winner James Moll
Produced By Spitfire Pictures
Co-Financed by Exclusive Media Group and RCA Records
To Have World Premiere at 2011 SXSW Film Festival in Austin, TX
Los Angeles, CA (February 1, 2011) – Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett and Pat Smear a/k/a the Foo Fighters and Nigel Sinclair, Co-Chairman of Exclusive Media Group, announced today that Exclusive’s documentary film...
Foo Fighters: Back And Forth, chronicles 16 years of the Foo Fighters history, the formation, good times and rocky times for the band.
The film had its premiere here at the SXSW Film festival.
Iframe Embed for Youtube
Press Release
For Immediate Release
Exclusive Media Group’S Spitfire Pictures And RCA/Jive Announce Foo Fighters Feature-length Documentary
Film Theatrical Release Slated For Spring 2011
Directed by Academy Award winner James Moll
Produced By Spitfire Pictures
Co-Financed by Exclusive Media Group and RCA Records
To Have World Premiere at 2011 SXSW Film Festival in Austin, TX
Los Angeles, CA (February 1, 2011) – Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett and Pat Smear a/k/a the Foo Fighters and Nigel Sinclair, Co-Chairman of Exclusive Media Group, announced today that Exclusive’s documentary film...
- 3/18/2011
- by Albert Art
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
- Nostalgia makes a lot of the older fans go cuckoo. Even though they had separated decades ago, their recent sold out stadium tour proved that the members of the musical act known as The Police remain fan favorites. Following in the Sundance preemed Everyone Stares: The Police Inside Out, now it is the guitarist of the group (Andy Summers) who will see his autobiography become a film docu project thanks to the Yari Film Group and producers Norm Golightly, Brett Morgen and Nicolas Cage. One Train Later will borrow the same technology that Morgen used to portray the life in pictures of producer Bob Evans - but it is Lauren Lazin (Tupac: Resurrection) who is in negotiations to direct. Summers would narrate his tale about the Police from his perspective. About 25,000 photos Summers has taken of the band over the years will be featured in an animated style to tell the story.
- 10/31/2007
- IONCINEMA.com
- Ioncinema.com presents: Best of FestsFULL Frame FESTIVALWhere: April 12 to 15, 2007 Counting Down: updateCountdownClock('April 12, 2007'); Location: Durham, North Carolina - United States Official Website: fullframefest.org/What: Founded in 1998 by Nancy Buirski, and now recognized as the premier documentary film festival in the United States by both The New York Times and indieWIRE, the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival celebrates the power and artistry of documentary film. The festival is an important arena for documentary filmmakers — a place where they can showcase their work theatrically in an environment that stimulates conversation and community between other filmmakers, industry executives and the general public. Sections: (Click for more info!) Full Schedule: Power of Ten: Special Programming: Panel & Workshops8 Bit - Marcin Ramocki, Justin Strawhand Alice Sees The Light - Ariana GersteinAngels in the Dust - Louise HogarthThe Ants - Kaoru IkeyaBanished - Marco WilliamsBeyond Selinunte - Salvo CucciaBlockade - Sergei Loznitsa
- 4/11/2007
- IONCINEMA.com
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