Spotlight on Regional Auditions

Regional Auditions Spotlight on Regional Auditions Make the most of your experience at a regional combined audition. By Mark Dundas Wood December 29, 2011 Attending a regional combined audition can be like playing the cymbals in an orchestra: You sit patiently in a stiff tuxedo, waiting for your big moment of crashing truth, and then, before you know it, it's over. Actors may plan several months for the big day, drive overnight to get there, and pay for a hotel room, and when their few seconds in the spotlight are over, they're left like Peggy Lee, wondering, "Is that all there is to a regional combined audition?"With any luck, the answer will be no, and your audition will be followed by several theaters and producers inviting you to their callbacks, which will offer you an array of choices for summer employment or even long-term gigs. But whether you're lucky or not, you'll want to get your time and money's worth from any combined audition event. To help with that goal, Back Stage spoke with audition administrators and a few veteran auditionees.Planning Ahead Selecting the audition or auditions you'll attend is the first step. Geographical proximity is obviously a big factor, but you may find that you'll need to travel farther to meet your needs. The websites of the various combined auditions and theater conferences will tell you what each one entails and which theaters will be sending representatives. For instance, if you're a college student, the Unified Professional Theatre Auditions in Memphis, Tenn., which cater to established professionals, might not be the best fit, whereas NY City's StrawHat Auditions, which offer many summer-only jobs for nonunion newcomers, could be just the ticket.Ryan MacConnell, a musical theater student at Ithaca College who auditioned last year at the New England Theatre Conference in Natick, Mass. (he also had a behind-the-scenes administrative job there), thinks attending multiple audition events may not make sense. Many theaters and producers, he says, are represented at both StrawHat and NETC, for example. If you're on a tight budget, you should choose the one that is most likely to bring you success.Once you know which theaters will be attending a combined audition, it's a good idea to learn what shows they'll be doing in the upcoming season and begin looking for trends, suggests Todd Zehrer, a 2011 graduate of Millikin University who recently moved to New York. Zehrer has attended both UPTA and the MidWest Theatre Auditions, which are held at Webster University in St. Louis. "I know that in the year coming up, 'Legally Blonde' is really popular," he says. "If you're the kind of person who's dead-on the right type for a show that's happening at a lot of different theaters, it might be smart to really market yourself for that show." List of 2012 Regional Combined Auditions Getting There Traveling to regional combined auditions can be expensive, especially if you're going alone. Rachel Swartz, now an MFA student at the University of Southern Mississippi, drove by herself from Ohio to NY for StrawHat. "I learned a very valuable lesson," she says. "Ohio girls don't belong driving in NY City. It was terrifying. I parked my car at the hotel and didn't take it out again until it was time to come home."Meg Maley, a senior at Baldwin-Wallace College, remembers a similarly "insane" trip from Ohio to NY for StrawHat. She and her classmates performed "Rent" on campus on Sunday evening, drove through the night to their Monday auditions, stayed in NY overnight, then drove back the next day in time for their Tuesday-night "Rent" curtain.That sort of madcap road trip may be one for the memory book, but it's probably not conducive to delivering your best audition. The stress of the drive had a negative effect on Swartz's StrawHat performance. "That was a bit of a flop for me," she recalls. If you have the time, you might want to combine business with pleasure by making the trip a mini-vacation. When Swartz traveled to Memphis for UPTA, the trek was much more relaxed. She arrived a couple of days ahead of time, visited the local zoo, and spent time resting before the auditions. "And it was kind of wonderful to have my car down there," she says.Traveling with other actorsassuming you're compatible, of coursecan make a long trip more enjoyable, even if you don't have time to stop and see the sights along the way. April J'Callahan Marshall, director of professional theater services for the Southeastern Theatre Conference, notes that SETC helps actors find both travel partners and roommates. If you're journeying a very long distance, you might consider flying at least part of the way.Once you reach your destination, you'll need a way to get aroundbut that doesn't necessarily mean renting a car. Peter Sargent, auditions coordinator for MWTA, says some hotels in St. Louis provide shuttle service to and from the Webster campus to accommodate auditionees. Staying There Some actors prefer to avoid hotel costs altogether. If you live relatively close to the event's host city, you can be a day tripper, but as MacConnell points out, callbacks can last late into the evening, and you may find that splurging on a room for the night will keep you (and your carpool mates) from getting restless or impatient as the hours tick by. If you have friends or relatives who live nearby, you can save money by staying with them. "Any trip to NY, you call your friends from the past," says Maley, noting that many Baldwin-Wallace alumni have relocated to the city and are willing to host former classmates.If you stay at a hotel, consider doubling, tripling, or quadrupling up. Swartz thinks it's "nonsense" to spend $300 per night on a room for one: "I've yet to go to a conference where, if I wasn't staying with my buddies, I didn't run into 15 that I could have stayed with." Such group adventures may have stressful moments, but when everyone cooperates, things can turn out well. "If you don't mind six girls getting ready in one bathroom," Swartz says, "it's a worthwhile experienceif for nothing else than the stories of being with five other actors in a hotel room at the most dreadful point in their year."According to Swartz, there are definite advantages to staying at the hotel where the auditions are being held: "It was so nice when, if I needed five extra headshots or I needed my tap shoes, they were there, rather than having to get across town and miss a callback that could be a potential job, because you needed something you didn't have. I tried lugging around a whole bag of dance shoes and music books and everything one year, and it was just a terrible mistake."Sometimes hotels will offer special deals. Joseph Juliano Jr., auditions chairperson for NETC, says Natick's Crowne Plaza Hotel, which hosts NETC's auditions, has provided meal vouchers to entice actors to lodge there. Similarly, says Sargent, MWTA works with hotels in St. Louis to keep costs low, while Webster University keeps its food service outlet open so attendees won't have to buy expensive meals elsewhere.Things to Do When a regional combined audition is held in conjunction with a theater conference, you may find all sorts of theater-related events that can augment the value of attending. According to Marshall, a vast number of enriching opportunities can be found at SETC's professional auditions, held in the spring and fall, including social events, master classes with renowned teachers, 300 workshops, and six theater festivals (featuring about 50 shows). Swartz, for instance, took a workshop on "Shakespeare and scrolls" in 2010, which demonstrated "a way of doing Shakespeare as it might have been done" originally, she says, "reading straight from the page."Some theater conferences keep their auditions separate from their other activities. Juliano explains that although NETC has considered creating one large event, it continues to hold its annual convention in November and its combined auditions in March, as the two tend to attract completely different attendees. But if actors are traveling a long distance for NETC's auditions, they can still find plenty of shows and other theater-related activities to enjoy in nearby Bostonor even use the trip as a chance to check out the theater scene in NY.Likewise, auditionees at other events can find things to do in those cities. While attending MWTA in 2010, Zehrer and his fellow actors saw a production of "Spring Awakening" at St. Louis' Fox Theatre. When in Memphis for UPTA, he attended a blues concert.People to See Another way to add value to your experience is by networking, both with theater representatives and with other actors. Networking was "the biggest benefit" of his attending last year's NETC auditions, says MacConnell, explaining that the layout of the audition area was especially conducive to mingling with others: "All these people are in this huge hallway together for hours, so you're just talking to everyone. Producers will walk in the halls and sometimes grab someone aside and talk to them or say, 'I remember seeing you last year. You've improved a lot.' "At the NETC auditions, MacConnell became acquainted with some students from Syracuse University and they spent time hanging out after callbacks. He later saw them again when he attended one of Syracuse's theater productions. "And then everybody requests each other on Facebook after that weekend," he adds. "It's like everyone goes nuts trying to figure out each other's connections. If you have to reach out, now you know those people, even if you're not the best of friends."When Swartz was offered a job with the outdoor historical drama "The Lost Colony" in Manteo, N.C., she remembered someone who had worked there. "I was able to call my friend Max that I met being No. 87 at UPTAs that year," she says. "So it's kind of neat. It's interesting to see where you end up running into these people, over and over and over again."Zehrer and Swartz say the hotel bar is a good place to interact, both with fellow actors and with theater reps. "All the casting directors seem to go down there afterwards," Swartz notes, "and they want to meet everybody that they saw for 90 seconds and talk to them there and get to know you on a more casual level, rather than just hearing 'your best 16.' I know for a fact that I've booked several jobs after just sitting down with a director for an hour or so and having a couple of drinks and just relaxing."Time to Keep Actors don't have much downtime on audition day. In fact, one of the most important skills that auditionees mention for enhancing your success at combined auditions is time management, especially when it comes to scheduling callbacks. If you're fortunate to get a number of them, Zehrer says, you may find yourself scrambling to attend them all. He has usually been able to schedule meetings with his top choices, but "you definitely have to prioritize and map out your route," he says.If you've done your research and kept track of who's who and which theaters will be producing which shows, then you should be able to sort out your options satisfactorily. Maley recalls that in preparing for callbacks, she kept a small notebook listing all the theaters represented at the event, their locations, the shows they were staging, and their payment policies. "It's sometimes hard to navigate when there are so many theaters there and so many people," she says. "If you kind of have an idea of where you fit in their seasons,it makes it easier for them, and for you." Spotlight on Regional Auditions Make the most of your experience at a regional combined audition. By Mark Dundas Wood December 29, 2011 Attending a regional combined audition can be like playing the cymbals in an orchestra: You sit patiently in a stiff tuxedo, waiting for your big moment of crashing truth, and then, before you know it, it's over. Actors may plan several months for the big day, drive overnight to get there, and pay for a hotel room, and when their few seconds in the spotlight are over, they're left like Peggy Lee, wondering, "Is that all there is to a regional combined audition?"With any luck, the answer will be no, and your audition will be followed by several theaters and producers inviting you to their callbacks, which will offer you an array of choices for summer employment or even long-term gigs. But whether you're lucky or not, you'll want to get your time and money's worth from any combined audition event. To help with that goal, Back Stage spoke with audition administrators and a few veteran auditionees.Planning Ahead Selecting the audition or auditions you'll attend is the first step. Geographical proximity is obviously a big factor, but you may find that you'll need to travel farther to meet your needs. The websites of the various combined auditions and theater conferences will tell you what each one entails and which theaters will be sending representatives. For instance, if you're a college student, the Unified Professional Theatre Auditions in Memphis, Tenn., which cater to established professionals, might not be the best fit, whereas NY City's StrawHat Auditions, which offer many summer-only jobs for nonunion newcomers, could be just the ticket.Ryan MacConnell, a musical theater student at Ithaca College who auditioned last year at the New England Theatre Conference in Natick, Mass. (he also had a behind-the-scenes administrative job there), thinks attending multiple audition events may not make sense. Many theaters and producers, he says, are represented at both StrawHat and NETC, for example. If you're on a tight budget, you should choose the one that is most likely to bring you success.Once you know which theaters will be attending a combined audition, it's a good idea to learn what shows they'll be doing in the upcoming season and begin looking for trends, suggests Todd Zehrer, a 2011 graduate of Millikin University who recently moved to NY. Zehrer has attended both UPTA and the MidWest Theatre Auditions, which are held at Webster University in St. Louis. "I know that in the year coming up, 'Legally Blonde' is really popular," he says. "If you're the kind of person who's dead-on the right type for a show that's happening at a lot of different theaters, it might be smart to really market yourself for that show."List of 2012 Regional Combined Auditions Getting There Traveling to regional combined auditions can be expensive, especially if you're going alone. Rachel Swartz, now an MFA student at the University of Southern Mississippi, drove by herself from Ohio to NY for StrawHat. "I learned a very valuable lesson," she says. "Ohio girls don't belong driving in NY City. It was terrifying. I parked my car at the hotel and didn't take it out again until it was time to come home."Meg Maley, a senior at Baldwin-Wallace College, remembers a similarly "insane" trip from Ohio to NY for StrawHat. She and her classmates performed "Rent" on campus on Sunday evening, drove through the night to their Monday auditions, stayed in NY overnight, then drove back the next day in time for their Tuesday-night "Rent" curtain.That sort of madcap road trip may be one for the memory book, but it's probably not conducive to delivering your best audition. The stress of the drive had a negative effect on Swartz's StrawHat performance. "That was a bit of a flop for me," she recalls. If you have the time, you might want to combine business with pleasure by making the trip a mini-vacation. When Swartz traveled to Memphis for UPTA, the trek was much more relaxed. She arrived a couple of days ahead of time, visited the local zoo, and spent time resting before the auditions. "And it was kind of wonderful to have my car down there," she says.Traveling with other actorsassuming you're compatible, of coursecan make a long trip more enjoyable, even if you don't have time to stop and see the sights along the way. April J'Callahan Marshall, director of professional theater services for the Southeastern Theatre Conference, notes that SETC helps actors find both travel partners and roommates. If you're journeying a very long distance, you might consider flying at least part of the way.Once you reach your destination, you'll need a way to get aroundbut that doesn't necessarily mean renting a car. Peter Sargent, auditions coordinator for MWTA, says some hotels in St. Louis provide shuttle service to and from the Webster campus to accommodate auditionees. Staying There Some actors prefer to avoid hotel costs altogether. If you live relatively close to the event's host city, you can be a day tripper, but as MacConnell points out, callbacks can last late into the evening, and you may find that splurging on a room for the night will keep you (and your carpool mates) from getting restless or impatient as the hours tick by. If you have friends or relatives who live nearby, you can save money by staying with them. "Any trip to NY, you call your friends from the past," says Maley, noting that many Baldwin-Wallace alumni have relocated to the city and are willing to host former classmates.If you stay at a hotel, consider doubling, tripling, or quadrupling up. Swartz thinks it's "nonsense" to spend $300 per night on a room for one: "I've yet to go to a conference where, if I wasn't staying with my buddies, I didn't run into 15 that I could have stayed with." Such group adventures may have stressful moments, but when everyone cooperates, things can turn out well. "If you don't mind six girls getting ready in one bathroom," Swartz says, "it's a worthwhile experienceif for nothing else than the stories of being with five other actors in a hotel room at the most dreadful point in their year."According to Swartz, there are definite advantages to staying at the hotel where the auditions are being held: "It was so nice when, if I needed five extra headshots or I needed my tap shoes, they were there, rather than having to get across town and miss a callback that could be a potential job, because you needed something you didn't have. I tried lugging around a whole bag of dance shoes and music books and everything one year, and it was just a terrible mistake."Sometimes hotels will offer special deals. Joseph Juliano Jr., auditions chairperson for NETC, says Natick's Crowne Plaza Hotel, which hosts NETC's auditions, has provided meal vouchers to entice actors to lodge there. Similarly, says Sargent, MWTA works with hotels in St. Louis to keep costs low, while Webster University keeps its food service outlet open so attendees won't have to buy expensive meals elsewhere.Things to Do When a regional combined audition is held in conjunction with a theater conference, you may find all sorts of theater-related events that can augment the value of attending. According to Marshall, a vast number of enriching opportunities can be found at SETC's professional auditions, held in the spring and fall, including social events, master classes with renowned teachers, 300 workshops, and six theater festivals (featuring about 50 shows). Swartz, for instance, took a workshop on "Shakespeare and scrolls" in 2010, which demonstrated "a way of doing Shakespeare as it might have been done" originally, she says, "reading straight from the page."Some theater conferences keep their auditions separate from their other activities. Juliano explains that although NETC has considered creating one large event, it continues to hold its annual convention in November and its combined auditions in March, as the two tend to attract completely different attendees. But if actors are traveling a long distance for NETC's auditions, they can still find plenty of shows and other theater-related activities to enjoy in nearby Bostonor even use the trip as a chance to check out the theater scene in NY.Likewise, auditionees at other events can find things to do in those cities. While attending MWTA in 2010, Zehrer and his fellow actors saw a production of "Spring Awakening" at St. Louis' Fox Theatre. When in Memphis for UPTA, he attended a blues concert.People to See Another way to add value to your experience is by networking, both with theater representatives and with other actors. Networking was "the biggest benefit" of his attending last year's NETC auditions, says MacConnell, explaining that the layout of the audition area was especially conducive to mingling with others: "All these people are in this huge hallway together for hours, so you're just talking to everyone. Producers will walk in the halls and sometimes grab someone aside and talk to them or say, 'I remember seeing you last year. You've improved a lot.' "At the NETC auditions, MacConnell became acquainted with some students from Syracuse University and they spent time hanging out after callbacks. He later saw them again when he attended one of Syracuse's theater productions. "And then everybody requests each other on Facebook after that weekend," he adds. "It's like everyone goes nuts trying to figure out each other's connections. If you have to reach out, now you know those people, even if you're not the best of friends."When Swartz was offered a job with the outdoor historical drama "The Lost Colony" in Manteo, N.C., she remembered someone who had worked there. "I was able to call my friend Max that I met being No. 87 at UPTAs that year," she says. "So it's kind of neat. It's interesting to see where you end up running into these people, over and over and over again."Zehrer and Swartz say the hotel bar is a good place to interact, both with fellow actors and with theater reps. "All the casting directors seem to go down there afterwards," Swartz notes, "and they want to meet everybody that they saw for 90 seconds and talk to them there and get to know you on a more casual level, rather than just hearing 'your best 16.' I know for a fact that I've booked several jobs after just sitting down with a director for an hour or so and having a couple of drinks and just relaxing."Time to Keep Actors don't have much downtime on audition day. In fact, one of the most important skills that auditionees mention for enhancing your success at combined auditions is time management, especially when it comes to scheduling callbacks. If you're fortunate to get a number of them, Zehrer says, you may find yourself scrambling to attend them all. He has usually been able to schedule meetings with his top choices, but "you definitely have to prioritize and map out your route," he says.If you've done your research and kept track of who's who and which theaters will be producing which shows, then you should be able to sort out your options satisfactorily. Maley recalls that in preparing for callbacks, she kept a small notebook listing all the theaters represented at the event, their locations, the shows they were staging, and their payment policies. "It's sometimes hard to navigate when there are so many theaters there and so many people," she says. "If you kind of have an idea of where you fit in their seasons,it makes it easier for them, and for you."

