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Category: Hollywood News

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Time’s Up Raises $20 Million To Combat Sexual Harassment

Time’s Up is a movement against sexual harassment founded on January 1, 2018 by Hollywood celebrities in response to the Weinstein reports and #MeToo movement. It’s mission is to combat sexual harassment, assault, and inequality in the workplace. Since the launch of Time’s Up, the organization has raised $20 million and has helped over 1,000 people. Tina Tchen, Michelle Obama’s former chief of staff who now administers the fund, made the announcement during a Time’s Up panel at the 2018 Makers Conference on Monday.

Actress Rashida Jones was on the panel and added, “There is no change unless you bring every single person along who has spent time being marginalized, harassed, [or] assaulted.”

Tchen said the movement is uniting whose voices too often are fragmented and siloed by interests.

“This is all about bringing everything together,” she said. “I have to give a lot of credit to the women of Hollywood who really brought this together, gave a voice to it.”

To read more about it head over to: www.deadline.com

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HPC News Hollywood News Movies/Television Celebrity News

Tenant Spotlight: Baily/Thomas Casting

IMG_8658This month’s Tenant Spotlight feature is Baily/Thomas & Associates. This highly sought after casting agency have been long time tenants at our Gower location. You will find their casting prowess on Hulu’s critically acclaimed The Handmaid’s Tale, AMC’s Better Call Saul, AMC’s heavy hitter The Walking Dead and Fox’s hit show Gotham. Ariana caught up with co-founder Sharon Bialy on a warm Friday morning to talk about the agencies beginnings and everything in between.

  • Walking Dead Question: Which are you: a survivor or a walker? Survivor
  • You ladies receive all sorts of gifts, does that ever help with making or breaking a decision? We get really weirded out or uncomfortable when we get a gift from an actor we interview. It absolutely does not help, it might hurt because it’s not appropriate. But we are comfortable when an actor wants to say an extra special thank you, if it’s a huge role or if they know we went out of our way to help them.
  • Have you received anything that was strange? Oh yeah, we got a bloody bat in the mail when we were casting “Negan” for The Walking Dead we were at Sony at the time and Sony took that very seriously. They called the police and it was pretty scary.
  • In the lobby we get a lot of actors who drop off their headshots and resumes for you two. Do you ladies every look at those? And have you ever cast someone who’s dropped those off? I look at every piece of mail that comes in and I appreciate when they drop them at the front with you ladies ::chuckles::

But yes we have cast from drop offs, more than once.

  • Do you accept actors that don’t have proper representation? What could or should an actor do to get through to you two. We’ve hired actors that don’t have agents but if they want to get through, they should be in a play or be in a web series. The reality is there are thousands of actors so you can’t focus on getting into our office. They should stop worrying about that and go out and start doing work – we read the trades, we read the reviews on plays. We’ll find you.
  • Is there a movie that inspired you to be a casting director growing up? I have a lot of movies that I loved growing up and they’re so diverse. From Revenge of The Nerds to James Bond movies to Gone With The Wind. When I was young it was Gone with The Wind. When I was an adult already casting, it was Shawshank Redemption, that was a perfect film.
  • How did you meet Sherry Thomas? Sherry and I met through Debi Manwiller  – a former partner and still a best friend. I was looking for an associate after I was on my own for about six months. I called Debi to see if you she knew of anyone because I had a big job and needed an associate. She recommended Sherry Thomas who had worked with her on 24. We met at a Starbucks and I had four people lined up to meet with and she was the first one and I canceled the others. I was like, ‘That’s it, we’re on!’
  • You have two have worked together for over 16 years. The first two – three years she was my associate and then I made her partner.
  • Why do you think you two work so well together, what clicks with you guys? Complete and utter respect and trust in each other. No competition ever.
  • What are some of the ways studios and showrunners, convey what they’re looking for? At beginning of a project we’ll get on a concept call, and really discuss the character with the creator. Sometimes with the studio or network people involved but usually with the creator of the project because it’s their vision that we’re serving. That’s where it starts – sometimes they will mention an actor that they have in mind. But really, we don’t like to work that way. It’s more so, what are the qualities they’re looking for in a character, so that you we a complete blank slate to really use the casting process the way it should be used –  to really find something exciting.
  • Do you have a database you use? Yes we have a database, we have these books ::points to a wall of five tiered bookcases packed with big binders with shows labeled on the spines::  that I’ve been compiling since I’ve started, with notes on all the actors we’ve ever seen. We use a service called Breakdown Services, where we send out to all the agents and managers and we get ideas and we go through them all.
  • Some actors on your shows, I don’t see or hear of them coming in, do you interview remotely? Well some people self-tape because they’re not in LA, so we’ll get their tape and Skype with them. If it’s a big role, we’ll have to do a test at the studio. It also may be someone that we’re offering to, or maybe for example- Elizabeth Moss came on The Handmaid’s Tale before we did.
  • I’ve spoken to some of the parents that come in for casting for other agencies in the building and they’ve expressed that their kids may or may not get cast based off their social media following. Does Bialy Thomas practice this? It’s definitely very common, but we do not do that at all. Someone’s social media following is not a factor in our casting decisions.
  • You don’t have to tell me who it was obviously… But what was the most horrific casting session you’ve ever had? I’ve had a knife pulled on me once. We were in session and this actress had a knife and got really close to me. This was for a feature, so the next actor, I asked if they had a knife or gun and I said OK you need to go put that back in your car! That was the most horrific.
  • The Handmaid’s Tale has been nominated for 13 Emmy’s. Congratulations! How did you two find out about the nominations? I was at home and Sherry text Russell and I. She told us and I couldn’t find it, so I think Russell text her back asking “Are you sure??”::laughing:: But yes, Sherry told us the great news.
  • Is there a show on air right now that you watch and think I could have done that better? Not better, but more of, I wish I could have cast that, it’s more out of respect. The Night Manager was so well cast and I’m like, damn I would have loved that job!
  • Where do you see Bialy Thomas & Associates in the next 3 years? I think I can speak for Sherry and myself. We’d like to continue to do work that we really believe in and we’re really passionate about- like The Handmaid’s Tale, The Last Tycoon, Barry, or Alan Ball’s Here, Now. When the work really resonates with us, we do better work. We want to work with the people that respect what we do and keep our incredible staff in this beautif
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HPC News Hollywood News

Tenant Spotlight: P3 Post

  • p3post logoExplain what P3 Post is to our readers.

P3 Post is a turnkey post production company and it encompasses anything that has to do with post. Whether it’s a production company starting a project, P3 Post helps from the ground up. Starting with offices, we then work with companies like HPC to provide the space. By giving our clients’ options of available floor plans, we then rent our editing equipment and set it up in those offices. We provide the offline work flow. Once they finish their offline editorial, we provide finishing. So that’s color correction, VFX, audio mix. We do full mix – 5.1 stereo or 7.1 stereo for theatrical and television. In addition, we do final deliverables. Every network has their technical specs and we work with all major networks. We also provide 24/7 tech support for our equipment rentals either over the phone or on site. At one given time we have 100 systems in the field. We primarily look for clients to rent equipment to and also do the final finishes for.

 

  •    How did you start in the post production world?

I’ve been in the business for 21 years and I started when I was 25. I worked with a company that was one of the top production and post production equipment rental houses in Hollywood – Steady Systems. When Steady Systems sold, one of the owners started his own small company and he asked me to join him. We were basically doing sub post. Following that, about 7 years ago, I was 50% owner of another company called Fortitude Editorial where Chainsaw currently is. We were doing commercial work- scripted TV, as well as unscripted and theatrical.

 

  • Who are some of your major clients? Discovery Studios is a big one, ABC, Disney, FOX, and some theatrical work. Right now we are doing a lot of work with FOX Sports. Also, with Greetings Media, which is more on the rental side. Greetings Media is a big client and they are currently doing Battle Bots Season 2. They have about 20 systems tied up on a server. We have had a similar system set up with ABC.

 

  • When you walk into P3 Post there is always a kung fu movie playing at the end of the hallway – what is the title of that film and is there a particular reason why you play it? [laughs] We play some Bruce Lee films. It’s multiple kung fu and martial arts related type films. Growing up I was in classes and even as an adult I still practice. I do think my work ethic and discipline is in part because of my martial arts training. All of us at P3 Post try to follow a certain discipline when it comes to delivering what the client asks. There are no excuses, our job is to deliver and whatever we have to do to make that happen, we make it happen.

 

  • What project is P3 Post most proud of working on? I gotta say, it’s the finishing we’ve done for Discovery. One show in particular called Man Hunt, was shot in multiple continents, the color finishing was fascinating. The atmospheric color in Scotland which is gloomy and then the polar opposite in countries where the colors were vibrant. It was just so much fun for us to work on and be part of that. Aside from that, in general we take pride in the details. For example, we think from the editors’ standpoint. We realize that these editors are working 10-hour days. So we make sure that the mat they’re standing on is ergonomic, that the monitors are properly positioned on the table. Our tables are custom made for P3 Post. We have a guy that creates tables out in Northridge in the San Fernando Valley. He is in charge of making these awesome tables and it makes such a huge difference. Whatever it takes to make the editor comfortable and to make their work space desirable. If the editor is comfortable, we have done our job and we take pride in that.

 

  • What is the most challenging part of what you do? The toughest thing – even though it’s a great thing, being busy is always great. We never complain about being busy. The toughest is juggling all aspects of a certain project and having the project run as smoothly as possible. Finding a harmonious balance with everything. Having said that, it’s easy when you work with great people and have a great team with you. P3 Post is the post house that really makes your project better because we are always looking at ways to make it better, all the while, getting done what the client wants. Finding the balance in that is where our success and reputation come from.

