Storytelling Showbiz and Celebrity Breaking News

Proud of her workplace. Nikki DeLoach praised Hallmark Channel for their storytelling after Candace Cameron Bure‘s controversial comments in support of Great American Media’s programming.

Controversial comedian Bill Cosby is hoping to put his legal troubles aside and get back on the road next year, he revealed today in a radio interview.

It has been five long years since the release of Rian Johnson’s “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.” Thankfully, over the past year or so, it feels like the discourse surrounding it has tempered a bit and people aren’t ready to murder each other on social media if you even mention the film. That said, there are still a lot of opinions out there about ‘The Last Jedi.’ And in a recent interview, Rian Johnson is here to at least talk about his intentions with the film, whether or not you believe he was successful.

Coca-Cola, Imagine Entertainment and Amazon have partnered in Christmas Always Finds Its Way, a trilogy of short films that will launch today on Amazon Prime and promoted heavily through the holiday season.

In the semi-documentary film Eami, a word that tellingly means both “forest” and “world” to the indigenous Ayoreo Totobiegosode people of Paraguay, the native’s increasingly shrinking landscape, due to deforestation, serves as a grounded but dreamlike backdrop for a story that blends elements of fiction and nonfiction storytelling.

Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jamie Foxx, Mel Brooks, Viola Davis and Questlove have received nominations for the Best Audio Book, Narration and Storytelling Recording at the 65th Grammy Awards, which were announced this morning.

Disney CEO Bob Chapek called Disney+ a “lifestyle portal for Disney fandom” and streaming the nexus of a “reengineered” company that would never have survived and thrived for a century if it didn’t take bold swings.  

William Earl A new study from nonprofit environmental firm Good Energy and the USC Norman Lear Center found few references to climate change and environmental crises in a survey of more than 37,000 scripts from 2016 to 2020. The study aimed to track the level of “climate change representation” in mainstream scripted entertainment. The data showed that only 2.8% of 37,453 scripts analyzed used any “climate change keywords,” while only 0.6% featured the words “climate change.” Only 10% of stories that depicted “extreme weather events” tied the occurance to any form of climate change, while a mere 12% of those tied the problem to the use of fossil fuels.

Carole Horst From “The Shrink Next Door” to “We Crashed” to “Slow Burn,” the stock of podcasts as IP have soared over the past several years, with the most popular making the transition from audio stories to on-screen smash hits. But where podcast source material can and does serve as creative inspiration for successful TV and film adaptations —Amanda Seyfried nabbed an Emmy for her lead turn as Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes in Hulu’s “The Dropout,” which was based on a podcast — there remains intrinsic educational, artistic and pop-cultural value in podcasts for podcasts’ sake.  At Boston-based audio-first media company Double Elvis, run by chairman and CCO Jake Brennan and co-founder and CEO Brady Sadler, chairman and CCO and co-founder and CEO, respectively, of Double Elvis — “Disgraceland,” “Blood on the Tracks” and “Badlands” are among its popular podcasts centered on the bad behavior of rock stars and Hollywood denizens — podcasts are not just a means to an end, but a vessel through which to relay compelling, nuanced, entertaining tales about humanity. 

Rebecca Souw Korean film and TV story-telling has expanded and adapted under the influence of both COVID and streaming video. As a result, screenwriting today may be more in touch with audience needs, media executives in Busan heard. A panel discussion on Saturday, organized by the Busan Story Market, a new wing of the Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM) sought to define Korean story telling and analyze why it is currently so successful. One explanation offered by Hwang Hyejung, chief content officer at Korean streamer TVing, was that writers have broadened their outlook to include more current and realistic topics. Romantic comedies and melodramas are no longer the defining genres.

Mike Flanagan is as sentimental about storytelling as he is about horror, for better and for worse. Sometimes that has led to a unique heartbeat in his work—the aching pain in his landmark Shirley Jackson adaptation “The Haunting of Hill House,” or his dedication to making us see the demons of “The Shining” in a different light with his unfairly maligned feature “Doctor Sleep.” But his latest project, co-created with Leah Fong, shows that affinity getting the better of him.

GLAAD has hired Julian J. Walker as associate director, Communities of Color & Media.

Jennie Punter As Toronto director Clement Virgo and the cast of “Brother” took the stage at the Princess of Wales Theatre on the night of Sept. 9 to soak in the hometown standing ovation after film’s world premiere, a delegation of Black producers from across Canada was settling in for a week of networking ops curated by the Black Screen Office (BSO).   This year has seen Black-led CBC and BET+ historical drama series “The Porter” (recently renewed for Season two) connect with audiences and critical kudos beyond Canada; Black talent empowerment and training organizations extend their reach; and the BSO forge platforms and alliances to strengthen and amplify its advocacy, research and funding development work. 

