Reuters, BERLIN: Liam Neeson and January Jones didn't make the European premiere of Jaume Collet-Serra's thriller "Unknown," leaving it to Diane Kruger and Sebastian Koch to provide the star power for the film's Out of Competition bow at the Berlin International Film Festival.
But the city of Berlin itself is the real star of "Unknown," as Neeson's character barrels through the German capital desperately trying to find out who he is and the nature of the deadly conspiracy against him in Collet-Serra's fast-paced actioner.
And the local audience lapped it up.
The amnesia/mistaken identity/spy tale was greeted by whoops and applause at its festival press screening, with Berlin locals howling with approval as the Spanish helmer demolished some of their city's cherished landmarks. Pokes at German history and current tensions between Germans and recent immigrants were taken in stride.
"Unknown" opens wide in the U.S. this weekend before speeding across the globe. Speaking off the cuff at the packed press conference following the screening, Collet-Serra left the door open for a possible sequel to the film. "That's up for the audience to decide. It's a possibility," he said.
The director also spoke of his decision to move the story of "Unknown" from Paris to Berlin because the German city "at least for an American audience, isn't as familiar as Paris and thus better suits the film's themes of amnesia and lost identity," he said.
Berlin local Sebastian Koch, best-known stateside for his role in Oscar-winner "The Lives of Others," said it was a relief to be a German actor in a Hollywood movie and not be playing "the Nazi or the bad guy. It's taken a while but roles and the image of Germans in Hollywood is starting to change and I'm very pleased to see that."
Andrew Rona, who co-produced "Unknown" with Joel Silver, noted that Berlin's attitude to Hollywood has also changed, citing the generous public subsidies and top-end facilities at Studio Babelsberg that enticed the production to shoot here.
Diane Kruger added that she'd shot films in Berlin for three years running: "Unknown," "Mr. Nobody" and "Inglourious Basterds."
"I've been working in Germany more than I have since I left here 17 years ago," she said.
But while Collet-Serra also heaped praise on the city of Berlin for its help during the shoot of "Unknown," he couldn't resist one small dig at his German hosts.
"We had a lot of Germans on the crew, most of the crew was German and were excellent," he said. "The caterers were German too. Next time they're going to be Spanish."
Iranian drama is film to beat at Berlin festival
Reuters, BERLIN: Iranian drama "Nader and Simin: A Separation" is the title to beat as this year's Berlin film festival heads toward the closing ceremony on Saturday where the coveted Golden Bear for best picture is handed out.
A subtle and gripping examination of Iran's social divide, religious traditions and justice system, Asghar Farhadi's portrayal of the break-up of a marriage has won almost universal praise from critics at the annual cinema showcase.
What critics say and judges decide often differ, however, making it an unpredictable event often full of surprises.
In Nader and Simin, one family is pitted against another in a gripping legal tussle which Farhadi said underscored the gap between middle class "intellectuals" and poorer, traditional Iranians whose religious beliefs tended to be more entrenched.
"One (undercurrent in Iranian society) is the struggle between the classes -- between the poor, who are more traditional and religious, and the other class which wants to live according to modern rules," he said in Berlin.
"It's a somewhat hidden struggle between the old and new in our society. It will cost our society dear."
While many of the 16 films in the main competition line-up were seen as forgettable, it only takes one or two strong contenders to light up a festival like Berlin, and Nader and Simin provided that spark.
It also fits in neatly with what some German media have dubbed an "Iranian Berlinale," after the festival opened with calls for Iran to allow director Jafar Panahi to travel to Berlin and accept his invitation to sit on the jury.
EMPTY CHAIR
Panahi was sentenced to six years in jail and banned from making movies or traveling abroad for 20 years after being accused of inciting opposition protests in 2009 and making a film without permission.
His absence was marked with an empty chair alongside jury head Isabella Rossellini at the opening press conference.
Potential Golden Bear rivals are "The Forgiveness of Blood," about Albania's ancient blood feuds, "If Not Us, Who" about the rise of violent German leftist groups in the 60s, and Hungarian director Bela Tarr's strange and stark "The Turin Horse."
His self-declared last picture is a black-and-white portrayal of the seemingly endless repetition of daily life for a poor farmer and his daughter -- drawing water from a well, eating potatoes, stoking the fire, dressing and sleeping.
British actor Ralph Fiennes's directorial debut "Coriolanus," a bloody adaptation of the Shakespeare tragedy set in modern times, won plenty of fans at the festival.
The Hollywood Reporter tipped Fiennes in the title role and Vanessa Redgrave as his mother Volumnia as possible best actor and actress winners respectively.
Acting honors could also go to Kevin Spacey as a banker facing a moral dilemma on the eve of the 2008 financial crash in "Margin Call," to the young cast of The Forgiveness of Blood or to the leads in If Not Us, Who, the trade newspaper added.
A subtle and gripping examination of Iran's social divide, religious traditions and justice system, Asghar Farhadi's portrayal of the break-up of a marriage has won almost universal praise from critics at the annual cinema showcase.
What critics say and judges decide often differ, however, making it an unpredictable event often full of surprises.
In Nader and Simin, one family is pitted against another in a gripping legal tussle which Farhadi said underscored the gap between middle class "intellectuals" and poorer, traditional Iranians whose religious beliefs tended to be more entrenched.
"One (undercurrent in Iranian society) is the struggle between the classes -- between the poor, who are more traditional and religious, and the other class which wants to live according to modern rules," he said in Berlin.
"It's a somewhat hidden struggle between the old and new in our society. It will cost our society dear."
While many of the 16 films in the main competition line-up were seen as forgettable, it only takes one or two strong contenders to light up a festival like Berlin, and Nader and Simin provided that spark.
It also fits in neatly with what some German media have dubbed an "Iranian Berlinale," after the festival opened with calls for Iran to allow director Jafar Panahi to travel to Berlin and accept his invitation to sit on the jury.
EMPTY CHAIR
Panahi was sentenced to six years in jail and banned from making movies or traveling abroad for 20 years after being accused of inciting opposition protests in 2009 and making a film without permission.
His absence was marked with an empty chair alongside jury head Isabella Rossellini at the opening press conference.
Potential Golden Bear rivals are "The Forgiveness of Blood," about Albania's ancient blood feuds, "If Not Us, Who" about the rise of violent German leftist groups in the 60s, and Hungarian director Bela Tarr's strange and stark "The Turin Horse."
His self-declared last picture is a black-and-white portrayal of the seemingly endless repetition of daily life for a poor farmer and his daughter -- drawing water from a well, eating potatoes, stoking the fire, dressing and sleeping.
