At a time of year where most news stories and blogs are featuring year-in-review retrospectives and predictions for 2008, I was surprised to find this clip from last summer about the "Future of Film" in which Ivan Schwarz, the Film Commissioner of Cleveland, weighs in on film, the Internet, mobile technology, gaming and global television.
27 December, 2007
Film Commissioner of Cleveland: Ivan Schwarz
At a time of year where most news stories and blogs are featuring year-in-review retrospectives and predictions for 2008, I was surprised to find this clip from last summer about the "Future of Film" in which Ivan Schwarz, the Film Commissioner of Cleveland, weighs in on film, the Internet, mobile technology, gaming and global television.
Radiohead To Promote Album With New Year’s Eve Concert on Current TV
Radiohead will be broadcasting a commercial free, taped, private performance of In Rainbows in its entirety on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day on the Current TV network (hello Al Gore and thank you!). Current TV is a peer-to-peer, interactive network and independent media company that won an Emmy Award for its groundbreaking interactive programming.
Broadcast times for the concert are:Last October, Radiohead released their seventh album "In Rainbows" as a digital download in in which buyers could name their price. To me, this signaled that the days were numbered for the record industry.
- December 31, 2007: 9 p.m. PST / 12 a.m. EST , 10 p.m. PST / 1 a.m. EST
- January 1, 2008: 5 a.m. PST / 8 a.m. EST, 6 p.m. PST / 9 p.m. EST
David Byrne interviewed Thom Yorke, Radiohead's lead singer, for Wired magazine. Them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye and it was a fab read.
However, Byrne did another article for Wired, a companion piece to his interview with Yorke entitled "Survival Strategies for Emerging Artists — and Megastars" that I find to be more compelling. So did the NY Times citing that:
"By Mr. Byrne’s count, there are six major options for musicians, ranging from letting labels and industry pros take care of their business functions to going off the grid “where the artist does nearly everything.” The “totally D.I.Y. model is certainly not for everyone,” he wrote, “but that’s the point. Now there’s choice.”
WSC Show #50 - Scene of the Crime: Interviews with James Hurley, Mark Goffman & Rob Morrow
In today’s episode we continue our coverage of the "Scene of the Crime" picketing event held at the AMPTP-HQ in Encino, California. Featured in this podcast: James Hurley, a WGA staffer; Law & Order SVU supervising producer Mark Goffman; Numb3rs director/producer John Behring and actor Rob Morrow. Recorded Tuesday, 18 December 2008.
Rob Morrow and John Behring / Photo by Damon D'Amato
Credits
Producer/Host: Tanja Barnes
Music: "Ay Mambo" by Falik
Photo: Damon D'Amato
26 December, 2007
Bye, Bye Miss American Pie
BEFORE THE MUSIC DIES documents the pathetic state of the music industry -- so y'all in the entertainment industry could learn something here. Narrated by Forrest Whitaker and features interviews and performances by Erykah Badu, Eric Clapton, Dave Matthews, and Branford Marsalis.
Last year, BEFORE THE MUSIC DIES filmmakers Andrew Shapter and Joel Rasmussen walked away from traditional Hollywood distribution to instead pursue a large-scale grassroots release.
WSC Show #49 - Scene of the Crime: The Indictment
In today’s episode writers from over 35 crime dramas and police television series came together for contract justice with the “Scene of the Crime” rally that took place in front of the AMPTP-HQ in Encino, California. Featured are fans Heather Griffith and her sister Monique Darling. Also in this podcast: Rene Balcer (creator of Law and Order: Criminal Intent) and Marg Helgenberger (star of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation). Together they serve a three-count Bill of Indictment against the AMPTP and eight unnamed co-conspirators. Recorded Tuesday, 18 December 2008.
Extra: Interview with Rene Balcer on NPR's Talk of the Nation.
Credits
Producer/Host: Tanja Barnes
Music:
"Rockford Files Theme" performed
by Asterios Kokkinos and Melissa Kaplan
Photo:
25 December, 2007
quarterlife deemed a "bomb". Ouch!
Podcasting News reports that quarterlife is a "bomb" claiming that: "Views for the show have plummeted, going from nearly 800,000 YouTube views for the first episode to just a few thousand for some recent episodes."
