Legal issues of film-making: An analysis of 12 European countries
Hollywood can be a dream factory where video store clerks can become scriptwriters and sell their first script for 50,000$. In Europe, however, the status and recognition of authorship for creative talent such as scriptwriters differ from country to country and a budding Tarantino in Germany will find that his legal status is very different from, say, his French counterpart. Read more »
Indian film industry will not grow in 2009: FICCI & KPMG
Mumbai- Finally, the international recession has hit the Indian Entertainment Industry, indicates a joint FICCI-KPMG report. However, there are indications of long-term growth. Following years of rapid growth, the combined revenues of the Indian film industry are expected to remain flat in 2009 at around $2.2bn (Rs109.2bn), says the report. Read more »
Oscar rule relaxed for 'The Reader'
Beverly Hills, CA (January 27, 2009) — The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has relaxed its rule over inviting only three producers for the Best Picture nominee. Now there will be four but two are already dead in the case of 'The Reader'- this year's nomination for Best Picture. Read more »
European digital screen base grew by 70%
The European Audiovisual Observatory in co-operation with MEDIA Salles reports a total of 897 digital screens equipped with DLP Cinema and Sony 4K technology in Europe as of December 2007, 70% up from the previous year, according to a report issued on Jan 13, 2008. This represents an estimated 3% of the entire European screen base and compares to 4 576 digital screens in the US where about 12% of all screens had been digitised by the end of 2007. Read more »
Hollywood's Highest Paid Heroines @$15 million per film
LA- California (USA). There was a time when Julia Roberts reportedly charged $20 million per film after the success of 'Pretty Woman'. But those were the days. Move over baby. Oscar winner Angelina Jolie has become the highest-earning female star in Hollywood, but she is still behind the Julia Roberts benmark as pay checks have slumped in 2008. Jolie, 33, earned $15m for the action movie 'Wanted' this year, and could make $20m in a possible sequel, according to Hollywood Reporter. Read more »
Blue: Rahman composes, Kylie sings and Farah choreographs
MUMBAI- It's a lethal combination and a sure number one hit in international charts, predict Bollywood insiders. Pop star Kylie Minogue sings for Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman's while Bollywood's ace choreograpger Farah Khan makes Kylie dance a la Bollywood style in Indian film 'Blue' directed by Anthony D'Souza. Apart from Kylie and Akshay Kumar, the song and dance number also features Indian actors Zayed Khan, Lara Dutta and Sanjay Dutt. Read more »
Nepal issues new regulations after 'Chandni Chowk to China' protests
Kathmandu. Observers are concerned over the deteriorating Nepal-India relations as Nepal’s Ministry of Information and Communication issued new regulations for screening of national and international movies in the country, according to media reports Tuesday, Feb 3, 2009. The new regulations come after the country-wide protests against a Bollywood film ‘Chandni Chowk to China’ featuring Akshay Kumar and Deepika Padukone. In fact, the controversy marred the relations between India and Nepal. Read more »
Slumdog success divides Bollywood: Amitabh Bachchan vs Satyajit Ray
Bollywood actors as well as directors are confused whether they should shower words of praise on Danny Boyle's brilliant portrayal of Mumbai's underbelly in SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, or tear it apart for exposing India's struggle with its daily contradictions; good, bad and ugly. The controversy has begun to unravel following super star Amitabh Bachchan's criticism of the film for portraying India as a “Third World dirty underbelly developing nation”. Those who love Boyle’s film say “It also makes one wonder why some of our entirely over-rated, desi directors have failed so spectacularly in spelling out the ugly truth about Mumbai's dark world as transparently and convincingly?" Pervaiz Alam looks at the controversy. Read more »
U.K India co-production treaty of films explained
We will see the results of the UK-India Film Co-Production Treaty in 2009 when producers are finally able to claim the benefits of this much talked-about agreement. On a positive note, the treaty has started evoking interest from Indian film producers to shoot in the UK. Here's a guide to the treaty: Read more »
India has only 12 screens per million compared to 117 in the U.S
The system of distributing feature films in India has changed the way films are produced. A major development is the steady growth of multiplexes—at about 700 screens out of India’s estimated total screen count of about 13,000—which is challenging traditional models of distribution while inspiring a new mindset in film production, writes Nyay Bhushan of The Hollywood Reporter. Read more »