British actor Ralph Fiennes's directorial debut "Coriolanus," a bloody adaptation of the Shakespeare tragedy set in modern times, won plenty of fans at the festival.
The Hollywood Reporter tipped Fiennes in the title role and Vanessa Redgrave as his mother Volumnia as possible best actor and actress winners respectively.
Acting honors could also go to Kevin Spacey as a banker facing a moral dilemma on the eve of the 2008 financial crash in "Margin Call," to the young cast of The Forgiveness of Blood or to the leads in If Not Us, Who, the trade newspaper added.
Holy smokes Batman! Oscar voters go mainstream
Reuters, LOS ANGELES: If any of the frontrunners for the best film Oscar win the world's top movie award in nine days, the idea that voters are out of touch with mainstream movie fans may be over after two years of trying.
For that, Oscar owes a big "thank you" to Batman and Clint Eastwood. Or, to director Christopher Nolan and his 2008 Batman movie "The Dark Knight," and Eastwood with his feature "Gran Torino," neither of which was even nominated for the best film of 2008 despite being popular hits.
In each of the movie years 2009 and 2010, when Academy Award organizers doubled the number of best film nominees to 10 from five, the combined box office for the nominees was bigger than the total of all 15 contenders in the three years before.
The 10 nominees of 2010 have accounted for nearly $1.3 billion in U.S. and Canadian ticket sales, and for 2009, it was $1.7 billion. In each of 2008, 2007 and 2006, it was $354 million, $357 million and $296 million, respectively.
"Popular movies and Academy voters have come together in this perfect storm of events, and it's nice to see that," said Paul Dergarabedian, head of box office tracker Hollywood.com.
In 2008, mainstream movie fans complained loudly that Oscar voters were out of touch. At that time, it seemed as if almost every nominee for best film came mostly from art houses or were specialty films, such as "The Reader" or "Milk."
That year, Nolan's "The Dark Knight" was a hit with critics and the No. 1 film at domestic box offices with $533 million. "Gran Torino" similarly was a 2008 smash hit. But neither was nominated for best movie, raising hackles from fans.
The best picture Oscar winner for 2008, "Slumdog Millionaire," took in $141 million. But of the other four nominees, only "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" could top $100 million.
PUMP UP THE VOLUME
The next year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences raised the number of nominees to broaden the pool of contenders, and five films topped the magic $100 million, led by smash hit "Avatar" with $761 million. The list included "Up" at $293 million and "The Blind Side" at $256 million.
For 2010, four films -- "Toy Story 3," Nolan's "Inception," "True Grit," and "Black Swan" -- have crossed $100 million and "The King's Speech" ($96 million) will likely do so.
"The Social Network" ($97 million) is close and a sixth, "The Fighter" at $86 million, will easily top $90 million.
Dergarabedian reckons two factors were at work. One is the widening of the best film category, and the second is that no one movie dominated box offices through Hollywood's award season which, generally speaking, begins in November.
"That left opportunity for these films to become mainstream hits," Dergarabedian said.
The Academy and TV network ABC couldn't be happier because more popular films, traditionally, mean more TV viewers for the Academy Awards ceremony.
Indeed, last year's TV audience of 41 million was the highest in five years. Ironically, the biggest box office hit of that group of films, "Avatar" lost best movie to one of the lowest performers, war film "The Hurt Locker" ($17 million).
But in this second year of change, the frontrunner for best film, "The King's Speech," is both a critical and popular hit, as are "Social Network", "Inception", "Toy Story 3", "True Grit", "The Fighter" and "Black Swan."
For that, Oscar owes a big "thank you" to Batman and Clint Eastwood. Or, to director Christopher Nolan and his 2008 Batman movie "The Dark Knight," and Eastwood with his feature "Gran Torino," neither of which was even nominated for the best film of 2008 despite being popular hits.
In each of the movie years 2009 and 2010, when Academy Award organizers doubled the number of best film nominees to 10 from five, the combined box office for the nominees was bigger than the total of all 15 contenders in the three years before.
The 10 nominees of 2010 have accounted for nearly $1.3 billion in U.S. and Canadian ticket sales, and for 2009, it was $1.7 billion. In each of 2008, 2007 and 2006, it was $354 million, $357 million and $296 million, respectively.
"Popular movies and Academy voters have come together in this perfect storm of events, and it's nice to see that," said Paul Dergarabedian, head of box office tracker Hollywood.com.
In 2008, mainstream movie fans complained loudly that Oscar voters were out of touch. At that time, it seemed as if almost every nominee for best film came mostly from art houses or were specialty films, such as "The Reader" or "Milk."
That year, Nolan's "The Dark Knight" was a hit with critics and the No. 1 film at domestic box offices with $533 million. "Gran Torino" similarly was a 2008 smash hit. But neither was nominated for best movie, raising hackles from fans.
The best picture Oscar winner for 2008, "Slumdog Millionaire," took in $141 million. But of the other four nominees, only "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" could top $100 million.
PUMP UP THE VOLUME
The next year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences raised the number of nominees to broaden the pool of contenders, and five films topped the magic $100 million, led by smash hit "Avatar" with $761 million. The list included "Up" at $293 million and "The Blind Side" at $256 million.
For 2010, four films -- "Toy Story 3," Nolan's "Inception," "True Grit," and "Black Swan" -- have crossed $100 million and "The King's Speech" ($96 million) will likely do so.
"The Social Network" ($97 million) is close and a sixth, "The Fighter" at $86 million, will easily top $90 million.
Dergarabedian reckons two factors were at work. One is the widening of the best film category, and the second is that no one movie dominated box offices through Hollywood's award season which, generally speaking, begins in November.
"That left opportunity for these films to become mainstream hits," Dergarabedian said.
The Academy and TV network ABC couldn't be happier because more popular films, traditionally, mean more TV viewers for the Academy Awards ceremony.
Indeed, last year's TV audience of 41 million was the highest in five years. Ironically, the biggest box office hit of that group of films, "Avatar" lost best movie to one of the lowest performers, war film "The Hurt Locker" ($17 million).
But in this second year of change, the frontrunner for best film, "The King's Speech," is both a critical and popular hit, as are "Social Network", "Inception", "Toy Story 3", "True Grit", "The Fighter" and "Black Swan."
TV reporter speaks about speech problem at Grammys
AP, LOS ANGELES: A TV reporter who lapsed into gibberish during a live shot outside the Grammys said she was terrified when it happened and knew something was wrong as soon as she opened her mouth.