 

  • What three things do you need to be successful in your industry? Clients. [laughs] And being on top of today’s technology. Technology is changing everyday and it’s a matter of being most efficient. Some clients are not familiar with the most recent technology. So we are also educating clients and letting them know there is an easier and more direct way to accomplish what they’re looking to accomplish. There are other clients who are well versed in the latest technology, which is great. Another aspect is marketing, that is also huge for us.
  • Have you ever walked away from a project? Absolutely. We’ve walked away from projects when a client requests a certain workflow that we know from experience is just not going to work. We don’t want to agree to something that we feel collectively will fail. We take on projects with care because we as professionals care about our clients.

 

  • I’m going to loosely quote you from a conversation we had a few months back. In context of your day-to-day operations, you said that you do things your way because if a mistake was made on something, at least it was your mistake. On your dollar. For some reason that resonated with me. Do you still feel this way now? If we are familiar with a work flow or a way of how to get a project done, we stick with it. Unless we’ve researched and tried a different route, we can’t go to a client and 2nd guess ourselves. If in the middle of a project a client wants to experiment while there is a deadline, we are not going to do that. Not to say we are close minded and we won’t try different routes, we just don’t do that at a critical time when a time line has been set and we are responsible to help you get there.

 

  • I saw your before and after color correcting reel on Vimeo. When I was watching the 4-minute video, I thought about how much the industry has changed in the last 2 years since it’s posting. How do you keep up with the latest technology? We adapt. We change. We grow. The clients or networks may have new requirements and we change based on the direction they need to go. We are so involved in our industry that it’s part of who we are. If Avid came up with a new version or fixed a bug on something, we hear about it quickly. We live and breathe what we do so knowledge finds us. That’s what passion is, this is our craft and we love it. That is at the core of P3 Post.

 

  • What aspect of the industry is peaking your interest the most right now? Right now we’re looking at servers. With technology changing and clients looking for 4K – higher resolution means that we need more storage capabilities. There are a lot of big manufactures coming up with great solutions. So we’re always looking for the greatest ways to serve our clients.

 

  • There are some heavy weight post facilities in this town, what separates P3 Post from the rest? We are turnkey and centrally located in Hollywood. Our clients’ walk in the door, we have their space and equipment ready to go. They can walk down the hall to our studios and we can do the finishing touches and deliver to network. They don’t have to go across town and deal with traffic or deal with getting all of the services P3 Post provides at different facilities. For example a production office is housed at one part of town, then they go across the street for post, then they go to another place to do their final coloring and then they’ll go to another location for audio and so on. It is such a waste of time and money and it all adds up. We at P3 Post take care all of those needs under one roof. We are also quick to respond to our clients needs, we are just down the hall or a phone call away. As a matter of fact, you can go to our website and have a live chat and get a response immediately. We are very flexible and that is huge in this town. You can work with our editors closely and have direct control and contact with your project. Our talent includes Grammy and Emmy award winning editors and they all have so much experience in different aspects of post production. From scripted television to theatrical- our team is well rounded and have great skill and are passionate about their profession.

 

  • Where do you see P3 Post in the next 5 years? We have been around for 2 years. We have done very well, we have our finishing suites here at HPC in Hollywood, we have our warehouse downtown, we have equipment rentals all over Los Angeles. We are now going to move from offline editorial to doing more creative editorial. We’ll possibly go to promo and possibly more into production as well. In the next 5 years P3 Post will be creating more of it’s own original content. And partnering up with some of the companies we have been working with.

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HPC News Hollywood News Movies/Television

Tenant Spotlight: Scott Mauro

Scott Mauro Playbill

Scott Mauro’s career spans from the late 1970’s when he first landed his job working on the hustling bustling Broadway circuit as a press assistant. Scott’s career flourished as he worked his way up Broadway’s hottest shows, where Disney eventually recruited him. We caught up with Scott at our Gower location where he has been a tenant for 4 years, to ask about his latest projects and to see what his Valentine’s Day plans are.

You started your career working on Broadway in the late 1970’s. You were a press assistant. Tell us a little bit about that position and who you worked for.

I started my career as a publicist for Broadway shows and then I wound up doing advertising for Broadway shows. That was for the original production of Barnum, Betrayal, among others, there were so many I can’t even think right now. But it was really exciting. I attended opening nights, went to incredible parties, I had so much fun. All the things you can imagine.

How did you land the initial job?

I literally knocked on doors. I knew what I wanted to do very early on when I was a kid. I grew up in New York, and attended Broadway shows. I knew my calling, so after I graduated from college, I sent out a 180 cover letters and resumes. We had to type them out in those days! I did not have a copier; none of that. I networked and I was able to have Liza Minnelli as a client when she was white hot. I had Frank Sinatra and I had Diana Ross, David Bowie. I suddenly was doing advertising for not only Broadway shows, but with various artists when they were out on tour and I did album releases.

You established your production company in 93’, how did that come about? What motivated you to do that?

Well it was very simple. I was head of TV specials for Disney. Disney recruited me out of New York. So because I was working with all of these stars in advertising, the stars would take me along with them to do these TV shows. From that I became a producer. I started producing shows like Night of 100 Stars for ABC and the Tony Awards. I was working with great executive producers who took me under their wing. This was all because of my advertising career. I ended up doing four TV specials for Disney, which aired on NBC. Then I received a phone call from Cher’s team. Cher was going to go out on tour: If I Could Turn Back Time was first tour since Sonny passed away. It was an 15 month job and on top of that I was doing the TV special with CBS. So I was able to leave my job with Disney and have a little bit of security to open up my own production company.

How has the advertising industry changed from 93′ to now?

The biggest change is digital and I love it. Vine, Periscope, Instagram, Snapchat. I was ahead of the pack when it came to the transition into the digital age. I was the first person to put a Broadway show on the Internet. It was a Rodgers and Hammerstein revival and It was primitive in that we put up reviews and pictures, it was very static, but we were the first ones to have a website for a Broadway show. At the time, I didn’t think it was ground breaking, I just knew that we should do it and it was all part of the advertising/marketing strategy.

If there was a movie produced about your life, who would play you and why?

[laughs] No one has ever asked me this before. I don’t know, let me think about this one. I’m thinking maybe Zachary Levi, yes Zachary Levi. I’ve worked with him before and I can see him playing a good father and I see some similarities. But wait, I think I’m changing my answer, I pick David Schwimmer. Yes, because David has the right personality traits and the audience can relate to him.

What is the biggest headache during the process of producing these live shows and events?

It’s always budgets. It always comes down to budget. You want to do the best show you can. Some people don’t want to see the bigger picture and they want to be penny pinchers. It doesn’t always take a lot of money; it just takes money wisely spent. So you must have good venders in place, people who are on the same page. You must work with the same people for the most part. Yes, I have had the same team for 20 years both in New York and in Los Angeles. With very few replacements and I’ve really put together a great team. In fact on a show I recently did with UNICEF with Mariah Carey and Elton john, somebody from UNICEF came up to me and complimented me on the people that work for me.

Favorite actor/performer you worked with? Oh boy, there’s several. Hugh Jackman was great. We collaborated very closely on the Museum of Moving Images Salute to his work. He was great fun. I got to know him and his wife and we hung out a little bit. But for the most part I pretty much have good experiences with most people. The one that I am in most awe of that I worked with is Frank Sinatra. I was part of his team for 18 years and that was quite an experience because he was truly larger than life.

What three things do you need to be successful in your industry? What are deal killers for you?

You have to be passionate, you have to be persistent; you’re going to get a lot rejection. For every yes, you’re going to get 30 no’s and you have to know how to be diplomatic when handling people. I have a reputation for being tougher than most, and that’s fine with me. I’m tough but fair. I’m fair but I’m tough when I need be tough and sometimes whether it be a huge creative team or talent, they may push over the boundary and you have to know when to say enough. But being tough but fair is very important. And what is a deal killer for you? Arrogance. Absolute arrogance. You meet some people who have absolutely no qualifications who are just full of attitude to make up for it. This could be off the record, who has been difficult to work with? No I don’t care, you can put it out there. It’s interesting; I had a really hard time with Sean Connery. No matter what we did we couldn’t make him happy. But then I met him a couple of months later and he absolutely loved my work, loved the evening. He not only became a fan, but he agreed to come to another one of my shows. It’s the most unbelievable story, he turned out to be a pussycat.

On February 9th you’re going to be holding the 13th Annual Woman’s Red Dress Awards 8 years is a long time doing this, what is going to make this year different from the past?

I actually created it; it used to be a cocktail party in a bar where they handled out these little statues. But Larry King who is committed to fighting heart disease because of his cardiac foundation, he brought me in and recommended me to turn it into what it is today. I made it into a show. So we booked the Lincoln Center and then we brought in musical acts and we give out 4 or 5 awards during the event. Over the years we’ve had CeeLo Green, Colbie Caillat, Elvis Costello, Sara Bareilles. There’s a pre-show with photo ops, step and repeat, red carpet, passed hors d’oeuvres. Then we do the show, which is 90 minutes, no intermission, theatre seating. Finally, there’s a 2-hour party with a live DJ and more food and more drinks and all the women wear red. It’s actually one of the most fun events that I do and I’ve very proud of it because it’s for a great cause. Who is on this years lineup? This year we’re going a little country with The Band Perry. We have a woman who is an impersonator; she’s going to be singing “Natural Woman” in 17 voices. So from Britney Spears to Bernadette Peters to Celine Dion straight through, it’s exciting.

Where do you see Scott Mauro Entertainment in the next 5 years?

I want to do more TV specials and more Broadway shows. I would love to bring together a great cast. You look at The Sound of Music Live and it wasn’t critically acclaimed but the ratings were phenomenal. Now we have Grease coming up on FOX, which is going to be great. I have one or two good TV specials in me. Maybe more.

If you could sing one song on American Idol, what would it be? “New York, New York” I was born in raised in New York. I’m a die hard New Yorker. I’m not a singer but the song swings a little bit and I could fake it.

How are you going to be celebrating Valentines Day this year?

Valentine’s Day is a hugely important holiday for my wife and I. This is our 40th Valentine’s Day. Not married, but 40 years since we have been celebrating Valentine’s Day together. We knew there was something going on between us 40 years ago on Valentine’s Day, so it’s a very special day for us. Our first date was the week after Valentine’s Day and in college we used to give each other cards. My wife and I will have brunch that day, she’s picking the place and you better believe I’ll be coming home with chocolates and flowers.