The more interesting aspects of this article are the comments, with one reviewer saying: "I think the show rocks! I could care less how many people watch it."
Read the article here.
NewTeeVee seems confused by the show as well in this post entitled "quarterlife Stats Draw Multiple Interpretations, Personalities"
The more interesting aspects of this article are the comments, with one reviewer saying: "I think the show rocks! I could care less how many people watch it."
Read the article here.
NewTeeVee seems confused by the show as well in this post entitled "quarterlife Stats Draw Multiple Interpretations, Personalities"
WSC Show #48 - Interview with Tristan Katz
In today’s episode I meet up with up-and-coming new media actor Tristan Katz at the picket lines at the “It’s A Crime” themed picketing event in front of the AMPTP business offices. Recorded Tuesday, 18 December 2007.
24 December, 2007
Today On YouTube
Today on YouTube, commentary from a professional journalist and some UGC by an amateur vlogger.
New York Times media reporter Brian Stelter tries to sort through the causes and effects of the work stoppage but stops short of identifying who is to blame for the heated rhetoric and stalled negotiations.
Word from the street: a television viewer's retrospective and commentary of what passed for news in 2007. Interesting take on the writers' strike, reality television programming and loss of TV viewership: "I watch YouTube videos more than television anyway....courtroom drama and reality TV suck!"
New York Times media reporter Brian Stelter tries to sort through the causes and effects of the work stoppage but stops short of identifying who is to blame for the heated rhetoric and stalled negotiations.
Word from the street: a television viewer's retrospective and commentary of what passed for news in 2007. Interesting take on the writers' strike, reality television programming and loss of TV viewership: "I watch YouTube videos more than television anyway....courtroom drama and reality TV suck!"
WSC Show #47 - Exclusive Interview with Santa Claus
Disclaimer: NSFW
We interrupt our regularly scheduled strike coverage to report that the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has began the annual tracking of Santa Claus as he makes his way around the world. This year NORAD is implementing Google Earth to monitor Santa's progress and also began using special Santa Cams to upload videos of his travels to the NORAD Tracks Santa YouTube channel. For ongoing updates on Santa’s location, log on to the NORAD Tracks Santa website .
I recently had an opportunity to talk to Santa himself at SantaCon last weekend. SantaCon began as a Cacophony Society event in 1994 to celebrate the Yule season in a deliberately anti-commercial fashion by incorporating guerrilla street theatre, flash mobs, pranksterism, and public intoxication. It has now devolved into an international public bar crawl taking place in major metropolitan cities worldwide.
You Better Watch Out!
From the NORADSanta.org:
The NORAD Tracks Santa (NTS) program has been around for a long time, since 1955 to be exact! We believe that Santa Claus is alive and well in the hearts of people throughout the world.
NORAD uses four high-tech systems to track Santa - radar, satellites, Santa Cams and jet fighter aircraft.
Detecting Santa all starts with the NORAD radar system called the North Warning System. This powerful radar system has 47 installations strung across the northern border of North America. NORAD makes a point of checking the radar closely for indications of Santa Claus leaving the North Pole on Christmas Eve.
Santa can also be tracked on Twitter!
WSC Show #46 - Interview with Stephen Davis
In today’s episode we speak to AFI graduate Stephen Davis at the picket lines in front of Sony Studios. Recorded Thursday, 13 December 2007.
23 December, 2007
WSC Show #45 - Interview with Bill Odenkirk
In today’s episode we’ll talk to strike coordinator Bill Odenkirk at the picket lines in front of Fox Studios. Bill has written for such shows as The Simpsons, Futurama and Mr. Show. Recorded Thursday, 13 December 2007.
22 December, 2007
Techno Tuesday
OK, it's Saturday, but a friend in SF just turned me on to this site.
‘Techno Tuesday’ by Andy Rementer began as an exercise in drawing comics and complaining. In fact it still is, after it’s inception in January of 2006. The comic, which is based on technology and the modern world, originally appeared on the Fabrica blog. And has since been published elsewhere online as well as in print.
Turn the beat around: STOP BIG MEDIA!!!!
The Bush-appointed FCC voted last Tuesday to loosen media ownership rules so media titans like Rupert Murdoch can swallow up more local news outlets. They did this despite a huge public outcry--when the FCC asked for public comments, 99% opposed media consolidation!
