Outgoing Sunrise executive producer, Michael Pell got engaged at his going away party, Saturday afternoon. Pell’s boyfriend, Daniel Burgess-Wise, in a room full of their friends, family, and colleagues asked Pell to marry him.Burgess-Wise, 29, voice shaking asked Pell, “Will you marry me?Pell, 36, holding back tears, replied, “’Yes!”The pair hugged each other as their guest cheered. The couple met in 2018 after Burgess-Wise started working on Sunrise. They started dating in 2020.Pell has been promoted to a new role and is moving to Los Angeles to be Senior Vice President, Entertainment Content, North America.There Pell will scout out new potential shows and formats for the Seven Network. A post shared by Michael Pell (@michaeljpell)Pell has been the executive producer at Sunrise since 2010 when at the age of 26 was he was one of the youngest producers at the network. Prior to that, Pell was a producer in the network’s news department. A post shared by Michael Pell (@michaeljpell)In response to the news of the promotion, Sunrise’s David Koch wished Pell well saying, “Michael has been a major force behind Sunrise’s continued success over many years.
Seth Willenson Dies: Longtime Film Exec & Producer Who Helped Market ‘Rocky Horror’ As Midnight Movie, Mentored Jim Gianopulos & Many More, Was 74
24.03.2022 - 22:33 / deadline.com
Longtime marketing and distribution executive and producer Seth Willenson, who pioneered the Midnight Movie marketing concept and mentored many industry leaders, died Friday at his home in Los Angeles after a long bout with heart disease. He was 74.
Willenson began his 52-year career in 1970 as employee number two at New Line Cinema. It was there that he innovated the theatrical marketing concept of the Midnight Movie. He began with the 1936 anti-cannabis propaganda film Reefer Madness and continued for more than a decade with soon-to-be classics such as Pink Flamingos, Sympathy for the Devil and the blockbuster Rocky Horror Picture Show, which is still being enjoyed today in late night showings, making its release the longest-running in movie history.
Speaking of long runs, about 20 years after his first stint at New Line, Willenson returned as President of Telecommunications & Planning. He subsequently served as a producer and EP on numerous indie films, most notably Allison Anders’ Gas Food Lodging (1992) and the Chuck Norris-starrer Top Dog (1995).
Willenson was responsible for marketing the family movie Shiloh, released by Warner Bros in 1997. It became a top selling video and resulted in two sequels.
The film’s writer/director Chip Rosenbloom remembered: “Seth took our little movie and created a unique strategy for it – and was instrumental in turning it into a big success. He was passionate about the arts – and had a brilliant understanding of the business side too – a rare combination. He became a great friend – and his love for his family and friends was inspiring. His passing is a big loss.”
Willenson’s long career included a stint as Corporate VP of Acquisitions for RCA SelectaVision Video where he mentored future
The xx’s Oliver Sim shares new Jamie xx-produced single ‘Fruit’
The xx’s Oliver Sim has today (April 6) shared a new Jamie-xx produced single – listen to ‘Fruit’ below.The track, which is described as “a joyful celebration of queer identity and self-acceptance penned to his younger self” comes with a video directed by Yann Gonzalez.Sim shared his first debut solo single from the album, ‘Romance With A Memory’ last month (March 10).Speaking about the new track and video, Sim said: “My new song produced by Jamie xx. Music video directed by one of my absolute favourite directors: the sexy, hilarious, scary and soulful Yann Gonzalez.“Dig in and I hope you enjoy.”You can listen to the new track here:Gonzalez added: “Oliver and I have so much in common: we love pop culture, horror films and we used to be femme kids before turning into proud queer adults.“So, when he asked me to work on his poignant solo tracks, most of the ideas popped up quite naturally and the ‘Fruit’ video became this magic tale of liberation that the lyrics and the emotionally driven music already implied.“The song and the TV show here are like a multi-faceted mirror where Oliver and the kid, the live performance with its crew and flirtatious TV host, the 35mm film and the Ikegami video all shine and merge in order to create the same exhilarating feeling of being freed.”Sim also announced some new intimate live shows this May – his first ever solo shows – with dates in London, Paris, Berlin, New York and Los Angeles.Speaking about this, Sim added: “In five weeks’ time I will be playing my first ever solo shows in London, Paris, Berlin, New York and L.A.
In A Tentative Ruling, Los Angeles Judge Sides With Film Academy Against Michael Shamberg Suit
In a tentative ruling issued on Monday, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge said he is inclined to grant a request by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for summary judgment against producer Michael Shamberg’s lawsuit challenging the group’s interpretation of its bylaws.
After Disney’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Debacle, GLAAD CEO Warns Hollywood: ‘Don’t Wait Until You’re in the Hot Seat’
Matt Donnelly Senior Film WriterOn the heels of a rare public gaffe for The Walt Disney Company — regarding the media giant’s silence over Florida’s incendiary “Don’t Say Gay” law — the GLAAD Media Awards used its annual Los Angeles awards show to caution the rest of Hollywood about the perils of ignoring the LGBT community.“Don’t wait until you’re in the hot seat,” the media watchdog’s president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis bluntly told the crowd at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Saturday. “There’s no more time to sit on the sidelines.