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Hollywood News Movies/Television Celebrity News

2016 Oscar Nominations

The 2016 Oscar Nominations were released today with many surprises and obvious contenders. “The Revenant,” which stars Leonardo DiCaprio led the nominations with 12 nominations for the 88th Academy Awards.  The nominations include Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor (DiCaprio).  This will be the fifth time that Leonardo DiCaprio is nominated for an Academy Award, with many hoping that the fifth time will be the charm.

With 10 nominations, “Mad Max: Fury Road,” directed by George Miller, was the second-most-honored film. Their nominations include Best Picture, Best Director, and Cinematography.

Sylvestor Stallone was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor in “Creed,” in which he plays the same character, Rocky Balboa. Unfortunately, Michael B. Jordan who plays the lead in “Creed” was not nominated.

As the previous year, that has been some heated debate over the fact that the award there was an absence of performers of color. All 20 of the acting nominees are white. Once again, #OscarsSoWhite was trending on social media. “Straight Outta Compton” was nominated for Best Original Screenplay but not for any other category which many thought it might be nominated for best picture.

 

The Oscars will be held February 28 at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre. Chris Rock will host.

 

Read more and check out to the full list of nominations: laist.com

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Hollywood News Glendale News Movies/Television Celebrity News

Golden Globes 2016

The Golden Globes aired last night and it was a night filled with many highlights for the winners and fashion on the red carpet. Taraji P. Henson won “Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Drama” for her role as Cookie on ABC’s “Empire” beating out Viola Davis, Robin Wright, Caltriona Balfe, and Eva Green. On her way up to take her acceptance speech, she passed out cookies. Her speech went over and when they tried to stop her she said, “”I’ve waited 20 years for this! You gon wait.” Taraji’s win at last night’s award show marks her first Golden Globe award.

Sylvester Stallone also won for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture award for his role in “Creed”. He paid tribute to his late son, Sage, wat the award show. His son died of heart disease at just 36 years old in 2012 – and he appeared alongside his dad in 1990’s Rocky V. “Wow, that’s a very heavy question,” Stallone said after his big win Sunday when reporters asked him about the loss’s impact on his work. “Any time you can do things that are real, I think it’s very, very helpful, and with my son, I want to respect his memory, and I think we did so.”

He was also very shocked having one stating, “I didn’t expect it all, and I don’t remember a standing ovation. I’m shocked, was there really? You’re kidding me. I have to get a Tivo,” he said. “I did not expect to win at all so, I made a promise to myself that I would be very aware the whole time – it proves I’m not aware. I got really caught up in emotion. Thank you very much. Just the mere fact that these incredible people applauding, it makes me realize that in life, it’s really never over ’til it’s over, and it indicates that people should never give up trying, so I think it was a very, very positive message for everybody.”

Ricky Gervais hosted this year’s Golden Globes awards.

To read more: people.com

For a full list of winners head to: cnn.com

 

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HPC News Hollywood News Movies/Television Celebrity News

Tenant Spotlight: Byron Balasco creator of Direct TV’s hit show Kingdom

Kingdom

In this Halloween edition of Tenant Spotlight, Ariana caught up with writer/producer Byron Balasco on a warm fall day in Hollywood. Byron is the creator of Direct TV’s hit show Kingdom and is currently writing Season 3 while Season 2 is scheduled to premiere on the Audience Network October 14th at 9/8c. Kingdom is set in Venice Beach and focuses on a family’s mixed martial arts gym and the relationships and addictions of the characters. Kingdom Stars Nick Jonas (Singer/Songwriter) and Frank Gillo (Captain America: The Winter Soldier and The Purge: Anarchy).

 

Wow, Byron you are just cranking out these episodes. What can fans expect in Season 2? The theme of season 2 is the painful ascent. So the gym is on the rise, some of the fighters are on the rise but with that success comes some shifting dynamics with the characters. Not everyone gets dragged along at the same pace and so, many tensions arise.

 

How did the idea for Kingdom come about and how did Venice, California come into the shows setting? I’ve been a fan of MMA for a long time; I really wanted to dive into the MMA world in a way that is different than how the sport itself is marketed. The more and more I got to learn about these fighters and got to know them personally, their lives are filled with the same struggles as anybody else’s but often times a little more extreme. They don’t have a safety net, it’s very dramatic, very risky, there is a lot of high stakes so it was a great place to set a family drama. A lot of things these guys and girls struggle with, mirror what everybody does, so there is universal themes in their lives. But distilled down to a more visceral level.

 

And Venice? Venice came into the setting because there is a ton of MMA in LA so it’s an organic place to have it. Venice is a very interesting setting, where you have a little bit of the glamour of LA but you still have the grit and sort of the danger. It’s sort of all mixed together which is a lot of how the world of MMA is.  

 

The show is centered on Mixed Martial Arts, do you have onset trainers and is craft service a donut free zone? We do have a lot of trainers, professionals on set at all times. All of our background in the gym are real fighters. We have a guy named Joe “Daddy” Stevenson who is a very famous UFC legend and coach who is on set with us every day. He is our onsite technical advisor and he trains all the actors one-on-one, together and while we’re shooting. Joe is on the show a lot. We also have another technical advisor by the name of Greg Jackson. He is a legend in the sport and is the top trainer in the world right now. Greg is based out of Albuquerque, New Mexico but he is the guy I talk to on a regular basis. He and I go through all the scripts. I always go out and spend a couple of weeks with him before every season starts.  

 

One of your fans, Julie Plec, who has tweeted about Kingdom, her writers take daily walks as a group around the facility. What sort of daily rituals do your writers do to get the creative juices flowing? When we come in, we all have coffee and then we beat the shit of Johne Frye, who is our writers assistant. [Laughs] So we beat him around for a while and then when we tire, we’re ready to go.

 

Which character do you most identify with? This isn’t a copout, but really and truly, they all are my favorites in that… As a writer, a little piece of you is in everything, so they each kind of have a thread running through them that is personal or at least interesting. If it’s not the literal thing that they’re dealing with it still has an emotional resonance to me. All of these guys.

 

Ronda Rousey is killing it in the UFC world and has a little feud with Floyd Mayweather. Who do you think would win that fight? Ronda versus Floyd… I think if Ronda could get a hold of him, get him on the ground, she might be able to beat up on him. If it’s stand up, I think he’d probably smoke her. But if she can get a hold of him, who knows.

 

More and more woman are creating a lasting impression in the MMA world, will you have more women in Season 2? We definitely have that this coming season. It’s a huge part of the sport, it’s an incredibly fast growing side. I think Ronda Rousey has been amazing for it and she is dominating and I think in the future the talent pool will become a lot deeper. There will be more rivals for people like Ronda and a little more parody. Right now, she’s just a superstar and everyone else is kind of new.

 

Do you think there is anyone that can beat Ronda right now? No, I don’t think she really has a challenger. But I think it’s great for the sport, it’s happening at every gym you go to. There are women training all the time.

 

Nick Jonas plays Nate Kulina and in Season 1 he battled a lot with his sexuality. Will Nick’s character continue to battle with his sexuality in Season 2? Not only Nate’s character, it’s sort of everyone trying to figure out their identity and who they are and where they fit in. So Nate’s struggle will continue, it’s not so simple. He’s not in a theatre troupe he’s in a fighting family and a very aggressive testosterone driven world. His family loves him, his immediate family of course, but also the family at the gym and the world. They love him. But I think he’s scared and afraid of how his sexuality might re-contextualize him in relation to those people. Even if he is accepted, he doesn’t want to be thought of as other, you know, different.  

 

Mark Consuelos will be guest starring in this coming season as a friend from Alvey’s past. Tell us a little bit about his character. He plays a guy named Sean Chapas, who was a guy who fought with Alvey back in the day. They were contemporaries. They haven’t really seen each other in several years. But in the meantime Chapas has gone off and become very successful. He comes back to see Alvey and I think they both feed each other’s dark side.  

 

What kind of drinking game should Kingdom fans play while watching the Season 2 premiere? Take a show of tequila every time somebody says “fuck”. You’ll get pretty drunk by the time you get out of the teaser.

 

What shows are you binge-watching at the moment? I’m not really binge watching. Well, what’s your go-to when you get home? College football. [laughs] Project Greenlight has been pretty good. I love Veep. I think Veep is such an amazing show. I really like Fargo.

 

What advice would you give to some of our readers who are currently trying to produce a dramatic series? I say, number one, there’s a lot of different ways to do it. I don’t like to know exactly where I’m going. I mean, I like to know the kind of global truth of what I’m going towards. But I don’t like to know plot wise exactly what I’m heading towards. I like to be able to kind of discover as you go, and that’s just how this show works. Not all shows can work that way. But for me, I don’t like to get slaved to a premise or like a hook for the show. I really like it to be about the characters because that’s really what I think, in my opinion, is what people come back for: falling in love with the people populating the show. Versus the hook or the gimmick which, you know, I think you have to have in a lot of ways to sell a network show. But for me, it’s find a great world that you could put your characters in. A world where the premise doesn’t swallow up the characters.   

Last question, it being our Halloween edition, what are you going to be for Halloween? Oh man, a fern.

Categories
Hollywood News Movies/Television Celebrity News

Emmys 2015

This year’s Emmy award show was hosted by Andy Samberg and there was a lot of wins and shockers during the night!
Transparent! Director Jill Soloway took the time during her acceptance speech for Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series to bring awareness to the fact that in 32 states, trans-people still face legal discrimination when doing something as simple as renting an apartment. “We don’t have a trans-tipping point yet—we have a trans equality problem,” Soloway said.

There were also two more hot headlining wins that night. First came to Jon Hamm. After 16 nominations and seven seasons of Mad Men, Jon Hamm finally received his Emmy—and to a standing ovation, no less. “It’s incredible and impossible for me personally to be standing here,” he said in his speech.