KCBS-TV reporter Serene Branson's incoherence Sunday fueled Internet speculation that she suffered an on-air stroke. But doctors at the University of California, Los Angeles, where she went to get a brain scan and blood work done, ruled it out. Doctors said she suffered a type of migraine that can mimic symptoms of a stroke.
Branson told CBS' "The Early Show" in an interview Friday that she was terrified, scared and confused, and didn't know what was going on.
"I knew something wasn't right as soon as I opened my mouth," she said. "I hadn't been feeling well a little bit before the live shot. I had a headache, my vision was very blurry. I knew something wasn't right, but I just thought I was tired. So when I opened my mouth, I thought, 'This is more than just being tired. Something is terribly wrong.' I wanted to say, 'Lady Antebellum swept the Grammys.' And I could think of the words, but I could not get them coming out properly."
Branson, who was diagnosed with migraine aura, said watching herself in the clip is "troubling."
Kerry Maller, a KCBS producer, told "The Early Show," "You could see in the tape she's trying to talk."
Maller, who was on-location with the veteran reporter, said, "After the live shot, she dropped the microphone and got very wobbly."
The station quickly cut away and Branson was swarmed by photographers and her field producer. She was examined by paramedics and recovered at home.
Branson recalled, "They sat me down immediately. I dropped the microphone. Right after that, my cheek went numb, my hand went numb, my right hand went numb and I started to cry. I was scared. I didn't know what had gone on and I was embarrassed and fearful.
"I was scared, nervous, confused, exhausted, and in an evening dress in the back of an ambulance."
She returned to the KCBS-TV newsroom on Thursday.
Most people with migraines don't have any warning. But about 20 to 30 percent experience sensations before or during a migraine attack.
"A migraine is not just a headache. It's a complicated brain event," said UCLA neurologist Dr. Andrew Charles, who examined Branson.
The most common sensations include seeing flashes of light or zigzag patterns. In Branson's case, she felt numbness on the right side of her face that affected her speech, Charles said.
"She was actually having the headache while she was having these other symptoms," he said.
Branson told doctors she has had migraines since a child but never suffered an episode like this before, Charles said.
Branson, a Los Angeles native and two-time Emmy nominee, worked at the CBS affiliate in Sacramento before joining KCBS. Prior to that, she was a reporter and anchor at TV stations in Palm Springs and Santa Barbara.
A telephone message left with KCBS was not immediately returned Thursday.
KCBS-TV reporter Serene Branson's incoherence Sunday fueled Internet speculation that she suffered an on-air stroke. But doctors at the University of California, Los Angeles, where she went to get a brain scan and blood work done, ruled it out. Doctors said she suffered a type of migraine that can mimic symptoms of a stroke.
Branson told CBS' "The Early Show" in an interview Friday that she was terrified, scared and confused, and didn't know what was going on.
"I knew something wasn't right as soon as I opened my mouth," she said. "I hadn't been feeling well a little bit before the live shot. I had a headache, my vision was very blurry. I knew something wasn't right, but I just thought I was tired. So when I opened my mouth, I thought, 'This is more than just being tired. Something is terribly wrong.' I wanted to say, 'Lady Antebellum swept the Grammys.' And I could think of the words, but I could not get them coming out properly."
Branson, who was diagnosed with migraine aura, said watching herself in the clip is "troubling."
Kerry Maller, a KCBS producer, told "The Early Show," "You could see in the tape she's trying to talk."
Maller, who was on-location with the veteran reporter, said, "After the live shot, she dropped the microphone and got very wobbly."
The station quickly cut away and Branson was swarmed by photographers and her field producer. She was examined by paramedics and recovered at home.
Branson recalled, "They sat me down immediately. I dropped the microphone. Right after that, my cheek went numb, my hand went numb, my right hand went numb and I started to cry. I was scared. I didn't know what had gone on and I was embarrassed and fearful.
"I was scared, nervous, confused, exhausted, and in an evening dress in the back of an ambulance."
She returned to the KCBS-TV newsroom on Thursday.
Most people with migraines don't have any warning. But about 20 to 30 percent experience sensations before or during a migraine attack.
"A migraine is not just a headache. It's a complicated brain event," said UCLA neurologist Dr. Andrew Charles, who examined Branson.
The most common sensations include seeing flashes of light or zigzag patterns. In Branson's case, she felt numbness on the right side of her face that affected her speech, Charles said.
"She was actually having the headache while she was having these other symptoms," he said.
Branson told doctors she has had migraines since a child but never suffered an episode like this before, Charles said.
Branson, a Los Angeles native and two-time Emmy nominee, worked at the CBS affiliate in Sacramento before joining KCBS. Prior to that, she was a reporter and anchor at TV stations in Palm Springs and Santa Barbara.
A telephone message left with KCBS was not immediately returned Thursday.
CBS News veteran Friedman leaving
AP, NEW YORK: Veteran news executive Paul Friedman is leaving CBS News as part of the division's management shake-up.
The 66-year-old Friedman is the division's executive vice president and was the top deputy to CBS News President Sean McManus. CBS announced earlier this month that McManus, who also served as CBS Sports president, was going back to sports full time as the division's chairman.
Jeff Fager, who is "60 Minutes" executive producer, was named CBS News chairman and hired David Rhodes from Bloomberg as his new right-hand man. Fager announced management changes in an internal memo to staff on Friday.
Fager also said that Barbara Fedida, the news division's top talent recruiter, would also be leaving.
The 66-year-old Friedman is the division's executive vice president and was the top deputy to CBS News President Sean McManus. CBS announced earlier this month that McManus, who also served as CBS Sports president, was going back to sports full time as the division's chairman.
Jeff Fager, who is "60 Minutes" executive producer, was named CBS News chairman and hired David Rhodes from Bloomberg as his new right-hand man. Fager announced management changes in an internal memo to staff on Friday.
Fager also said that Barbara Fedida, the news division's top talent recruiter, would also be leaving.
Guest lineups for the Sunday news shows
AP, WASHINGTON: Guest lineup for the Sunday TV news shows:
___
ABC's "This Week" — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.
___
NBC's "Meet the Press" — Susan Rice, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations; Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.
___
CBS' "Face the Nation" — Reps. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.
___
CNN's "State of the Union" — Former Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld; Sens. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and Richard Lugar, R-Ind.
___
"Fox News Sunday" — Gov. Scott Walker, R-Wis.; Sens. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., and Claire McCaskill, D-Mo.
___
ABC's "This Week" — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.
___
NBC's "Meet the Press" — Susan Rice, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations; Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.
___
CBS' "Face the Nation" — Reps. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.
