General
Disneyland, Universal Studios Urge California Governor Gavin Newsom To Let Them Reopen
Tom Tapp, Deadline Hollywood
The California Attractions and Parks Association released a statement on Monday urging California Governor Gavin Newsom to issue guidelines that would allow the reopening of amusement parks in the state. The trade organization represents Disneyland Resort, Universal Studios, Six Flags Magic Mountain, SeaWorld San Diego, Knott’s Berry Farm and Legoland California Resort.
Hollywood Agents’ Blueprint for Surviving the Pandemic
Lucas Shaw, Bloomberg
Jeremy Zimmer entered 2020 in expansion mode. Ever since taking over as chief executive officer of United Talent Agency Inc. in 2012, Zimmer has pushed the company into new businesses, including music, marketing and short-form videos.
For SAG-AFTRA, Quarantine Pay Is Sticking Point In Back-To-Work Deal With AMPTP
David Robb, Deadline Hollywood
SAG-AFTRA has told Hollywood’s talent agents that return-to-work talks with management’s AMPTP have stalled because the companies are refusing to spring for COVID-19 quarantine pay for series regulars and other film and TV performers.
Jason Momoa Backs Up Ray Fisher’s Justice League Allegations: ‘Serious Stuff Went Down’
Halle Kiefer, Vulture
Back in July, Justice League star Ray Fisher went public with allegations that director Joss Whedon had treated the film’s cast and crew in a “gross, abusive, unprofessional, and completely unacceptable” manner during reshoots. The actor also implicated producers Geoff Johns and Jon Berg, saying they “enabled” Whedon’s behavior.
Big Sean Ends Taylor Swift’s Reign on Album Chart
Ben Sisario, The New York Times
The Detroit rapper Big Sean has ended Taylor Swift’s six-week run at the top of the Billboard album chart.
What Are Billboard’s New Global Charts and How Do They Work?
Justin Curto, Vulture
From urbano music to K-pop, some of the biggest developments in pop music today are taking root outside the United States. In response, two new Billboard song charts will now crown global No. 1s — one accounting for the entire world and one excluding the United States.
Film
What Does Tenet’s Rough Run Mean for Theatrical Blockbusters?
Christopher Rosen, Vanity Fair
Last week, shortly after some industry reporters heralded the opening numbers for Christopher Nolan’s Tenet as proof Warner Bros. could put butts in seats despite the pandemic, the studio made a pair of decisions that seemed to contradict warmer feelings about the film’s debut.
‘They really are putting money above people’s lives’: As movie theaters reopen nationwide, some employees are reluctant to return
Sonia Rao, The Washington Post
To a populace desperate for even a bit of normalcy, reopened movie theaters can be tempting. They’ve long granted a reprieve from harsh realities, the sort staring us in the face as the coronavirus pandemic exposes every crack in the American way of life.
Television
HBO’s Watchmen Wins 4 TCA Awards, Including Program of the Year
Jason Lynch, Adweek
Watchmen was the big winner at this year’s Television Critics Association (TCA) Awards. The HBO miniseries, which is nominated for 26 Emmys this year, won four TCA Awards: Program of the Year (the evening’s top award); Outstanding Achievement in Movie, Miniseries or Special; Outstanding New Program; and Individual Achievement in Drama, which went to Regina King.
AMC Networks Yanks FCC Complaint Vs AT&T; Accused WarnerMedia Parent Of “Discriminatory” Carriage Terms
Jill Goldsmith, Deadline Hollywood
The FCC Monday granted AMC Networks’ motion to withdraw a complaint filed last month against AT&T that accused the media giant of abusing its market clout and favoring its own networks after merging with Time Warner.
Macy’s Reveals Plans For A TV-only Thanksgiving Day Parade
Adrianne Pasquarelli, Ad Age
In late April, when the pandemic was just beginning to realize its deadly potential, Macy’s said it was still planning to move forward with a Thanksgiving Day Parade. Now, the beleaguered department store chain is offering consumers a glimpse of what they can expect at its iconic event, now in its 94th year.
How does ‘Dancing With the Stars’ stay ‘relevant’? By casting celebs from reality TV
Ashley Lee, Los Angeles Times
“Dancing With the Stars” has built a reputation as a ballroom competition for actors, athletes and musicians, plus the sporadic politician and media personality. “I always say it’s the most bizarre dinner party you’ll ever put together,” said co-executive producer Deena Katz.
Set Redesigns, Zoom Auditions, and the Same Host: How ‘Jeopardy!’ Came Back Amid a Pandemic
Claire McNear, The Ringer
All spring and summer long, Alex Trebek was restless. He was, like the rest of us, mostly at home, or else running errands nearby: In May, he was caught on camera by paparazzi taking out the trash, wearing a Jeopardy! T-shirt tucked casually into his jeans.