Then came the powerful win of Viola Davis for Best Actress! As the first African American actress to win an Emmy in the drama category, she started off by quoting Harriet Tubman: “In my mind I see a line. And over that line I see green fields, and lovely flowers, and beautiful white women with their arms stretched out to me…but I can’t seem to get over there no how. I can’t seem to get over that line.”
Davis continued: “The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity. You cannot win an Emmy for roles that simply are not there. So here’s to all the writers, the awesome people…Thank you for taking us over that line.”

Read more at: glamour.com

Categories
Hollywood News Music/Concerts

MTV VMAs 2015

Taylor Swift won Video of the Year and shared smiles with Nicki Minaj at Sunday’s MTV Video Music Awards ceremony — during which she also presented a lifetime-achievement award and an open mic to Kanye West.

Swift thanked Lamar, whose rap is featured on “Bad Blood,” and thanked her video co-stars, all of whom are women in show business. “There are two women in the video who I’ve named cats after,” she said. “I love them so much. … There’s been a lot of discussion this video and what it means, but I’m just happy that, in 2015, we live in a world where boys can play princesses, and girls can play soldiers.”

Swift later presented the Video Vanguard Award to West, who famously crashed her 2009 VMAs acceptance speech. “I first met Kanye West six years ago — at this show actually!” she said, while giving him the lifetime-achievement award. “Since then, we’ve had a lot of time to talk about a lot of different things.”
The rapper smiled when Swift revealed that his album “College Dropout,” was the “very first album that my brother and I bought on iTunes when I was 12 years old.” She added, “I have been a fan of his, since I can remember, because Kanye defines what is to be a creative force in music, fashion and, well, life. So, I guess I have to say to all the other winners tonight: I’m really happy for you, and I’mma let you finish, but Kanye West has had one of the greatest careers of all time!”

Read more at: today.com

Categories
Hollywood News Movies/Television Celebrity News

2015 Emmy Award nominations

The 2015 Primetime Emmy Awards were announced on July 16 and HBO’s “Game of Thrones” received the most nominations.

Andy Samberg will host the 2015 Primetime Emmy Awards on September 20. Fox will broadcast them live from the Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles.

The nominees are below:

OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES

“Better Call Saul”

“Downton Abbey”

“Game of Thrones”

“Homeland”

“House of Cards”

“Mad Men”

“Orange is the New Black”

OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES

“Louie”

“Modern Family”

“Parks and Recreation”

“Silicon Valley”

“Transparent”

“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”

“Veep”

LEAD ACTOR, DRAMA

Bob Odenkirk, “Better Call Saul”

Kyle Chandler, “Bloodline”

Kevin Spacey, “House of Cards”

Jon Hamm, “Mad Men”

Jeff Daniels, “The Newsroom”

Liev Schreiber, “Ray Donovan”

LEAD ACTRESS, DRAMA

Taraji P. Henson, “Empire”

Claire Danes, “Homeland”

Viola Davis, “How to Get Away with Murder”

Tatiana Maslany, “Orphan Black”

Elisabeth Moss, “Mad Men”

Robin Wright, “House of Cards”

LEAD ACTOR, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE

Timothy Hutton, “American Crime”

Ricky Gervais, “Derek Special”

Adrien Brody, “Houdini”

David Oyelowo, “Nightingale”

Richard Jenkins, “Olive Kitteridge”

Mark Rylance, “Wolf Hall”

LEAD ACTRESS, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE

Felicity Huffman, “American Crime”

Jessica Lange, “American Horror Story”

Queen Latifah, “Bessie”

Maggie Gyllenhaal, “The Honorable Woman”

Frances McDormand, “Olive Kitteridge”

Emma Thompson, “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street”

LEAD ACTOR, COMEDY

Anthony Anderson, “black-ish”

Matt LeBlanc, “Episodes”

Don Cheadle, “House of Lies”

Will Forte, “The Last Man On Earth”

Louis C.K., “Louie”

William H. Macy, “Shameless”

Jeffrey Tambor, “Transparent”

LEAD ACTRESS, COMEDY

Lisa Kudrow, “The Comeback”

Lily Tomlin, “Grace And Frankie”

Amy Schumer, “Inside Amy Schumer”

Edie Falco, “Nurse Jackie”

Amy Poehler, “Parks And Recreation”

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “Veep”

REALITY-COMPETITION SERIES

“The Amazing Race”

“Dancing With The Stars”

“Project Runway”

“So You Think You Can Dance”

“Top Chef”

“The Voice”

VARIETY SERIES

“The Colbert Report”

“The Daily Show With Jon Stewart”

“Jimmy Kimmel Live”

“Last Week Tonight With John Oliver”

“Late Show With David Letterman”

“The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon”

LIMITED SERIES

“American Crime”

“American Horror Story: Freak Show”

“The Honorable Woman”

“Olive Kitteridge”

“Wolf Hall”

VARIETY SKETCH SERIES

“Drunk History”

“Inside Amy Schumer”

“Key & Peele”

“Portlandia”

“Saturday Night Live”

TELEVISION MOVIE

“Agatha Christie’s Poirot: Curtain, Poirot’s Last Case”

“Bessie”

“Grace of Monaco”

“Hello Ladies: The Movie”

“Killing Jesus”

“Nightingale”

SUPPORTING ACTOR, DRAMA

Jonathan Banks, “Better Call Saul”

Ben Mendelsohn, “Bloodline”

Jim Carter, “Downton Abbey”

Peter Dinklage, “Game Of Thrones”

Alan Cumming, “The Good Wife”

Michael Kelly, “House Of Cards”

SUPPORTING ACTRESS, DRAMA

Joanne Froggatt, “Downton Abbey”

Lena Headey, “Game Of Thrones”

Emilia Clarke, “Game Of Thrones”

Christine Baranski, “The Good Wife”

Christina Hendricks, “Man Men”

Uzo Aduba, “Orange Is The New Black”

GUEST ACTOR, DRAMA

Alan Alda, “The Blacklist”

Michael J. Fox, “The Good Wife”

F. Murray Abraham, “Homeland”

Reg E. Cathey, “House of Cards”

Beau Bridges, “Masters Of Sex”

Pablo Schreiber, “Orange Is The New Black”

GUEST ACTRESS, DRAMA

Margo Martindale, “The Americans”

Diana Rigg, “Game of Thrones”

Rachel Brosnahan, “House Of Cards”

Cicely Tyson, “How To Get Away With Murder”

Allison Janney, “Masters Of Sex”

Khandi Alexander, “Scandal”

SUPPORTING ACTOR, COMEDY

Andre Braugher, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”

Adam Driver, “Girls”

Keegan-Michael Key, “Key & Peele”

Ty Burrell, “Modern Family”

Tituss Burgess, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”

Tony Hale, “Veep”

SUPPORTING ACTRESS, COMEDY

Mayim Bialik, “The Big Bang Theory”

Niecy Nash, “Getting On”

Julie Bowen, “Modern Family”

Allison Janney, “Mom”

Kate McKinnon “Saturday Night Live”

Gaby Hoffmann, “Transparent”

Jane Krakowski, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”

Anna Chlumsky, “Veep”

GUEST ACTOR, COMEDY

Mel Brooks, “The Comedians”

Paul Giamatti, “Inside Amy Schumer”

Bill Hader, “Saturday Night Live”

Louis C.K., “Saturday Night Live”

Bradley Whitford, “Transparent”

Jon Hamm, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”

GUEST ACTRESS, COMEDY

Christine Baranski, “The Big Bang Theory”

Gaby Hoffmann, “Girls”

Pamela Adlon, “Louie”

Elizabeth Banks, “Modern Family”

Joan Cusack, “Shameless”

Tina Fey, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”

SUPPORTING ACTOR, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE

Richard Cabral, “American Crime”

Denis O’Hare, “American Horror Story: Freak Show”

Finn Wittrock, “American Horror Story: Freak Show”

Michael Kenneth Williams, “Bessie”

Bill Murray, “Olive Kitteridge”

Damian Lewis, “Wolf Hall”

SUPPORTING ACTRESS, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE

Regina King, “American Crime”

Sarah Paulson, “American Horror Story: Freak Show”

Angela Bassett, “American Horror Story: Freak Show”

Kathy Bates, “American Horror Story: Freak Show”

Mo’Nique, “Bessie”

Zoe Kazan, “Olive Kitteridge”

WRITING FOR A DRAMA SERIES

“The Americans” • Do Mail Robots Dream Of Electric Sheep? • FX Networks • Fox 21 Television

Studios and FX Productions

Joshua Brand, Written by

“Better Call Saul” • Five-O • AMC • Sony Pictures Television / Gran Via Productions

Gordon Smith, Written by

“Game Of Thrones” • Mother’s Mercy • HBO • HBO Entertainment in association with Bighead,

Littlehead; Television 360; Startling Television and Generator Productions

David Benioff, Written by

D.B. Weiss, Written by

“Mad Men” • Lost Horizon • AMC • Lionsgate Television / UROK Productions

Semi Chellas, Written by

Matthew Weiner, Written by

“Mad Men” • Person To Person • AMC • Lionsgate Television / UROK Productions

Matthew Weiner, Written by

DIRECTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES

“Boardwalk Empire” • Eldorado • HBO • HBO Entertainment in association with Leverage, Closest to the Hole Productions, Sikelia Productions and Cold Front Productions

Tim Van Patten, Directed by

“Game Of Thrones” • Mother’s Mercy • HBO • HBO Entertainment in association with Bighead,

Littlehead; Television 360; Startling Television and Generator Productions

David Nutter, Directed by

“Game Of Thrones” • Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken • HBO • HBO Entertainment in association with

Bighead, Littlehead; Television 360; Startling Television and Generator Productions

Jeremy Podeswa, Directed by

“Homeland” • From A To B And Back Again • Showtime • SHOWTIME Presents, Fox 21, Teakwood

