Audrey Diwan’s L’Evenement, or Happening, a film about illegal abortions in 1960s France, has won the Venice Film Festival’s top prize, the Golden Lion.
The gut-punching drama impressed viewers with its portrayal of a young woman desperate to arrange a termination, at a time when it could mean a prison term or death, to continue with her studies.
“I did this movie with anger, with desire, with my belly, my guts, my heart and my head,” Diwan said on Saturday as she accepted the award.
L’Evenement is the second French film to win a major festival since Julia Ducournau’s serial-killer movie Titane scooped the Palme D’Or in Cannes in July.
In a strong night for women filmmakers, the best director went to famed New Zealand auteur Jane Campion for her emotionally complex Western The Power of the Dog, starring Benedict Cumberbatch.
And the best screenplay award went to Maggie Gyllenhaal for her directorial debut The Lost Daughter, an unflinching look at the difficulties of balancing career and motherhood starring British Oscar-winner Olivia Colman.
French director Audrey Diwan (L) embraces French Romanian actress Anamaria Vartolomei after receiving the Golden Lion [Filippo Monteforte/ AFP]
The glitzy festival on Venice’s beachfront Lido roared back to life this year after a low-key event in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, with stars back in force and a strong lineup of international films.
The second-place Silver Lion went to beloved Italian director Paolo Sorrentino for his strikingly personal The Hand of God about his youth in the gritty southern city of Naples, which also earned the newcomer award for young star Filippo Scotti.
But it was hard to ignore the gender theme across many films.
The festival closed with The Last Duel, playing out of competition, a medieval jousting drama starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck that went heavy on its message of historical injustice towards women.
Edgar Wright’s Last Night in Soho, meanwhile, turned the misogyny of Swinging Sixties London into a slasher horror flick.
One woman who seems destined to grab the headlines in the coming months is Kristen Stewart, who wowed critics with her turn as Princess Diana in Spencer.
But it was Spanish megastar Penelope Cruz who took home the best actress award in Venice for her latest collaboration with veteran auteur Pedro Almodovar.
Parallel Mothers is a surprisingly political turn for the flamboyant filmmaker, exploring the trauma of the 1930s Spanish civil war alongside the tale of two mothers sharing a maternity ward.
Cruz had a busy festival, also starring alongside Antonio Banderas as egomaniacal filmmakers in Official Competition, which mercilessly ripped into their own profession.
The best actor award was less expected, going to Philippines star John Arcilla for the crime thriller On the Job: The Missing 8.
Spanish actress Penelope Cruz poses with the Coppa Volpi she received for Best Actress in Madres Paralelas (Parallel Mothers) [Filippo Monteforte/ AFP]
Titane, a wildly imaginative film about a serial killer who has sex with a car, has won the Palme d’Or prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
The win on Saturday makes French director Julie Ducournau only the second female filmmaker to scoop the top honour in the festival’s 74-year history.
Her violent film split critics, with some praising its originality but others put off by its frantic and messy approach. Described as a “body horror” movie and based around a character with a titanium plate in her head, the film impressed with its energy.
“Ducournau’s beautiful, dark, twisted fantasy is a nightmarish yet mischievously comic barrage of sex, violence, lurid lighting and pounding music,” critics at the BBC broadcaster said.
“It’s also impossible to predict where it’s going to go next.”
The win for Titane was mistakenly announced by jury president Spike Lee at the top of the closing ceremony, unleashing a few moments of confusion. Ducournau did not come to the stage to accept the award until the formal announcement at the end of the ceremony.
US director and jury president of the 74th Cannes Film Festival Spike Lee lets slip at the start of the Cannes Film Festival awards ceremony that French shock-fest Titane has been awarded the Palme d’Or [Valery Hache/AFP]
But the early hint did not diminish from her emotional response.
“I’m sorry, I keep shaking my head,” said Ducournau, catching her breath. “Is this real?”
She thanked the jury for “letting the monsters in” and afterwards, acknowledged to reporters her place in history. But she also said her win “can’t be boiled down to just being a woman”.
More women will come after her, Ducournau said. “There will be a third, there will be a fourth, there will be a fifth.”