Animator Vincent Cafarelli dies

Vincent Cafarelli, a mainstay inside the NY animation industry more than six decades, died of natural causes in Brooklyn on 12 ,. 1. He was 81. Cafarelli began on the market in 1948 while still a teenager, being an assistant animator at Paramount's Famous Art galleries on characteristics including classic figures for instance Popeye, Little Audrey and Baby Huey. He eventually found behave as an animator-director at many of the primary art galleries in Manhattan including UPA, Gifford Animation, Stars and Stripes Prods. (where he directed and animated over 300 place ads) and Perpetual Movies. At the begining of sixties Cafarelli labored with Pablo Ferro on film graphics for Stanley Kubrick london, where they created game game titles for your 1964 Tulsi Dearden-directed feature "Lady of Hay," starring Sean Connery, among other projects. In NY at Animation Central after which at Kim & Gifford Studio, he animated r / c comics Bob and Ray in many ads for Piel's beer ads and actress Margaret Hamilton for nice Bread. Three Decades Ago, Cafarelli and Chocolate Kugel increased being the creative team at Buzzco Prods., they and Marilyn Kraemer produced Buzzco Affiliate marketers in 1985, with Cafarelli as leader/co-creative director. Cafarelli directed hundreds of spots for major ad campaigns and television special deals throughout his career, including some featuring famous figures such as the Berenstain Bears and Strawberry Shortcake. Their output of ads aside, Cafarelli and Kugel produced, animated and director numerous independent shorts that won critical acclaim additionally to honours at film festivals including Annecy, Stuttgart, Rome, Rio and London. "KnitWits" opened up on opening evening in the 1997 NY Film Festival with Ang Lee's "The Ice Storm." Numerous their shorts will be in the film range of the Museum of recent Art. Vincent Ernest Cafarelli was produced in 1930 in Brooklyn and offered couple of years inside the Military from 1951-53, used in Fort Benning's graphics department. He's managed to get by his wife, Francisca a daughter and five grandchildren. A memorial service will probably be held on Jan. 6, with particulars being introduced later. Donations may be made to the Brooklyn Museum. Correspondence may be shipped to (and extra information received from) Chocolate Kugel, Buzzco Affiliate marketers, 33 Bleecker St., NY, NY 10012 or at 212-473-8800 or 917-309-5449. Contact Variety Staff at news@variety.com