___
CNN's "State of the Union" — Former Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld; Sens. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and Richard Lugar, R-Ind.
___
"Fox News Sunday" — Gov. Scott Walker, R-Wis.; Sens. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., and Claire McCaskill, D-Mo.
Cable networks plan flood of royal wedding shows
AP, NEW YORK: Television viewers will be able to see hours on hours of programming tied to this spring's royal wedding before Prince William and Kate Middleton even approach Westminster Abbey for their big day.
A Lifetime movie, a show that brings wedding fanatics from the U.S. over to London and a TLC special on hoarders of royal memorabilia are all in the works. These run-up shows are in addition to the anticipated exhaustive coverage of the April 29 wedding itself by news programs.
"It's wedding fever here," said Perry Simon, general manager of BBC Worldwide Americas. "All wedding, all the time."
There's no surprise that the American offshoot of the British Broadcasting Corp. would try to own the story in the weeks leading up to the nuptials. BBC America has already aired two specials, "William & Kate: Modern Monarchy" and "Modern Monarchy: Here and There," and will air them again.
The network is also working to acquire up to a half dozen other specials, including ones on Princess Diana, another on her two sons and one on royal lineage.
BBC America's biggest push will be for "Royally Mad," a two-part series led by "So You Think You Can Dance" host Cat Deeley, which premieres April 12. The show finds four royal wedding fanatics who have never been out of the U.S. and takes them to London to visit people and places that play a part in the wedding story.
"We wanted to do a combination of programming that took an affectionate look at the wedding but could also have a sense of humor," Simon said. He wants to examine what the event means from both the American and British perspectives.
Simon was working in NBC's entertainment department when William's father, Prince Charles, married Diana in 1981 and remembered the attention paid to the event.
"It took us all by surprise," he said. "We thought there would be some interest, but we had no idea how much interest there would be. These kinds of events are once-in-a-generation. The royal family is unique."
In the week leading up to the wedding, the TLC network will air a series of programs. One special will tell the story of India Hicks, who was one of Princess Diana's bridesmaids. She tells stories about what that day was like.
The special on extreme collecting of royal memorabilia is another highlight of TLC's programming plans. Archived footage and interviews with the royal family will be rolled out in separate shows.
Lifetime, known for its signature romantic movies, has commissioned "William & Kate." The movie chronicles their courtship, from the moment they met and when a friendship turned into romance, with the unique difficulties that go into dating a member of the royal family. Nico Evers-Swindell and Camilla Luddington portray the couple in the movie, which doesn't have an air date yet but will be seen in April.
The tiny Wedding Central network, an offshoot of WE that is seen in only 3.5 million homes, has ordered a documentary it boldly calls "William & Kate: The Wedding of the Century." The special, the first piece of original programming the network has made, will talk to designers, cake makers, wedding planners and experts to hear their vision of the day.
A Lifetime movie, a show that brings wedding fanatics from the U.S. over to London and a TLC special on hoarders of royal memorabilia are all in the works. These run-up shows are in addition to the anticipated exhaustive coverage of the April 29 wedding itself by news programs.
"It's wedding fever here," said Perry Simon, general manager of BBC Worldwide Americas. "All wedding, all the time."
There's no surprise that the American offshoot of the British Broadcasting Corp. would try to own the story in the weeks leading up to the nuptials. BBC America has already aired two specials, "William & Kate: Modern Monarchy" and "Modern Monarchy: Here and There," and will air them again.
The network is also working to acquire up to a half dozen other specials, including ones on Princess Diana, another on her two sons and one on royal lineage.
BBC America's biggest push will be for "Royally Mad," a two-part series led by "So You Think You Can Dance" host Cat Deeley, which premieres April 12. The show finds four royal wedding fanatics who have never been out of the U.S. and takes them to London to visit people and places that play a part in the wedding story.
"We wanted to do a combination of programming that took an affectionate look at the wedding but could also have a sense of humor," Simon said. He wants to examine what the event means from both the American and British perspectives.
Simon was working in NBC's entertainment department when William's father, Prince Charles, married Diana in 1981 and remembered the attention paid to the event.
"It took us all by surprise," he said. "We thought there would be some interest, but we had no idea how much interest there would be. These kinds of events are once-in-a-generation. The royal family is unique."
In the week leading up to the wedding, the TLC network will air a series of programs. One special will tell the story of India Hicks, who was one of Princess Diana's bridesmaids. She tells stories about what that day was like.
The special on extreme collecting of royal memorabilia is another highlight of TLC's programming plans. Archived footage and interviews with the royal family will be rolled out in separate shows.
Lifetime, known for its signature romantic movies, has commissioned "William & Kate." The movie chronicles their courtship, from the moment they met and when a friendship turned into romance, with the unique difficulties that go into dating a member of the royal family. Nico Evers-Swindell and Camilla Luddington portray the couple in the movie, which doesn't have an air date yet but will be seen in April.
The tiny Wedding Central network, an offshoot of WE that is seen in only 3.5 million homes, has ordered a documentary it boldly calls "William & Kate: The Wedding of the Century." The special, the first piece of original programming the network has made, will talk to designers, cake makers, wedding planners and experts to hear their vision of the day.
Details of dramatic changes for Oscars telecast
Reuters, LOS ANGELES: The Oscars are entering the world of virtual reality.
This year's Academy Awards telecast is taking a radical departure from past years. Producers of the February 27 show are abandoning the concept of a traditional set. Instead, they will rely on a series of "projections" to give the show a constantly changing look.
"Our design this year is actually going to reflect more content than you would usually expect of an awards show of this type," producer Don Mischer told The Hollywood Reporter in an interview with fellow producer Bruce Cohen in the Kodak Theater. "We're using our environment to take us to different places, different times, and it will change dramatically. The look will change from act to act."
Producers plan to take viewers on a trip through Hollywood history.
"We're doing six or seven scenic transitions during the show, but they are each sort of a different concept," Cohen explained. "In other words, one might be a scene from a film, one might be a more specific time in history, one might be a specific event, one might be a specific genre. The hope is that we briefly leave the Kodak in 2011 -- not literally, but metaphorically -- and take the audience, both in the room and on television, to a specific time and place."
Pressed for more detail, Cohen added, "This is the tenth anniversary of the best animated feature Oscar, so we go to an animated environment to present that Oscar -- actually two, animated feature and animated short -- but the reason we are there is to celebrate that this is the tenth anniversary of the best animated feature Oscar."
The transitions, Mischer explained, will not be long segments, but 30-45 second set-ups. "We are not going back to teach history, but to put the awards in context."