The only previous female filmmaker to win Cannes’ top honour — among the most prestigious awards in cinema — was Jane Campion for The Piano in 1993.
In recent years, frustration at Cannes’s gender parity has grown, including in 2018, when 82 women — including Agnes Varda, Cate Blanchett and Salma Hayek — protested against gender inequality on the Cannes red carpet. Their number signified the total number of movies by female directors selected to compete for the Palme d’Or — 82 compared with 1,645 films directed by men.
This year, four out of 24 films up for the Palme were directed by women.
Renate Reinsve won the Best Actress award for her role in the film The Worst Person in the World, poses [Sarah Meyssonnier/Reuters]Caleb Landry Jones won the Best Actor award for his role in the film Nitram [Sarah Meyssonnier/Reuters]
The Cannes Film Festival is the world’s biggest and returned to the French Riviera this year after a 2020 hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic. The event drew stars such as Matt Damon and Sharon Stone to the red carpet, with moviemakers and actors delighted to be back though attendance was down on previous years.
Once the awards were officially announced on Saturday, other big winners included Leos Carax, who was picked as best director for Annette, a musical about two artists caught in a twisted love affair.
The second-prize Grand Prix was shared between Compartment No 6 by Juho Kuosmanen, about a woman who embarks on a train journey across Russia, and A Hero by Iran’s Asghar Farhadi, which features a prisoner faced with a moral quandary.
Hamaguchi Ryusuke and Takamusa Oe of Japan won the best screenplay for their tale of heartbreak and loss Drive My Car.
It was a huge night, too, for the previously unknown Norwegian actress Renate Reinsve, who was rocketed to stardom by her role in Worst Person in the World. The film by Joachim Trier is a modern-day romantic comedy that was a big hit with critics.
Caleb Landry Jones, who starred in the Australian film Nitram, won the Best Actor award.
The Jury Prize, another runner-up award for best movie, went to two films: Ahead’s Knee by Israel’s Nadav Lapid and Memoria by Thailand’s Apichatpong Weerasethakul.
BASKING RIDGE, N.J., Dec. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Verizon Stream TV now sounds as good as it looks with the introduction of two premium soundbars featuring Verizon’s on-demand streaming solution built-in. Designed in collaboration with luxury audio brand Bang Olufsen, the new soundbars give you that big movie experience in your living room with no additional speakers or receiver required.
Stream TV Soundbar ($399.99) and Stream TV Soundbar Pro ($999.99) are available exclusively at Verizon starting today. And as part of Verizon’s Buy More Save More offer, if you purchase three eligible accessories — including both new soundbars — you can save 30%. This offer increases to 40% as you buy more accessories1.
Verizon worked with Bang Olufsen to bring the Danish brand’s powerful sound to the Stream TV Soundbar and Soundbar Pro. With built-in 4K Ultra HD2 streaming, the soundbars are the perfect 2-in-1 entertainment solution to bring the ultimate cinematic experience to your home. Your existing media devices, including game consoles3 and Blu-ray players, can also be connected for a seamless experience.
Stream TV: The best in entertainment, all in one place
Stream TV is Verizon’s next-gen streaming platform that makes it simple to binge-watch your favorite movies and shows with quick access to streaming services like Disney+, Netflix, HBO Max, Amazon Prime and so many others. Powered by Android TV, Stream TV helps you find the best on-demand entertainment and discover the most exciting shows, movies and apps in one place.
The latest hits are also available for rent or purchase on demand through the Stream TV store4. If you would rather play than watch, hundreds of new and classic games are available through Google Play — no console needed.
Use the voice-powered remote with Google Assistant to search for content or control volume, TV power and other settings5. The unique Find My Remote feature helps you keep track of the remote at all times. For content stored on your phone, built-in Chromecast can wirelessly stream select videos, pictures and music to your TV.