Top 5 Favorite Christmas Movie Toys

A lot of classic Christmas movies have toys that everybody wants. That toy may not be also real, but that did not stop us from fantasizing that in some way Santa will bring us the gift that did not really exist. In order we open our presents about this Christmas morning, we have made a listing of a lot of our favorite Christmas movie toys. Turbo Guy The toy every youthful boy wanted gave Arnold Schwarzenegger among the worst last-minute holiday shopping encounters ever in "Jingle Completely," however it was totally worthwhile. Turbo Guy has exactly what an excellent action figure must have, but many importantly, he's a jet pack. Being the great father Arnie was (within this movie, a minimum of), Arnold faced served by Sinbad and drawn out all of the stops to be able to bring the awesome action figure home. Talk Boy Besides this Christmas toy allow it to be simple to record every word you hear who are around you, additionally, it has speed control, which could prove useful. Should you choose like Kevin McCallister in "Home Alone 2" did, you should use your Talk Boy to attain an area in the Plaza and among individuals little fridges you need to open having a key. Charge card? You first got it. The Nut Cracker The initial Christmas gift. He might not appear like anything special. All he might do throughout your day is crack open some nuts, but simply hold back until put forth sleep. You will be happy you've this person in your corner once the multiple-headed rat king turns up in your home. This is when the nut cracker is available in most handy. Remember that. Rugby Tiger In 1986, when Jim Henson created the main one-hour special, "The Christmas Toy," Rugby Tiger was the current to obtain. This plush tiger found themself inside a pickle one year afterwards he found his owner, Jamie. He was afraid he'd lose the romance and attention of his owner, so he devised an agenda to become the prize of Christmas again. Crafty and affectionate, a great combination. Red-colored Ryder BB Gun It must be stated. You'll most likely shoot your skills out if you achieve this toy for Christmas. All Ralphie in "A Christmas Story" wanted would be a BB gun, but his mother had her concerns about his eyes. Ultimately, Ralphie got his gun, although not without learning a lesson. He did not shot his eye out, but he earned kids all over the world be more careful using their peepers.

HBO renews 'Enlightened,' cancels comedy trio

HBO has renewed its low-rated but critically applauded comedy "Enlightened" while canceling half-hour laffers "Hung," "How to Make It in America" and "Bored to Death." The fate of the four comedies has weighed heavily on programming president Michael Lombardo. He, along with HBO co-president Richard Plepler, made the choice to ax the three shows, a rare housecleaning move for the pay cabler, in order to create more room on Sunday nights for a slew of incoming series the net has set to debut in 2012. Of the three shows that were canceled, "Hung" had the largest audience. Series, starring Thomas Jane as a well-endowed high school teacher who makes a living as a male prostitute, averaged 3.9 million viewers -- including multiple linear telecasts, DVR and On Demand usage -- in its third season. However, that was down 44% from the 6.9 million garnered during the second season. The skein was created by exec producers Colette Burson and Dmitry Lipkin. Other exec producers are Scott Stephens, Alexander Payne, Michael Rosenberg, Noreen Halpern and John Morayniss. Second-year series "How to Make It in America" and third-year skein "Bored to Death" drew an identical 2.3 million apiece, each down about 25% from their respective previous seasons. "How to Make It in America," about a pair of Manhattan twentysomethings looking to make their way in the fashion business, was created by Ian Edelman, who exec produced with Stephen Levinson, Mark Wahlberg, Julian Farino, Rob Weiss and Jill Soloway. "Bored to Death" was created by novelist Jonathan Ames, who exec produced with Sarah Condon, Stephanie Davis and Dave Becky. Series starred Jason Schwartzman, Ted Danson and Zach Galifianakis. Ironically, of the four comedies whose future was on the line, "Enlightened" had the smallest audience. Only 1.5 million viewers tuned in to see the Laura Dern and Mike White exec produced series about a woman (Dern) who returns home from a treatment center to face a mind-numbing job in the corporate world. Through ratings were small, "Enlightened" is a favorite of many critics and has a passionate following. The series has a healthy Metacritic.com score, and it scored on the kudos front last week when both the show and Dern were nominated for Golden Globes. "This is a big deal for a show like us," White said last week after the nominations were announced. "It's cool for a show like 'Modern Family,' but for us it's a whole different thing." If not for HBO's incoming slate of new series, Lombardo and Plepler might have renewed one or two of the shows that were canceled. Net, however, is under a strict Sunday-only programming slate going forward -- with the exception of one or two smaller Friday shows; the strategy for 2012 is to not air original series on Mondays. The Monday programming experiment, which had been attempted previously with "Six Feet Under" and "Big Love" many seasons ago, looks to be shelved for awhile now. HBO tested "Enlightened" on Mondays during its first season with poor results. Among the new comedy series HBO has arriving in the new year are "Girls," created by and starring Lena Dunham; "Veep," with Julia Louis-Dreyfus; "Life's Too Short," with Ricky Gervais; and "Angry Boys," from "Summer Heights High" creator Chris Lilley. Also set to return is the third season of Danny McBride baseball laffer "Eastbound and Down." On the drama side, Jan. 29 marks the debut of the David Milch-Michael Mann horseracing drama "Luck." The Aaron Sorkin project starring Jeff Daniels, tentatively titled "Newsroom," is looking like a possible summer entry. Also arriving are the return seasons of "Game of Thrones," "Treme" and "Boardwalk Empire." Contact Stuart Levine at stuart.levine@variety.com

Ridley Scott on 'Prometheus': There Will not Be Any Xenomorphs

As well as the 'Prometheus' plot thickens. Ridley Scott's first sci-fi flick in 3 decades may be loosely connected using the 'Alien' franchise, nevertheless the director wants you to definitely certainly obtain one factor apparent: There will not, under any conditions, be xenomorphs (the creature within the 'Alien' movies) in 'Prometheus.' Inside an interview with Filmophilia, Scott states his approaching movie will not feature the famous extra-terrestrials Sigourney Weaver fought against against off for any very long time. "No. Certainly not. They squashed it dry," confesses Scott. "[The xenomorph] did perfectly. He managed to get, he's now in Disneyland in Orlando, without any way am i held coming back there. How did he result in Disneyland? I saw him in Disneyland, Jesus!Inch Furthermore to 'Promtheus,' Ridley also spoken about why he's not attended the sci-fi in almost thirty years. In my opinion one reason why I have not attended science-fiction, even though I've frequently noodled around, considered it, searched for out story, searched for out material, is that you've a nice chastity for the original Alien. It's fairly pure. And ['Prometheus'] does really raise an array of other questions, if a person could, a being, may be as monstrously clever to create something such as we acquainted with the first one -- It's my job to figured it's a weapon, which i usually figured that [the ship inside the first 'Alien'] will be a company of weapons. Therefore, who's that, within that fit? That wasn't a skeleton, that was a suit. So when you open the suit, what can you obtain there? And why were they going, where were they going? You can examine the whole interview over on Filmophilia. 'Prometheus,' which stars Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Guy Pearce and Idris Elba, hits theaters June 21, 2012. [via Filmophilia and JoBlo] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

Britney Spears Debuts Engagement Ring At Magical Vegas Bash

First Published: December 17, 2011 6:30 PM EST Credit: WireImage LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Caption Jason Trawick and Britney Spears celebrate their engagement at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on December 16, 2011Britney Spears and Jason Trawick jetted to Las Vegas on Friday to celebrate their engagement, as well as Jasons 40th birthday. The couple checked in at Planet Hollywood, where the I Wanna Go singer soon emerged from her suite for a congratulatory welcome on the hotels mezzanine wearing a short, nude Herve Leger dress, with her soon-to-be husband by her side. Brit and Jason then kicked off their evening with a dinner and sweet treats at Sugar Factory American Brasserie before heading to Chateau Nightclub, where the couple relaxed in their own VIP area and Britney posed for photos showing off her dazzling 3-carat Neil Lane sparkler. The pop princess seemed to thoroughly enjoy the Sin City festivities, Tweeting, Tonight was one of the most magical nights of my life early Saturday morning. Such an amazing time with my new fiance and our closest friends and family, she added. #Blessed. As previously reported on AccessHollywood.com, on Friday, Jason confirmed to Access Hollywoods Billy Bush that he and Britney will soon be headed down the aisle. Yes, we are engaged, Jason told Billy on Friday. The 40-year-old added that he is over the moon, as [is] she. Jason revealed he popped the question in a very traditional manner (down one on knee), and added that Britneys sons, 6-year-old Sean Preston and Jayden James, 5, were on hand to witness the proposal. Jason initially began working with Britney as her TV manager (while the star was still married to Kevin Federline), a job he gave up in 2009 after their relationship became romantic. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Sony, Warner join Grooveshark complaint

Sony Music Entertainment and Warner Music Group have joined Universal Music Group in a legal complaint against online music streaming service Grooveshark and parent company Escape Media. The amended complaint, filed Thursday in a NY district court, brings all three of the major label groups together in alleging that the site has "willfully infringed" upon the companies' copyrights. Grooveshark, a Florida-based streaming service that allows users to post their own music to the site for other users to stream, has heretofore argued its protection under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which exempts the company from damages for infringement perpetuated by users on its site, provided the infringing material in question is taken down upon request. The complaint, however, alleges that the site's owners knowingly profited from unlicensed music, and even that employees may have themselves personally engaged in posting unauthorized music. The complaint cites internal emails from Escape Media execs, including one in which a senior director claims to have "bet the company on the fact that it's easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission." The suit also quotes an anonymous comment posted on website Digital Music News, purportedly from a Grooveshark employee, describing practices that include bonuses for employees who upload certain amounts of music into the system. The original action filed by UMG last month was not the first legal complaint against the company. An earlier suit from EMI eventually lead to the label licensing its catalogue to the site, making them the only one of the then four major label groups to do so. (Indie label group Merlin has also agreed to licensing terms with the company.) Musicians such as King Crimson and Pink Floyd have also publicly complained of difficulty in getting their music taken down from the site. When reached for comment, Grooveshark provided the following statement: "We cannot comment on litigation we have not seen, but will aggressively defend our rights in court. ... We respect the intellectual property of all artists, and our strict policies are designed to ensure that our users only upload content to which they are entitled. This is a policy which we vigorously enforce within DMCA requirements." Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Sirius XM CFO Discusses Outcomes of Cost Hike in 2012

