Global Screen Production Bodies Unite To Demand Action On Streaming Regulation

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Margot Robbie, lead actor and producer of “Barbie,” is to be awarded the AACTA Trailblazer Award next month by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts. Hailing originally from Queensland, the presentation will be a homecoming of sort for Robbie. The award will be presented to her at the 2024 AACTA Awards Ceremony on Feb.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief “Concrete Utopia,” the highly regarded drama-thriller that was South Korea’s Oscars contender and one of the biggest box office hits of 2023, has scored a streaming release in North America. Rakuten Viki, which specializes in Asian content, has licensed exclusive rights to the film in the U.S. and Canada and will begin streaming it to North American audiences from Friday.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor The CEO of Paramount Global urged staffers at the entertainment conglomerate to focus on their 2024 business goals, even as a handful of industry heavy hitters and investment firms explore a potential acquisition of the company and speculation about looming layoffs intensifies. In a memo issued to employees Thursday and reviewed by Variety, Bob Bakish acknowledged that Paramount’s future “remains a topic of speculation,” a nod to the fact that a group of investors led by Skydance founder David Ellison have engaged in talks with Paramount’s controlling shareholder, Shari Redstone.

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Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer The union representing Hollywood musicians begins bargaining on Monday with demands for streaming residuals and protections from artificial intelligence. The American Federation of Musicians kicked off the talks with a rain-soaked rally at the Sherman Oaks Galleria, home of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which bargains on behalf of the major studios. The musicians’ top issues are the same ones that forced Hollywood writers and actors to go on strike last year, paralyzing the industry for six months.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Australian actor Rebel Wilson has been named as the emcee of the 2024 edition of the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) awards. Wilson will take to the stage on Saturday, Feb. 10. Two days earlier, on Feb.

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Manchester United insist they are determined to "put football and performance on the pitch back at the heart of everything we do" amid the appointment of Omar Berrada as their new chief executive.

Naman Ramachandran Warner Bros. Discovery, the Board of Control for Cricket in India and Pitch International have signed a package of rights that will see them broadcast live international cricket hosted in India on its linear and digital platforms, TNT Sports and Discovery+, for the next five years.

Fay Ripley has come a long way from her early days selling men's clothes door-to-door and is now one of the UK's most loved actresses. After graduating from Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 1990, Fay landed a role in a pantomime version of Around the World in 80 Days. From there, her career took off.

In the wake of the dual strikes, the 2024 theatrical release schedule is in a bind, even streamers are desperate for product. Sundance, save us.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Film and TV Producers’ Groups Call for Government Regulation of Streamers, Protection of Indie Sector Against ‘Market Failure’ and Loss of IP Streaming platforms could be subject to tighter regulation and forced to loosen their control of intellectual property if national governments heed a call for action launched Thursday by film and TV producers’ trade organizations around the world. The “global screen producers’ statement on streaming platform regulation and intellectual property protections,” was published by some 20 groups including Australia’s Screen Producers Association, Germany’s Produzentenverband, Screen Producers Ireland, multinational Spanish-language group Federación Iberoamericana de Productores Cinematográficos y Audiovisuales and Belgium’s Union des Producteur.ices Francophones de Films & Series. They say that they, “share a commitment to securing regulation from our respective governments that will ensure that our industry continues to both be sustainable and maintains our nation’s cultural sovereignty.” Among the nine principles, that the groups want governments to follow, two stand out and would likely require regulation.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent A group of 20 prominent screen trade organizations have united to ask governments around the world to enact regulations ensuring that global streaming giants like Netflix and Disney+ invest more resources in local content. The joint plea — hailing from production bodies in Europe, Canada, Australasia and Latin America — comes as streaming services have scaled down on acquiring and commissioning local content across many markets within the last year in order to ramp up profitability.

The British Film Institute has revealed the list of TV, film, and animation companies that have won funding from its latest £3.3M ($4.2M) Global Screen Fund payout.

Married At First Sight star Mel Schilling shared the harrowing journey that led to her colon cancer diagnosis. Appearing on This Morning, Mel disclosed that her body had given her distress signals for an extended period, signals she had chosen to ignore. Speaking about the symptoms she experienced, Mel expressed: "Definitely my energy had dropped, but I was having such incredible gut pain, literally doubled over and shouting in pain." The MAFS star revealed a significant change in her digestive system, sharing that she had stopped going to the toilet.

EXCLUSIVE: Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki has achieved his best global box office in a decade with Cannes Jury Prize winner Fallen Leaves which has racked up a total gross of $12.4M, according to figures released by its producers.

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Christopher Vourlias Art imitates life in the Sundance-bound “Kidnapping Inc.,” a dark comedy about a botched kidnapping plot that became eerily prescient when three crew members were abducted during the production of the film. Haitian director Bruno Mourral’s feature debut follows a pair of hapless kidnappers tasked with what appears to be a simple abduction for hire, only to find that it’s anything but when they’re suddenly drawn into a vast political conspiracy. In a harrowing twist, the production team’s convoy was waylaid by gunmen one night as cast and crew were returning from a location shoot.

EXCLUSIVE: Channel 4 has organized a U.S.-UK student exchange program for its latest project from The Great British Bake Off producer Love Productions.

EastEnders fans reckon they've figured out when Keanu Taylor's body will be found after his shock murder - and it could over a year away. Soap bosses have been keeping quiet about when Keanu's death will be revealed, with many on the square believing he has gone on the run following an altercation with Nish Panesar.