The design scheme grew out of the theme that the two producers devised once they began working on the show back in June. In an extensive review of past broadcasts, they were struck by the two-fold nature of the assignment. On the one hand, they have to come up with something new and different. On the other, they wanted to recognize the previous 82 years of Oscar history.
"Is there any way to approach the show where those two ideas are working together and not fighting each other with every single decision?" they asked themselves. The solution, they decided, was somehow to combine the old and the new.
To that end, they cast Anne Hathaway and James Franco -- two of the youngest hosts to ever front the Oscars -- as audience surrogates for the journey.
"Yes, they are famous, but they are on their way up," Cohen said of the two stars. "They are not untouchable, they are not unreachable. We hope they will offer a way in. So everyone come along, and we'll see through the eyes of these two up-and-coming stars."
The hosts' job, he said, will be "to take the audience on this journey of a show that will hopefully start in one place, and if it all goes according to plan, it will take you back to where we started at the end."
To realize that on stage visually, the producers have been working with production designer Steve Bass, who's previously worked with Mischer on such shows as the "62nd Primetime Emmy Awards" and "We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial."
While the production has moved into the Kodak to set up the show, it's been using the daytime hours to hang the physical scenery on which the projections will be displayed, and then during the night another team has been programing the projections. Working throughout this weekend, the goal is to have the whole system up-and-running by Monday.
This year's Academy Awards telecast is taking a radical departure from past years. Producers of the February 27 show are abandoning the concept of a traditional set. Instead, they will rely on a series of "projections" to give the show a constantly changing look.
"Our design this year is actually going to reflect more content than you would usually expect of an awards show of this type," producer Don Mischer told The Hollywood Reporter in an interview with fellow producer Bruce Cohen in the Kodak Theater. "We're using our environment to take us to different places, different times, and it will change dramatically. The look will change from act to act."
Producers plan to take viewers on a trip through Hollywood history.
"We're doing six or seven scenic transitions during the show, but they are each sort of a different concept," Cohen explained. "In other words, one might be a scene from a film, one might be a more specific time in history, one might be a specific event, one might be a specific genre. The hope is that we briefly leave the Kodak in 2011 -- not literally, but metaphorically -- and take the audience, both in the room and on television, to a specific time and place."
Pressed for more detail, Cohen added, "This is the tenth anniversary of the best animated feature Oscar, so we go to an animated environment to present that Oscar -- actually two, animated feature and animated short -- but the reason we are there is to celebrate that this is the tenth anniversary of the best animated feature Oscar."
The transitions, Mischer explained, will not be long segments, but 30-45 second set-ups. "We are not going back to teach history, but to put the awards in context."
The design scheme grew out of the theme that the two producers devised once they began working on the show back in June. In an extensive review of past broadcasts, they were struck by the two-fold nature of the assignment. On the one hand, they have to come up with something new and different. On the other, they wanted to recognize the previous 82 years of Oscar history.
"Is there any way to approach the show where those two ideas are working together and not fighting each other with every single decision?" they asked themselves. The solution, they decided, was somehow to combine the old and the new.
To that end, they cast Anne Hathaway and James Franco -- two of the youngest hosts to ever front the Oscars -- as audience surrogates for the journey.
"Yes, they are famous, but they are on their way up," Cohen said of the two stars. "They are not untouchable, they are not unreachable. We hope they will offer a way in. So everyone come along, and we'll see through the eyes of these two up-and-coming stars."
The hosts' job, he said, will be "to take the audience on this journey of a show that will hopefully start in one place, and if it all goes according to plan, it will take you back to where we started at the end."
To realize that on stage visually, the producers have been working with production designer Steve Bass, who's previously worked with Mischer on such shows as the "62nd Primetime Emmy Awards" and "We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial."
While the production has moved into the Kodak to set up the show, it's been using the daytime hours to hang the physical scenery on which the projections will be displayed, and then during the night another team has been programing the projections. Working throughout this weekend, the goal is to have the whole system up-and-running by Monday.
Julie Andrews, Ramones receive lifetime Grammys
Reuters, LOS ANGELES: Punk pioneers the Ramones, British actress and singer Julie Andrews and jazz drummer Roy Haynes were among the diverse musical stars who received Grammy Awards for lifetime achievement on Saturday.
They were honored at a ceremony alongside country music's Dolly Parton, the Juilliard String Quartet, folk revivalists the Kingston Trio, and gospel legend George Beverly Shea, whose rich baritone is still intact at age 102.
The event took place a day before the 53rd annual Grammy Awards are handed out, and the honorees will be acknowledged during the telecast. But that was not enough for the brother of late Ramones singer Joey Ramone.
"This should be televised tomorrow night, and you should bump Justin Bieber," joked Mickey Leigh.
It was a bittersweet moment for the Ramones, a group whose stripped-down, fast-paced songs such as "Blitzkrieg Bop" and "Sheena Is a Punk Rocker" paved the way for bands like the Sex Pistol and Green Day.
But they never achieved commercial success, and three of the founding members died in the past decade: bassist Dee Dee Ramone and guitarist Johnny Ramone, as well as Joey Ramone. The members were not related, and took fraternal stage names.
Still recording and touring is Haynes, a seminal figure in the postwar jazz scene who played with Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane.
"Now that the days are short, we're in the winter of the year, and I think of my life as vintage wine in fine old kegs," he said, waxing poetic. "I ride in limousines, the chauffeurs they drive, now that I'm 85."
He was a rookie compared with Shea, who is confined to a wheelchair but full of one-liners. The Canadian native, who composed the popular hymn "The Wonder Of It All" and joined the Billy Graham Crusade in 1940, surveyed his fellow honorees and said he was reminded of the farmer who wanted to race a mule in the Kentucky Derby.
When asked why, the farmer replied, "Look at the company he's keeping."
Andrews, 75, used the occasion to draw attention to budget cuts affecting school music programs. She became one of Hollywood's biggest stars by playing prim and cheery nannies in the 1960s hit movie musicals "Mary Poppins" and "The Sound of Music."
Parton, 65, was unable to attend because of a family commitment, she said in a recorded video message. Noting she had already won seven Grammys, she said she was working on new music and expected to double her collection.
The Kingston Trio, best known for "Tom Dooley," helped lay the groundwork for the folk revival of the 1960s. Sole surviving founding member Bob Shane said an authorized group was carrying on the legacy and that would-be folkies could even attend a Kingston Trio fantasy camp.
"I'm not sure what the fantasy is," he added.
The Juilliard String Quartet has also gone through many lineup changes since it was founded in 1946. Among the recipients was Robert Mann, who was first violinist for its first 51 years.