Bring the theater to your living room
The Stream TV Soundbar sports five Bang Olufsen-tuned speakers and Dolby Atmos virtual surround sound for exceptional sound quality. With 4K Ultra High Definition video streaming, you can experience cinema-quality sound and vision in the comfort of your own home. Stream TV Soundbar Pro steps up to nine Bang Olufsen speakers with Dolby Atmos virtual surround sound for an even grander home-theater experience, and adds a third HDMI port for added connectivity. Bang Olufsen also designed the sleek silhouette for the Pro, giving it a modern, minimalist look that begs to be placed front and center — even when it isn’t on.
Automatic sound field selection detects what you are watching and adjusts audio settings to provide the best playback. Whether you need clear dialogue in a movie or a roaring crowd in a sporting event, Stream TV Soundbar will adjust your audio settings for optimal performance6.
Better sound on the better network
Verizon and Bang Olufsen officially announced their partnership to bring a curated selection of Bang Olufsen’s products to Verizon’s customers in August 2020.
“Verizon is a leading provider of the best, most sought after communications, information and entertainment services for customers,” Chris Emmons, vice president, Devices and Accessories, Verizon, noted at the time of the announcement. “We are thrilled to be working with Bang Olufsen, a brand known for its world-class audio and TV solutions, to provide our customers with more premium home entertainment experiences.”
“Bang Olufsen has a long history of delivering truly immersive home entertainment experiences. The importance of these experiences has only increased in recent months, as we find ourselves spending more time at home,” Rick Costanzo, Bang Olufsen’s vice president, Americas, said regarding the partnership. “We share Verizon’s strong focus on high-quality home experiences, and we are excited to be working with such a distinguished brand to bring our iconic audio and TV solutions to their customers in the U.S.”
1Must purchase 3 or more eligible accessories with a retail price of $19.99 or more in a single transaction. Get 30% off 3 eligible accessories, 35% off 4 eligible accessories or 40% off 5 or more eligible accessories. Max 10 items per customer per transaction. Exclusions apply. Items with a retail price ending in $.97 are not eligible. Cannot be combined with other offers or discounts. While supplies last. Free 2-day shipping for device and accessory order of $49+. 24K compatible devices required. 4K content viewing will be impacted by additional factors like internet speed, Home Network congestion and operating system of devices used for content access. 3Gaming systems and other AV equipment should be connected directly to the soundbar via HDMI for an optimal experience. 4Purchase or rent available through Stream TV or Stream TV app on Android Platform. iOS is not supported. Verizon account required for Stream Tv store purchases. 5Google service terms apply. 6Sound field selection is automatic for Verizon Fios content only. Users must be logged into an active Verizon account to enable. Other content can be changed manually.
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) was formed on June 30, 2000 and is one of the world’s leading providers of technology and communications services. Headquartered in New York City and with a presence around the world, Verizon generated revenues of $128.3 billion in 2020. The company offers data, video and voice services and solutions on its award-winning networks and platforms, delivering on customers’ demand for mobility, reliable network connectivity, security and control.
Bang Olufsen is a global luxury lifestyle brand founded in 1925 in Struer, Denmark, by Peter Bang and Svend Olufsen whose devotion and vision remain the foundation for the company. The rich heritage built around the relentless determination to create products that push the boundaries of audio technology continues to place the company at the forefront of audio innovation. Today, every Bang Olufsen product is still characterized by the unique combination of beautiful sound, timeless design, and unrivalled craftsmanship. The company’s innovative and progressive audio products are sold worldwide in Bang Olufsen monobrand stores, online, and in multibrand stores. The company employs over 1,000 people and operates in more than 70 markets.
VERIZON’S ONLINE MEDIA CENTER: News releases, stories, media contacts and other resources are available at verizon.com/news. News releases are also available through an RSS feed. To subscribe, visit www.verizon.com/about/rss-feeds/.
The Gucci family is not pleased with the depiction of their relatives in the new film House of Gucci. In a statement issued this week, they said the narrative is “anything but accurate” and that the filmmakers did not consult them at all.
The Guccis, who have no association anymore with the global luxury brand bearing their name, have been concerned about the Ridley Scott film from the beginning. Now that it’s out, they’re taking issue with specifics, including the idea that Patrizia Reggiani, who was convicted and imprisoned for hiring a hit man to kill Maurizio Gucci, is depicted as a victim in a male-dominated company.
