The Australian federal government said on Thursday that it would provide the film and industry with $34.4 million ($A$50 million) as a post-coronavirus relief measure. The move was announced a day after public broadcaster the Australian Broadcasting Corporation said it would lay off 250 staff.
The new fund, to be administered by Screen Australia, will be largely directed to providing financial guarantees that allow the film and TV industries to restart production. The government statement acknowledged that “filming of new productions has largely been halted as insurers are not providing coverage for Covid-19.”
The film finance measures were part of a larger $12 million (A$250 million) package to support the arts. Other beneficiary segments covered include festivals, concerts, tours and events.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the commercial arts and entertainment sector was one of the first sectors to be impacted by Covid-19 and will be one of the last to come out...
The new fund, to be administered by Screen Australia, will be largely directed to providing financial guarantees that allow the film and TV industries to restart production. The government statement acknowledged that “filming of new productions has largely been halted as insurers are not providing coverage for Covid-19.”
The film finance measures were part of a larger $12 million (A$250 million) package to support the arts. Other beneficiary segments covered include festivals, concerts, tours and events.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the commercial arts and entertainment sector was one of the first sectors to be impacted by Covid-19 and will be one of the last to come out...
- 6/25/2020
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Probably the last time most “American Idol” fans saw Laine Hardy, the Louisiana lad who won Season 17, was when he performed the Rascal Flatts tune “Life is a Highway” that was featured in the Pixar animated film “Cars” on May 10 for Disney night on Season 18, a few shows before Just Sam was proclaimed the winner. The show went to great lengths to maintain social distancing since the pandemic by allowing the performers to shelter in place and yet still compete.
Hardy himself did a virtual tour to promote his new single inspired by his Cajun roots, “The Ground I Grew Up On” and other new tunes by doing more than 15 online stops in April and May. But the 19-year-old country singer shared his diagnosis on his Facebook page and Instagram story on Sunday, June 21. He wrote, “This wasn’t what I expected on the first day of summer. My doctor confirmed I have coronavirus,...
Hardy himself did a virtual tour to promote his new single inspired by his Cajun roots, “The Ground I Grew Up On” and other new tunes by doing more than 15 online stops in April and May. But the 19-year-old country singer shared his diagnosis on his Facebook page and Instagram story on Sunday, June 21. He wrote, “This wasn’t what I expected on the first day of summer. My doctor confirmed I have coronavirus,...
- 6/23/2020
- by Susan Wloszczyna
- Gold Derby
Film and television production may be able to resume in California on June 12, but major studios are still weeks — if not months — away from rolling cameras.
Before shooting can start or resume on movies and TV shows, the various labor unions that represent everyone from the grips to the actors to the directors, have to sign off on safety procedures for how sets should operate in the age of coronavirus. Nearly 200 people from across the entertainment industry were involved in drafting a white paper outlining new safety protocols that range from increasing testing and temperature tests to quarantining casts and crews. Insiders predict that the final sign-off on those plans is between four to six weeks away.
“For the major film productions and a handful of premium TV shows, this pandemic was like tranquilizing an elephant,” said one top film studio executive, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “We’re...
Before shooting can start or resume on movies and TV shows, the various labor unions that represent everyone from the grips to the actors to the directors, have to sign off on safety procedures for how sets should operate in the age of coronavirus. Nearly 200 people from across the entertainment industry were involved in drafting a white paper outlining new safety protocols that range from increasing testing and temperature tests to quarantining casts and crews. Insiders predict that the final sign-off on those plans is between four to six weeks away.
“For the major film productions and a handful of premium TV shows, this pandemic was like tranquilizing an elephant,” said one top film studio executive, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “We’re...
- 6/9/2020
- by Brent Lang and Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
British musician Yola will play singer Sister Rosetta Tharpe — dubbed the Godmother of rock and roll — in Baz Luhrmann’s musical drama “Elvis,” sources tell Variety.
The Warner Bros. film stars Austin Butler in the title role, Tom Hanks as Elvis Presley’s manager Colonel Tom Parker, Maggie Gyllenhaal as Presley’s mother and Rufus Sewell as his father.