Children were treated to a special storytelling session at Polkemmet Country Park in Whitburn from lovable Road Safety Scotland character Ziggy.

Cherien Dabis When I was offered the opportunity to direct the “Only Murders in the Building” episode “The Boy From 6B,” which focuses on the story of a deaf character, I knew instantly that I had to do it. It was precisely the kind of story that excites me, a story told from a point of view we rarely get to see, portraying a character from a community that’s underrepresented and misrepresented. I’ve built my career upon telling stories about marginalized communities, and by doing so, I’ve attempted to push us all out of the margins and into the center.

It’s been nine months since then-head of TriStar Television Kathryn Busby was named President Of Original Programming for Starz. In her first nine months on the job, Busby has embraced and expanded the network’s existing programming commitment to narratives by, about and for women and underrepresented audiences as well as its #TakeTheLead Initiative to amplify diverse voices.

Whitney Friedlander While saltier reality shows including Bravo’s “Real Housewives” franchise and HBO Max’s “FBoy Island” are still very much a thing — and very popular — there has also been a bumper crop of “nice” reality programming infiltrating the arena.And, it turns out, Television Academy voters are fans. A look at the reality categories in this year’s Emmys race include Netflix’s A-for-effort baking competition series “Nailed It!,” the long-running, pride-focused VH1 series “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and both NBC’s mentorship musician series “The Voice” and its goofysweet crafts program “Making It.” Even the vibe of perennial Emmy nominee, Bravo’s “Top Chef,” comes with a message of respect for the artistry of cooking.

Cynthia Littleton Business EditorWhen he was fresh out of USC’s School of Dramatic Arts in the mid-1990s, Danny Strong’s goals were modest. The future multihyphenate just wanted to be able to pay his rent with his earnings as an actor.It took about 18 months, but he got there.

explore further some of the many great minds who have pondered its wider and deeper meanings. The role I’m singing is the old knight Gurnemanz. Bizarrely, despite being the longest role of the opera by a clear hour, in terms of notes sung, he is not one of the main characters of the story.

Johnny Lin I work in the film industry, so storytelling is in my nature. There is an invaluable power to storytelling; stories are what allow us to connect. They are a tool that can be used to inspire others and provide them with an entirely different perspective — an ability that has always been critical, and this has become even more apparent in today’s social climate.

MTV Entertainment Studios today announced that USC’s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative will become the long-term home of the Mental Health Storytelling Initiative. The effort was spearheaded last year by MTVE, who brought together a coalition of over 60 entertainment media companies and mental health expert organizations to raise awareness and change the narrative on mental health.

As if unleashing all the pent-up narrative impulses tamped down for the hard-bitten minimalism of “Mad Max: Fury Road,” Australia’s proudest son George Miller returns to Cannes’ out-of-Competition section with a sumptuous banquet of storytelling in service of storytelling. “Three Thousand Years of Longing” compresses eons of heartbreak, happenstance, and hope into a hotel room tête-à-tête that then re-blooms to the size of the universe, a parable both titanic and intimate in scale as it negotiates one woman’s complacent solitude against the welfare of mythologies dating back to the cradle of civilization.

Peter Bart and Mike Fleming Jr. worked together for two decades at Daily Variety. In this occasional column, two old friends get together and grind their axes, mostly on the movie business.

For a brand that touts its genius at “storytelling,” the Magic Kingdom faces ever-growing problems in telling its own story.