(Reporting by Dean Goodman; Editing by Peter Cooney)
They were honored at a ceremony alongside country music's Dolly Parton, the Juilliard String Quartet, folk revivalists the Kingston Trio, and gospel legend George Beverly Shea, whose rich baritone is still intact at age 102.
The event took place a day before the 53rd annual Grammy Awards are handed out, and the honorees will be acknowledged during the telecast. But that was not enough for the brother of late Ramones singer Joey Ramone.
"This should be televised tomorrow night, and you should bump Justin Bieber," joked Mickey Leigh.
It was a bittersweet moment for the Ramones, a group whose stripped-down, fast-paced songs such as "Blitzkrieg Bop" and "Sheena Is a Punk Rocker" paved the way for bands like the Sex Pistol and Green Day.
But they never achieved commercial success, and three of the founding members died in the past decade: bassist Dee Dee Ramone and guitarist Johnny Ramone, as well as Joey Ramone. The members were not related, and took fraternal stage names.
Still recording and touring is Haynes, a seminal figure in the postwar jazz scene who played with Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane.
"Now that the days are short, we're in the winter of the year, and I think of my life as vintage wine in fine old kegs," he said, waxing poetic. "I ride in limousines, the chauffeurs they drive, now that I'm 85."
He was a rookie compared with Shea, who is confined to a wheelchair but full of one-liners. The Canadian native, who composed the popular hymn "The Wonder Of It All" and joined the Billy Graham Crusade in 1940, surveyed his fellow honorees and said he was reminded of the farmer who wanted to race a mule in the Kentucky Derby.
When asked why, the farmer replied, "Look at the company he's keeping."
Andrews, 75, used the occasion to draw attention to budget cuts affecting school music programs. She became one of Hollywood's biggest stars by playing prim and cheery nannies in the 1960s hit movie musicals "Mary Poppins" and "The Sound of Music."
Parton, 65, was unable to attend because of a family commitment, she said in a recorded video message. Noting she had already won seven Grammys, she said she was working on new music and expected to double her collection.
The Kingston Trio, best known for "Tom Dooley," helped lay the groundwork for the folk revival of the 1960s. Sole surviving founding member Bob Shane said an authorized group was carrying on the legacy and that would-be folkies could even attend a Kingston Trio fantasy camp.
"I'm not sure what the fantasy is," he added.
The Juilliard String Quartet has also gone through many lineup changes since it was founded in 1946. Among the recipients was Robert Mann, who was first violinist for its first 51 years.
(Reporting by Dean Goodman; Editing by Peter Cooney)
Neil Young wins first Grammy for music
Reuters, LOS ANGELES: A year after he won the first Grammy of his career, eclectic rocker Neil Young doubled his tally on Sunday.
The win marked the first recognition for his musical abilities, since last year's honor was for his work as an art director on the packaging of a boxed set.
This time he won a statuette in the best rock song category for "Angry World," a tune from his album "Le Noise."
"This is my first Grammy for music, and it's appreciated greatly," Young said.
He lost another race to Paul McCartney, and remains in contention for best rock album.
Young, now 65, is frequently nominated -- 11 times since 2006 alone -- but his musicianship evidently was not compelling enough for Grammy voters, who now number about 12,000 music industry professionals.
Young, in turn, has made no secret of his disdain for the Grammys, declaring that he was "not Grammy material" in a 1987 interview recounted in the authorized biography "Shakey." But his appearance at both this year's and last year's events appears to indicate a softening of his attitude.
The Canadian singer-songwriter has confounded fans over the past 40 years with an idiosyncratic output spanning folk, rock, grunge, soul and country. "Le Noise," his 31st studio release since 1969, debuted at No. 2 on the Canadian albums chart and at No. 14 in the United States.
(Editing by Jill Serjeant)
The win marked the first recognition for his musical abilities, since last year's honor was for his work as an art director on the packaging of a boxed set.
This time he won a statuette in the best rock song category for "Angry World," a tune from his album "Le Noise."
"This is my first Grammy for music, and it's appreciated greatly," Young said.
He lost another race to Paul McCartney, and remains in contention for best rock album.
Young, now 65, is frequently nominated -- 11 times since 2006 alone -- but his musicianship evidently was not compelling enough for Grammy voters, who now number about 12,000 music industry professionals.
Young, in turn, has made no secret of his disdain for the Grammys, declaring that he was "not Grammy material" in a 1987 interview recounted in the authorized biography "Shakey." But his appearance at both this year's and last year's events appears to indicate a softening of his attitude.
The Canadian singer-songwriter has confounded fans over the past 40 years with an idiosyncratic output spanning folk, rock, grunge, soul and country. "Le Noise," his 31st studio release since 1969, debuted at No. 2 on the Canadian albums chart and at No. 14 in the United States.
(Editing by Jill Serjeant)
Paul McCartney wins Grammy for "Helter Skelter"
Reuters, LOS ANGELES: Former Beatle Paul McCartney won his first solo Grammy in 39 years on Sunday for a live recording of "Helter Skelter."
McCartney took home the solo rock vocal performance statuette for the 42-year-old Beatles tune, which he dusted off for his 2009 live album "Good Evening New York City."
It marked his 14th Grammy, of which 10 were Beatle-related, spanning 1965 to a reissue project in 1997.
As a solo artist, he last won a Grammy in 1972 for his arrangement of "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey." He followed that with a pair for Wings, his post-Beatles vehicle, in 1975 and 1980.
McCartney, 68, frequently lands Grammy nominations -- 11 since 2005 alone -- but has been bested by the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Amy Winehouse and Justin Timberlake.
The 53rd annual Grammy Awards were handed out at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
(Reporting by Dean Goodman; Editing by Jill Serjeant)
McCartney took home the solo rock vocal performance statuette for the 42-year-old Beatles tune, which he dusted off for his 2009 live album "Good Evening New York City."
It marked his 14th Grammy, of which 10 were Beatle-related, spanning 1965 to a reissue project in 1997.
As a solo artist, he last won a Grammy in 1972 for his arrangement of "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey." He followed that with a pair for Wings, his post-Beatles vehicle, in 1975 and 1980.
McCartney, 68, frequently lands Grammy nominations -- 11 since 2005 alone -- but has been bested by the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Amy Winehouse and Justin Timberlake.
The 53rd annual Grammy Awards were handed out at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
(Reporting by Dean Goodman; Editing by Jill Serjeant)
Sandler edges Bieber at box office
AFP, LOS ANGELES: Adam Sandler's "Just Go With It" cured Bieber fever as the funnyman's latest farce edged the teen heartthrob's concert documentary to top the North American box office, industry data showed Sunday.