Luhrmann co-wrote the script with Craig Pearce and Sam Bromell. The movie revolves around the veteran manager and the young singer, who came from dirt-poor origins to become an icon who changed the course of music history. The project, expected to go into production this spring, marks Luhrmann’s first film since his 2013 adaptation of “The Great Gatsby” starring Leonardo DiCaprio. He most recently worked on Netflix’s music-driven series “The Get Down.”
Tharpe was a rock and roll pioneer who gained popularity in the 1930s and ’40s through her experimental gospel recordings.
The Warner Bros. film stars Austin Butler in the title role, Tom Hanks as Elvis Presley’s manager Colonel Tom Parker, Maggie Gyllenhaal as Presley’s mother and Rufus Sewell as his father.
Luhrmann co-wrote the script with Craig Pearce and Sam Bromell. The movie revolves around the veteran manager and the young singer, who came from dirt-poor origins to become an icon who changed the course of music history. The project, expected to go into production this spring, marks Luhrmann’s first film since his 2013 adaptation of “The Great Gatsby” starring Leonardo DiCaprio. He most recently worked on Netflix’s music-driven series “The Get Down.”
Tharpe was a rock and roll pioneer who gained popularity in the 1930s and ’40s through her experimental gospel recordings.
- 2/21/2020
- by Justin Kroll
- Variety Film + TV
The Tribeca Film Festival on Monday unveiled plans to kick off its 19th installment with the world premiere of director Mary Wharton’s Jimmy Carter Rock & Roll President – a rockumentary-style presidential portrait that shows how popular music helped propel the folksy peanut farmer from rural Georgia to the White House. The film will launch a politically active fest this year with a get-out-the vote effort.
The opening-night announcement came on President’s Day during a divisive election season and the festival said a focus is to showcase the power of inspiring change through art, politics and community as it unspools April 15-26.
Concurrently, the festival will provide audiences access to online tools to make voting easy, including text updates, and education on ways to get involved in their local elections. To do that, Tribeca has partnered with Democracy Works and Civic Alliance, a nonpartisan coalition of businesses “working together to...
The opening-night announcement came on President’s Day during a divisive election season and the festival said a focus is to showcase the power of inspiring change through art, politics and community as it unspools April 15-26.
Concurrently, the festival will provide audiences access to online tools to make voting easy, including text updates, and education on ways to get involved in their local elections. To do that, Tribeca has partnered with Democracy Works and Civic Alliance, a nonpartisan coalition of businesses “working together to...
- 2/17/2020
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Vanessa Hudgens and Austin Butler have called it quits. After almost nine years together, the High School Musical alum and the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood actor have decided to go their separate ways, multiple outlets report. The celebs first sparked romance rumors in Sept. 2011, about a year after Hudgens' split with Zac Efron. After their first Pda session in 2011, Hudgens and Butler became inseparable, sharing a number of sweet moments together over the years. In recent months, however, it seems as though Hudgens, 31, and Butler, 28, have been spending time apart. Hudgens has been overseas filming The Princess Switch 2, while Butler is believed to be starting production on Baz Luhrmann's upcoming Elvis...
- 1/14/2020
- E! Online
Tom Hanks is saying no more Mr. Nice Guy.
The prolific actor teased press backstage at Sunday’s Golden Globe Awards, saying he’s tired of “stupid questions” from press about why he almost exclusively plays heroes, sweethearts or quirky everyman types.
Hanks, in fact, is about to play a bad guy for Baz Luhrmann and thrilled for the opportunity to prove he can flex those muscles.
“My current plan is, I’m about to go to Australia to work with Baz Luhrmann,” Hanks said, adding his thoughts were with victims and volunteers caught in devastating brush fires. The actor will star opposite Austin Butler in Luhrmann’s forthcoming Elvis biopic, playing the icon’s shifty talent manager.
“The plan is, I’m playing Colonel Tom Parker, and silence all your stupid questions about why will I never play a bad guy,” Hanks joked. Though Hanks said this would be his first villainous role,...
