Grammy-nominated songwriter Ali Tamposi and artist-activist Tamar Kaprelian are set to launch an interactive learning experience, Song Start, on Spotify’s Noteable platform, Variety has learned. “It excites me to be able to draw back the curtain and to give aspiring songwriters and producers access to the tricks and the tools that industry professionals use on a
Month: February 2021
The owner of a Runyon Canyon vacation rental home sued DaBaby on Monday, alleging that the rapper assaulted him and stole his phone when he tried to shut down an unauthorized music video shoot last December. Gary Pagar states that DaBaby — whose legal name is Jonathan Kirk — rented the property on condition that
Cinetic Media and HanWay Films have launched sales on writer/director Tony Stone’s Berlin Panorama selection “Ted K,” starring Sharlto Copley (“District 9”). The film tracks a period in the life of Ted Kaczynski, better known as the Unabomber, and draws from his personal diaries and accounts from those who knew him during his life in
Stephen DeBro’s new documentary “18th & Grand” weaves together boxing, wrestling, punk rock, roller derby and local history with an “only in L.A.” perspective that firmly situates the historic auditorium in the city’s culture. As the filmmaker was researching the history of the Downtown Los Angeles building and its many lives, one aspect stood out:
Entertainment studio Topic Studios and New York-based production company Loveless have entered into an all-media first-look deal, partnering to develop scripted and unscripted projects across TV, film and podcasts. Topic Studios, the entertainment studio from First Look Media, which recently produced the Golden Globe-nominated legal thriller “The Mauritanian,” and Loveless, the production company founded by
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s first major interview since splitting with the British Royal Family has sparked a hot bidding war in the U.K. for rights to air the highly coveted sit-down. Sources tell Variety that Comcast-backed pay-TV operator Sky and free-to-air players ITV and the BBC are all bidding for the CBS primetime special,
Shares in Walt Disney Co. rose for a second straight day as investors were encouraged by its official launch of a new streaming-video service aimed at consumers of general entertainment in Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Disney said it would fuel the new service, called Star and aimed at families, older teens and adults,
Who blinked in the fight between the Australian government and Facebook? Both sides were able to claim some measure of victory Tuesday, after Facebook said it will restore the ability for users and publishers to share news on its platform Down Under following the government’s agreement to make certain revisions to a pending law that
Grammy Week 2021 will kick off with a new event titled “Women in the Mix,” which aims to highlight and amplify the voices of female producers, engineers, artists and executives in the music industry. The event clearly seems intended to address an issue that has long been a sore point not only for the Recording
Vanessa Bryant called out rapper Meek Mill over a lyric she found to be highly insensitive regarding her late husband, Kobe Bryant. In the lyrics for an unreleased song titled “Don’t Worry (RIP Kobe),” the rapper referenced the legendary Los Angeles Lakers’ sudden death in a helicopter crash last year. “This bitch I’m fuckin’ always tell
Focus Features has acquired worldwide rights to Edgar Wright’s documentary “The Sparks Brothers,” which premiered to rave reviews at Sundance Film Festival. “The Sparks Brothers” takes a look at siblings Ron and Russell Mael, two halves of the enigmatic rock pop duo known as Sparks. Wright’s film, capturing their decades-long career and impact, features commentary
Courtesy of the designer. Style Points is a weekly column about how fashion intersects with the wider world. You might not expect an haute couture presentation to begin with a closeup of the designer himself, his face and body daubed with Day-Glo paint, wielding an aerosol can. But Charles de Vilmorin, the 24-year-old French phenom
The Paley Center for Media has filled out its 2021 PaleyFest LA slate with CBS’ “Evil,” ABC’s “The Good Doctor,” HBO’s “Lovecraft Country,” Netflix’s “The Queen’s Gambit,” Apple TV Plus’ “Ted Lasso” and FX’s “What We Do in the Shadows.” These six shows join the previously announced three (ABC’s “Big Sky,” CBS’ “The Late Late
International distributor Global Screen, part of Will Smith’s Telepool, has sold crime thriller miniseries “Dark Woods” to U.S., Canada, Spain and France, following its stellar ratings success in Germany. Inspired by a true crime, unsolved for almost 30 years, the six-part show centers on a high-ranking police officer’s desperate search for his sister, and the
Brooklyn rapper Bobby Shmurda (real name: Ackquille Jean Pollard) has been released from prison, according to a statement from the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. “At approximately 8:30 this morning, Ackquille Pollard was conditionally released from Clinton Correctional Facility. Mr. Pollard will be under community supervision in Kings County until he