House of Gucci goes beyond the headlines of the 1995 murder and subsequent trial. Based on a book by Sara Gay Forden, it begins in the late 1970s and follows the relationship of Reggiani (Lady Gaga) and heir Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver) from courtship and marriage to separation and his murder. The story paints Reggiani as a Lady Macbeth-type who helped Maurizio rise and take control of the company from his uncle Aldo Gucci (Al Pacino) and cousin Paolo Gucci (Jared Leto).
Heirs say they weren’t consulted
“The film’s production did not bother to consult the heirs before describing Aldo Gucci — president of the company for 30 years — and the members of the Gucci family as thugs who were ignorant and insensitive to the world around them, attributing entirely fabricated attitudes and conduct to the protagonists of the notorious events,” the family’s statement said.
They also said they reserve the right to, “take any action necessary to protect the name, image and dignity of themselves and their loved ones.”
The Gucci family has not been involved with the Gucci fashion house since 1993, when Maurizio sold his remaining stake to the Bahrain-based company, Investcorp. It was later bought by the French group PPR, which is now Kering.
LISTEN: Author Sara Gay Forden discusses her book The House of Gucci on CBC Radio’s Q:
When Sara Gay Forden started writing The House of Gucci 20 years ago, she had no idea it would become the gigantic Hollywood film it is today. The author joined Tom Power to tell us what fascinated her about the true crime story at the heart of her meticulously researched book. 14:31
Scott has previously defended himself and his film against criticisms from the Guccis, including Patrizia Gucci’s comment to The Associated Press that they were, “stealing the identity of a family to make a profit.”
Patrizia Gucci is the daughter of Paolo Gucci and granddaughter of Aldo Gucci.
“You have to remember that one Gucci was murdered and another went to jail for tax evasion, so you can’t be talking to me about making a profit,” Scott said last week in an interview with BBC Radio. “As soon as you do that, you become part of the public domain.”
A representative for Scott said there was, “nothing to add.” The studio, MGM, did not have any comment either.
‘Ultimately it was tragic’: Tom Ford
The family members aren’t the only ones close to the story who are commenting on the filmmaking choices. Designer and filmmaker Tom Ford, who was the creative director of Gucci from 1994 to 2004 and is depicted in the film, wrote a piece for Air Mail in which he likened the experience to living through a hurricane.
“It is hard for me to divorce reality from the glossy, heavily lacquered soap opera that I witnessed on-screen,” Ford wrote. “As with most films based on a true story, facts are altered, characters are exaggerated, timelines warped — and, in the end, who cares as long as these alterations yield a great movie?
“I was deeply sad for several days after watching House of Gucci, a reaction that I think only those of us who knew the players and the play will feel. It was hard for me to see the humour and camp in something that was so bloody. In real life, none of it was camp. It was at times absurd, but ultimately it was tragic.”
Adam Driver, from left, Jack Huston, Al Pacino, Lady Gaga, director Ridley Scott, Giannina Facio, Jeremy Irons, and Jared Leto attend the premiere of House of Gucci at the Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center on Nov. 16, 2021, in New York. (Evan Agostini/Invision/The Associated Press)
The fashion house co-operated with House of Gucci, opening its archives to the film company for wardrobe and props. Salma Hayek, the wife of Kering CEO François-Henri Pinault, appears in the film as Giuseppina “Pina” Auriemma, a psychic who becomes Reggiani’s friend and accomplice. Leto is a close friend of creative director Alessandro Michele. And many of the stars have worn Gucci at various events supporting the film.
The details of what went horribly wrong on the New Mexico set of “Rust” will be gathered in the coming weeks through multiple public and private investigations.
But as production veterans grappled with the tragic news that cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed Oct. 22 in a gun accident on the set involving star Alec Baldwin, knowledgeable sources pointed to a number of concerning industry trends that are reflected in the behind-the-scenes story of the low-budget independent Western.
Inexperience among crew members: The huge spike in the demand for content during the past decade has stretched below-the-line talent beyond its breaking point. “In some places you can’t find qualified people for these jobs so you are taking (crew) with very little experience,” said a veteran producer.