Who Is Primed to Replace ‘Judge Judy’ on the Syndication Throne?
Tim Baysinger, The Wrap Pro
Judge Judy Sheindlin has reigned as the Queen of Daytime for more than a decade, with “Judge Judy” presiding over the rest of her syndication competition for the last 11 years. But when she gavels in her new season Monday afternoon, it will be the beginning of the end of 25 years of daytime dominance.
How Did MTV Become the ‘Ridiculousness’ Network?
John Gonzalez, The Ringer
There are lots of reasons why Chappelle’s Show is rightly hailed as one of the best comedies ever—including its uncanny knack for periodically predicting the future. In one prescient episode from the first season, the show flashes forward to give us a glimpse of what eventually becomes of one of the most well-known television personalities from the turn of the millennium.
Technology and New Media
Vice Strikes Content Deal With Hulu Through New Distribution Outfit
Manori Ravindran, Variety
Vice Distribution, the fledgling distribution arm of the youth-skewing media brand, has struck a content deal with Hulu. The pact covers 100 hours of Vice TV originals, and marks the first agreement of its kind for the newly launched distribution outfit.
Can YouTube Shorts Help the Original Video-Sharing Site Ride the TikTok Wave?
David Cohen, Adweek
The original video-sharing site finally jumped on the latest video-sharing trend with Monday’s introduction of YouTube Shorts, which lets people create videos of up to 15 seconds, complete with music.
Spotify Taps Paramount’s Jean Chi as Head of Podcast Business Affairs
Todd Spangler, Variety
Jean Chi is joining Spotify in the newly created role of global head of podcast business affairs, as the audio and music streaming continues to bulk up on podcasts, the company said Monday.
How Cameo Blew Up During Quarantine
Naomi Fry, The New Yorker
A couple of summers ago, I was at my desk at work when I received a video link in a text message from a friend, with no additional explanation. When I clicked on it, I was befuddled: on the screen loomed the face of James Kennedy, a Los Angeles-based d.j. best known as one of the stars of the reality show “Vanderpump Rules.”
Audible Names Pat Shah Head of Content Acquisition and Development
Elaine Low, Variety
Audible, the Amazon-owned audiobook and audio entertainment company, has tapped Twitch and Spotify veteran Pat Shah to become its head of content acquisition and development.
How the Streaming Exclusive Died and Came Back to Life
Tim Ingham, Rolling Stone
“I said no quickly, brashly, abrasively. Do me a favor — don’t present that to me again.”
Amazon rebrands FreeTime to Amazon Kids, expands paid catalog for Amazon Kids+
Sarah Perez, TechCrunch
Amazon today announced it will rebrand its kid-friendly services formerly known as Amazon FreeTime and Amazon FreeTime Unlimited to Amazon Kids and Amazon Kids+. In addition to the name change, the services are being redesigned to include a new home screen experience, Amazon Echo integrations, and will introduce an expanded catalog of music and video content.
The People with Power at TikTok Owner Bytedance
Yunan Zhang and Juro Osawa, The Information
ByteDance, owner of the powerhouse social media app TikTok that is caught up in the U.S.-China trade and cybersecurity war, has been busy restructuring itself as it looks to duplicate TikTok’s success internationally with some of its newer apps, according to new data viewed by The Information.
Shady Contracts, Raw Deals: Inside the Industry of Managing Video Game Stars
Cecilia D’Anastasio, Wired
Something about Novaruu looked like dollar signs from the moment she landed on Twitch. Blonde and with a radiant smile, Novaruu, then 19, had been gaming and hanging out with her growing fanbase for only a few weeks when she began receiving messages from entrepreneurial viewers offering to get her “deals”—vague promises to connect her with a capital-b Brand.
Opinions, Editorials, Perspectives and Research
Hollywood’s Tenet Experiment Failed
David Sims, The Atlantic
Christopher Nolan’s Tenet was supposed to be a boon for movie theaters, a light in the darkness after the coronavirus pandemic shut down cinemas for months. Here was an original film from a beloved director, one of the biggest titles of our postponed summer-movie season—surely this would be enough to lure people back to the big screen.
The Black List’s Franklin Leonard on why picking winners doesn’t mean making losers
Taylor Hatmaker, TechCrunch
Tech and Hollywood don’t cross-pollinate that often, but when it comes to Franklin Leonard’s way of looking at things, maybe they should. Leonard is best known as the creator of The Black List, a curated collection of the most underrated screenplays of the year.
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