The Show May Go On!

With less than three weeks to go before the biggest film spectacle of the year is due to take place, a deal may finally have been reached that will put an end to the Hollywood writers strike and save the Academy Awards from the possibility of boycott. Talk about cutting it fine.

After three months of striking that is estimated to have cost the Film industry more than $500m, it has been claimed that talks involving many of Hollywood’s most powerful executives have made a significant breakthrough. Over the weekend, power-brokers, including Bob Iger, the head of Disney and Peter Chernin, Rupert Murdoch’s right hand man, apparently sketched the outlines of an agreement stating how much writers will be paid for Internet broadcasting and allowing web-based programmes to be unionised. If agreed upon, the Oscars should go ahead as planned.

The dispute has been centred on the royalties given to programmes shown for free through digital downloads on the Internet, mobile phones and other mobile devices such as iPods. Many writers claim that this way of broadcasting could be a big revenue source in the future. However, the studios have been reluctant to increase payment for the writers of such programmes, arguing that it is too early to predict how the medium will develop.

So why come to an agreement now? The Writers Guild of America has been under increasing pressure to come to an agreement from both its own members and from those who have been affected by the strike such as the lighting technicians, make-up artists and set-builders. Since the writers strike began on 5^th November, such employees have suffered a dramatic drop in the amount of available work. But the possibility that the biggest film event of the year would have to be cancelled in the same manner as the Golden Globes were in January, has surely helped to focus minds.

The American television watching public will be particularly relieved by this apparent revelation as it will mean the end to the copious amounts of reality programming and reruns they have been subjected to since the strike began. Some of America’s most beloved shows have been affected with delays occurring in the airing of the new seasons of hit series’ Lost and 24 and award winning shows, such as 30 Rock, having to be taken off air. It was not just on the small screen that the effects of the strike can be seen. Numerous high-profile films have been suspended or cancelled as writers’ were banned by their union to give any input into scripts. Amongst the films affected was the adaptation of Shantaram, staring Johnny Depp and the Da Vinci Code sequel.

The deal is likely to be agreed on by the end of the week and the strike should be called off leaving the red carpet clear of pickets and open for the array of designer dresses and Armani suites that will hopefully be gracing our television screens on 24^th February.

Sarah Butt ©

Photograph courtesy of www.onlyellen.com

Angie and Her Gun Reunited in Bekmambetov’s ‘Wanted’

Timur Bekmambetov’s up and coming film, Wanted, about a secret band of assassins has been tipped by Empire as a surprise hit this year. 

Angelina Jolie is back where she is most comfy, kicking ass as a female assassin. In this action adventure film, Jolie stars along side James McAvoy who plays an ordinary guy recruited for the group. Wanted also presents a first class supporting cast with the likes of Morgan Freeman, Terrence Stamp, Thomas Kretschman and Kirsten Hager all acting in this film. From the little bit of footage that has been seen so far, Wanted promises to be a film full of fast paced action and Bekmambetov’s usual creativity.

 Photograph Courtesy of www.imdb.com

Heath Ledger to live on as a cyber star!

 It has been reported that Heath Ledger will continue to star in Terry Gillham’s up and coming film, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus through the use of computer generated imagery (CGI).

 After the sudden and unexpected death of the Brokeback Mountain star, Heath Ledger, on Tuesday 22^ndJanuary, rumours have been flying over Terry Gillham’s plans for the completion of his film, which Ledger was in the middle of filming. Reports suggesting that the 30 million dollar production was to be abandoned have been heavily denied and speculation that Johnny Depp was going to take over Ledger’s role in the film appear to have been quashed. The newest information to be given is that Gilliam plans to use CGI in order to keep Ledger in his intended role.

According to Ledger’s co-star in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, veteran star, Christopher Plummer, Gilliam is determined to keep Ledger alive in the film. He told the People.com that this should be achievable due to the magical nature of the film whereby “there is a way, perhaps, of turning Heath into other people and then, using stills and CGI”. If done, this will not be the first time that an actor has been re-created through computer trickery; CGI was used to great affect in the film Gladiator after the death of Oliver Reed during filming.

So, after Gilliam’s film is complete the inevitable will be upon us. It will be the last Hollywood film to read the name, ‘Heath Ledger’, in the credits; or will it? Traditionally, CGI has more commonly been used in the generation of special effects and in the production of animated movies. However, as it becomes increasingly detailed and voice software continues to become smoother, the creation of computer generated human actors is growing in feasibility. Who knows, perhaps The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus won’t be the last film to depict Ledger. As technology continues to advance, it is perfectly reasonable  (although perhaps a touch unethical and disturbing) to suggest that in the future, CGI may enable Heath Ledger to continue to grace our screens as an immortal cyber star.

Sources

www.metro.co.uk  

URL:http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_go1634/is_200203/ai_n6782849

www.people.com  

www.marieclaire.co.uk  

 photograph courtesy of www.hollywoodteenmovies.com