2008 American Black Film Festival to Explore Black Sexuality and Romance in American Cinema

Film Life's 12th annual American Black Film Festival (ABFF) will take place August 7-10, 2008, in Los Angeles, CA, with Exploring Black Romance and Sexuality in American Cinema as its theme.

"The majority of American films, from PG to R have romance and sexuality either prominently featured or as the subtext. Black romance and sexuality are rarely part of the storyline in these films and realistic portrayals of how and whom we love are few and far between. We intend to explore the question 'is Black romance taboo or too hot to handle?'" said Jeff Friday, CEO of Film Life, Inc. and founder and producer of the American Black Film Festival. "When you look at the leading actors or actresses in those films you will discover a disturbing fact, the story line rarely involves people of color. An internet search on IMDB found that of the roughly 350 films earning more than $100 million at the box office 50 of them had love scenes but not one of those scenes involved a person of color," added Friday.

In its 12 years, the ABFF has screened over 500 independent films, with seventy per cent having gone on to secure theatrical or DVD distribution. Festival alumni include director Sylvain White (Stomp the Yard) and producers Rob Hardy and Will Packer (This Christmas and Stomp the Yard), producer Roger M. Bobb (Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married and Daddy's Little Girls) and writer/director Frank E. Flowers (Haven). The ABFF was born out of the need to generate distribution opportunities for independent Black films and promote cultural diversity within the motion picture industry. Festival attendance is expected to exceed 5,000 people.

In keeping with its theme, the festival will screen several classic films with romance and sexuality at their core, culminating with a panel discussion entitled: Can We Get Some Love? Exploring Black Romance and Sexuality in American Cinema. The panel will take place on Friday, August 8th at 6pm at the WGA Theatre. "There was a more than 20 year gap where there were no major films exploring black love and romance," said Reggie Scott, festival executive director. "We left off with Claudine and Mahogany in the 70's and picked up with Waiting to Exhale and Love Jones in the 90s," he added.

Festival activities will be centered in West Hollywood and Beverly Hills and Allstate(R) has signed on as the 2008 Presenting Sponsor. HBO(R), the festival's Founding Sponsor, returns along with Target, BETJ and luxury automaker Lincoln as Premiere Sponsors. Blockbuster and Heineken are Official Sponsors and Nielsen Media Research, One Village Entertainment, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Codeblack Entertainment, Nickelodeon and Fox Entertainment Group are Supporting Sponsors. SAG Indie, Writers Guild of America West, and the Greater Philadelphia Film Office are Industry Sponsors. Black Enterprise, Uptown, Upscale, Black Noir, Heart&Soul, Precious Times, Automotive Rhythms, Toy Box, Monarch, Hope Today Magazine, NV, Save the Date, EUR Web are media sponsors.

2008 ABFF information and registration can be found online at www.abff.com

here! Films Acquire Family Film 'Breakfast With Scot'

here! Films has acquired North American distribution rights to "Breakfast With Scot," a family comedy from director Laurie Lynd. The film is the Opening Night selection of Outfest 2008: The 26th Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival and will be released in select theaters this Fall by sister company Regent Releasing.

Adapted from the novel by Michael Downing, "Breakfast with Scot" is a touching comedy that tells the story of a very 'straight' gay couple, Eric (Tom Cavanagh), an ex-NHL hockey player-turned-sportscaster and Sam (Ben Shenkman), a lawyer, who end up with temporary custody of recently orphaned Scot, (Noah Bernett), a budding queen of an 11 year old.

Seven Arts Pictures Acquires Worldwide Rights to Mortal Armor: The Legend of Galahad

Seven Arts Pictures plc has acquired worldwide rights to the Arthurian historical epic adventure "Mortal Armor: The Legend of Galahad."