NY - Before an expense increase next season, the initial within the organization's 10-year history, Sirius XM Radio CFO David Frear on Monday was asked for in regards to the customer impact he needs within the cost hike.our editor recommendsJohn Malone's Liberty Media Mulls Growing Its Stake in Sirius XM (Report)Liberty Media Professionals Keep Options for Starz, Sirius XM Open "If you raise prices, you're prone to suppress demand," he told the annual UBS Global Media and Communications Conference. "I'd expect that..we'd have lower conversion of latest vehicle sales to subs" and greater churn of self-paid out clients. But Sirius, which formerly mentioned it might boost the price of their most broadly used service package by $1.50 monthly, must "finish tabs on more clients, revenue and free earnings,Inch he added. "It's an optimistic factor for your business." Considering the fact that it's "easierInch to keep a person instead of convert a alternative, "we'll make an effort to retain every sub we've today," Frear vowed. More youthful crowd told traders that Sirius has began notifying clients in regards to the cost increases, highlighting that "we haven't up to now [had[ much response" or complaint calls. Think about the hikes begin working at different occasions for a number of clients, taking about 18 several days to use their way using the customers list, as well as, because so many clients pay by bank cards, lots of any potential cost shock can invariably come. Asked for about his company's longer-term prices strategy, the Sirius CFO mentioned that because most clients pay in advance, it requires roughly 18 several days for cost hikes to totally work themselves using the customers list. Consequently, "annual cost increases take time and effort,In . Frear mentioned. Consider Sirius hasn't elevated prices in the decade, "this could undergo, succeed with this particular subs, and then we'll consider future cost increases." Frear appeared to become asked for if John Malone's Liberty Media could increase its stake in Sirius to greater than fifty percent after it'll have an chance to do this in March. "I really don't know," Frear responded. "You'd have to request [Liberty Boss] Greg [Maffei]" who'll also come in the conference. Email: Georg.Szalai@thr.com Twitter: @georgszalai Related Subjects Sirius XM Radio

Transgender Woman Sues Khloe Kardashian for Alleged Assault

Khloe Kardashian A transgender woman is suing Khloe Kardashian, claiming the Keeping Up with the Kardashians star assaulted her two years ago, People reports.In her filing, Chantal Spears, formerly Ronald Spears, says that Kardashian "violently" attacked her outside a Hollywood nightclub on Dec. 5, 2009, after she told Kardashian's husband, Lamar Odom, that he was too young to get married. "All of a sudden I get this big push from this girl," Spears told TMZ.Check out photos of Khloe KardashianSpears states in the papers that she required medical care and suffered from "severe mental anguish" after the incident. No one was arrested or cited then.Spears is seeking unspecified damages. Kardashian has yet to comment on the suit.

Stephen Lang Joins Pawn

Along with Nikki Reed and Sean FarisWhile we're unsure Stephen Lang truly loved chomping the scenery in Conan or whether he's really getting fun grumping up just like a sub-Colonel Quaritch-type colony leader on tv sci-fi show Terra Nova, we're a lot more pleased to determine him signing to the cast of indie crime drama Pawn.We first reported round the movie a couple of days ago, if the already featured Michael Chiklis (who's also creating the pic) and Forest Whitaker inside the tale from the hostage situation that starts to go to badly because the police types and mobsters deploying it just like a twisted chess game have terrible moves.The cast has skyrocketed in proportions, with Lang, Nikki Reed, Sean Faris, Marton Csokas, Jessica Szohr and Jonathan Bennett all jumping aboard.David An Answer, a cinematographer who done a few of the Saw franchise records, is onto direct, working in the script by Jay Anthony White-colored.Lang, meanwhile, will next be viewed in another crime pic, Officer Lower, and murder drama Dancehall.

The Initial Ending to 'The Muppets' Was Far Better

Hey, I really like 'The Muppets'! Like a society of sentient animals, all of us virtually love 'The Muppets.' It's funny, it's self aware, it's sentimental. Are you aware what else 'The Muppets' is? It is a movie without an excellent ending. As Badass Digest highlights, that wasn't always the situation. Within the final film (yeah, spoiler alert) the Muppets make an effort to raise $ten million in order to save their studio in the dastardly Tex Richman (Chris Cooper). They do not come anywhere near that goal, though -- once we learn within the credits -- a properly-timed bowling ball towards the mind convinces Richman to provide the Muppets their studio back. Within the original script, the Muppets do achieve their goal (by using Statler and Waldorf), meaning the hastily come up with ending of Richman just giving the studio back wouldn't happen to be necessary. But what's much more interesting here -- again, based on Badass Digest -- may be the backstory of Richman's "maniacal laugh." Apparently, there's a erased scene that fills within the back story of Richman's childhood fascination with the Muppets, but Richman, for around he loved the Muppets, didn't be capable of laugh -- hence the verbalized "maniacal laugh." (This is recommended around the 'Muppets' soundtrack throughout a long version of "Let us Discuss Me," the rap song that Cooper works within the film.) The bowling ball towards the mind in the finish from the film would restore Richman's laughing ability, giving him a contented ending, too. But, in the present version, Richman's capability to laugh is definitely an afterthought towards the Muppets getting their studio back. You are able to listen fully version of "Let us Discuss Me" below. The backstory portion happens at 1:20. [via Badass Digest] You are able to contact Mike Ryan on Twitter Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

Chris Cooper on His 'Muppets' Stylish-Hop Number: 'I Possess a Newly found Respect for your, Man'

Whenever you think about the Muppets, the name that springs in your thoughts is Oscar champion Chris Cooper. His cheerful attitude illuminates any film that he's part of. Wait, no that isn't right. Really, I designed to write the alternative famous that. Really, Cooper is the first one to admit that he's noted for his more dark and high roles, that is the key reason why he's in 'The Muppets.' Cooper really told his agent to locate him something light and 'The Muppets' can typically be understood to be light. He's still playing the theif -- let us not get crazy here -- but Cooper does bring a contagious pleasure to his character, ingeniously named "Tex Richman." At some point, he even breaks right into a stylish-hop dance number, something I have nothing you've seen prior seen from, well, any character that Cooper has ever performed. Moviefone spoke to Cooper who described simply how much fun he was getting -- thanks simply to Flight from the Conchords' Bret McKenzie -- and why Frank Oz and also the other disgruntled Muppeteers might just have some fun, too, after they begin to see the film. You appear like you are getting an enjoyable experience within this movie. Yeah, I'd an excellent time. You realize, my agent dealing with me sent this script over and it is a significant departure from things i usually play -- more heavy figures. However it came at a great time because I used to be creating the term, as they say, which i was searching for some light comedy or light material. Though Tex Richman, the smoothness I play, is a nice tough customer, it had been an enjoyable experience to utilize the Muppet company. It had been just terrific fun. I recieve to perform a little stylish-hop number. I wasn't expecting that. I've got a newly found respect for your, guy. Had you been nervous about this when you initially saw your dance number within the script? Again, you appear like you are getting a great time. Yeah, I labored with Bret McKenzie -- people most likely know him better from 'Flight from the Conchords' -- and that he authored the majority of the lyrics and music. I visited L.A. a few days early just to utilize him in a studio on Sunset. We labored together for around three hrs and, less improvised, but Bret will make an indicator like, "Toss in a James Brown kind of grunt, try to do this,Inch -- little textures in some places. Which was the piece we're able to use whenever we were filming the dance number and that i could lip-sync into it. Also it exercised perfectly. There's a significant 'Flight from the Conchords' feel to that particular whole number. James Bobin, the director of the film, had labored with Bret. I believe he directed several instances of 'Flight from the Conchords,' so, they actually understood the things they used to do. It had been pretty wonderful ... and a significant departure. So putting it available that you simply wanted to behave lighter. Did that news reach Jason Segel and that he sent the script over? Boy, I guess the folks Sometimes with sent my title and picture in and stated, "Chris may be real interested by doing this,Inch to folks at Disney and i believe that's usually the way it happens. I love the way you say, "sent my title and picture in." I wager additionally they might have pointed out, "Oh, he's also won an Oscar." I've got a coming suspicion which was raised, too. [Laughing] I keep failing to remember about this. Yeah. It might be impossible just to walk using this movie not inside a good mood. Well, good. I really hope people arrived at it. People who were raised around the Muppets within the '70s are actually parents, you realize. I really hope wonderful fraxel treatments the kids have, I really hope they'll have the ability to connect with the Muppet figures. We'll see. Had you seen the last movies? I'll let you know ... within the '70s I had been at college [the College of Missouri] and also the other half from the '70s I had been in NY and merely barely barely making it, so I didn't possess a television. I skipped the entire Muppets for that '70s, but, obviously, I returned online and looked a few of the older movies. And That I was conferring using the director, James, and that he stated, "Do not pay manual intervention to individuals. Have a look at Michael Caine within the 'The Muppets Christmas Carol.'" Which set a typical for me personally, it had been a really, very touching 'Christmas Carol' using the Muppets and that he just worked together as though these were people -- very responsive to them. You realize, he type of worked together reasonably. Very little tongue-in-oral cavity. Yeah, I'm wondering should you checked out Charles Durning or Charles Grodin, but that is interesting you checked out Caine. That's among the first Muppet movies I required a glance at, which brought me to talk to James. So when James straightened out me on how you want to approach this, that actually clarified it. You pointed out dealing with the Muppets as human, but what is usually the hardest part about dealing with stuff that aren't human? Well, you realize, a few days before we shot this, I am in your own home wondering how I am likely to connect with this. How can i connect with these little creatures? And, you realize, imagination got the very best of me. After I arrived, it required about 30 minutes to understand that, "OK, am I speaking towards the Muppets? Am I speaking towards the Muppeteer?" Through the years I believe it's become understood that when these handlers take their hands in to the different figures from the Muppets, they become the Muppet figures. Which, simply, just clarified it for me personally. That's whom I am coping with. Jason Segel will get really, really looking forward to the Muppets. Was there anytime on set that you simply checked out him and stated, "I've no clue what you are speaking about"? Well ... we'd out trailers together, and so i could leave mine and go to his. Where he'd a pleasant little patio setup with easy chairs and that i go to say hello. But did not enter into any depth about his participation using the Muppets. You can certainly see his enthusiasm. I am talking about, he was on the top around the globe with this shoot and I am so happy for him because, you realize, this complete project, he presented it to Disney also it required around three years to obtain from the ground. He only agreed to be totally passionate, within the moon concerning the whole project. After which Frank Oz plus some undisclosed former Muppet personnel publically voiced their displeasure without seeing the film. Yeah, I have heard little information about this. And That I expect individuals purists that people haven't reviewed the road. Boy, knowing in the script, I believe i was pretty responsive to that. And, while you say, when the film arrives, I'd be very interested to listen to their response. However I can comprehend the sensitivity. It continues to be 10 years approximately because the Muppets did an element film. And exactly how around the globe becomes a bit more, gosh, aggressive. However these figures, I believe, have, typically, remained pretty in keeping with form. I really hope we'll obtain a good response. And also the points they harp on -- Kermit's mansion and Fozzie's fart footwear -- are, what three minutes of the entire film? Yeah, and, like I only say, I am sure we'll obtain a response from their store after they get phone complete from it. And That I just hope that they'll appreciate it and find out that people had good intentions. You are able to contact Mike Ryan on Twitter. Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