Lane Productions, Cherry Pie Productions, Keshet

Lesli Linka Glatter, Directed by

“The Knick” • Method And Madness • Cinemax • Cinemax Entertainment in association with Ambeg

Screen Products, Anonymous Content and Extension 765

Steven Soderbergh, Directed by

WRITING FOR A COMEDY SERIES

“Episodes” • Episode 409 • Showtime • SHOWTIME Presents, Hat Trick Productions, Crane Klarik

Productions

David Crane, Written by

Jeffrey Klarik, Written by

“The Last Man On Earth” • Alive In Tucson (Pilot) • FOX • 20th Century Fox Television

Will Forte, Written by

“Louie” • Bobby’s House • FX Networks • Pig Newton, Inc. and FX Productions

Louis C.K., Written by

“Silicon Valley” • Two Days Of The Condor • HBO • HBO Entertainment in association with

Judgemental Films, Alec Berg, Altschuler Krinsky Works and 3 Arts Entertainment

Alec Berg, Written by

“Transparent” • Pilot • Amazon Instant Video • Amazon Studios

Jill Soloway, Written by

“Veep” • Election Night • HBO • HBO Entertainment in association with Dundee Productions

Simon Blackwell, Teleplay and Story by

Armando Iannucci, Story by

Tony Roche, Teleplay and Story by

DIRECTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES

“The Last Man On Earth” • Alive In Tucson (Pilot) • FOX • 20th Century Fox Television

Phil Lord, Directed by

Christopher Miller, Directed by

“Louie” • Sleepover • FX Networks • Pig Newton, Inc. and FX Productions

Louis C.K., Directed by

“Silicon Valley” • Sand Hill Shuffle • HBO • HBO Entertainment in association with Judgemental

Films, Alec Berg, Altschuler Krinsky Works and 3 Arts Entertainment

Mike Judge, Directed by

“Transparent” • Best New Girl • Amazon Instant Video • Amazon Studios

Jill Soloway, Directed by

“Veep” • Testimony • HBO • HBO Entertainment in association with Dundee Productions

Armando Iannucci, Directed by

WRITING FOR A LIMITED SERIES, MOVIE OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL

“American Crime” • Episode One • ABC • ABC Studios

John Ridley, Written by

“Bessie” • HBO • HBO Films in association with Flavor Unit Entertainment and the Zanuck Company

Dee Rees, Screenplay and Story by

Christopher Cleveland, Screenplay by

Bettina Gilois, Screenplay by

Horton Foote, Story by

“Hello Ladies: The Movie” • HBO • HBO Entertainment in association with Four Eyes Entertainment,

Quantity Entertainment and ABC Studios

Stephen Merchant, Written by

Gene Stupnitsky, Written by

Lee Eisenberg, Written by

“The Honorable Woman” • SundanceTV • Drama Republic and Eight Rooks Productions for BBC TWO,

co-produced by SundanceTV

Hugo Blick, Written by

“Olive Kitteridge” • HBO • HBO Miniseries in association with Playtone

Jane Anderson, Teleplay by

“Wolf Hall” • PBS • A Playground Entertainment and Company Pictures Production for BBC and

MASTERPIECE in association with BBC Worldwide, Altus Media and Prescience

Peter Straughan, Written by

DIRECTING FOR A LIMITED SERIES, MOVIE OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL

“American Horror Story: Freak Show” • Monsters Among Us • FX Networks • 20th Century Fox

Television

Ryan Murphy, Directed by

“Bessie” • HBO • HBO Films in association with Flavor Unit Entertainment and the Zanuck Company

Dee Rees, Directed by

“The Honorable Woman” • SundanceTV • Drama Republic and Eight Rooks Productions for BBC TWO,

co-produced by SundanceTV

Hugo Blick, Directed by

“Houdini” • HISTORY • Lionsgate Television and A+E Studios for History

Uli Edel, Directed by

“The Missing” • Starz • New Pictures & Company Pictures in association with Two Brothers Pictures,

Playground Entertainment & the BBC

Tom Shankland, Directed by

“Olive Kitteridge” • HBO • HBO Miniseries in association with Playtone

Lisa Cholodenko, Directed by

“Wolf Hall” • PBS • A Playground Entertainment and Company Pictures Production for BBC and

MASTERPIECE in association with BBC Worldwide, Altus Media and Prescience

Peter Kosminsky, Directed by

HOST, REALITY OR REALITY-COMPETITION PROGRAM

Tom Bergeron, “Dancing with the Stars”

Jane Lynch, “Hollywood Game Night”

Heidi Klum, Tim Gunn, “Project Runway”

Cat Deeley, “So You Think You Can Dance”

Anthony Bourdain, “The Taste”

STRUCTURED REALITY PROGRAM

“Antiques Roadshow”

“Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives”

“MythBusters”

“Property Brothers”

“Shark Tank”

“Undercover Boss”

UNSTRUCTURED REALITY PROGRAM

“Alaska: The Last Frontier”

“Deadliest Catch”

“Intervention”

“Million Dollar Listing New York”

“Naked And Afraid”

“Wahlburgers”

VARIETY SPECIAL

“Bill Maher: Live From D.C.”

“The Kennedy Center Honors”

“Mel Brooks Live At The Geffen”

“The Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special”

“Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga: Cheek To Cheek LIVE!”

WRITING FOR A VARIETY SERIES

“The Colbert Report”

“The Daily Show With Jon Stewart”

“Inside Amy Schumer”

“Key & Peele”

“Last Week Tonight With John Oliver”

WRITING FOR A VARIETY SPECIAL

“The 72nd Annual Golden Globe Awards”

“Key & Peele Super Bowl Special”

“Louis C.K.: Live At The Comedy Store”

“Mel Brooks Live At The Geffen”

“The Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special”

DIRECTING FOR A VARIETY SERIES

James Hoskinson for The Colbert Report, “Show 11040″ from Comedy Central, Hello Doggie, Inc. with Busboy Productions and Spartina Productions

Chuck O’Neil for The Daily Show With Jon Stewart, “Show 20103″ from Comedy Central, Central Productions

Amy Schumer and Ryan McFaul for Inside Amy Schumer, “12 Angry Men Inside Amy Schumer” from Comedy Central and Jax Media

Jerry Foley for Late Show With David Letterman, “Show 4214″ from CBS and Worldwide Pants Inc.

Dave Diomedi for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, “Show 203″ from NBC, Universal Television and Broadway

DIRECTING FOR A VARIETY SPECIAL

Natalie Johns for “Annie Lennox: Nostalgia Live In Concert” from PBS, A Tricycle Logic Production in association with Blue Note Records and THIRTEEN Productions LLC for WNET

Louis J. Horvitz for “The Kennedy Center Honors” from CBS and The Stevens Company

Hamish Hamilton for “The Oscars” from ABC and The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Don Roy King for “The Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special” from NBC, SNL Studios in association with Universal Television and Broadway Video

Glenn Weiss for “68th Annual Tony Awards” from CBS and White Cherry Entertainment

SPECIAL CLASS PROGRAM

“Beyoncé And Jay Z On The Run”

“The 72nd Annual Golden Globe Awards”

“The Oscars”

“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street”

“68th Annual Tony Awards”

SHORT-FORM LIVE-ACTION ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAM

“Between Two Ferns With Zach Galifianakis: Brad Pitt”

“Billy On The Street With First Lady Michelle Obama, Big Bird And Elena!!!”

“Childrens Hospital”

“Key & Peele Presents Van And Mike: The Ascension”

“Super Bowl XLIX Halftime Show Starring Katy Perry”

SHORT-FORM NONFICTION PROGRAM

“American Horror Story: Extra-Ordinary Artists”

“Parks And Recreation: Behind The Final Season”

“30 For 30 Shorts”

“Transparent: This is Me”

“A Tribute To Mel Brooks”

INTERACTIVE PROGRAM

“@midnight With Chris Hardwick”

“Last Week Tonight With John Oliver”

“Saturday Night Live: SNL40″

“Talking Dead”

“The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon”

CHILDREN’S PROGRAM

“Alan Alda And The Actor Within You: A YoungArts Masterclass”

“Degrassi”

“Dog With A Blog”

“Girl Meets World”

“Nick News With Linda Ellerbee: Coming Out”

NARRATOR

Neil deGrasse Tyson for “Hubble’s Cosmic Journey”

Anthony Mendez for “Jane The Virgin”

Miranda Richardson for “Operation Orangutan”

Peter Coyote for “The Roosevelts: An Intimate History”

Henry Strozier for “Too Cute!”

DOCUMENTARY OR NONFICTION SPECIAL

“The Case Against 8″

“Going Clear: Scientology And The Prison Of Belief”

“Kurt Cobain: Montage Of Heck”

“Sinatra: All Or Nothing At All”

“Virunga”

DOCUMENTARY OR NONFICTION SERIES

“American Masters”

“Cancer: The Emperor Of All Maladies”

“The Jinx: The Life And Deaths Of Robert Durst”

“The Roosevelts: An Intimate History”

“The Sixties”

INFORMATIONAL SERIES OR SPECIAL

“Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown”

“Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways”

“Inside The Actors Studio”

“StarTalk With Neil deGrasse Tyson”

“Vice”

EXCEPTIONAL MERIT IN DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKING

“Citizenfour”

“The Great Invisible”

“Hot Girls Wanted”

Read more at: www.emmys.com

Categories
HPC News Hollywood News Movies/Television

Tenant Spotlight: Craig Bartlett

craig

Craig Bartlett, creator and exec producer, “Ready Jet Go!” and “Dinosaur Train”

Tell us about yourself.

I was born in Seattle when it was still a scrappy frontier town, and moved to LA right before it became “cool” with the Grunge movement and the arrival of all the dot-com billionaires. I’m not moving back until it’s “not cool” again.

Please describe the industry you’re in.

I make cartoons for kids, mostly for PBS these days, so cartoons for kids with an educational curriculum. The two shows we’re doing here are “Ready Jet Go!,” a kid’s first space show, and “Dinosaur Train,” which, if you’re 4, is like when chocolate met peanut butter.

