NBC, FX and Reveille: TV Finds New Revenue

I asked NBC chairman Marc Graboff, FX Network president John Landgraf, and The Biggest Loser executive producer Mark Koops where they think television revenue will be in the new economy. Read what they said at Gosh!TV:

http://www.goshtv.net/?p=227

On the Paramount lot I see five new TV series in production: NCIS Los Angeles, Big Time Rush, Community, Men of a Certain Age, and Three Rivers. Despite some NBC scripted series going away to make room for Jay Leno in NBC prime time, and TV budgets being crammed down by a sour economy, a lot of new TV shows are starting. Meanwhile, the situation in studio film production looks grim as the high cost of money grinds production to a halt. Here's that story from my friend Dennis Toth at R&R Consulting:

http://www.goshtv.net/?p=181

Gosh!TV, published by ScreenPlayLab co-founder Gabrielle Pantera, has a new look. I'm tremendously impressed with Gabrielle that she's launched a news magazine on top of working full-time at a major TV production company. Gabrielle is at her computer writing at 4am every morning, then goes into the office at 9am to work all day on reality TV.

Gabrielle's writing includes interviews with best-selling authors and reviews of new books from all the top publishers. Here's her 4-star review of the book Cleopatra's Daughter and a personal interview with author Michelle Moran:

http://www.goshtv.net/?p=216

Gosh!TV covers entertainment news, technology and business. What do you think of the new Gosh!TV website? If you have any positive feedback or suggestions for improvement, please let me know.

*** Bankroll Film Finance Seminar - What You Missed...

On October 24th, Bankroll book author Tom Malloy presented a seminar on how to bankroll your own film to a packed house at the 99-seat Lost Studio in Hollywood. Almost half the people there I recognized from ScreenPlayLab.

Malloy described his experiences as an actor-producer financing his own films. Rather than wait for a casting director to cast him and the studio to greenlight the picture, he's reached out to high net worth investors to back his films. His latest film, Love and Dancing, stars himself and Amy Smart.

Malloy says he likes to have film projects in the $250k to $6M range, that less than $250k would mean he's working for free and that over $6M is unlikely to be profitable without studio backing. In pitching individual investors, Malloy says a key technique is to pitch to the vested interest. For example, a major investor in Love & Dancing is the owner of a chain of dance studios. And, Amy Smart loves to dance. Accepting the role meant she'd receive weeks of training from a top ballroom dancer.

http://bankrollthebook.com/

*** ScreenPlayLab Mixer on Nov. 12th, and What You Missed Last Time...

I ran into mogul David Geffen while waiting in line at valet parking during our October ScreenPlayLab mixer. The superb Ferrari parked in the driveway wasn't his. Like me, he drives a Prius.

ScreenPlayLab's monthly film and television industry mixer has been called the most fun and engaging of all the Hollywood industry networking events. Mingle with industry players in all aspects of the business...writers, producers, actors, managers, cinematographers, composers, more.

For November, I'm moving the start time for the mixer an hour later because almost nobody arrived until an hour into the event last time. See you At Wolfgang Puck's Sidebar lounge in the incredibly posh Regency Beverly Wilshire hotel, 9500 Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills. Jacket or cocktail dress attire recommended. Drop by for a drink or fancy dessert between 7pm to 10pm. Room capacity 80. We had about 100 guests overall last time. No cover. RSVP at:

www.screenplaylab.com

*** Twitter: 50 TV Insiders to Follow Right Now...

http://www.thewrap.com/print/8512

*** 140 Characters Conference on Oct. 27th and 28th...

Jeff Pulver presents #140conf where twitter is a platform and a language we speak. #140conf is not an event about microblogging or the place where people share twitter "tips and techniques" but rather where we explore the effects of the emerging real-time Internet, the "State of Now." Explore the effects of twitter on: Celebrity, "The Media", and Advertising. This event will have a special focus on the use of twitter in the entertainment industry. Celebrity Red Carpet. Kodak Theater, Hollywood. $200 to $995.

http://lax.140conf.com/
http://lax.140conf.com/speakers-2

*** FIX Viral Video Contest Accepting Submissions...

Viral video contest for the movie FIX, starring Olivia Wilde. The winner receives two round trip airfare tickets to New York City for the premiere of the film, two nights hotel stay in Manhattan, a digital camera, autographed FIX merchandise, including an autographed script of the movie, and press and photo ops on the red carpet. Winning video screened at the premiere. Show us what YOUR fix is, tell us about the one thing that you can't live without, in a creative, fun and compelling way. Videos should be no longer than 5 minutes long. Director Tao Ruspoli will choose the top 5 semi-finalist videos based on creativity, ingenuity, and by how much he is entertained/moved/humored by your FIX. Contest through 11/10/2009.

http://contests.luthiersociety.com/unsponsored/whats-your-fix

*** Goodbye Boxbe and Comcast Email Users...

The approach of some companies presenting themselves as anti-SPAM services is to block all mass mailers. This will reduce email in your inbox, but with the side-effect that you no longer receive useful free newsletters. Boxbe and Comcast are a couple companies that send me automated emails saying I'm failing to meet their (secret) standards for email transmission. These warning messages are vague, and the process to resolve them takes indefinitely long.