'The Avengers' Poster Art Teases Marvel's Superhero Epic

Racking your brains on what is going to be nominated for just about any Golden Globe can be a fool's game. It's like identifying exactly how your crazy uncle will act in your house through the holidays. "Unpredictable" is a term of endearment.our editor recommends'Game of Thrones' Season 2 Production Promo Teases New, Old Figures (Video)'American Horror Story's' Denis O'Hare Solutions Burning Queries About Larry'Homeland' Air Alex Gansa Unveils an 'Infuriating' Network Note, Talks India's '24''Homeland' Star Claire Danes States the Role 'Was Impossible to Ignore' (Video)'Parks and Recreation's' Nick Offerman on Mustaches and Being Handled by Robin Givens (Q&A)Foreign exchange Orders Additional 'Sons of Anarchy' Episode'Up All Night' Sneak Look: Reagan Stages a home Invasion (Exclusive Video)Cinemax Agendas Early 'Luck' Premiere for December, Following 'Boardwalk Empire' FinaleRelated Subjects•Golden Globes 2012•The Race Nevertheless the Globes particularly take time and effort to determine because the Hollywood Foreign Press Association more often than not has two or four picks that are unfathomable. Piper Perabo is lovely and gifted, but her nomination a year ago for top actress in the drama for USA's Covert Matters was, let's say, a solitary voice among the shouts and murmurs of qualified candidates. (See also: Caan, Scott, for supporting actor in Hawaii 5-) PHOTOS: 8 Possible Hollywood Targets for Ough Gervais within the Golden Globes But credit the Globes for just two admirable trends: The honours aren't afraid being early adopters on quality shows -- witness The Walking Dead and Boardwalk Empire a year ago. Similarly, the HFPA isn't afraid to produce the wild-card pick -- the primary one you didn't really consider but isn't, upon further review, this kind of awful idea ultimately. So, inside the spirit of Globes' quirkiness, here's a range of possible nominees: Best Television Series, Drama Boss (Starz) and Homeland (Showtime). Both ought to be there, simply because they should for Emmy consideration, but both may be squashed out by more conventional (but equally worthy) picks for instance Breaking Bad, Boardwalk Empire, Justified and Wager on Thrones. It wouldn't hurt to demonstrate somewhat respect for the overlooked -- like Foreign exchange's Sons of Anarchy and Cinemax's Treme -- however've got a coming suspicion that Foreign exchange's American Horror Story can be a more likely dark equine pick. PHOTOS: 'American Horror Story': Who's Who Best Actress in the Television Series, Drama Claire Danes seems the apparent pick for Homeland. But fixing the Emmys' slight of Khandi Alexander in Cinemax's Treme and Emmy Rossum in Showtime's Shameless wouldn't hurt either. Katey Sagal of Sons of Anarchy winning in this category a year ago will be a vibrant place. Another pleasing dark equine might be Michelle Fairley for Cinemax's Wager on Thrones. Best Actor in the Television Series, Drama Kelsey Grammer and Damian Lewis must be slam dunks for Boss and Homeland, correspondingly. But possess a light on for Sean Bean (Wager on Thrones) and Wendell Pierce (Treme). Competition here will probably be, not remarkably, intense. PHOTOS: Who's Who on 'Game of Thrones' Best Television Series, Comedy or Musical Permit the fresh blood stream and outcasts rise -- Wilfred on Foreign exchange, Enlightened on Cinemax, Raising Hope on Fox, Parks and Entertainment on NBC and, hey, will we spare one (bleep, bleep, bleeping) second to enhance our hands for Foreign exchange's It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia? Best Actress in the Television Series, Comedy or Musical Jane Levy in ABC's Suburgatory must be around, along with Laura Dern on her behalf performance in Cinemax's Enlightened. Martha Plimpton should have been here a year ago for Raising Hope Amy Poehler, too, for Parks and Entertainment. But, see, people latter are apparent -- as well as the reason they weren't nominated is really because, like the Emmys, the Globes possess a love for exceptional dramatic stars who get nominated for unfunny half-hour dramas. See: Falco, Edie. And hey, the show can always be finding its legs, but Christina Applegate in NBC's Up With The Evening is a wonderfully worthy choice. STORY: NBC Stretches 'Up With The Evening' in the Television Series, Comedy or Musical God only knows what's likely to occur here, but Make the most of McElhenney from Sunny and Jason Gann of Wilfred can make this the most effective Globes inside a very long time. And hang Garret Dillahunt (Raising Hope) and may Arnett (Up With The Evening) to the mix, shall we? Here's the main one factor about digging up overlooked talent on honours shows -- you will discover lots of good picks. It's nothing beats the Globes will probably right all the wrongs in the Emmys or, for the matter, the wrongs in the Globes themselves. No honours show will lard these nominations with brilliant but overlooked stars, even if which will thrill most of us. Hell, we haven't even discussed supporting roles or miniseries. Globes folks, if you want to become inspired as well as other -- which we wish you to definitely become exactly that -- there's no inadequate qualified talent. Related Subjects The Walking Dead It Definitely Is Sunny in Philadelphia Justified Sons of Anarchy Boardwalk Empire Raising Hope Hawaii Five- Parks and Entertainment Shameless Wager on Thrones Breaking Bad Treme Wilfred Suburgatory Up With The Evening American Horror Story Enlightened Boss Homeland Amy Poehler Christina Applegate Emmy Rossum Kelsey Grammer Laura Dern Martha Plimpton Will Arnett Claire Danes Garret Dillahunt Piper Perabo Katey Sagal Sean Bean Wendell Pierce Khandi Alexander Honours Season Preview

'Dexter' Restored for just two More Seasons

Randy Tepper/Showtime "Dexter" Showtime has bought two more seasons of Dexter. The Michael C. Hall drama remains stored set for 12-episode seventh and eighth seasons after acquiring in the two-season deal for Hall to remain round the series. Production round the seventh season will begin next season in La. Dexter opened up up its sixth season in October, calculating 5.millions of audiences on all platforms including If Needed, encores and Dvr, the finest-rated season so far. The current several weeks are executive produced by John Goldwyn, Sara Colleton, Scott Buck, Manny Coto and Hall. PHOTOS: David Strick's 2011 Emmy Nominees Portraits of 'Dexter' plus much more "Dexter's enormous success is actually a tribute for the great achievements of the cast, producers, as well as the giant performance of Michael C. Hall," mentioned David Nevins, leader of entertainment at Showtime. "The series is bigger than it's are you currently within the sixth season, both if this involves audience which is impact on the cultural landscape. Together with Michael, the creative team around the program features a very apparent sense of where they plan to accept show over the following two seasons and, just like a huge fan, I'm excited to check out the story of Dexter Morgan participate in.In . Hall added: "Regarding the entire Dexter family, we relish the invitation to delve ever much much deeper into Dexter's world." No decision has been created on whether these two seasons will be the final ones in the series. Jennifer Contractor, Desmond Harrington, C.S. Lee, Lauren Vélez, David Zayas and James Remar co-star.

TV Rankings: 'X Factor' Increases for Fox, ABC's Wednesday Line-up Returns Low

Ray Mickshaw/FOX X Factor rebounded slightly from the November. 9 dip last evening, nabbing a 3.8 rating in grown ups 18-49. Performances in the top ten also averaged 11.two million audiences during the period of the 2-hour broadcast. Even though that gave Fox a benefit total other systems within the demo, CBS edged out X Factor using the Wednesday's biggest audience. Original broadcasts of Survivor, Criminal Minds and CSI counseled me up in the previous week in audiences and also the 18-49s, giving CBS a 3.2 rating for that evening and 11.5 million audiences. PHOTOS: Fall TV Dying Pool: Which New Show Is Going To Be Axed? ABC came second to Fox within the demo, however the network was lower overall after its usual line-up required off a week ago for that CMA Honours. Modern Family carried out less than a current rerun, getting in 12.8 million along with a 5.5 in grown ups 18-49. Happy Being arrived second for that evening within the demo having a 3.2, then The Center (2.9), Suburgatory (2.8) and Revenge (2.7). NBC saw good and the bad, with a brand new episode of Up Through The Night obtaining a 6 % increase in grown ups 18-49 for any 1.9 rating. Harry's Law, however, dropped to some season low of just one.1 Law & Order: SVU was on componen using the previous week's low of just one.9. A brand new outing of America's Next Top Model saw a lift slight increase in audiences for that CW, getting in 1.9 million in the 9:00 p.m. hour. It continued to be steady using its previous .8 rating in grown ups 18-49. Wednesday, November, 16, Overnight Rankings: 8 p.m. Fox: The X Factor (10.9 million audiences, 3.6 rating among grown ups 18-49) CBS: Survivor: South Off-shore (11.5 million, 3.3) ABC: The Center (9.a million, 2.9) NBC: Up Through The Night (4.8 million, 1.9) The CW: America's Next Top Model (R) (1.two million, .4) 8:30 p.m. ABC: Suburgatory (8.a million, 2.8) NBC: Up Through The Night (R) (3.9 million, 1.4) 9 p.m. ABC: Modern Family (12.9 million, 5.5) FOX: The X Factor (11.5 million, 4.) CBS: Criminal Minds (12.5 million, 3.7) NBC: Harry's Law (7.two million, 1.1) The CW: America's Next Top Model (1.9 million, .8) 9:30 p.m. ABC: Happy Being (7.a million, 3.2) 10 p.m. CBS: CSI (10.5 million, 2.6) ABC: Revenge (7.95 million, 2.6) NBC: Law & Order: SVU (7.25 million, 1.9) TV Rankings