The prolific actor teased press backstage at Sunday’s Golden Globe Awards, saying he’s tired of “stupid questions” from press about why he almost exclusively plays heroes, sweethearts or quirky everyman types.
Hanks, in fact, is about to play a bad guy for Baz Luhrmann and thrilled for the opportunity to prove he can flex those muscles.
“My current plan is, I’m about to go to Australia to work with Baz Luhrmann,” Hanks said, adding his thoughts were with victims and volunteers caught in devastating brush fires. The actor will star opposite Austin Butler in Luhrmann’s forthcoming Elvis biopic, playing the icon’s shifty talent manager.
“The plan is, I’m playing Colonel Tom Parker, and silence all your stupid questions about why will I never play a bad guy,” Hanks joked. Though Hanks said this would be his first villainous role,...
- 1/6/2020
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
Reese Witherspoon won for Walk the Line in the category actress in a motion picture, comedy or drama, at Monday night's Golden Globes. Other motion picture acting wins went to George Clooney in the category supporting actor, motion picture, for Syriana, and Rachel Weisz in the category supporting actress, motion picture, for The Constant Gardener. The scribes for Brokeback Mountain, Larry McMurtry & Diana Ossana, won in the category screenplay, motion picture. The Globe for foreign language film went to Paradise Now, a Palestinian entry. S. Epatha Merkerson won for HBO's Lackawanna Blues in the category actress, miniseries or telefilm; and Jonathan Rhys Meyers won for CBS' Elvis in the category actor, miniseries or telefilm.
- 1/16/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Reese Witherspoon won for Walk the Line in the category actress in a motion picture, comedy or drama, at Monday night's Golden Globes. Other motion picture acting wins went to George Clooney in the category supporting actor, motion picture, for Syriana, and Rachel Weisz in the category supporting actress, motion picture, for The Constant Gardener. S. Epatha Merkerson won for HBO's Lackawanna Blues in the category actress, miniseries or telefilm; and Jonathan Rhys Meyers won for CBS' Elvis in the category actor, miniseries or telefilm. Empire Falls won in the category miniseries or telefilm. Steve Carell of NBC's The Office won in the category comedic TV actor and Mary-Louise Parker of Showtime's Weeds won in the category comedic TV actress.
- 1/16/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The finales of Survivor: Palau and The Amazing Race, coupled with its regular heavy hitters, led CBS to win a dominant win in primetime for the week ending May 15. CBS' strong showing in the waning days of the 2004-05 season, which wraps next week, was paced by Sunday's three-hour Survivor finale and reunion show and Amazing Race. The 8-10:09 p.m. Survivor finale, which crowned New York firefighter Tom Westman as the $1 million winner, brought in more than 20.8 million viewers and a 7.8 rating/18 share Sunday; Tuesday's two-hour The Amazing Race notched 16 million viewers and a 6.8/17. The penultimate episode of CBS' Monday sitcom stalwart Everybody Loves Raymond (19.8 million, 6.1/15) also gave CBS an infusion of nearly 20 million viewers Monday, while Thursday's CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (26.5 million, 9.1/23) had its usual heft Thursday. CBS also got a lift Friday from its 8-10 p.m. airing of the documentary Elvis, By the Presleys (11.8 million, 3.1/11), which drew a larger audience than Wednesday's two-hour conclusion of the eye network's four-hour Elvis biopic (10.5 million, 2.9/8).
- 5/17/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Wednesday was a see-saw night of fierce competition among the Big Four networks. ABC dominated the opening hour of primetime with Lost, Fox took over at 9 p.m. with American Idol while CBS popped at 10 p.m. with CSI: NY. Fox took the night overall thanks to the double-digit demo injection from Idol, which pulled in 25.6 million viewers and 11.1 rating/27 share in the adults 18-49 demographic, according to preliminary estimates from Nielsen Media Research. At 9:30 p.m., fledgling comedy Stacked (11.3 million, 5.3/13) kept Fox on top in the demo despite ceding significant ground from its lead-in. ABC was No. 1 at 8 p.m. by a mile with Lost (16.6 million, 6.2/18) as the thriller careens toward its two-hour finale on May 25. CBS saw a modest turnout from 8-10 p.m. with the second half of its Elvis biopic, which finished out with an average of 10.5 million viewers and 2.9/8 in adults 18-49. Still, Elvis placed second in the 9 p.m. hour the Fox combo, while ABC's Alias (10.1 million, 4.1/10) was second in 18-49.