How long have you been with the company and what is your title?

I started working for the Jim Henson Company (“Dinosaur Train”) in 2007, and for Wind Dancer (“Ready Jet Go!”) last year.

What got you interested in animation?

I studied Fine Art in school, but found it to be too serious. I was always trying to make art that was funny and told a story, which naturally led me to comics, and then to animation.

How did you get involved with the entertainment industry?

Once out of school I found the only animation job in the Northwest working for Will Vinton studios, the Claymation people. Will’s studio became Leica Animation, but by then I had moved to LA, first to direct the Penny cartoons for “Pee Wee’s Playhouse,” then over to Nickelodeon, story editing and directing for “Rugrats,” which led to my own Nick series, “Hey Arnold!”

What are you currently working on?

I’m producing 40 half hours of “Ready Jet Go!” And 10 half hours of “Dinosaur Train,” both for PBS. I also hope to bring more “Hey Arnold!” work to HPC if I can.

You have accomplished so much in your career, what makes you so driven to succeed?

I really love the work – at this point, I get to work exclusively on stuff that I created. So it’s never boring to me. And there’s always something new about it to learn. So I keep at it.

If there is one person to thank for your success who would it be and why?

I would thank both my parents, who were very creative and driven, hard-working people. They set the bar high, and then turned me loose as soon as I was grown, and told me to make my own way.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

Cartoon making is great, because you get to make up your whole universe from scratch. That includes the stories, the look, the voices, the sound design, and the music. And the PBS shows really feature a lot of songs, so I get to write and play songs as part of my job. I’m getting better at music every decade, which is great, because I’m sure not getting better at, say, basketball.

Do you have any shout outs for your employees?

I’m working with lots of great new people, like Producers Rusty Tracy and Blanca Uribe on “Jet” and Melanie Pal and Kadi Rodriguez on “Dinosaur Train,” but I’m also still working with old friends Joe Purdy, Rachel Lipman, and Christie Insley, writing on “Jet,” who’ve been with me for more than 15 years. And with Karl Toerge and Terry Izumi, who’ve been drawing with me 7 years now on “Dinosaur Train.”

Categories
Music/Concerts Hollywood News Movies/Television Celebrity News

Billboard Music Awards 2015

The Billboard Music Awards took place yesterday and was filled with performances and many awards. Taylor Swift took home the most awards winning eight in total, followed by Sam Smith, Pharrell, and Iggy Azalea each winning three. Swift is the most successful artist in the show’s history with 20 wins, beating Garth Brooks’ 19-win record. The show opened with the premiere of Taylor Swift’s video for Bad Blood which featured a star studded cast. She also swapped her first two verses with new ones from rapper Kendrick Lamar for her performance of “Bad Blood.”

Mariah Carey performed a medley of “Vision of Love” and her new song “Infinity.” Some criticized her due to her performance sounding too pitchy. Britney Spears and Iggy Azalea debuted their first live performance of their song “Pretty Girls,” which many said was a great performance. Kanye West closed out the show with a medley of his songs, “All Day” and “Black Skinhead.” For the most part, his performance was censored and you could not really see him due to the stage being so smoky. Which was your favorite performance of the night?

To see a full list of winners and photos head on over to: billboard.com

 

Categories
HPC News Hollywood News

Tenant Spotlight: Cynthia de Petris and Edgar Pease

tenant

In this Valentine’s Day edition of Tenant Spotlight we caught up with Cynthia de Petris and Edgar Pease on a cool winter’s day in Hollywood. Cynthia and Edgar both practice law over at our Gower location and they happen to be one of the cutest couples ever! We wanted to know more about how they started out individually as well as what it’s like working together.

Cynthia and Edgar are happy to give a free consultation to anyone in the building with legal issues. Suite 254. (323) 785-2131

Cynthia, I read you passed the bar in 1993. What were you doing before you decided to take the big test?

Cynthia: One takes the bar exam following law school. I wasn’t sure I wanted to be an attorney when I graduated. I had always been a teacher, so I set up my own law school tutorial service and spent two years tutoring law students and bar candidates.  Meantime, Ed passed the bar and needed my help because the practice became very busy, so we decided I would take the test as well. I have been practicing since 1993.

Cynthia, what type of law do you practice?

Cynthia:  I am a family law attorney and deal with civil litigation.  Many of my clients are in the entertainment field and I deal with their divorces, custody, support and business disputes.

Edgar, How has your approach changed towards representing artists during the time you’ve been practicing law? What kind of services do you typically provide as an entertainment lawyer?

Edgar: I developed an approach to musical and theatrical artists based upon my 20 plus years as a professional musician prior to becoming an attorney which allows me to speak the language of the artists I am dealing with since I was once looking at issues as a composer and writer instead of just an attorney. I provide contract analysis, deal memos, copyright and intellectual property litigation and representation, trademark and domain name protection, writer and composer protection from infringers and general entertainment consultation.

Edgar, do you represent any artists that are just beginning their musical career?

Edgar: Yes. I represent a rock band by the name of Acidic who has just concluded a 10 month US Tour known as “Warped Tour 14.”  I also represent producer Angel Chen who is a first time major motion picture executive producer. Long time clients I currently represent include Earth, Wind and Fire, Michael Jackson’s Heal the World Foundation, Carlos Santa/John Ryan, Bobby Womack who recently passed away, Continuim Records (Keith Richards), Academy Award composer David Shire, Emmy Award winning composer James D’Pasquale, Academy Award nominee Carol Connors (Theme from “Rocky” and “Rescuers Down Under – Disney), Misty Copeland/San Pedro Ballet Co., Football Hall of Fame Athlete Eric Dickerson, Screen Writer Jerico Stone, Rock/Metal Bands “The Turtels,” Rare Earth, White Snake, Thin Lizzy, Stanley Clarke (famous Jazz musician), Janet Jackson, Jessie J/Loomis and the Lust federal copyright litigation, currently consulting on copyright infringement issues related to 12 Years a Slave/Desperate Housewives, among others.

Cynthia, what do you like most about working with Ed in the same practice?

Cynthia: He’s extremely creative he never says no to a client. And he’s extremely loving and compassionate with every client. It’s inspiring to watch that.

Edgar, what do you like most about working with Cynthia in the same practice?

Edgar: We have been married 24 years now. First of all, she’s such a good attorney; she’s really good at her job. We went to law school together. Between the two of us we make a lawyer. [Laughing] Judges and lawyers see us together all the time. People say when you hire one of us, you get two.

What are you two doing for Valentine’s Day?

Cynthia: We are going to Pupukae which is on the North shore of Hawaii. We have a little place there that overlooks the ocean.

 

Categories
Hollywood News Celebrity News Music/Concerts

Taylor Swift Pulls All Songs From Spotify

 


Taylor Swift shocked everyone this week on Spotify when her label, Big Machine Records, pulled all her music from the streaming service. Spotify did not have “1989” available to stream when it came out, which was not a surprise since Swift has made clear her distaste for free streaming sites.

The 40 million subscribers to Spotify won’t be able to listen to her new album, “1989,” or any of Swift’s past albums.

Swift told The Wall Street Journal last summer that “piracy, file sharing and streaming have shrunk the numbers of paid album sales drastically and every artist has handled this blow differently.”

She also has been quoted saying, “Music is art, and art is important and rare. Important, rare things are valuable. Valuable things should be paid for.”

Swift isn’t the first artist to withhold her music from Spotify. For instance, Beyonce’s lastest album only offers 4 songs available to stream.

As Big Machine Records pulled Swift’s songs Monday, Spotify responded by saying how much the company loves Swift.

“We hope she’ll change her mind and join us in building a new music economy that works for everyone. We believe fans should be able to listen to music wherever and whenever they want, and that artists have an absolute right to be paid for their work and protected from piracy,” Spotify posted on its blog.

Spotify also posted playlists, “A Little Playlist Poetry for Taylor Swift,” and, “What to Play While Taylor’s Away.”

Swift’s music, including “1989” — which sold 1.3 million copies in just the first week of release — is still available on iTunes.

Read more at: abcnews.com

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Hollywood News Movies/Television

Robert Downey Jr. joining Captain America 3

Variety reported on Monday that Robert Downey Jr. will return as Iron Man at least one more time for the Captain America 3 movie.

It may come as a shock to many since Downey was said to be done with the Iron Man character after the third installment of the Avengers movie. There are also no plans on making a fourth Iron Man movie.

Joe and Anthony Russo are directing the third Captain America movie. They previously directly Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

Robert Downey Jr. is looking to make around $40 million for his role as Iron Man in this new Captain America movie.

Downey’s work as Iron Man has brought in a lot of money for Marvel and Disney. The three Iron Man movies have earned $2.4 billion worldwide, while the first Avengers earned a record-breaking $1.5 billion worldwide in 2012.

According to Variety,”Marvel originally wanted to hire Downey for a small role, which would have required just three weeks of work. But Downey wanted Stark to have a more substantial role in the film’s plot, which would give him more screen time and naturally a bigger payday. This angered Marvel Entertainment chief Ike Perlmutter, who ordered the screenwriters to write Iron Man out of the script entirely, sources said.”

Captain America 3 is said to have a May 6, 2016 release.

Read more at: variety.com

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Celebrity News Hollywood News

Jan Hooks dies at age 57


Jan Hooks, the actress and comedian who rose to fame by starring on “Saturday Night Live” passed away on Thursday in New York City. She was made popular by portraying Ivana Trump, Tammy Faye Bakker, Sinead O’Connor and as part of the lounge-singing Sweeney Sisters during skits. She passed away at age 57.

The cause of death has not yet been revealed. But some sources told TMZ that she had been suffering from an illness, no word yet as to whether that’s true.

Hooks was on “SNL” from 1986 to 1991.

“She was totally amazing as a sketch player,” said one of her colleagues, Kevin Nealon, who also was in a previous relationship with her.

“She so immersed herself in her characters and her timing was amazing. She got it from some crazy stratosphere, and I was so attracted to that talent in her, and I don’t think she ever knew how well respected and admired she was for her talent,” said Nealon.