The film, which is in pre-production, follows the epic journey of young Galahad in his quest of finding the Holy Grail that a dying King Arthur believed might save the war ravaged Kingdom from destruction. But as the story unfolds, his quest leads him down unexpected paths as he finds his first love, meets his long lost father Lancelot, and seeks to prove himself a knight.

Mikael Salomon is set to direct the feature. Most recently Salomon directed the upcoming mini-series "The Andromeda Strain," as well as the critically acclaimed mini-series "The Company," for which he was nominated for an Emmy and a Directors Guild Award. Salomon received an Emmy Award for his directing on HBO's "Band of Brothers," produced by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects on "Backdraft."

Veteran filmmaker Gale Anne Hurd of Valhalla Motion Pictures is the producer of the film. Hurd recently produced "The Incredible Hulk" for Marvel Studios, which was released by Universal Pictures on June 13, as well as more than two dozen feature films throughout her career including "The Terminator," "Aliens," "Armageddon," "Aeon Flux," "The Punisher," "The Hulk," "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" and "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines," among others.

The writer of "Mortal Armor: The Legend of Galahad" is Joel Gross, esteemed writer of "Marie Antoinette: The Color of Flesh," "The Books of Rachel," "No Escape," and "Blind Man's Bluff."

TV Websites Grow More Popular, but Viewers Still Prefer Their TV Sets

Despite the growing popularity of viewing television content online, most adults (94%) who subscribe to cable or satellite television services prefer to watch television on traditional TV sets, according to new research conducted by The Nielsen Company for the Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing (CTAM).

One-third of the adult broadband users (35%) surveyed for the Nielsen-CTAM study said they had watched at least one television program originally shown on TV via the Internet. Of those who sought out video content online, 87% watched television programs directly from a TV network Web site. Further, 82% of those who watched video content online reported that they went online to find a specific television program that they had missed when it first aired on TV. This indicates the critical importance of strong marketing for the initial TV showing and the success that major networks are having by taking popular programs to the online platform.

Online television viewers are not only catching up on their favorite shows, nearly 40% report using the Internet to get the scoop on actors and upcoming episodes.

ONLINE TELEVISION VIEWERS

Which TV related activities have you done online?

Read background info about a show's cast member39%

Viewed a show's previews 38%

Read background info about the show or the show's characters 37%

Viewed a behind-the-scenes video clip 27%

Read or viewed a show's cast member interview 26%

Viewed a show's bloopers 22%

Viewed a show's deleted scenes 20%

Source: "CTAM Tracking The Evolving Use of Television and Its Content: Wave 4 Trend Results and Analysis" Study (2008)


Asked to choose among seventeen online content categories, online television viewers said they prefer to watch shorter video clips when they go online. Specifically, movie trailers (53%), user generated videos (45%), music videos and general news segments (37%), comedy programs (31%), and sports clips (31%) were respondents' top choices.

"Tracking how consumer behavior is changing as a result of new television viewing platforms is critical to our business," said Char Beales, President and CEO of CTAM. "As preferences are made clear through research, cable companies and content providers evolve the product mix to best suit viewers' needs and desires."

"With so many viewing options now available via digital technology, it's more important than ever to understand how people are consuming media," said Susan Whiting, Executive Vice President, The Nielsen Company. "This analysis shows a continuing strong appetite for watching television the traditional way even as viewers begin to extend their viewing to the personal computer."

In general, the study found that people are spending more time online each week than they were two years ago. More than half of the respondents (51%) reported being online for at least three hours a week last year. In 2005, just 41% of those surveyed said they spent three or more hours online per week.

Nielsen and CTAM's analysis also found growth among services associated with traditional television set viewing. For example, respondents' knowledge and usage of video On Demand services increased substantially between 2005 and 2007. Free On Demand programs and movies also experienced a significant jump in usage from 49% in 2005 to 71% in 2007, and paid On Demand usage increased from 46% to 55%.