Inexperience among producers: The low barrier to entry in producing for streamers who pay production costs upfront has allowed smaller companies and startups to attempt large-scale productions without adequate staff, skills or equipment. Among the seven production entities listed as backing “Rust” was Streamline Global, a company founded in 2017 to use film produced with production tax incentives as vehicles to create tax breaks for wealthy investors. Streamline Global co-founders Emily Hunter Salveson and Ryan Donnell Smith serve as executive producer and producer, respectively, on “Rust.” Industry sources cite inherent problems that can occur when goals and incentives among producers are not aligned.
“We have developed new financial models to attract capital that would otherwise be unavailable to the film industry,” Salveson told Variety in 2017. “Films are the byproduct of the comprehensive tax planning strategies we employ for our clients.”
1:53 Fatal misfire on Alec Baldwin movie set shocks Alberta filmmakers
Fatal misfire on Alec Baldwin movie set shocks Alberta filmmakers – Oct 22, 2021
Complacency: Many producers and crew members have been working at the kind of a high volume and pace that can breed a sense of complacency and over-confidence in key positions.
Attorney Jeff Harris, who represented the family of Sarah Jones, the camera assistant killed in 2014 in a horrific accident on the set of indie movie “Midnight Rider,” said that in his experience accidents are often the result of complacency about requirements to follow safety bulletins and protocols dangerous activities.
“You live in this fantasy land where you’re fake shooting people and blowing things up,” says Harris, of Atlanta-based Harris Lowry Manton, who also represented the family of “The Walking Dead” stuntman who died of a head injury on set in 2017. “It’s easy to get into a false sense of complacency of ‘Oh we’ve done this a million times.’ ”
Producers were quick to blame the Peak TV phenomenon for stretching the talent pool for below-the-line, craft and technical crew positions well beyond its breaking point.
The strain at every level created by the spike in the number of original scripted TV series is reverberating throughout the creative community. The pace of production has more than doubled in a decade, rising from 216 scripted series airing across broadcast and cable networks in 2010 to 532 across broadcast, cable and streaming in 2020, according to research by FX Networks.
The biggest evidence of the tension caused by the windfall of so much work was the strike drama that gripped Hollywood this month. IATSE, the union representing most production workers, threatened to strike over quality of life issues in volatile contract talks that may yet be influenced by the jolt of Hutchins’ death.
Producers and other industry veterans spoke to Variety with both anger and anguish about the turmoil surrounding production that is reflected in larger IATSE labor issues that took Hollywood to the brink of a strike earlier this month. And now the “Rust” death puts the spotlight on an problems that sources say are all too common on sets these days. As a picture emerges of an allegedly chaotic low-budget film set, the only certainty is that an accident took the life of a 42-year-old cinematographer, wife and mother of a 9-year-old son.
“As an industry, in Peak TV times, we did this to ourselves,” said a producer.
1:08 Prop gun use on movie sets: What, exactly, is the protocol?
Prop gun use on movie sets: What, exactly, is the protocol? – Oct 22, 2021
Multiple sources pointed to the importance of having experienced skilled technicians on set when weapons are involved. The details of “Rust” situation are not clear, but industry veterans noted that Westerns typically involve a number of firearms for multiple actors.
“On some shoots you might have a truck full of (firearms) and somebody has to keep track of every one of them and how they’re being used,” the producer said.
The armorer on set typically “spends a lot of time coaching people how to handle a gun safely,” the producer said. “In between takes that person is always standing around coaching.”
The producer added that there can often be problems with actors not taking the gun safety training seriously – that’s another reason for having experts on the set and maintaining safety protocols down the letter. “This protects people from themselves,” the producer said.
Attorney Harris noted that the use of firearms on a set involves extra layers of disclosure and planning for insurance purposes. Harris and other industry veterans said producers are usually required to submit their plans for using firearms on set for review by insurance officials as part of the overall bond for the production.
Harris emphasized that he has no information about the “Rust” case. But if it turns out that safety protocols were skipped, that would be a big problem for the film’s insurer.