Hooks was also known from starring on “Designing Women” right after SNL.  She played Carlene Dobber for two seasons on the show, which was set in Atlanta, right next to her hometown.

She also had a popular role in “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure.”

Read more at: cnn.com

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Celebrity News Hollywood News Movies/Television

How To Get Away With Murder and Blackish picked up by ABC for full seasons



ABC announced today that they were picking up drama How to Get Away with Murder and comedy Black-ish for full season orders.

How to Get Away with Murder created and executive produced by Pete Nowalk and executive produced by Shonda Rhimes, has been the standout this fall. The series delivered a whopping 14 million viewers and a 3.8 rating among adults 18-49 in its debut. It has been breaking DVR records and, with a monster time-shifting viewing lift, it ranks as the biggest 10 PM drama debut in two years in Adults 18-49.The season will have 15 total episodes. The show stars Viola Davis as a law professor at a prestigious Philadelphia university who, with her students, becomes entwined in a murder plot.

The Anthony Anderson comedy Black-ish, debuted strong with 10.8 million viewers. The comedy centers on an upper-middle-class African-American family. The series was able to hold on to most of the Modern Family viewers. The show held the highest Modern Family viewers for a regular comedy debut in the post-Modern Family slot. The season will include 22 total episodes total.

It has still been undecided about ABC’s other freshman series that have already debuted, Manhattan Love Story and Selfie, whose ratings have been pretty low.

Read more at: entertainmentweekly.com

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Hollywood News Glendale News Food/Drink

Purchased a Red Bull since 2002? You can get $10 cash!

Yesterday, it was announced that Red Bull settled a false advertising lawsuit, and now owes anyone who bought one of its drinks between Jan. 1, 2002, and Oct. 3, 2014, either $10 cash or $15 worth of Red Bull products with no proof of purchase.

The false advertising lawsuit comes from a group of Red Bull customers who took the company’s  “It Gives You Wings” slogan a little too literally. The lawsuit stated, “Such deceptive conduct and practices mean that [Red Bull’s] advertising and marketing is not just ‘puffery,’ but is instead deceptive and fraudulent and is therefore actionable.”

They were able to sue the drink maker for false advertising, which in turn led to Red Bull paying back anyone who has bought Red Bull in the past 12 years.

Red Bull settled the lawsuit to avoid the cost and distraction of litigation. However, Red Bull maintains that its marketing and labeling have always been truthful and accurate, and denies any and all wrongdoing or liability.

The problem with the settlement is Red Bull didn’t actually promise to give everyone who applied $10 to $15. Instead, they capped the handouts at $13 million. As Buzzfeed reported, if too many people make claims, the settlement will be diluted so it can be split evenly. Not everyone will get the $10 if more than 1.3 million people requested the $10 cash or $15 worth of Red Bull Products.

The site crashed yesterday but you can still try to receive your claim here: http://energydrinksettlement.com/claim

Read more at: time.com

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Hollywood News Movies/Television Celebrity News

Ghostbusters returning with a female cast!

Ghostbusters third installment is finally in the works but it is coming back with a twist. Katie Dippold, who wrote Paul Feig’s comedy The Heat, is reteaming with the director for Sony’s new Ghostbusters movie.

It has been an anticipated production for the third installment of the movie, which Dippold is said to co-write with Feig.

After years of development as a sequel with the intent to bring back the original team (Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Harold Ramis), script setbacks eventually led a path to focus on a new generation with younger comic actors.

Feig came on board to take on the project in August after Ramis had died earlier this year and the original director pulled out of the movie. But he came with a new perspective and direction for the movie: the Ghostbusters would now be a female team and it would no longer be connected to the earlier movies but an entirely different series.

Feig is already known for his female comic movies: he directed Bridesmaids (which gave Kristen Wigg and Melissa McCarthy career breakouts), and The Heat, which starred McCarthy and Sandra Bullock.

We can’t wait to see how the new reboot of the movie turns out!

Read more at: thehollywoodreporter.com

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Hollywood News Movies/Television Celebrity News

Jennifer Lawrence speaks out on nude photo scandal

Jennifer Lawrence finally spoke out to Vanity Fair about the hacked nude photo scandal that targeted her, Ariana Grande, Kirsten Dunst, and Kate Upton in what was said to be the biggest celebrity hacking scandal in history.

“Just because I’m a public figure, just because I’m an actress, does not mean that I asked for this,” said Lawrence in the magazine’s November issue cover story. “It does not mean that it comes with the territory. It’s my body, and it should be my choice, and the fact that it is not my choice is absolutely disgusting. I can’t believe that we even live in that kind of world.”

She continued by saying anyone who looked at those photos should be ashamed.

“Anybody who looked at those pictures, you’re perpetuating a sexual offense. You should cower with shame. Even people who I know and love say, ‘Oh, yeah, I looked at the pictures.’ I don’t want to get mad, but at the same time I’m thinking, I didn’t tell you that you could look at my naked body,” the actress says.

And she reveals that it was particularly difficult when she had to break the news to her father.

“When I have to make that phone call to my dad and tell him what’s happened…I don’t care how much money I get for The Hunger Games,” she says. “I promise you, anybody given the choice of that kind of money or having to make a phone call to tell your dad that something like that has happened, it’s not worth it.”

She told Vanity Fair that while she was tempted to write a statement or apology, she just ended up crying or getting angry when she tried.

“I don’t have anything to say I’m sorry for. I was in a loving, healthy, great relationship for four years. It was long distance, and either your boyfriend is going to look at porn or he’s going to look at you,” Lawrence adds.

In Vanity Fair, the actress advocates for a legal solution to the incident.

“It is not a scandal. It is a sex crime,” she says. “It is a sexual violation. It’s disgusting. The law needs to be changed, and we need to change. That’s why these Web sites are responsible. Just the fact that somebody can be sexually exploited and violated, and the first thought that crosses somebody’s mind is to make a profit from it. It’s so beyond me.”

Vanity Fair‘s November issue hits newsstands Thursday.

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Hollywood News Movies/Television Celebrity News

Walking Dead Renewed for a Sixth Season!



It is only a few days before “The Walking Dead” kicks off its fifth season on October 12 at 9PM, but that didn’t stop AMC from announcing that the show has been renewed for a sixth season.

The hit zombie apocalypse show, “The Walking Dead,” is the top-rated series among adults ages 18 to 49 and the highest-rated series in cable television history.

“We could not be more excited for October 12th as we share new episodes of The Walking Dead with fans around the globe,” said AMC President Charlie Collier in a statement. “In advance of Sunday’s season five premiere, AMC proudly confirms a sixth season order of this extraordinary series. Thank you to Robert Kirkman, Scott Gimple, the terrific executive producers, and the entire team who brings this compelling world and these rich characters to life. There’s plenty more Dead ahead thanks to their impressive, collective effort.”

The network also recently announced a pilot for a potential companion series for “The Walking Dead” based on a new story and new characters from Kirkman.

We can’t to see The Walking Dead season premiere this Sunday to see what drama happens! We heard there will be more dramatic deaths this season. We hope one of them isn’t Daryl!

Read more at: latimes.com

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Hollywood News Movies/Television Celebrity News

Twin Peaks Revival

There was some big news today that sparked many people’s interests and has been trending all day. That is the announcement that Showtime is reviving the cult favorite, Twin Peaks, from David Lynch and Mark Frost. They announced on Monday that it will air as a nine-episode limited series for a 2016 premiere. Lynch and Frost will write all episodes, with Lynch directing. Production is expected to begin in 2015. It has not been stated whether any original cast members will appear.

“What more can I say — Twin Peaks with David Lynch and Mark Frost on Showtime in 2016!” said David Nevins, president of Showtime Networks. “To quote Agent Cooper, ‘I have no idea where this will lead us, but I have a definite feeling it will be a place both wonderful and strange.’ ”

Lynch and Frost added in a joint statement: “The mysterious and special world of Twin Peaks is pulling us back. We’re very excited. May the forest be with you.”

Lynch and Frost both teased on Friday the possible revival of the show on Twitter.

Twin Peaks became a phenomenon when it premiered in April 1990, with the two-hour premiere drawing in 34.6 million viewers. It aired on ABC and followed a police investigation of the murder of homecoming queen Laura Palmer. It was one of the top-rated programs of 1990, earning a renewal before it ended its run on June 10, 1991.

Twin Peaks has continued to maintain a following in popular culture despite its short run. Kyle MacLachlan, Madchen Amick, Michael Ontkean, Dana Ashbrook, Lara Flynn Boyle, Sherilyn Fenn, Richard Beymer, Warren Frost and Peggy Lipton were among the stars in the original series.

Read more at: thehollywoodreporter.com

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Hollywood News Movies/Television Celebrity News

Dwayne Johnson is set to star in Baywatch movie

Paramount is moving forward with its big-screen adaptation of Baywatch and has casted Dwayne Johnson for the movie. Justin Malen is set to rewrite the script and Sean Anders and John Morris are set to direct.

Johnson has long been rumored to star in a Baywatch movie. He would be the perfect fit for the film considering he has a toned physique he recently made apparent through the Hercules film that was released this summer. The film will take place in the beaches of Santa Monica.

Dwayne Johnson put the rumors to rest earlier this morning by confirming his involvement in the film on Twitter and Instagram. He posted a photo of him on the beach with the caption, “’This is my beach bitch!’ Rumors are true… we’re making #BAYWATCH the movie. Edgy, raunchy and hopefully, funny as all hell. Cue slo mo running on the beach…”

Paramount has been trying to make a Baywatch movie happen for years and not it seems it finally is set in motion. A number of previous writers have attempted to take a shot at the script including Jeremy Garelick and Peter Tolan. The plot of the movie was set to revolve around a series of shark attacks that led the Baywatch team to investigate a drug-smuggling operation. It is unclear now what the plot will focus on, but only time will tell.