Other key findings from the report include:

-- HDTV subscribers are exceptionally loyal: Of those respondents who own HDTV sets, two-fifths (41%) subscribe to a high-definition programming service. These subscribers report making it a point to watch high-definition programs "every time" (20%) or "most of the time" (45%) they watch television.

-- Digital cable and HDTV are poised for further growth: Interest in digital cable and HDTV sets is strong among respondents currently without these services or devices. Those interested in digital cable jumped from 9% to 20% and from 18% to 28% for high definition TV sets from 2005 to 2007.

-- Viewers are accessing TV content via new media platforms: Small, but significant, percentages of respondents reported watching television via desktop computers (14%), laptops (9%), video-enabled mobile phones (6%), or other portable video players (5%).

-- Portable video platforms are slowly gaining popularity: While a large percent (82%) of adults in this study own a mobile phone, only 7% subscribe to a video downloading service. Of those respondents who own a video iPod, 35% have never watched a video on it, 16% watch videos two or three times a month, 14% watch videos once a week, and 9% watch videos daily via iPod.

DreamWorks Studios Acquires Rights to Scholastic’s Upcoming Series

DreamWorks Studios has acquired the movie rights from Scholastic Media to the multi-platform adventure series, "The 39 Clues." Forte will produce and Steven Spielberg is eyeing to direct.

The 39 Clues, due to launch globally in September, is a fully integrated multi-media adventure that spans across 10 supercharged books, 355 collectible cards, and a dynamic online game where kids can uncover information, play skill based games and collect cards to compete for prizes. The story revolves around the Cahills - the most powerful family the world has ever known - the source of whose power is a mystery that can only be unraveled by assembling 39 clues hidden around the world throughout history. Combining reading with online gaming and collecting, this breakthrough concept is uniquely positioned to reach millions of young people who are readers, gamers, collectors, or all three, and encourage them to participate in the hunt for the 39 clues. The initiative will roll out over a 24-month period starting in September 2008 – with the web site serving as the home base for kids to participate in The 39 Clues experience. The first book in the series, "The Maze of Bones," is written by Rick Riordan, a #1 New York Times best-selling author, who also outlined the series' 10-book story arc.

Adam Goodman and Holly Bario will oversee the project's development at DreamWorks Studios.

Steven Spielberg Receives Arizona State University Communication Award

Steven Spielberg, a three-time Academy Award winner, is the 2008 recipient of Arizona State University's Hugh Downs Award for Communication Excellence. His latest film, "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," starring Harrison Ford, opened in theaters worldwide late last month.

"This year's award honors a master storyteller," noted H.L. "Bud" Goodall Jr., director of ASU's Hugh Downs School of Human Communication. The award winner was announced June 19.

Spielberg, a founding partner of DreamWorks Studios, has written, directed or produced some of the top-grossing films of all time, including "Jurassic Park" and "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial."

Among his film honors are two Oscars for best director and best picture for "Schindler's List" and a third Oscar for best director for "Saving Private Ryan." Those movies also earned Spielberg Golden Globe Awards.

The Directors Guild of America (DGA) presented Spielberg with its Lifetime Achievement Award, as did the American Film Institute. Spielberg has earned three DGA Awards and 10 DGA nominations - more than any other director in history.

In crafting the award narrative for the ASU honor, respected broadcast journalist Hugh Downs noted that Spielberg is "a man who has demonstrated the power of narratives to inform, persuade and entertain, all the while reminding us of how important it is to be able to respect the past in order to imagine a better future.

"In an age defined by new global communication and shaped by our use of new communication technologies, it is only right and fitting to honor an individual who has used film - and the innovations we associate with his films - to change how we think about our worlds, both real and imagined," Downs wrote.

"The stories that are the soul of Steven's films, and the technological advancements that have been created to touch the heart and appeal to our capacity for wonder, deserve to be recognized not only as achievements in the filmic arts, but moreover as superlative achievements of human storytelling and inspiration," said Downs.