Evidence that corners were cut could lead to “a coverage fight with the (insurance) carrier who will say, ‘You told me you were doing this but instead you did this,’ ” Harris said.
Experienced producers and one veteran on-set safety expert who spoke to Variety emphasized fundamental importance of having crew members with proper training and the benefit of experience. That’s traditionally been one of the perks of hiring union workers. But in recent years, there’s been so much demand that jobs have gone to younger members who haven’t had as much chance to learn from seasoned mentors on set.
Reports that “Rust” producers allowed multiple non-union workers to come into the production at some point were also confounding to industry veterans. The only way a union production is allowed to bring in non-union crew members is if there are no union employees available for the job. In that scenario, the IATSE or the relevant union has a formal vetting process for the non-union employee and has to grant a waiver to the production.
There’s little question that the “Rust” tragedy will yield litigation, probably for years to come. The question of final liability can be tricky, Harris said, because producers who merely invested in the movie may not be culpable unless it can be demonstrated that some action on their part led to problems on the set.
1:22 Actor Alec Baldwin prop gun stunt goes horribly wrong on movie set killing 1, injuring another
Actor Alec Baldwin prop gun stunt goes horribly wrong on movie set killing 1, injuring another – Oct 22, 2021
The circumstances around the “Rust” shootings will be investigated by New Mexico police as well as the state’s Occupational Health and Safety Administration and the insurer for the film. Litigation will also drive more probes and scrutiny of decision-making leading up to the fateful moments on a ranch outside of Santa Fe on Oct. 22.
“Rust” had seven production entities credited: Alec Baldwin’s El Dorado Pictures, Thomasville Pictures, Cavalry Media, Brittany House Pictures, Short Porch Pictures and financiers Bondit Media Capital and Streamline Global.
Streamline Global bills itself as an investment vehicle. According to its website, “Streamline buys, sells, and produces qualified feature films that qualify under the provisions of IRS code section 181 and 168(k)…. Similar to acquiring an aircraft, some asset classes afford the owner with tax benefits in the form of bonus depreciation or tax credits.” The company also touts that it has “unparalled access to prestige independent projects.”
Halveson, according to her company bio, has been active in film production since 2015.
Thomasville Pictures is connected to Ryan Donnell Smith, who is also a partner with Halveson in Streamline Global. Smith’s bio for Streamline Global describes him as “a bondable line producer for projects up to $30M, Ryan has more than a decade of expertise in film production and strong relationships with creatives and executives.”
Smith is credited as executive producer of Netflix’s “The Trial of the Chicago 7” and is a producer on a number of upcoming Streamline Global movies including the Alec Baldwin starrer “Supercell.” That movie is also produced by Short Porch Pictures and Thomasville Pictures.
Cavalry Media, headed by industry veteran Dana Brunetti, is the management-production entity that represents Baldwin. Brittany House Pictures is headed by actor-producer Angul Nigam. Nigam’s banner previously worked with Baldwin and El Dorado Pictures on the 2019 indie “Crown Vic.”
13:21 SNL opens with Trump, Biden debate spoof in season 46 opener
SNL opens with Trump, Biden debate spoof in season 46 opener – Oct 4, 2020
Short Porch Pictures is the banner for producer Ryan Winterstern, who has a number of indie film credits to his name. Winterstern, Smith, Nigam and Baldwin are credited as producers on “Rust.” Halveson, Bondit Media Capital’s Matthew Helderman and Cavalry Media’s Matthew DelPiano are listed as executive producers.
Production veterans say the industry needs to work to promote a zero-tolerance approach for anyone who tries to avoid or ignore safety protocols. In the case of firearms, producers also emphasized that so much can be done easily now with inexpensive vfx that there is no excuse for pushing the envelope on safety.
“You can add a muzzle flash so easily now with five minutes of green screen,” the producer said.
Producers also need to deeply understand the gravity of what they are getting into when the go into production, particularly on location. And industry veterans say that safety protocols need to be a point of pride for producers who need to adopt a buck-stops-here attitude on set.