Read more at: hollywoodreporter.com

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HPC News Hollywood News Glendale News Movies/Television Celebrity News

Tenant Spotlight with Rob Thomas

If you have ever seen Dawson’s Creek, 90210 (2008) or Veronica Mars. You have Rob Thomas to thank in part for your television viewing pleasure. We caught up with Rob on a busy Monday here in Hollywood- who is finishing up CW’s soon to be hit- iZombie. If you’re a Veronica Mars fan we have some exclusive information for you.

You are known for many literary works including bestselling novels and hit television shows. When did you begin writing fiction and who influenced your style and genre? What do you like most about young adult fiction?

I started writing my first novel when I was 27, finished it when I was 28. I’m sure I was influenced by John Hughes, Chris Crutcher, Paul Zindel. I think there is inherent high-drama in teenagers’ lives. There are so many firsts, everything seems so important, every failure is absolute tragedy, every romance feels like it’s the one.

There is such a big Veronica Mars following. What can fans expect in the future? Will there be another Veronica Mars feature or the possibility of continuing the TV show?

There will be at least one more novel that will come out in early 2015. We also have episodes of Play It Again, Dick, the Veronica Mars spinoff webseries, coming out for the next six weeks. We all hope there will be another Veronica Mars movie but there’s nothing in the works yet on that front.

We dug up a fun fact about you… You played in a few bands back in Texas. What instrument did you play and who were your biggest influences in your music?

I played bass guitar because it had the fewest number of strings. And I had never played an instrument before joining the band. It seemed like the quickest path. I wanted to play like Tommy Stinson of The Replacements because it wasn’t very complicated. It felt like you could have a six pack before the show and you could still deliver.

How has your love for the Texas music scene play out in your writing and have you gone to SXSW yet?

My band played the first few years of SXSW back when you could be a mediocre local band and make it into the festival. Most of my friends back in Austin played in bands in the 80s and 90s and I still use a lot of music from that time and from those musicians in the shows I write.

What are some songs that are currently in heavy rotation in your car or mp3 player?

The new Spoon album. The new Tom Petty album. The last Okkervil River album. And the last Mark Lanegan album.

iZombie is gaining a lot of momentum on the social media front. What are you most excited about with this project? And when will iZombie air?

Because we’re midseason, we’re unsure when we’re going to air. But I’m starting to see cuts of the first episodes and I’m really proud of how they’re turning out. This one has a good feel to it.

What advice do you have for some of our readers in regard to focusing and honing in on a writing style.

Blood on the page. Don’t be too easily satisfied. It’s easy to write a scene that sounds like it could be on television. It’s usually an arduous journey to actually get something down that will be special or memorable.

Categories
Hollywood News Food/Drink

California’s first Cat Cafe is coming!



The “Catfe” is coming to Los Angeles in October. Carlos Wong announced half a year ago his Kickstarter to fund California’s first cat café.

From Oct. 2-5, Wong will partner with Chinatown BID and Best Friends L.A., a no-kill shelter, for four days of pure cat fun. There will be cats at the cafes to pet and also to adopt. (You will need to be 18 years or older to adopt.) According to LA Weekly, there will be costumed maids and there will be butlers. DJs and entertainment will also be present.

The location is in the center of Chinatown, at the Far East Plaza, and guests are encouraged to bring rice bowls from Chego, ice cream from Scoops and boba milk tea from Ten Ren.

On Oct. 5, which is the last day of the pop up, LACatfe will operate during CicLAvia. So cyclists can swing by if they want in on the cat action. The bike route passes the Catfe pop up shop.

The event will serve as the kickoff party to the second round of fundraising for the actual Catfe.

The hours of the upcoming Catfe pop-up will be from 4-9 p.m., all four days.

Catfe Pop-Up: Far East Plaza, 727 N. Broadway, Chinatown.
Read more at: laweekly.com

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Hollywood News Food/Drink Music/Concerts

LA Beer Fest

LA has something to rejoice about. We are in the middle of the 6th annual L.A. Beer Week. The event started on Sept. 20 and will be filled with nine days of appreciation for Los Angeles’ craft beer scene. The event is being organized by the Los Angeles County Brewers Guild this year. But that didn’t stop other local places to host their own appreciation events.

Many breweries, restaurants, bars and even music venues across LA are having non-Guild-organized events. Each establishment has added their own twist, highlight or special tapping.

Here are two events that might just be worth your time. For a full schedule, visit labeerweek.com/events or check your local craft beer bar as they probably have something scheduled too. Happy L.A. Beer Week!

WHAT: Beer and Whiskey Brunch
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 21; 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. ($70, buy tickets here)
WHY: It’s never too early for whiskey, we say, so why not start here, at Boneyard Bistro’s annual pairing of beer, whiskey and brunch food. This year they’ve teamed up with Firestone Walker, Deschutes and Golden Road for the occasion, featuring six courses paired with six beers and three different whiskeys.
WHERE: Boneyard Bistro, 13539 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks.

WHAT: Musical Beer Crawl
WHEN: Tuesday, Sept. 23; 5 p.m.
WHY: An L.A. Beer Week favorite is back again with another year of stumbling up and down Sunset Blvd. for all the beer, music, dancing and discounts Echo Park has to offer. The Bruery is pouring special kegs of its “sessionable” version of the infamous Black Tuesday at beer establishments along the strip and everywhere from Two Boots Pizza to Origami Vinyl are offering deals to crawlers who stop by. End the night at Short Stop where the dance party goes until closing time.
WHERE: Various locations down Sunset Blvd., starting at Sunset Beer Co.

Read the full story and check out more events here: laweekly.com

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Hollywood News Movies/Television

Masterchef Season 5 Finale Recap!

 

The season finale of Masterchef aired last night and it was a close tie between the two finalists! The two finalists were 25 year-old Courtney Lapresi, an “aerial dancer” from Philadelphia and 31 year-old advertising executive from New York, Eizabeth Cauval.

The two battled head-to-head last night after beating out the rest of the competition to land a spot in the finale. They each had to prepare an appetizer, entrée, and dessert for each of the three judges.

For appetizers, Elizabeth prepared grilled octopus while Courtney made pig’s ears. We’re not sure if either one sounds as appetizing to us as they did to the judges! For their appetizers Courtney prepared duck breast and Elizabeth prepared a spiced rack of lamb. Unfortunately, the rack of lamb that was served to Joe was rare!

Lastly, the girls prepared dessert. Elizabeth went for a grape fruit and olive oil cake with a plum trio while Courtney made a cherry meringue. Courtney decided to sample one of her meringues to see if it tasted okay but ended up realizing that she didn’t make extra, which was a huge problem as now her plate would not be balanced.

It definitely was a close race between the two chefs who did amazing all season. As the judges were about to announce a winner, Elizabeth’s husband suddenly passes out. He was a little too anxious to see who won! After making sure he was okay they announce the winner.

In the end, Courtney ended up winning season 5 Masterchef.

Categories
Hollywood News Movies/Television Music/Concerts

The Simpsons at the Hollywood Bowl

In case you missed it, The Simpsons were at the Hollywood Bowl this past weekend. The show was appropriately titled, “The Simpsons Take the Bowl.”

Hank Azaria, Nancy Cartwright, and Yeardley Smith were all in attendance as part of the core cast of the show. These actors voice the characters of Moe Szyslak, Lisa Simpson, and Bart Simpson, respectively. Unfortunately, those not in attendance included Dan Castellaneta, the voice of Homer and Julie Kavner, the voice of Marge.

The show was a celebration filled with gratitude for the long running animated series. Many different clips were shown from the series and it was more of a hybrid show that featured the animated series as well as live action from performers.

Those in attendance were also treated to a mini-Simpsons carnival. There was a mini-Duff air blimp, and a battery of T-shirt cannons blazing away. Ushers from the venue wore red cornstalk-style wigs like Sideshow Bob, while many female orchestra members donned a mountain of blue hair just like Marge Simpson.

The show is premiering this month on September 28 on Fox for its 26th season with the episode titled, “Clown in the Dumps.”

Read the full story and review here: latimes.com

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Hollywood News Celebrity News

iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus break records



The new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus were unveiled last week during Apple’s Live Event. The iPhone 6 has a 4.7-inch screen and the iPhone 6 Plus has a 5.5-inch Retina HD display. Both phones are thinner than the previous versions of the iPhone.

Apple broke records after the new unveiling of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. They are the next best thing for Apple, who had a great amount of sales for their latest model of the phone. Over 4 million people ordered the newest iPhones in the first 24 hours, which was more than their inventory according to Apple.

The latest version of the iPhone went on sale at Apple.com and through carrier partners at 3 a.m. Eastern Friday. This was the best sale ever for Apple; their launch of the iPhone 5 drew in over 2 million orders for the phone, which the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus doubled.

The iPhone 6 features iOS 8, the latest device operating system with a string of enhancements. The smartphones also mark the debut of Apple Pay, a new mobile-payments system that supports credit and debit cards from American Express, MasterCard and Visa issued by major banks.

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Hollywood News Movies/Television HPC News

Cinespia: Summer Movie Screenings

Hollywood Production Center visited Cinespia for the 'Jaws' screening earlier this summer.
Hollywood Production Center visited Cinespia for the ‘Jaws’ screening earlier this summer.

Summer is coming to an end, so it’s time to go into speed-mode in checking off those things from your summer bucket list that you promised yourself you’d finish. One thing that should be on your bucket list is Cinespia. Ever wondered what it’s like to watch a movie in a cemetery? Well obviously Hollywood thought about it, and then there was Cinespia. Cinespia is a series of movie screenings that are held outdoors on Fairbanks Lawn, a grassy field inside Hollywood Forever Cemetery during the summer months. During these screenings, large crowds of people come out with their blankets and picnic baskets to enjoy a classic movie under the stars.

 

 

 

Are you sold? Check out the calendar for the remaining 2014 screenings:

Saturday, September 6
Purple Rain

Saturday, September 13
The Matrix

Saturday, September 20
Rosemary’s Baby

Find more information about tickets and movie times at cinespia.org.

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