There isn't much motive for companies like this to resolve anything because they want to charge those who send email to their customers. That I send out a newsletter for free baffles them. They expect me to charge you for it so they can take a cut. For anyone with Boxbe or Comcast, you may want to use an alternative email address to subscribe to ScreenPlayLab.

*** CTAM Summit Oct. 25th to 27th...

Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing conference to exchange ideas about marketing and technology-based products. Visionary insights from the industry’s leading strategic thinkers with actionable take-aways to impact your business strategy. Meet with top industry executives during this open agenda, and informal Q&A discussion that puts you in a room with one industry executive to ask your burning questions. Denver, Colorado Convention Center.

http://www.ctam.com/html/summit

*** Billboard's Film & TV Music Conference on Oct 29th-30th...

Network and share music with the best music supervisors, composers, directors, songwriters and producers in the business. Beverly Hilton, Beverly Hills, CA. $399.

www.billboardevents.com/billboardevents/filmtv/index.jsp

*** AFM on Nov. 4th-11th...

The American Film Market hosts over 400 production companies, screens over 500 motion pictures, and previews 100 world premieres and thousands of new projects. In cooperation with AFI Fest Oct. 31st to Nov. 3rd. Network with 8,000 industry professionals. Seminars from 100+ industry leaders. Free seminars. Industry access $250-$795.

http://www.ifta-online.org

*** Anzu Lawson Guest Stars on Criminal Minds on Nov. 4th...

ScreenPlayLab member Anzu Lawson guest stars as "Dr. Ruiz" on Criminal Minds at 9pm on CBS.

*** Dawson's Creek: A Look Back on Nov. 4th..

The Paley Center hosts a celebration featuring members of Dawson's Creek's cast and creative team. Busy Philipps, "Audrey Liddell". James Van Der Beek, "Dawson Leery". Kevin Williamson, Creator/Executive Producer. 7pm. $15

http://www.paleycenter.org/fall-2009-dawsons-creek-a-look-back

*** Latin Grammys on Nov. 5th...

Latin Grammy Awards. Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas. Broadcast live on Univision. 8pm. Tickets $300+

http://www.latingrammy.com
http://www.univision.com/content/channel.jhtml?chid=10383&schid=11335

*** Current TV: Media, Technology, and Transformation on Nov. 12th...

The Paley Center hosts Current TV's Max Lugavere and Jason Silva with a panel of filmmakers, web entrepreneurs, and others to explore how technology is changing the way stories are being told. 7pm. $15

http://www.paleycenter.org/fall-2009-current-tv-s-max-jason-present-media-technology-and-transformation

*** The Total Picture Seminar on Nov. 14th-15th...

Jeff DeCola presents Academy Award-winning actor Martin Landau, Oscar-nominated director Mark Rydell and noted playwright-screenwriter Lyle Kessler for a 2-day course in the inter-relationship of the three critical disciplines of narrative film-making: writing, acting and directing. Writers will submit five minute scenes directed and staged for the camera by Mark Rydell. Actors will be coached by Martin Landau. The scene content will be analyzed and discussed by Lyle Kessler. Saturday, November 14, and Sunday, November 15, 2009, 10am-6pm, 9am check-in. UCLA, Haines Hall, Room 39, Los Angeles, CA. $250.

http://shorl.com/hagrupromotypy

*** Actorfest on Nov. 14th...

Backstage presents workshops with top casting directors, agents and managers. Brad Gilmore, Casting Director, Unsolved Mysteries Panel. Mark Teschner, Casting Director, General Hospital. April Webster, Casting Director, Lost, Star Trek. Matthew Berry, Casting Director, Alpha Dog, The Notebook. John Levey, Casting Director, ER, Southland. 20% off all workshops before Oct. 14th. California Market Center, Los Angeles.

actorfest.com/LAworkshops

*** Emerging Producer Non-fiction TV Competition deadline Nov. 15th...

CableU is taking submissions for their non-fiction TV pitch session at NATPE 2010 in Las Vegas. Last year's winner sold his show to the History channel.

www.cableu.tv/emergingproducers

*** Creative Talent Network Animation Expo on Nov. 20th to 22nd...

Creative Talent Network (CTN) Animation Week with the first annual CTN Animation Expo (CTN-X). Mix and mingle with top animation artists from Digital Domain, Dreamworks, Nickelodeon, Walt Disney Animation, and Sony Imageworks. The Burbank Marriott Convention Center. (800) 604-2238. 10% discount code from GreenlightJobs.com: GREENX09. $25 to $175.

http://www.ctnanimationexpo.com/

*** Artivist Film Festival on Dec. 1st to 5th...

The 6th Annual Artivist Film Festival and The 2009 Artivist Awards. Egyptian Theater, Hollywood. The Artivist Network will distribute advocate films and generate revenue for filmmakers by streaming their films online.

http://artivists.org

Love you guys!