Month: March 2020

In today’s film news roundup, film festivals in New Jersey and Idaho are being postponed, Oscar-nominated Jason Hall will direct wrestling drama “Unstoppable” and the StoryPlace Studios database of story content is unveiled. FILM FESTIVALS Amid cancellations of major film festivals such as Tribeca, events in New Jersey, Idaho and Beverly Hills have opted to postpone
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It might’ve been a Tuesday night in Hollywood, but the “Boomerang” cast, crew and exec. producer Lena Waithe were ready to celebrate “Waithe Wednesdays” at the BET drama’s second season premiere. “It’s a beautiful time, you know,” Waithe told Variety at the event’s green carpet, speaking to press for the third time in just over
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March 12, 2020 4:21PM PT Netflix is shutting down one of its LA offices after an employee was believed to have contracted coronavirus, Variety has learned from sources. All Los Angeles employees were advised to leave and begin working from home. The building where the potential coronavirus patient worked is undergoing a deep cleaning. Netflix declined to
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After more than two decades at Amazon, Greg Hart — most recently head of worldwide video and a member of Jeff Bezos’s senior leadership team — is leaving the ecommerce giant for a new gig. Hart has been hired as chief product officer of Compass, a venture-backed company that provides online tools and services to real-estate
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NBCUniversal and Amazon are recommending their employees to work from home, effective immediately, to curb the spread of coronavirus. In Thursday communications to staff, the conglomerates observed rapidly escalating closures of businesses, select film festivals, live events and other highly-trafficked scenarios where the disease might spread. All of Amazon’s corporate offices, including Culver City-based Amazon
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Film and television production in the Los Angeles area is facing restrictions due to impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the FilmL.A. permitting agency reported on Thursday. “The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health cautions that the cancellation or modification of public events may be necessary to counter a significant community spread of COVID-19,” FilmL.A.
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March 12, 2020 2:03PM PT Walt Disney Studios has made made two significant promotions to bolster its film group, following the exit of 20th Century Studios vice chairman Emma Watts in January. Steve Asbell, 20th’s executive vice president of production, has been promoted to president. He will report directly to Walt Disney Studios co-chairman and
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March 12, 2020 2:49PM PT Disney has postponed the theatrical release of “Mulan” amid growing concerns over coronavirus. The studio has also removed “The New Mutants” and “Antlers” from its slate. All three movies have been delayed indefinitely as Disney looks for new release dates. “Mulan” was slated to debut in North America on March
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Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the NCAA has called off the annual college basketball tournament known as March Madness, which was set to begin next week. “Today, NCAA President Mark Emmert and the Board of Governors canceled the Division I men’s and women’s 2020 basketball tournaments, as well as all remaining winter and spring NCAA
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March 12, 2020 1:38PM PT WWE announced Thursday that this week’s episode of “SmackDown Live” will not take place in Detroit as planned and will not have a live audience. “Friday Night SmackDown on March 13 will air live as regularly scheduled and emanate from WWE’s training facility in Orlando, Florida with only essential personnel
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Reality TV producer Jonathan Murray pledged $1.1 million to the organization RespectAbility, a group that offers behind-the-camera training to people with disabilities. A portion of his donation will help fund the org’s summer lab program. Murry and his partner Harvey Reese made the announcement at an event held in their home on Wednesday. RespectAbility president
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