International Cinematographers Guild Appoints National Executive Director

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor A group of state legislators representing the California Legislative Black Caucus are calling on film studios to meet with them regarding the sudden removal of Black female executives over the past few weeks. A mass exodus of Black women from senior leadership posts — Vernā Myers (Netflix), LaTondra Newton (Disney), Jeanell English (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences) and Karen Horne and Terra Potts (Warner Bros. Discovery) — has raised questions about the depth of the film and television industry’s commitment to diversifying the top ranks of the entertainment industry. The CLBC held a press conference on Thursday, citing the executives’ resignations and removals after the State Legislature approved the $1.6 billion Film Tax Credit initiative to provide tax incentives for the film studios.

SAG-AFTRA’s national board voted unanimously this morning to launch the guild’s first strike against the film and television industry since 1980. The strike is set to begin tonight one minute past midnight, with picketing at all the major studios.

Al Pacino is so good at his craft, you can blink and miss it.

Saying that the production and presentation of Canadian programming “is in a state of collapse,” the Writers Guild of Canada revealed today that during the past five years, the aggregate earnings of its Canadian citizen members have declined by nearly 22% when adjusted for inflation.

Greta Gerwig's highly anticipated  film has yet to hit theaters, but eager fans are already clamoring for a sequel. The filmmaker was joined by stars Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera and more at the movie's pink carpet premiere on Sunday, held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Speaking with ET's Will Marfuggi, Gerwig responded to growing speculation surrounding a potential Ken-focused spin-off. «Honestly, I'm just focused on getting this one out and crossing all my fingers and toes,» she said.

William J. Immerman, a veteran movie producer who held senior executive positions at studios including 20th Century Fox, died June 24 at his home in Los Angeles of natural causes, his widow, Ginger Immerman told TheWrap on Friday.

Pat Saperstein Deputy Editor Bill Immerman, veteran executive at film companies including 20th Century Fox, AIP, Cannon Films and Yari Film Group, died June 24 in Los Angeles of natural causes. Born Dec. 29, 1937 in New York, he graduated the U. of Wisconsin and obtained his J.D. at Stanford Law School. Before moving into entertainment, Immerman started his career as a deputy district attorney for the County of Los Angeles. He joined American International Pictures as associate counsel in 1965, eventually heading up business affairs and serving as production executive on films including “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Wild In the Streets,” “Three In the Attic” and “An Evening of Edgar Allen Poe,” starring Vincent Price.

Bill Immerman, who was a Senior EVP during the 20th Century Fox 1970s heyday that produced such box office hits as Star Wars, Young Frankensten, and The Omen, died June 24 at his Los Angeles home of natural causes. He was 85.

“Oh say can you see by the blood in the streets / That this place doesn’t smile on you colored child / Whose blood built this land with sweat and their hands / But we’ll die in this place and your memory erased / Oh say, does this truth hold any weight / This is not the land of the free, but the home of the slaves!”Scott has previously said in an interview with Jemele Hill that she has considered leaving America due to the racial climate, and would look forward to a better education system. “There are some things you don’t have to deal with in other countries. We’re looking at Holland… The education is dope, the healthcare is dope.

The Animation Guild, IATSE Local 839, has been voluntarily recognized as the bargaining representative of 129 artists and production workers at Powerhouse Animation in Austin, Texas. The guild called it an “historic voluntary agreement.”

EXCLUSIVE: Writer and director Sheridan O’Donnell, has signed with CAA for representation. 

Will Tizard Contributor Although set in a noirish Northern California, “Fremont” – which premiered at Sundance and plays in competition at Karlovy Vary this week – is a refugee story that’s firmly rooted in reality. Director Babak Jalali’s casting of real-life Afghan refugee Anaita Wali Zada, a first-time actor, in the lead role gives some indication of his commitment to authenticity. The hardboiled script, co-written with Carolina Cavalli, turns on a young woman, Donya, working in a Chinese fortune cookie factory while starved for sleep and wracked with PTSD from her past life working with the U.S. military in Afghanistan. The tight dialogue lends another level of stylized sheen to the film, as does the appearance of two veteran actors in wry performances – Gregg Turkington as a Jack London-obsessed therapist, and Jeremy Allen White, best known for his role as master chef in TV series “The Bear,” as a lovelorn mechanic.

Note: The following contains spoilers for “The Perfect Find” ending.“The Perfect Find” director Numa Perrier isn’t sure the film would have been made had the original ending of Tia William’s 2016 novel stayed intact.In the Netflix adaptation of Williams’ book Jenna Jones (Gabrielle Union) and Eric Combs (Keith Powers) fall in love, but their age gap presents challenges. Jenna, 40, wants to get married and have a family, but Eric, 22, just graduated from the University of Southern California with a master’s in film, eager to start his career.

Brent Lang Executive Editor Patrick Corcoran is stepping down from the National Association of Theatre Owners, ending a 24-year run that most recently saw him serve as vice president and chief communications officer of the exhibition industry lobbying organization. It’s a time of transition at NATO, with Michael O’Leary taking over as president and CEO from John Fithian, who ran the organization for decades. Corcoran worked closely with Fithian, helping to manage the group’s public relations outreach. His tenure overlapped with tectonic changes in the theatrical landscape, from consolidation of major chains to the rise of streaming to a public health crisis in COVID that led to the closure of cinemas for months. Through it all, Corcoran, a wry, unflappable presence labored to argue that movie theaters were not in a death spiral and would continue to attract customers, just as they had for more than a century. He also had to deal with fractious theater owners, all while helping to launch NATO’s annual exhibition business conference, CinemaCon.

Kim Kardashian put her best foot forward when it came to taking her driver’s license photo at the California DMV. 

Jazz Tangcay Artisans Editor The Alliance of Women Directors has named Melanie Mack as its new executive director. AWD is a nonprofit organization based in Los Angeles that advocates for women directors in film, television and new media. Mack, who is CEO of Codega Media — a multi-media company she founded in 2016 which produces and curates content created by women — will lead the member organization in its efforts to increase opportunities for women and nonbinary directors working in the screened content industry through robust advocacy, craft development programs and mentorship.

EXCLUSIVE: Seoul Searching director Benson Lee has signed with Verve.

Hello and Welcome to the Scene 2 Seen podcast. I am your host Valerie Complex and today we are talking to writer, director Celine Song.

Creative Artists Agency on Wednesday announced the elevation of five to agent, along with the promotion of another to an executive role.

Ben Croll An evangelist for the premium format, France’s CGR Cinemas has forged a growing number of international partnerships since the exhibition chain began exporting its proprietary Immersive Cinema Experience (ICE) model in 2017. At the start of this year, CGR – through its export arm ICE Theaters – had already opened premium rooms in Barcelona, Los Angeles, New Dehli and Jeddah, among others; by December, the premium format will win over new converts in Colombia, Ecuador, Thailand and Estonia, with even more to come. As part of its strategy, ICE Theaters teams with local distributors and top exhibition chains, lending “legitimacy” to a still-young brand, designed in-house, that outfits a row of LED panels on both sides of an auditorium and fills them with bespoke visuals extending the action onscreen (“It’s like surround sound but for light,” is how an ICE exec describes it).