Holly Jones In collaboration with Hot Docs 2022, Chiledoc announced that the Toronto-based festival will showcase seven Chilean documentaries as part of its Made In Chile strand. Screening from April 29, the selections highlight the burgeoning global impact of Chile’s spirited documentary film initiative, encompassing diverse and bold perspectives from new voices nationwide.As North America’s largest documentary film festival, conference and market, Hot Docs strives to forge essential relationships that lead to production opportunities for documentary filmmakers with a keen eye on the global market.“We are excited to celebrate and spotlight this new movement of documentary filmmakers from Chile,” shares Shane Smith, director of programming for Hot Docs. “Their bold and daring approach to reexamining their country’s multifaceted history while crafting powerful and distinctively Chilean stories is making the documentary industry, and the world, take notice.” Made in Chile bows, indeed, just days after “My Imaginary Country,” from Patricio Guzmán, the doyen of Chilean documentary filmmakers, was selected for a special screening at the Cannes Festival.Paula Ossandón, director of Chiledoc, the sectorial brand for Chilean documentary, elaborates on the state of documentary filmmaking in Chile: “The production of documentaries in Chile is prolific.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans EditorTo underscore the strange spin on work-life balance in the new Apple TV Plus series “Severance,” cinematographer Jessica Lee Gagné worked closely with production designer Jeremy Hindle on a variety of subtle lighting choices to deliver a world of contrast to audiences.In the sci-fi drama, which is currently streaming, workers at tech company Lumon Industries have agreed to be microchipped, dividing their memories between home and office.The corporate world of Lumon is windowless and sparsely furnished, with stark white walls, a deep green carpet and four cubicles for new employee Mark, played by Adam Scott, and co-workers Helly (Britt Lower), Irving (John Turturro) and Dylan (Zach Cherry). Gagné was able to find lighting cues and nuances in the script to offer variation in the overwhelming white office.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentThe Turkish TV market is being shaken up by the arrival of more U.S. streaming platforms, which are driving up production costs, but also providing a new burst of opportunity for talent, content creators and producers.Netflix, which launched in Turkey in 2016, is the country’s streaming market leader when it comes to subs — said by insiders to be just shy of 7 million — and in terms of its local originals’ output.Disney Plus, which is expected to bow this summer, is busy mounting multiple Turkish productions that are still being kept under wraps, while HBO Max just entered the market and is also active in production.Amazon Prime Video is also expected to start churning out Turkish originals in 2023.

The Peabody Awards on Thursday unveiled 12 winning digital and interactive projects and four special awardees as part of the organization’s inaugural Digital and Interactive Storytelling honors.

Vivienne Chow A wider representation of gender roles, more training opportunities for women filmmakers, and reaching out to women audiences are all ways forward to promote women-centric stories in Southeast Asian cinema, say women filmmakers from the region.The lively discussion involving Thai-American director Pailin Wedel (“Hope Frozen”), Indonesian actor Marissa Anita (“Ali & Ratu Ratu Queens”), Malaysian producer Lina Tan (“Sa Balik Baju”), and Filipino writer and producer Tanya Yuson (“Trese”) was staged by Netflix Asia on Wednesday.It concluded that streamers that can reach a wider audience online have already been making a positive impact on the industry as they help to find new audiences abroad, while also creating more opportunities for women filmmakers and diversity in storytelling. Works by the four panelists are all available on Netflix, which has been upping its game in Asia, particularly through its investment in local originals.Gender representation across Southeast Asia film and television content can vary widely.

The figures that directors Drea Cooper and Zackary Canepari assemble as talking heads for their documentary assault the viewer Greek Chorus-style, outlining a compelling, smothering, and effective picture of amateur investors stumbling upon the stock market as one might a church or guru. “Diamond Hands: The Legend of WallStreetBets” spends just 84 minutes telling a tight and surprisingly nuanced story that never veers into outright mythmaking — despite several of its subjects’ best efforts — pulling up just short of a more interesting examination of a much larger system.

Tara McNamara “Make the movie unlike anything that’s ever been done before.”Scrawled across a production whiteboard, this guiding principle led Sony Pictures Animation’s “The Mitchells vs. the Machines” to break barriers with its fresh perspectives, unique artistry and richly drawn characters.Released on Netflix last April to acclaim from audiences and critics alike, the feature has become one of the most honored animated films of the season, with 30 critics group wins, nominations for best animated feature at the BAFTAs and the Academy Awards and eight nominations for the animation industry’s Annies — a testament to the project’s bold animated style and the wide appeal of its storytelling.

UPDATED with awards dates: The Peabody Awards said Tuesday that it will announce the winning projects in its newest category, Digital and Interactive Storytelling, on March 24. The inaugural awards will be given to legacy media projects, with the category being folded into the main Peabody ceremony beginning in 2023.

Wilson Chapman editorThe Peabody Awards will announce winning projects from its new digital and interactive storytelling awards on March 24, the awards body announced Monday. The Peabody Awards first unveiled its new interactive storytelling categories last June, as a way of recognizing how online storytelling forms have advanced and grown in the last few years.

As has been evident in the Marvel Studios releases over the past year, the multiverse is here and it’s not going away anytime soon. We’ve seen it in “Loki” and “What If?” on Disney+.

Like Neil Young, Joni Mitchell and India Arie, Ava DuVernay’s Array is no longer doing business with Spotify.

Like Neil Young, Joni Mitchell and India Arie, Ava DuVernay’s Array is no longer doing business with Spotify.