WCF boosts Latin America, African film

BERLIN -- Latin American cinema was the primary focus from the Berlinale's World Cinema Fund latest round of production funding. The initiative, which assists film industries in developing regions, selected four Latin American game titles and something African title, including Jose Luis Valle's Mexican production "Employees," from Zensky Cine, which received 40,000 ($54,070) and Celina Murga's Argentinean pic "Third Bank from the River," from Tresmilmundos Cine and Berlin-based Rommel Film, which likewise won $54,070. Chilean helmer Fernando Guzzoni's "Carne p Perro," from Berlin-based Hanfgarn & Ufer Filmproduktion, also nabbed exactly the same amount, while Uruguayan director Alicia Cano's documentary "El Bella Vista," from Filmproduktion Thomas Mauch, in regards to a house which has within the decades offered like a soccer club, a transvestite brothel and, lastly, a Catholic chapel, acquired $40,571. The WCF also granted Ugandan helmer Jesse Mugisha's "The Boda Boda Thieves," from South African producer Switch Films, $81,088 in funding. With the support of recent partners, such as the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, and worldwide pubcaster Deutsche Welle's DW Akademie, the WCF released a brand new program in many African nations this summer time targeted at marketing the creative and structural autonomy of African cinema. The very first WCF Factory, because the initiative is famous, occured in August in Burundi. In October, the 2nd WCF Factory happened in Burkina Faso. Contact Erectile dysfunction Meza at staff@variety.com

'Catching Fire': 'Hunger Games' Sequel May Get 'Slumdog Millionaire' Screenwriter

'The Hunger Games' won't be out until March 23, 2012, but Lionsgate is already making plans for the sequel, 'Catching Fire.' According to Deadline, the studio hopes to hire Simon Beaufoy to write the script. Beaufoy, whose credits include 'The Full Monty' and '127 Hours,' won an Oscar in 2009 for his 'Slumdog Millionaire' screenplay. The script for the first 'Hunger Games' film was written by Suzanne Collins, the author of the books. In case you haven't seen the awesome 'Hunger Games' trailer, which premiered on Monday, check it out here. [via Deadline] [Photo: Lionsgate] 'The Hunger Games' Character Posters See All Moviefone Galleries » Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

Bravo to the HFPA for Bringing Back Ricky Gervais as Golden Globes Host (Opinion)

Paul Drinkwater/NBC via Getty Images Kudos to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for asking Ricky Gervais to host the Golden Globe Awards for a third consecutive year, even after he blisteringly insulted them and many of their guests at last year's ceremony. To be perfectly honest, I didn't think they had it in them.our editor recommendsRicky Gervais Returning as Host of Golden GlobesRicky Gervais Offers to Host Oscars Following Eddie Murphy, Brett Ratner ExitsJohnny Depp Confronts Ricky Gervais About Golden Globes Joke (Video)Ricky Gervais Rejoins Twitter PHOTOS: Golden Globes 2011 Red Carpet Arrivals The HFPA is a strange group composed of an assortment of primarily little-known journalists who periodically contribute to publications based around the world. It's a little vague how one is invited to become a member of the HFPA -- a member once asked me, after we had a very pleasant conversation, if I had any foreign ties that could justify a spot for me -- but it is perfectly clear that the studios desperately covet the favor of those who do. Consequently, HFPA members wield immense power and influence in Hollywood -- and not always in the most becoming of ways. Widely referred to as "star-f*ckers," its members all but demand that studios host special screenings of their films and arrange special press conferences with their films' actors specifically for them (post-press conference photo-ops are strongly encouraged), and have a long history of rewarding the stars who butter them up the most over lesser-known "actors' actors." (For instance, they all received Blu-Ray players at a party for Tobey Maguire, whose long-shot best actor candidacy for Brothers was subsequently rewarded with a nomination, and they were flown out to a Las Vegas concert performance of Cher, who then scored a best song nod.) PHOTOS: 2011 Golden Globes Party Pics What made Gervais a terrific host -- two years ago, and especially last year -- is that he didn't pretend that the aforementioned information was irrelevant or unimportant, but rather joked about it in the same bemused way as everyone else in the film industry. Sure, it must have made the somewhat self-important HFPA feel a little self-conscious and embarassed to be mocked and knocked down a notch in front of millions by someone whom they had hired to act as their ambassador to the world, but the truth is that the things that he called them out on -- having disproportionate influence for a bunch of nobodies, supporting bad movies in order to hang out with their stars, being susceptible to outside influence, etc. -- were (a) true, (b) funny, and (c) actually made them more relatable to the general public, in an odd way. After all, wouldn't most people do the same? And while his jabs at the alleged sexual preferences of several well-known Scientologist movie stars may have crossed the line of political-correctness, they only elicited laughs because their underlying premise is something that everyone has already heard before. What made Gervais so funny as a host and helped him to deliver great ratings for NBC over the past two years is just that: his willingness to say what everyone is already thinking but nobody else will dare say. And for embracing that and recognizing that one should be able to laugh at oneself, I say bravo to the HFPA. For all of your faults, you got this one right, and, like the millions of others who watched your last two shows, I now can't wait for the next one. Golden Globes Ricky Gervais HFPA Golden Globes 2012

Carrie Fisher Compares Star Wars to Star Trek, Insults Klingon

And now, allow Carrie Fisher to break up your busy work day by pointing out the differences between the epic film franchise in which she starred as Princess Leia, Star Wars, and the television sci-fi series Star Trek. “They’re not in the same league. I mean, they have the word ‘star’ in the title. And there is space travel. Where do they go to? […] Klingon? That sounds like a laundry detergent.” Click here for the rest of Fisher’s inspired diatribe which also touches on Star Wars merchandising, her Princess Leia Metal bikini and Dick Cheney’s penis, of course. [YouTube via EW ]

Titanic 3D Trailer: It's a Centennial Sinking Sensation!

It wasn’t so long ago that I enjoyed my own reunion with Titanic, but this time, James Cameron invites everyone to Titanic 3-D, the Avatar‘d-up revamp of his 1997 blockbuster. What parts are you looking forward to seeing in 3-D? Leonardo DiCaprio’s shabby togs? Kate Winslet’s unadorned areolas? Kathy Bates’s contempt? You’ll get them all in April, 2012, which marks the 100th anniversary of the Titanic disaster. Trailer after the jump. video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsvideo player J. Dawson is a bit more compelling than J. Edgar, wouldn’t you say? Sigh. But man, “My Heart Will Go On” still feels overplayed 14 years later. Let this never happen to a true gem like “That’s the Way It Is,” world. Or a living gem like the ever-dashing Billy Zane. Frankly, I might’ve “let go” of Jack for Cal Hockley’s devilish charms. Kind of like how the bastardly Wickham always seemed hotter to me than Darcy in Pride and Prejudice. Am I damaged? Discuss. Hot Trailer: ‘Titanic 3-D’ [Deadline]

Herman Cain is Subject of some other Gloria Allred Press Conference (VIDEO)

The first sort boyfriend of Sharon Bialek, the initial lady to freely condition that they was groped by presidential candidate Herman Cain, was by attorney Gloria Allred within a press conference Monday to assist the accusations.our editor recommendsFox News to Air Gloria Cain Safeguarding Husband Herman in First Public Interview (Video)Clint Eastwood Praises Herman Cain and Chris ChristieHerman Cain's Accusers Might Join ForcesHerman Cain Faces Reporters on Live TV and Confirms to Lie Detector Test (Video) PHOTOS: 10 Hollywood Players That Will Really really make a difference inside the 2012 Elections Victor Zuckerman, a physician who dated Bialek inside the the 19 nineties when she labored for your National Restaurant Association a lot more it absolutely was headed by Cain, mentioned that Bialek told him in individuals times of the incident where Cain touched her wrongly after you have dinner with him. Bialek asserted in the press conference of her own they was release from her NRA job and he or she showed up at to Cain to determine if he'd help her get reinstated. Ever since then, her credibility remains referred to as into question with the Cain campaign, which released several cases of law suits and personal bankruptcy she has been connected with. On Monday, Zuckerman revealed he'd also declared personal personal bankruptcy once. VIDEO: Herman Cain Sexual Harassment Scandal Detailed at Press Conference Bialek mentioned she traveled from her home in Chicago to visit Cain in Washington in 1997 to go over her job, that's when he showed up at under her skirt and forced her mind toward his crotch. "I am in a position to confirm when she returned, she was upset," Zuckerman mentioned at his press conference in Shrevesport, La., where he read from prepared remarks. "She mentioned something had happened, which Mr. Cain had touched her inside an inappropriate manner. She mentioned she handled and did not desire to discuss it further." (Video is below). VIDEO: Herman Cain Faces Reporters on Live TV and Confirms to Lie Detector Test Zuckerman mentioned he dated Bialek while she was coping with the divorce in addition to their partnership ended a few several days following a alleged incident with Cain. He mentioned it absolutely was his idea on her behalf to setup a visit with Cain after she lost her job, that they even taken proper care of her accommodation. Bialek mentioned in their earlier press conference that Cain had upgraded her with a suite. What is the news conferences including Cain's alleged sexual inappropriate behavior nearly 20 years ago are clearly less interesting for the media as well as the public particularly in comparison to what they've been just yesterday when Allred's press event with Bialek will be a top story at cable news channels. In contrast, articles Monday at BusinessInsider.com was headlined: "Gloria Allred's Latest Press Conference Is Proof The Herman Cain Scandal Is Dead." PHOTOS: Dems and Republicans' Favorite Movies Journalists on Monday asked for Allred if she was planning further such reviews. "We are not revealing what our future actions may be,Inch she mentioned. Allred has mentioned formerly that she'd like her client Bialek to participate with another accuser, Karen Kraushaar, for just about any joint press conference, even though it has not been arranged. Meanwhile, Cain's wife is positioned to safeguard her husband throughout the interview with Greta Van Susteren round the Fox News Funnel tonight. thetimes on livestream.com. Broadcast Live Free Related Subjects Fox News Funnel Greta Van Susteren Politics Herman Cain

TLC Orders Niecy Nash Docu-Series

EXCLUSIVE: TLC’s Niecy Nashs Wedding Party special is breeding a followup series. The cable network has purchased 8 half-hour instances of a docu-series which will chronicle actress/comedienne Niecy Nash and her new husband Jay Tucker’s existence together like a combined family with Niecys three teenage children and her mother, and Jays boy. Theres lots of love within our house, but additionally lots of mayhem and foolishness all of the children are acting crazy, Im more busy than ever before, and Jays never elevated women before,” Nash stated. “We hope our fans welcome us to their houses we want the area! Additionally to starring like a real-existence wife and mother in her own TLC docu-series, Nash can also be poised to experience one out of a TV Land comedy series. Nash was lately cast to experience Cedric the Performer’s wife within the network’s Hot In Cleveland spinoff, that has been purchased to pilot. The 2-hour Niecy Nash’s Wedding Party special, which taken Nash and Tucker’s wedding, came almost 5 million audiences on TLC in June. The series, created by Shed Media US, will premiere at the begining of 2012. “This series will disclose your way of getting a combined family together, and Niecy brings her sincere and frequently hysterical sights of as being a hard-working mother, wife and daughter, TLC’s GM Amy Winter stated. “Our audience shared in her own beautiful and boisterous wedding, and can now see what’s happening following the honeymoon.” Earlier today, TLC introduced an eight-episode order to Irish Dancing Tweens, a brand new reality series specific for next summer time occur the field of competitive Irish Dance.