A distraught Alec Baldwin lingers in the parking lot outside the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office in Santa Fe, N.M., after he was questioned about a shooting on the set of the film “Rust” on the outskirts of Santa Fe, Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021. Baldwin fired a prop gun on the set, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza, officials said.
Jim Weber/Santa Fe New Mexican via AP
“We are asking you to do dangerous things,” the veteran safety officer said. “We put you in airplanes, we put you on mountains, we put you in speeding cars. It’s up to (producers) to make sure everyone gets home safe.”
The timing of Hutchins’ death and the tension in the IATSE contracts is downright eerie. IATSE leaders sounded the alarm over the problem of over-worked crews and dangerous conditions on set. Industry sources said the new hard-fought terms that IATSE achieved will hopefully ease some of the time pressure on sets. But in the near-term there’s also concern that the shock of Hutchins’ death could drive members to vote down the deal and push for greater concessions.
Another crucial factor will be training a new generation of crew, craft and technical workers with a reverence for safety. Just as the shocking death of 27-year-old camera assistant Sarah Jones led to safety reforms for location shoots involving trains and other vehicles, the “Rust” tragedy will likely have a broader impact.
“The takeaway here is there’s hundreds of productions going on every day with firearms,” Harris said. “It’s inconceivable that somebody gets killed on a movie set with a prop gun if everybody follows the rules.”
When adult swim canceled The Venture Bros.after a solid seven-season run over a year ago, the reaction was pretty strong. Earlier this year, the network announced a TV movie for Blu-Ray and HBO Max, and now there’s been a sizable update for the upcoming movie that’s exciting despite how little it ultimately says.
Yesterday, co-creator Jackson Publick (aka Christopher McCulloch, who primarily voices Hank Venture and the Monarch) tweeted the first page of a Venture Bros. script. Dubbed a “long form special” and crediting fellow co-creator Doc Hammer, Publick said: “Things are happening.”
It’s not much to go on, sure, but the fandom is certainly excited to get some kind of Venture update. The series has a history of sizably long breaks between seasons and not always having anything to show until things are completely or almost done. The largest gap so far has been between seasons four and five (2010-2013) and five and six (2013-2016). But there some animated specials that came in between those gaps, so it wasn’t too terrible.
Either way, the animated special is expected to wrap up everything in a somewhat nice bow for the characters. Last time we saw them, Hank left his family grow up (while still wearing that Batman mask, obvs) and Dean began to search for him. Meanwhile, their dad Rusty learned that he and his sort of nemesis the Monarch were brothers as well. The new movie will pick up as both sets of Venture brothers try to find answers while a mysterious woman is set to show up and throw everyone’s already turbulent lives even more out of whack.
Anker Soundcore Mini, Super-Portable Bluetooth Speaker is now 20% off. The Anker Soundcore Flare 2 for example is down to $49 which has a powerful bass-driven 360° audio.
In the past, the closest the show has come to a film was the excellent 2015 special “All This and Gargantua-2,” which gave the series a soft reboot and set up the family’s eventual relocation to New York for season six. Hopefully with a feature film, the show will get to have as much bloody and anarchic fun as that special did when it arrives in like, three or four years.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II has a lot of nerdy irons in the proverbial cinematic fire. He recently starred as Doctor Manhattan in HBO’s wonderful Watchmen TV series, had the lead role in the revival of the horror movie Candyman, will be playing a new incarnation of Morpheus in The Matrix Resurrections, and returning to the role of the villain Black Manta in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. But alas, the one iron he’s had to pull out of the fire is Furiosa, George Miller’s upcoming prequel to the smash-hit Mad Max: Fury Road.
Deadline broke the news, saying Abdul-Mateen II “had to part ways with the project due to a scheduling conflict. It is unknown the exact project Abdul-Mateen is exiting over, but sources say it is a secret passion project he had been developing for some time, and production recently moved up on it, which ultimately led him to leaving Furiosa.”
The only post-Furiosa project the actor has listed on IMDB is Emergency Contact, “a high-concept, high-octane action film set in the underground music scene of Austin, Texas” which doesn’t exactly scream passion project. Given the actor’s high profile (and talent!), it’ll interesting to see what it ends up being.