Jimmy Fallon And Jimmy Kimmel Swap Shows In Epic April Fool’s Day Prank
For late-night TV viewers, Friday, April 1 presented a tale of two Jimmies.
Chris Rock ‘Saved’ the 2022 Oscars After Will Smith Slap, Producer Will Packer Says: Moments Were ‘Overshadowed’
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Q&A: Hit-Boy talks Grammy producer nod, rapper aspirations
LOS ANGELES -- Hit-Boy won top Grammy rap honors with some of hip-hop’s biggest heavyweights — Jay-Z, Kanye West, known as Ye, and Nas — and now he is ascending into a new musical weight class as a producer.The Southern California native is only up for two nominations, but both are major, including album of the year, thanks to his work on H.E.R.’s “Back of My Mind.” The other is his first nomination ever in the producer of the year, non-classical category for Nas’ “King Disease II” and the “Judas and the Black Messiah: The Inspired Album” soundtrack, which featured him on one song as a rapper.The Grammy Awards show will air live on April 3 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on CBS and Paramount+.Hit-Boy has garnered three Grammys from his stellar production offerings on Jay-Z and Kanye West’s “… In Paris,” Nipsey Hussle’s “Racks in the Middle” and Nas’ album “King Disease,” which gave the veteran rapper his first-ever Grammy last year. He’s also worked with a slew of other top-notch artists including Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey, Ariana Grande, Mary J.
‘Power of the Dog’ Helps New Zealand Open Up for Business With New Studios, Fresh Tech Investments
Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefWhether or not “The Power of the Dog” wins the big prize at the Academy Awards on Sunday, David Strong, chief executive of the New Zealand Film Commission for the past eight months, is guaranteed to be an in-demand visitor to Los Angeles over the next week.With the Jane Campion-directed film handily showcasing New Zealand’s talent, locations and craft strengths, the country has now reopened its borders to international visitors. Also sweetening the deal are more studio spaces.Ahead of Strong’s flight to Los Angeles, where he has a week of meetings set up with Hollywood decision makers, he spoke to Variety about what New Zealand has to offer going forward.What has been the impact of “The Power of the Dog” and its Oscar nominations? It’s already been a big success story for us.
Watch Netflix’s high-octane trailer for ‘Yaksha: Ruthless Operations’, new South Korean film starring Park Hae-soo
Netflix’s upcoming original South Korean film Yaksha: Ruthless Operations has arrived.The brand-new visual opens with a shot of the neon-lit Chinese city of Shenyang, as a voiceover briefs special inspector Ji-hoon (played by Squid Game‘s Park Hae-soo) for an assignment that requires him to shadow a secret black ops team.We then dive into the action-packed predicaments of the black ops team, led by Ji Kang-in (Sol Kyung-gu), also known as the Yaksha. The team butt heads with antagonist “D7” Ozawa (Hiroyuki Ikeuchi), a Japanese spy disguised as a lobbyist who has a particularly bad history with the Yaksha.Also starring GOT7‘s Jinyoung (Yumi’s Cells), Yang Dong-geun (Lost), Lee El (Love And Leashes) and Song Jae-rim (Work Later, Drink Now), Yaksha: Ruthless Operations follows the team and their unwilling inspector in search of a high-ranking North Korean official who has gone missing.
Seth Willenson, Influential Film Marketing Executive and Producer, Dies at 74
Wilson Chapman editorSeth Willenson, the influential marketing executive and producer of films and home video, died March 18 in Los Angeles, a rep confirmed to Variety. According to their statement, Willenson died from heart disease.
Inside Love Island's Millie Court's sun-soaked Los Angeles trip for fashion shoot
Love Island winner Millie Court has given a glimpse inside her sun-soaked trip to Los Angeles. The 24 year old, who recently broke her silence following split rumours from Liam Reardon, has shared a behind-the-scenes glimpse of her trip to Los Angeles while shooting campaigns for ASOS and sports brand Puma.
'Young Sheldon' Stars, Producers Tease 'Show-Shifting' 100th Episode (Exclusive)
Iain Armitage) as he grows up in East Texas. In the upcoming 100th episode, airing March 31, Sheldon gets an odd request from an old friend, Paige (McKenna Grace), while George Sr. (Lance Barber) and Mary (Zoe Perry) are caught in the middle of Meemaw (Annie Potts) and Dale's (Craig T.
Tyler Henry Opens Up About His Boyfriend and Sharing His Personal Side on New Show (Exclusive)
Tyler Henry about his new Netflix series, , where he opened up about his personal life and shared the story of his everyday clients in the process.«This show is so different than. Over the past three years, we, I think, have all been through so much as a society, individually. And I think a lot of people have really had time to think about mortality and purpose,» Henry said of the show, which is currently streaming on Netflix. «And so, I feel like this show's very timely in really meeting that demand of everyday clients, regular people who really needed a reading and were able to get it.
Brittany Snow & Martin Henderson Attend Photo Call for New Slasher Film 'X'
Brittany Snow is stepping out to promote her new movie!