Sandler's romantic comedy co-starring Jennifer Aniston opened with $31 million, barely holding off Bieber's "Never Say Never," which debuted at $30.3 million, although it played in 443 fewer theaters, according to industry tracker Exhibitor Relations.
Sandler, the frat-house humor specialist, plays a plastic surgeon who pretends to be divorcing Aniston's character in order to bed a young teacher played by swimsuit model Brooklyn Decker. Critics said it was too predictable.
Meanwhile, Bieber's film was praised by critics, and naturally by his legions of young fans, mostly female. It tells the story of the boy's rise from a small town in Canada to superstardom -- and he doesn't turn 17 until next month.
The animated "Gnomeo and Juliet" debuted strongly in third place, with $25.5 million. The family-friendly Shakespeare retelling features the voices of James McAvoy and Emily Blunt, as well as the music of Elton John.
Gladiator pic "The Eagle," starring Channing Tatum, debuted fourth with $8.6 million, which was enough to push "The Roommate" to the fifth spot, down from number one last week. The widely panned horror flick earned $8.4 million in its second week in theaters.
Critically acclaimed "The King's Speech" took $7.4 million in the sixth spot, bringing its 12-week total to $94 million. The British historical drama has been nominated for 12 Oscars.
Dropping into seventh was "No Strings Attached," a romantic romp starring Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher. The Ivan Reitman film about casual sex between friends took in $5.6 million.
"Sanctum" fell to eighth. The 3-D underwater cave adventure produced by James Cameron of "Avatar" fame secured $5.1 million in ticket receipts.
Just under the $4 million mark were "True Grit" in the ninth spot, followed by action flick "The Green Hornet."
Sandler's romantic comedy co-starring Jennifer Aniston opened with $31 million, barely holding off Bieber's "Never Say Never," which debuted at $30.3 million, although it played in 443 fewer theaters, according to industry tracker Exhibitor Relations.
Sandler, the frat-house humor specialist, plays a plastic surgeon who pretends to be divorcing Aniston's character in order to bed a young teacher played by swimsuit model Brooklyn Decker. Critics said it was too predictable.
Meanwhile, Bieber's film was praised by critics, and naturally by his legions of young fans, mostly female. It tells the story of the boy's rise from a small town in Canada to superstardom -- and he doesn't turn 17 until next month.
The animated "Gnomeo and Juliet" debuted strongly in third place, with $25.5 million. The family-friendly Shakespeare retelling features the voices of James McAvoy and Emily Blunt, as well as the music of Elton John.
Gladiator pic "The Eagle," starring Channing Tatum, debuted fourth with $8.6 million, which was enough to push "The Roommate" to the fifth spot, down from number one last week. The widely panned horror flick earned $8.4 million in its second week in theaters.
Critically acclaimed "The King's Speech" took $7.4 million in the sixth spot, bringing its 12-week total to $94 million. The British historical drama has been nominated for 12 Oscars.
Dropping into seventh was "No Strings Attached," a romantic romp starring Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher. The Ivan Reitman film about casual sex between friends took in $5.6 million.
"Sanctum" fell to eighth. The 3-D underwater cave adventure produced by James Cameron of "Avatar" fame secured $5.1 million in ticket receipts.
Just under the $4 million mark were "True Grit" in the ninth spot, followed by action flick "The Green Hornet."
Former NCAA player's suit threatens Hollywood
AP, SAN FRANCISCO: There was a time when Sam Keller and his teammates couldn't wait to get their hands on Electronic Arts Inc.'s latest edition of NCAA Football, which included their team and images down to Keller's distinctive visor he wore while playing quarterback for the University of Nebraska in 2007.
EA shares undisclosed royalties with the NCAA for use of college stadiums, team names and uniforms and the players' images in a game that racks up hundreds of millions of dollars in annual sales. Because they are amateur athletes, the players don't receive any direct benefit from the appearances of their nameless images in the game.
But Keller and an increasing number of players, such as former UCLA basketball star Ed O'Bannon, think they should and have filed at least nine federal lawsuits against the NCAA and EA over the last two years.
On Tuesday, Keller will be in Pasadena to watch his team of lawyers urge the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold a trial judge's decision that EA and the NCAA appear to owe the former Cornhusker and — by the extension — thousands of other former players millions of dollars for using their images in the video game.
"When you are playing, you are kind of naïve to the idea that you are being taken advantage of because you are so caught up in playing college football," said Keller of his decision to sue long after his college career ended and he failed to make the Oakland Raiders 2008 regular season roster. "They are making billions off of our images."
A Keller victory could dramatically reshape the commercial relationship between the NCAA and its athletes, which are prohibited from receiving compensation tied to their performances. Keller's attorney and his supporters are floating the idea of setting up a trust fund of sorts with any proceeds from the lawsuits to benefit the athletes. They envision the NCAA continuing to fund the trust fund with the billions in dollars it receives from television networks, apparel sales and other sources.
Keller was a highly sought recruit when he graduated from the Bay Area's San Ramon Valley High School in 2003. He played for three years at Arizona St., garnering MVP honors for his performance as a sophomore in the Sun Bowl. After losing the starting job, he transferred to Nebraska in 2006 and sat out that season because of NCAA transfer rules. Keller started for the Cornhuskers in 2007 as a red-shirt senior before breaking his collar bone against Texas in the ninth game of the season.
Keller's lawsuit has also unexpectedly ballooned into a major First Amendment challenge, prompting Hollywood's largest movie studios and dozens of other interests — from the estates of reggae legend Bob Marley and Nobel laureate John Steinbeck to ESPN and the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund — to weigh in on the case.
The hearing Tuesday in the historic Spanish Colonial Revival courthouse in Pasadena will focus on a February 2010 ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Claudia Wilken refusing to grant EA free speech protection and dismiss the lawsuit. EA argues that it uses the players' images to create works of art much in the same way authors, filmmakers and songwriters insert real people in novels, movies and songs.
Wilken ruled against EA, saying the company didn't sufficiently "transform" the players' images to qualify for First Amendment protection. She said EA's argument that it removed the names of the players from the game wasn't enough because it was obvious who the nameless images represented real people.
For example, the virtual player wears the same jersey number, is the same height and weight and hails from the same state, Wilken said.
EA and the NCAA appealed and are joined by the Hollywood studios, media companies and other organizations such as the Comic Book Defense Fund who fear that Wilken's ruling, if allowed to stand, will severely stifle artistic expression.