Chelsea Clinton Adds NBC News Job To Her Busy Schedule

Today will be Chelsea Clinton’s first day of work as an NBC News special correspondent. The daughter of Bill and Hillary Clinton will focus on pieces that NBC Nightly News will use for its “Making A Difference” segment which focuses on people who do volunteer work, as well as segments for Rock Center With Brian Williams. NBC News President Steve Capus told The NY Times that Clinton will work there “full time for the near-term future” while an unnamed source says that she will donate her NBC salary to the Clinton Foundation and George Washington University Hospital. This is an intriguing career choice for Clinton who has spent much of her adult life stiff-arming the press: When she made public appearances during her mother’s presidential campaign in 2008,Chelesarefused to answerquestions from reporters — although she did respond to those from audience members. She also seems to have a full plate outside of NBC: After working at a management consulting company and a hedge fund, Clinton is going for a doctorate degree at Oxford University. Sheworks at NY University, the Clinton Foundation, and the Clinton Global Initiative. And in September she joined the board of IAC. Here’s NBC’s release: November 14, 2011 — NY, N.Y. — Chelsea Clinton is teaming up with “Rock Center with Brian Williams” and “NBC Nightly News” as a Special Correspondent, the network announced today. Clinton’s role with the shows and the network will be to highlight stories within the “Making a Difference” franchise. “Making a Difference” segments have a history of profiling organizations and individuals who represent the best of what works in the United States and around the world, frequently emphasizing stories about everyday people doing extraordinary things. Clintons dedication to public service, solution-based advocacy and focus on empowering people across the country and around the globe resonates with the purpose and content of Making a Difference. Her position with NBC News will still allow Clinton to continue her work with the Clinton Foundation and her studies in parallel. “Chelsea is a remarkable woman who will be a great addition to NBC News. Given her vast experiences, it’s as though Chelsea has been preparing for this opportunity her entire life,” said Steve Capus, President of NBC News. “We are proud she will be bringing her considerable, unique talents and dedication to NBC News.” “Our Making a Difference segments have become a signature of the broadcast. They adhere to a simple goal of highlighting the good works being done across the country and around the world,” said Brian Williams, Anchor and Managing Editor of Nightly News and Rock Center. “Chelsea Clinton has led a remarkable life. She possesses an uncommon understanding of humanity — on city streets, across this country and around the globe. We are so excited she’s joining us to tell the stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things.” People who imagine and implement solutions to challenges in their own lives, in their communities, in our country and in our world have always inspired me, said Clinton. I hope telling stories through Making a Difference as in my academic work and non-profit work will help me to live my grandmothers adage of Life is not about what happens to you, but about what you do with what happens to you, Clinton continued. I have long been impressed that Brian and his team at NBC place consistent importance on sharing stories of empowerment that in turn, help empower other people and families. I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this tradition. NBC News has been a leading source of global news and information for more than 75 years. Every week, NBC News provides more than 30 hours of television news programming, including the top-rated NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, Today and Meet the Press programs. Dateline NBC and Rock Center with Brian Williams are the networks primetime newsmagazines. NBC is the only broadcast news division with an affiliated cable channel, MSNBC, which provides 24-hour-a-day coverage of news events around the globe. Online, MSNBC.com is the number one video news site on the Internet. NBC News has also built an engaged following on Facebook, Twitter and other social networks. In addition to its leading news programs, the network’s portfolio includes cutting-edge platforms such as NBC News Mobile and NBC News Radio, and innovative ventures such as Peacock Productions, an award-winning in house production company; NBC Learn, the network’s educational arm; NBC News Archives, a sales website leveraging over 70 years’ worth of NBC News content; and TheGrio.com, a video-centric news community devoted to the African-American audience. NBCNewschannel is the networks liaison to over 200 affiliate stations across the country. Chelsea Clinton has worked at McKinsey & Company and Avenue Capital and studied at Stanford, Oxford and Columbia Universities. She is currently pursuing a doctorate at Oxford, working at NY University and working with the Clinton Foundation and the Clinton Global Initiative. Her recent professional and academic work, including her recent academic publications, have focused on questions around how to improve access to relatively low-cost, high-quality health care services around the world, for both acute and chronic health care needs, as well as questions of empowerment and equal rights, including areas related to health, the arts and focused more holistically, on areas that particularly concern children. Chelsea currently serves on the boards of the Clinton Foundation, the School of American Ballet, Common Sense Media, the Weill Cornell Medical College and IAC. Chelsea and her husband Marc live in NY City.

VIDEO Exclusive: Dana Carvey Is Nice Vibes' Amped-Up Claw Johnson

Good Vibes, Dana Carvey Dana Carvey is lending his voice being an intense backwoods expert on Good Vibes. Exclusive Video: Adam Brody and Josh Gad ogle bouncy beach babes in MTV's Good Vibes Within our exclusive clip in the episode "Tech Rehab" (Thursday, 10:30/9:30c, MTV), Babs (Debi Mazar) attends an info session for moms and dads searching to transmit their kids to technology rehab. They watch a promo starring Claw Johnson (Carvey), whose catchphrase is, "When technologies have you duck recorded inside a basement prison, just claw the right path out!" Watch the clip:

Contender: 'Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close'

Though the awards buzz around this adaptation of Jonathan Safran Foer's post-9/11 urban odyssey has been extremely loud, Warner Bros. is playing its cards incredibly close: Media will likely see it last of all major contenders. Whether that's due to worry, confidence or simply last-minute tinkering remains to be proved, but producer Scott Rudin seems to have assembled the ingredients like a master media chef.Foer's narrative -- about precocious nine-year-old Oskar's search for the meaning of his dad's death in the World Trade Center, and his grandparents' connection to the firebombing of Dresden -- suggests the same blend of whimsy, magical realism, history and moral uplift permeating scribe Eric Roth's Oscar-winning "Forrest Gump" and -nominated "Benjamin Button." Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock provide B.O. insurance, and helmer Stephen Daldry has amply demonstrated skill with moppets in "Billy Elliot," all-star casts in "The Hours" and weighty themes in "The Reader."Daldry, Roth, d.p. Chris Menges and editor Claire Simpson -- the last three previously Oscared -- should figure strongly in year-end balloting, as will the supporting turn of Max Von Sydow as Oskar's haunted granddad. Recognition for the legendary Ingmar Bergman mainstay, nominated only once before for "Pelle the Conqueror," could be seen as overdue in a category that's already proved useful for recognizing beloved veterans (Connery, Coburn, Ameche, Palance) in lieu of an honorary statuette. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Kelly Ripa Signs New Five-Year Agreement for 'Live! With Regis and Kelly'

Together with her lengthy-time co-host Regis Philbin preparing for in a few days's exit, Disney-ABC Domestic Television has locked Kelly Ripa right into a five-year deal at Live!our editor recommends'Live! With Regis and Kelly' Visitors Revealed for Regis Philbin's Final WeekJerry Seinfeld Joins Kelly Ripa as First Co-Host After Regis Philbin's Live! Departure The lucrative pact goes into effect next fall and extend through 2017, setting Ripa up to become a 16-year veteran from the morning chatfast. The timing is especially pivotal because of the weight being placed squarely on her behalf shoulders because the series prepares to decrease the With Regis from the title. The quest for a brand new co-host continues to be going ahead for several weeks -- with names fromRyan Seacrestto Bravo's Andy Cohenbandied about -- but nothing official has emerged. Stated a resource near to the production,"No decision has been manufactured yet." Meantime, the lengthy-running series will parade through a number of high-profile names for Philbin's final week. Included in this: David Letterman, Jesse Trump, Jimmy Fallon and Ripa's predecessor, Kathie Lee Gifford. Ripa is repped by CAA. Related Subjects Regis Philbin Kelly Ripa

Adele Has Vocal Cord Surgery In Boston

First Released: November 7, 2011 3:34 PM EST Credit: FilmMagic BOSTON, Mass. -- Caption Adele gets to this year's MTV Video Music Honours in the Nokia Theatre, L.A. Live, La, August. 28, 2011Adele has gone through throat surgery to prevent a recurrent condition that triggered her to cancel tour dates and marketing looks for that relaxation of the season. A spokesperson for Massachusetts General Hospital states the British singer went through vocal cord microsurgery to prevent recurrent bleeding from the benign polyp. The problem is often the consequence of unstable bloodstream ships within the vocal cord that may rupture. A healthcare facility states the 23-year-old Grammy champion found Boston to endure the surgery with Dr. Steven Zeitels, director from the Massachusetts General Hospital Voice Center. Thehospital states Zeitels needs Adele to create a full recovery in the laser microsurgery. Columbia Records introduced recently the Moving within the Deep singer might have throat surgery. Copyright 2011 through the Connected Press. All privileges reserved. These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