- 5/13/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Wednesday was a see-saw night of fierce competition among the Big Four networks. ABC dominated the opening hour of primetime with Lost, Fox took over at 9 p.m. with American Idol while CBS popped at 10 p.m. with CSI: NY. Fox took the night overall thanks to the double-digit demo injection from Idol, which pulled in 25.6 million viewers and 11.1 rating/27 share in the adults 18-49 demographic, according to preliminary estimates from Nielsen Media Research. At 9:30 p.m., fledgling comedy Stacked (11.3 million, 5.3/13) kept Fox on top in the demo despite ceding significant ground from its lead-in. ABC was No. 1 at 8 p.m. by a mile with Lost (16.6 million, 6.2/18) as the thriller careens toward its two-hour finale on May 25. CBS saw a modest turnout from 8-10 p.m. with the second half of its Elvis biopic, which finished out with an average of 10.5 million viewers and 2.9/8 in adults 18-49. Still, Elvis placed second in the 9 p.m. hour the Fox combo, while ABC's Alias (10.1 million, 4.1/10) was second in 18-49.
- 5/12/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The king of rock 'n' roll was no match on Sunday for the queens of Wisteria Lane. The first half of CBS' heavily promoted, four-hour Elvis Presley biopic faced an uphill climb in its opening hour against ABC's red-hot Desperate Housewives. Meanwhile, Fox got encouraging news from the second week of its animation comedy block with solid showings from The Simpsons and Family Guy. Elvis finished out with a respectable 13.9 million viewers and 3.9 rating/9 share in the adults 18-49 demographic from 9-11 p.m., according to preliminary estimates from Nielsen Media Research.
- 5/10/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Even with the Tuesday edition of American Idol posting its second-lowest numbers this cycle, Fox logged another weekly win among adults 18-49 and took the lead for the season in the key demographic. During the week of May 2, the first full week of the May sweep, CBS extended its winning streak in total viewers to 10 weeks and claimed the most-watched program of the week with CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (26.7 million viewers, 9.0 rating/23 share among adults 18-49), according to Nielsen Media Research. CSI's companion crime drama, Without a Trace (17.9 million, 5.2/14), logged its first May sweep victory over NBC's ER (15.7 million, 7.1/19), NBC's top-rated show for the week in 18-49. Meanwhile, the first part of CBS' heavily promoted Elvis miniseries drew a respectable 13.9 million viewers and a 3.9/9 in 18-49 from 9-11 p.m. Sunday but was no match for ABC's Desperate Housewives (26.1 million, 11.4/27), which drew its second-largest audience ever and topped the weekly rankings among adults 18-49.
- 5/10/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The king of rock 'n' roll was no match on Sunday for the queens of Wisteria Lane. The first half of CBS' heavily promoted, four-hour Elvis Presley biopic faced an uphill climb in its opening hour against ABC's red-hot Desperate Housewives. Meanwhile, Fox got encouraging news from the second week of its animation comedy block with solid showings from The Simpsons and Family Guy. Elvis finished out with a respectable 13.9 million viewers and 3.9 rating/9 share in the adults 18-49 demographic from 9-11 p.m., according to preliminary estimates from Nielsen Media Research.
Priscilla Presley vetoed one scene in upcoming Elvis miniseries, after insisting it was inaccurate. The socialite was called in as a consultant on the CBS project and immediately had issues with one scene that left her bristling. Actor Jonathan Rhys-meyers, who plays The King in the new series, says, "There was one scene Priscilla wasn't happy with because it was inaccurate. It was me sitting on the bed with Priscilla explaining why I didn't find her attractive after the child was born - and so we corrected that."...
- 5/3/2005
- WENN
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.