Congress has the power to step in, and a bipartisan group of 26 Senators already announced they'll try. We need to show the rest of the Senate we want action.
Sign a petition from MoveOn.org urging your Senators and Representatives to ask Congress to stop media consolidation.
WSC Show #44 - Diversity Day: Interview with Monica Macer
In the last episode of this podcast I said it would be the last in a series of interviews from the themed picketing event entitled “Diversity Day” at Paramount Studios. But I was mistaken because this is the final episode in this series. Today I speak to Monica Macer who has written for three hit television shows including "Lost," "24" and "Prison Break." Recorded Wednesday, 12 December 2007.
21 December, 2007
"BREAKING NEWS: AN OPEN LETTER TO THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY"
I swear, the AMPTP is one step away from getting a blog. And they need one 'cause whomever wrote this latest open letter doesn't grok netiquette and the meaning of "ALL CAPS".
At any rate, in an effort to be fair and balanced, here's their open letter.
And FWIW here's my open shout out to the AMPTP:
At any rate, in an effort to be fair and balanced, here's their open letter.
And FWIW here's my open shout out to the AMPTP:
Will you guys (or a reasonable facsimile and representative thereof) appear on my podcast and have a chat? I'm not a WGA member, but in an effort of full disclosure, as a member of SAG I am WGA sympathetic. I'd really, really love it if you came on my show and answered a few questions. I want to help you tell your story. And just so's you know, you would be considered a guest on my show and afforded all the respect due as someone invited into my own home.
Think about it.
This is an open invitation.
MediaBytes 12.21.2007
Interesting stats on Veoh, Shelly. Since Michael Eisner is a member of Veoh's leadership team, I'm curious if that's why he poo-poo'd the writers strike last month when he went on Fox News and said "I see stupid strikes and I see less stupid strikes. And I see smart strikes. This is a stupid strike."
Oh, and BTW...watch free, full-length episodes of your favorite shows on Veoh including:
- Cane
- CSI
- CSI: Miami
- How I Met Your Mother
- Rules Of Engagement
- Numb3rs
- Shark
- The Unit
CNET Year in Review: Media giants fight back
Greg Sandoval of CNET blogs about Big Media's efforts to control digital media in 2007. He summarizes the YouTube copyright lawsuit filed by Sumner Redstone and even touches upon some noteworthy events in the music industry this past year. However, he fails to even mention the brouhaha taking place in Hollywood. Tsk! Annoyed by this, I went to check their masthead and find out if they were owned by Fox or some other such nonsense. But in fact, they are not. Where ya been Greg?
WSC Show #43 - Diversity Day: Interviews with Sherri McGee, Teri Jackson, Kellie Griffin, and Warren Hutcherson
In today’s episode we’ll conclude our series of interviews held at the Diversity Day themed picketing event that took place at Paramount Studios. Featured are Sherri McGee, Teri Jackson, Kellie Griffin, and Warren Hutcherson. Recorded Wednesday, 12 December 2007.
The Mobile Entertainment Industry Podcast with JFRobinson
I just discovered a new podcast that I want to share. It's entitled "Everything about the Mobile Entertainment Industry" that provides in-depth discussion with the top executives in the Mobile Entertainment Industry. Hosted weekly by mobile entertainment innovator, producer and consultant, JFRobinson.
In the current episode, Robinson discusses the WGA strike and the health of traditional television networks as well as their place in the new Digital World Order. More info in this article: The Traditional TV Networks: Terminally Ill or Just Not Feeling Well?
In the current episode, Robinson discusses the WGA strike and the health of traditional television networks as well as their place in the new Digital World Order. More info in this article: The Traditional TV Networks: Terminally Ill or Just Not Feeling Well?
Internet TV Platforms Come of Age
Jeremy Allaire, the CEO and founder of Brightcove, offers his perspective of the industry of Internet TV by looking back at 2007 and also looking forward 2008. Here's a snippet:
2007 showed us that video isn’t just for aggregators—it’s fundamental to the Web. The last 12 months saw an explosion in video publishing across a wide array of websites. Video is becoming so pervasive that if you have a web property without video something is wrong with it.Read the entire article here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