EA's lawyers, for instance, predict the demise of movies such as "Forest Gump" that rely heavily on the free use of celebrity images to further a narrative.
"Documentarians, biographers, filmmakers, novelists, photographers, songwriters, and many others do exactly what the district court said is not protected: they create expressive works that realistically depict individuals and/or refer to them by their actual names," EA's lawyers wrote in their appeal.
Allowing the players' lawsuit to go forward will threaten future movie productions, Motion Picture Association of America wrote in support of EA.
"For example, an unauthorized biography of Keller, which included photographs of him wearing his college football uniform or playing college football, would be strictly prohibited," the MPAA's attorneys wrote the appeals court. "So too would a motion picture about a fictional college football player that incorporated historical footage of actual college football games and named actual college football players."
Keller's attorney dismisses the threats of an artistic Armegeddon if EA ends up owing the players for using their images.
"There is a big difference between those examples and a video game based in realism," said Steve Berman, one of Keller's attorneys. "They're whole game is realism. Realism is the opposite of creative expression."
Keller has his share of supporters, too. Players unions of all major professional sports leagues in the United States back Keller as do the estates of Marley and Steinbeck
"EA's infringing use of the athletes' personas is tantamount to stealing, and opens the door for others to freely circumvent the statutory and common law right of publicity of any individual in the future," wrote lawyers for the Steinbeck estate, the Screen Actors Guild and several other organizations representing authors and actors. "The result can be ruinous to a performers' career and financial interests, as well as to their families'."
If Keller prevails, many of the myriad lawyers involved in the case and legal scholars following it closely say the case could end up before the U.S. Supreme Court. Keller said in an interview Thursday from Scottsdale, Ariz. where he lives and manages a hotel bar that he never envisioned his complaint becoming so far reaching.
"The goal wasn't for it to get so big," Keller said. "The goal was to change what's going on in college sports, to change the behavior of the NCAA."
EA shares undisclosed royalties with the NCAA for use of college stadiums, team names and uniforms and the players' images in a game that racks up hundreds of millions of dollars in annual sales. Because they are amateur athletes, the players don't receive any direct benefit from the appearances of their nameless images in the game.
But Keller and an increasing number of players, such as former UCLA basketball star Ed O'Bannon, think they should and have filed at least nine federal lawsuits against the NCAA and EA over the last two years.
On Tuesday, Keller will be in Pasadena to watch his team of lawyers urge the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold a trial judge's decision that EA and the NCAA appear to owe the former Cornhusker and — by the extension — thousands of other former players millions of dollars for using their images in the video game.
"When you are playing, you are kind of naïve to the idea that you are being taken advantage of because you are so caught up in playing college football," said Keller of his decision to sue long after his college career ended and he failed to make the Oakland Raiders 2008 regular season roster. "They are making billions off of our images."
A Keller victory could dramatically reshape the commercial relationship between the NCAA and its athletes, which are prohibited from receiving compensation tied to their performances. Keller's attorney and his supporters are floating the idea of setting up a trust fund of sorts with any proceeds from the lawsuits to benefit the athletes. They envision the NCAA continuing to fund the trust fund with the billions in dollars it receives from television networks, apparel sales and other sources.
Keller was a highly sought recruit when he graduated from the Bay Area's San Ramon Valley High School in 2003. He played for three years at Arizona St., garnering MVP honors for his performance as a sophomore in the Sun Bowl. After losing the starting job, he transferred to Nebraska in 2006 and sat out that season because of NCAA transfer rules. Keller started for the Cornhuskers in 2007 as a red-shirt senior before breaking his collar bone against Texas in the ninth game of the season.
Keller's lawsuit has also unexpectedly ballooned into a major First Amendment challenge, prompting Hollywood's largest movie studios and dozens of other interests — from the estates of reggae legend Bob Marley and Nobel laureate John Steinbeck to ESPN and the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund — to weigh in on the case.
The hearing Tuesday in the historic Spanish Colonial Revival courthouse in Pasadena will focus on a February 2010 ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Claudia Wilken refusing to grant EA free speech protection and dismiss the lawsuit. EA argues that it uses the players' images to create works of art much in the same way authors, filmmakers and songwriters insert real people in novels, movies and songs.
Wilken ruled against EA, saying the company didn't sufficiently "transform" the players' images to qualify for First Amendment protection. She said EA's argument that it removed the names of the players from the game wasn't enough because it was obvious who the nameless images represented real people.
For example, the virtual player wears the same jersey number, is the same height and weight and hails from the same state, Wilken said.
EA and the NCAA appealed and are joined by the Hollywood studios, media companies and other organizations such as the Comic Book Defense Fund who fear that Wilken's ruling, if allowed to stand, will severely stifle artistic expression.
EA's lawyers, for instance, predict the demise of movies such as "Forest Gump" that rely heavily on the free use of celebrity images to further a narrative.
"Documentarians, biographers, filmmakers, novelists, photographers, songwriters, and many others do exactly what the district court said is not protected: they create expressive works that realistically depict individuals and/or refer to them by their actual names," EA's lawyers wrote in their appeal.
Allowing the players' lawsuit to go forward will threaten future movie productions, Motion Picture Association of America wrote in support of EA.
"For example, an unauthorized biography of Keller, which included photographs of him wearing his college football uniform or playing college football, would be strictly prohibited," the MPAA's attorneys wrote the appeals court. "So too would a motion picture about a fictional college football player that incorporated historical footage of actual college football games and named actual college football players."
Keller's attorney dismisses the threats of an artistic Armegeddon if EA ends up owing the players for using their images.
"There is a big difference between those examples and a video game based in realism," said Steve Berman, one of Keller's attorneys. "They're whole game is realism. Realism is the opposite of creative expression."
Keller has his share of supporters, too. Players unions of all major professional sports leagues in the United States back Keller as do the estates of Marley and Steinbeck
"EA's infringing use of the athletes' personas is tantamount to stealing, and opens the door for others to freely circumvent the statutory and common law right of publicity of any individual in the future," wrote lawyers for the Steinbeck estate, the Screen Actors Guild and several other organizations representing authors and actors. "The result can be ruinous to a performers' career and financial interests, as well as to their families'."
If Keller prevails, many of the myriad lawyers involved in the case and legal scholars following it closely say the case could end up before the U.S. Supreme Court. Keller said in an interview Thursday from Scottsdale, Ariz. where he lives and manages a hotel bar that he never envisioned his complaint becoming so far reaching.
"The goal wasn't for it to get so big," Keller said. "The goal was to change what's going on in college sports, to change the behavior of the NCAA."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)