Gladys Knight and Alessia Cara will be among the artists set to perform for the 2021 NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta. The All-Star festivities will also include performances by HBCU musical groups, including marching bands, step teams, glee clubs and choirs. Knight — an Atlanta native, seven-time Grammy winner and graduate of one of the
Maven Media, which runs the publishing businesses of Sports Illustrated and TheStreet, has tapped digital-media veteran Rob Barrett as president of media. Barrett reports to Maven CEO Ross Levinsohn. All of the company’s media brands, including SI and TheStreet, and editorial teams report to Barrett, who will remain based in the New York area. He
Magnolia Pictures has acquired North American rights to “Censor,” which had its world premiere at Sundance Film Festival opening the Midnight Section, and will also be part of the Berlinale Panorama section in March. Protagonist is handling world sales. The film is the debut feature by Prano Bailey-Bond (read Variety’s interview with her here), who
All the signs of impending major disruptions to the wobbly business model of the theatrical specialty film industry have been blasting at us like a neon marquee in Times Square for nearly two decades. ¶ Among the premonitory events that signaled loud warnings of big-time arthouse heartaches: The 2004 pic “Crash” was regarded at the
Having followed the film awards season races closely for an even longer time than I’ve worked at Variety, I sometimes feel as if these decades of kudos scrutinizing have lulled this trade paper journo into thinking I’ve seen it all and I can’t really be surprised at any outcomes. Which is hard for a guy
Breaking News 5:46 AM PT — Meek Mill says he has apologized to Vanessa. “I apologized to her in private earlier today not to the public,” Meek early Tuesday morning. “Nothing I say on my page directed to a internet viral moment or the family of a grieving woman! If you care about someone grieving
Ted Farnsworth, the U.S. financier who set in motion the meteoric rise of MediaPass, and early TikTok investor Jaeson Ma, are behind a pair of moves which could create a new stock market-listed short video empire. Zash Global Media, which is backed by Farnsworth, Ma and Vincent Butta, have agreed plans to acquire Lomotif, a
Imagine teleporting into one of your favorite movie universes, and you’ll have some idea of how KiKi Layne feels right now. “It hasn’t fully hit me,” the 29-year-old actress says of playing opposite Eddie Murphy in Coming 2 America, the sequel to his 1988 comedy. Her eyes widen behind her glasses. “Like, ‘Yo, this is
The separation in the British Royal Family will be evident to the world in a tale of two broadcasts hours apart in March. On March 7, the Queen’s annual Commonwealth message alongside her family members, minus the voluntary estranged Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, will be broadcast on U.K. broadcaster BBC One. Just hours later,
Amazon Prime Video and Juventus soccer club have announced a new Italian Amazon original behind-the-scenes documentary series, “All or Nothing: Juventus.” The series will follow the popular Italian soccer club through the current 2020/21 season, and will stream on Amazon Prime Video worldwide later this year. It will take viewers on a behind the scenes
Red Arrow Studios International has closed a raft of global sales for controversial feature documentary “Framing Britney Spears.” The documentary shines a light on the Queen of Pop’s court battle for control of her estate and also re-examines the media’s handling of her life and career. Since its early February debut, the film has been
SF Studios has released the first teaser trailer for the anticipated action thriller “Omerta 6/12” which just wrapped shooting. The big-budget film is directed by Aku Louhimies and stars Finnish actor Jasper Pääkkönen (“Da 5 Bloods,” “BlacKkKlansman”) and Swedish actors Nanna Blondell (“Red Dot”) and Sverrir Gudnason (“Borg vs. McEnroe”). “Omertà 6/12” is expected to
Facebook has reversed its decision to block the sharing of news content in Australia. “After further discussions with the Australian government, we have come to an agreement that will allow us to support the publishers we choose to, including small and local publishers. We’re restoring news on Facebook in Australia in the coming days,” Campbell
China’s state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) announced late Monday evening that it has signed a strategic partnership in program development and online video with South Korean public broadcaster KBS. The move may be a strong indication of a thaw in tensions between the two countries that have for years left Korean content unofficially banned
SPOILER ALERT: Do not read if you have not yet watched the Feb. 22 episode of “The Bachelor.” The final four contestants headed to hometowns. Bachelor Matt James hosted four families at the Nemacolin Resort in Pennsylvania, welcoming guests of Michelle Young, Rachael Kirkconnell, Bri Springs and Serena Pitt. Each date included a day portion
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