Meanwhile, actor Tom Burke has been hired to play whatever Furiosa role Abdul-Mateen II had been cast in, opposite Last Night in Soho and The Queen’s Gambit’s Anna Taylor-Joy as the young Furiosa. Burke was in… uh… (frantically looks on Wikipedia) the C.B. Strike series as Comoran Strike, which… (sees the show was based on J.K. Rowling crime novels) you know what? Never mind.
Furiosa, which also stars Chris Hemsworth, was recently delayed until 2024 so honestly, there’s plenty of time for all the stars to quit and be recast multiple times. We’ll see!
Anker Soundcore Mini, Super-Portable Bluetooth Speaker is now 20% off. The Anker Soundcore Flare 2 for example is down to $49 which has a powerful bass-driven 360° audio.
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Internal discussions at major film and TV studios are reportedly underway to address calls for a ban on having real guns on set. However, it’s unlikely that a blanket ban will come from a network or studio level any time soon.
Many in show business are grappling with the industry’s relationship to guns and live ammunition on sets in the wake of an accidental shooting incident that involved Alec Baldwin on the set of the indie-western film “Rust” that resulted in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.
Deadline reports that multiple major TV studios have been carefully examining their own gun safety protocols as a spotlight falls on the well-being of cast and crew on sets and around firearms. However, the outlet notes that it’s doubtful that the situation with Hutchins and Baldwin will result in any sweeping ban on live munitions given that safety precautions from major studios and networks seem to be sufficient. The outlet reports that such accidents typically happen on lower-budget indie films.
Indeed, “Rust” was working with a smaller budget than most massive studio films and therefore had less infrastructure in place to ensure that preexisting safety guidelines were in place.
A bouquet of flowers is left to honor cinematographer Halyna Hutchins outside the Bonanza Creek Ranch. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
However, it’s worth noting that authorities are still investigating what led to the tragic accident that landed a live round in a weapon thought to be a “cold gun.”
Still, that hasn’t stopped several showrunners and other creatives from declaring that they will no longer allow live ammunition or firearms on the sets of their shows. ABC’s “The Rookie” got things started when showrunner Alexi Hawley declared in an internal memo that the show would now exclusively use fake guns.
“As of today, it is now policy on The Rookie that all gunfire on set will be Air Soft guns with CG muzzle flashes added in post. There will be no more ‘live’ weapons on the show,” his memo states via The Hollywood Reporter.
“The Rookie” was among the first TV shows to ban real guns on set in the wake of the accidental death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the movie “Rust.” (ABC/Kelsey McNeal)
Purists of the prop industry may argue that realistic recoil cannot be done in post-production. However, as Craig Zobel, the director of “Mare of Easttown” and “The Leftovers” put it, “who cares?“
“There’s no reason to have guns loaded with blanks or anything on set anymore,” Zobel wrote on Twitter. “Should just be fully outlawed. There’s computers now. The gunshots on Mare of Easttown are all digital. You can probably tell, but who cares? It’s an unnecessary risk.”
Erik Kripke, the showrunner for Amazon Prime’s “The Boys,” where “Rust” co-star Jensen Ackles will play a role in Season 3, announced that he too will no longer use real guns on set.
Alec Baldwin has since spoken out about the incident, calling it a “tragic accident” and praising Halyna Hutchins as a “deeply admired colleague.” (Jim Weber/Santa Fe New Mexican)
“Someone hurt or killed on my set is my worst nightmare. Sending love to Halyna Hutchins’ family, @JensenAckles, cast crew of ‘Rust.’ I’m so sorry. In her memory, a simple, easy pledge: no more guns with blanks on any of my sets ever. We’ll use VFX muzzle flashes. Who’s with me?” he wrote.
While it’s unlikely that official action will be taken by way of networks and studios, public attention might be enough to prompt change on a more political level. California state Sen. Dave Cortese announced he plans to introduce legislation seeking the ban of live ammunition on sets in the state in direct response to the “Rust” incident.
Rejecting the Left-Right binary in modern-day political discourse, RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale said that India has space for ideas of both sides.