'Harry Potter' And Also The MTV Movies Live-Blog

As formerly introduced here around the blog, we are honoring the discharge of "Harry Potter and also the Deathly Hallows, Part 2" on DVD and Blu-ray this Friday most abundant in obsessive and wonderfully nuts approach we take to could think about: watching all eight movies in sequence in one day. Because of the great people at Warner Bros. I have got these here, all set to go. It's roughly twenty hrs of miracle, so there is no time for you to waste. Let us reach it! Year One: "Harry Potter and also the Sorcerer's Stone" (2001), Running Time: 2:32 5:20am: My dear it's early. However I understand that it's really an hour or so sooner than I figured. Nothing you've seen prior has daylight savings time labored so luckily during my favor. Score. 5:25am: We are off and running using the Chris Columbus-directed first film. If a person could say Professor Dumbledore ever looked youthful, here it is. 5:28am: Ok last one, the Dursleys. I personally don't like the Dursleys. 5:29am: We obtain our start looking at Daniel Radcliffe, who seems to weigh about 90 pounds, including his ill-fitting outfit. One certainly couldn't see "Equus" coming here. 5:31am: First little bit of accidental miracle in the zoo, and also the foreshadowing of Parseltongue. Happy birthday indeed, Dudley. 5:35am First real miracle because the Durleys' home is swarmed with 1000's of copies of Harry's Hogwarts invite. It always appeared irrational in my experience that Mr. Dursley did not want Harry to depart to visit school. Like, does not he hate Harry and wish to get rid of him? His later risks to help keep Harry from Hogwarts as punishment appear oddly misplaced. 5:38am: World, meet Rubeus Hagrid. 5:30am: "You are a wizard, Harry!" 5:40am: Cauldron shopping and our first consider the magical world. 5:43am: Oh, that Professor Quirrell appears nice. 5:45am: First real effects shot as Hagrid and Harry open the brick wall to Diagon Alley. By present day standards it looks a bit flat. At that time this flick was aesthetically ground-breaking. From the seeing the very first trailer about ten years ago and thinking "wow, this movie will make a billion dollars." Should you accumulate both foreign and domestic gross, it involves $974,755,371. Partial credit, then. 5:48am: The Sorcerer's Stone is extremely briefly revealed. Generally known fact among "Potter" fans: In England it's known as the Philosopher's stone. Less-known fact: In France it's known as the big scrumptious hunk of roquefort cheese. 5:50am: OK, not necessarily. First lie from the live-blog. 5:52am: The wand selects Harry and Olivander makes first mention of the the Dark The almighty. I usually felt an association to large V. Can't watch for his return in movie #4. 5:56am: Hey it is the Weasleys! Don't be concerned, Ginny, you'll matter inside a couple of years. 5:58am: Chocolate frog. Love. 6:00am: Emma Watson sighting. She's sporting the type of hair do many 11-year-old women develop to regret. Sadly, other women do not have film evidence to reside lower. Still, she switched out okay. 6:03am: Momentarily get distracted by my Facebook the very first time. Meantime, we have showed up at Hogwarts. 6:04am: Small Malfoy really wants to be buddies with Harry. That could have been interesting. 6:06am: Original Dumbledore, the late Richard Harris welcomes us to college and also the sorting ceremony starts. 6:08am: Did anything good ever emerge from Hufflepuff? Twitter punchlines don't count. 6:10am: As Harry is sorted into Gryffindor, I look into the time the very first time. We are at 46 minutes. It will likely be a lengthy day. 6:11am: Nearly Headless Nick! Where'd he use the later movies? John Cleese was great within this role, small although it was. 6:18am: Skipped some top class / first broomstick training there after i snuck on the men's room. But hey, it's such as the theater. The show must carry on. 6:22am: First Malfoy/Potter broomstick fight. And we are playing Quidditch in 3....2....1..... 6:25am: Sweeping shot from the moving staircase. Still remember simply because the very first time. Killer shot. 6:27am: First magical creature: The kids uncover Fluffly, the 3-headed dog protecting the Sorcerer's Stone. 6:28am: Wood shows Harry to experience Quidditch. Wood has both best accent and also the best title within the movie. 6:32am: Halloween feast. Quirrell bursts in and panics everybody in regards to a troll within the dungeon. I trust him. He appears nice, without any ulterior motives whatsoever. 6:35am: The kids fight the troll within the girls' bathroom. Brilliant. 6:38am: Snape finally states something. Alan Rickman was the very best casting within the entire series. And that is not only my estimation. You agreed within the Harry Potter World Cup! 6:41am: We are playing Quidditch! I frequently thought Quidditch was the truly amazing failing from the movies. They might did a lot more by using it, even when the game's rules are extremely irrational. I believe we make the most within this first movie though. 6:45am: Snape's first questionable action in the Quidditch match. Was he jinxing Harry or attempting to save him? I'll keep watching to discover. 6:50am: Christmas at Hogwarts! Wow, I'd totally forgotten the Invisibility Cloak is available in this early. 6:53am: Filch nearly busts Harry within the library restricted section. Does that guy ever sleep? Or do ... other things? Talking about which, we have been only at that for 1 hour 30 minutes and that i haven't eaten anything. Accio breakfast! 7:05am: First dragon! Baby Norwegian Ridgeback. 7:10am: Kinda sorta Voldemort sighting at nighttime forest, as Quirrell dines on Unicorn bloodstream. He looks a lot more like a Dementor at this time. Frightening. 7:15am: First caffeinated beverage (mine): Hot eco-friendly tea. Pumpkin juice wasn't available. 7:25am: Giant Wizard's Chess! It is your moment, Ron! 7:31am: Quirrell is revealed because the villain, not Snape because the children thought. And the turban is taken away to show.... 7:33am: The Dark The almighty! He lives! I never doubted you, my the almighty. What's thy putting in a bid? 7:37am: Harry touches Quirrell together with his bare hands. "You've selected...poorly." No. Wait, wrong movie. 7:41am: Get up as Harry rebounds, Dumbledore ties up loose finishes within the story and eats a gross Bernie Bott's every flavor bean. 7:43am: Finish of the year feast and also the giving of the home Cup. Using their formal sharp black Wizard hats, the kids seem like garden gnomes. Especially Malfoy. 7:45am: Dumbledore totally fixes the home Cup by giving 170 indicates Gryffindor for pointless. Apart from they totally saved your day and defeated probably the most effective evil wizard ever. 7:47am: Hagrid swoops in and helps make the finish from the movie a tear-jerker with photos of his parents. That is then totally balanced by his encouragement of magical risks towards Dudley. That We endorse! 7:48am: Hey this is a wrap for movie number 1. Seven more to visit. Onto year two! >>> Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6

Jennifer Lopez To Take On Carmen Sandiego

First Published: November 4, 2011 2:52 PM EDT Credit: Getty Images Caption Jennifer Lopez attends the Capital FM Summertime Ball at Wembley Stadium on June 12, 2011 in London, EnglandLOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Where in the world is Jennifer Lopez? The superstar is lined up to produce and possibly star in a big screen live-action version of the famous video game-turned-animated series Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?, according to Deadline. If she does star in the feature, she would play the title character one of the worlds greatest detectives who becomes the worlds greatest thief. Its then up to her ex-partner to uncover if shes really gone bad. This wouldnt be the first time Carmen Sandiego was picked up as a movie. In the late 90s, Disney tried to develop a version starring Sandra Bullock, but it never materialized, according to Deadline. J. Lo recently wrapped production on the film What to Expect When Youre Expecting, co-starring Cameron Diaz. She will resume her judging duties on the 11th season of American Idol when the show returns in January. The official announcement of her return was confirmed back in August by FOX. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Bones Season 7: Can a baby Break the Moonlighting Curse?

David Boreanaz, Emily Deschanel Because the demise of Moonlighting, many television authors have observed one great fear: Once their show's two romantic leads sleep together, the show will miss its tension and become lifeless.Fall Preview: Get scoop inside your favorite returning showsBut Bones creator Hart Hanson - who faces that challenge since the show's seventh season premieres with Dr. Temperance Brennan (Emily Deschanel) pregnant while using child of her former will-they-won't-they partner Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz) - finds the choice actually was.InchI appear enjoy it re-revived the series," Hanson notifies TVGuide.com. "It inhales new existence to the franchise - to the story engine of Booth and Brennan. The primary reason we put them together is always that it's just been this type of very long time. It required to happen. We just could not wait any more.InchThe key, Hanson states, is finding drama to switch the sexual tension. Even though he and executive producer Stephen Nathan made the decision for just about any Booth-Brennan hookup immediately of Season 6, it was not until Deschanel revealed she was pregnant the duo showed up by themselves new dynamic.Bones Season 7 scoop: Booth and Brennan's information together with a brand new villain, squintern "We understood we did not desire them getting together and separating. We didn't want myths," Hanson states. "So, they're fighting getting a totally new relationship. 'How together is it?A can be a question that needs reacting to. And the way is it going to handle obtaining a youthful child together? After we started banging out this season, it really gave us lots of places to select story."Thursday's premiere finds the happy couple frustrated with splitting time between their unique houses and considering an even more permanent cohabitation solution. Other bumps inside the road could are the couple's different sights on religion, in addition Brennan finds out the sex of those without including Booth.But Hanson states the drama won't be so trivial all season. "You will discover much much deeper places to go to,In . according to him. "What continues for the relationship from a couple who share a youthful child and love each other deeply? That's our journey this year. Which side they're going next? As well as, the finest question for you is, can they got married?"Bones scoop: Fulfill the Jeffersonian's new squintern!Booth's reaction to (or nervous about) that question may be somewhat surprising, given his history. "Yes, it is a consider how Booth has advanced," Hanson states. "[He's] the man who keeps asking people to marry him, and so they never say 'yes.' He's maybe learned to place back a little.InchEven though Hanson states "motherhood discloses a hard side that's a hardship on [Brennan] to deny," Booth may even find themselves in a really reflective condition while he prepares being father again. "Booth has received a combative and difficult relationship along with his father," Hanson states. "His father was abusive, and there exists a story approaching with [Booth] and also the grandfather, concerning his father. Which is just... obtaining a kid, changes all things in your existence. Situations are in the different perspective."Not remarkably, household is a style with the season. The show will explore the pros and cons of latest parents Angela (Michaela Conlin) and Hodgins (TJ Thyne), additionally to revisit the bond between Cam (Tamara Taylor) and her teenage daughter. Plus, the Jeffersonian is adding a completely new squintern (Luke Kleintank) towards the "family" following a dying of Vincet Nigel-Murray (Ryan Cartwright) last season.Bones scoop: Meet Season 7's new baddie!Nevertheless the show also remains dedicated to catching crooks. This season will introduce a completely new tech-savvy villain (Andrew Leeds) who'll stump both Brennan and Booth. "In my opinion he is a good amalgamation of high-tech and analog," Hanson states. "This serial killer flummoxes each of them by altering forward and backward, and they have to combine their talents. It may be too creepy to convey it's like, 'What if Booth and Brennan's baby was elevated to become horrible serial killer?' Butthematically they are afflicted by a few things this year that are a mixture of each of them. An individual's the newborn, as well as the other is big baddie."And may the happy couple stop and consider that chasing after after killings is most likely not inside the best extended-term interest of Baby Bones? "That's one of the arenas that individuals are afflicted by this year,In . Hanson states. "Is it possible to still go experimenting, chasing after after dangerous people, and doing dangerous things for those who have an infant based on you for just about any whole existence? That's grist for your mill for each of them.1 from the benefits of getting this child could it be makes everything very immediate and extremely stomach-oriented. It's stomach versus brain. What can all of us do?InchBone fragments premieres Thursday at 9/8c on Fox.