In accepting the award, Spielberg said: "It is a great honor for me to receive this award, for many reasons. First, it comes from Hugh Downs whose work as a communicator I have long admired and respected.

"Second, because the award recognized the significance of human communication, which is something we need more than ever in today's world. And third, because the root of this award springs from Arizona, which has meant so much in my own early life. So thanks Hugh, and thanks Arizona State University," Spielberg said.

As a teenager, Spielberg lived in Scottsdale, Arizona. He attended Arcadia High School in Phoenix for several years, before moving to California. While at Arcadia, Spielberg wrote and directed a science fiction movie, "Firelight."

In addition to filmmaking, Spielberg has devoted his time and resources to several philanthropic causes. According to biographical notes on the DreamWorks Web site, "the impact of his experience making 'Schindler's List,' led him to establish the Righteous Persons Foundation using all his profits from the film. He also founded Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation, which has recorded more than 52,000 Holocaust survivor testimonies. In 2005, the Foundation's repository of testimonies were transferred to the University of Southern California. The new USC Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History and Education will be dedicated to research and scholarship in the humanities and social sciences.

Spielberg is the second recipient of the Hugh Downs Award for Communication Excellence. Last year, the honor went to Larry King, host of CNN's "Larry King Live."

The idea behind the award came from school alumna Jeanne Lind Herberger who wanted to honor the school's namesake by establishing an annual award to commemorate Downs' legacy.

Downs has experience as a television host, producer and author. He is a living legend among American communicators, according to Goodall.

Downs served as anchor of "20/20," host of "The Today Show," announcer for "The Tonight Show with Jack Paar" and co-host of the PBS talk show "Not for Women Only."

The Hugh Downs School of Human Communication in ASU's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences exists to advance the understanding of message-related human behavior for the purpose of improving communicative interactions.

"Through the study and critique of human communication, we generate knowledge, creativity and understanding to facilitate healthy relationships and workplaces, civil and secure communities; and constructive intercultural interactions," Goodall said. "We teach more than 16,000 students per year and we're proud of our top-tier doctoral program."

More information at http://www.asu.edu/clas/communication.

Blockbuster Sequels - Financial Boom or Bust?

Although movie sequels don't always do as well at the box office as the original, they tend to do much better than non-sequels, according to a new study in the July Journal of Business Research. And timing is everything - the shorter the period between releases, the better.

According to a recent joint study by Binghamton University, State University of New York, and Florida Atlantic University, sequels do not match the box office revenues of the parent films. However, week-by-week, they do better than non-sequels - more so, when they quickly follow the original. Indeed, we have found that some franchises are closely following this practice, said Subimal Chatterjee, marketing professor at Binghamton University. For instance, New Line Studios released the Lord of the Rings trilogy in almost clocklike precision: "Fellowship of the Ring" in December, 2001; "The Two Towers" in December in 2002; and the "Return of the King" in December 2003. A shorter time gap for releasing a sequel is better than a longer time gap given that the "buzz" and anticipation is likely to dissipate in consumers" memory with a longer wait. However, as Chatterjee points out, it is not to say that delays will invariably kill a sequel"s chance of success. For example, people were quite willing to wait for over ten years to see Bruce Willis back in "Die Hard" or Harrison Ford in "Indiana Jones," he said. There is something to be said about star power in keeping the franchise alive.

Sequels also show a faster drop in weekly revenues relative to non-sequels. One can surmise that sequels attract a disproportionate number of curious consumers in the opening week, said Suman Basuroy, assistant professor of marketing at Florida Atlantic University. Unfortunately, many sequels are not able to sustain this interest past the initial draw.

Over time, a single film may spawn multiple sequels and become a franchise. For example, the James Bond franchise, starting with Dr. No in 1963, has produced over 20 sequels. According to Chatterjee and Basuroy, the number of sequels can affect the current sequel's box office performance, and ultimately the strength of the franchise. It all depends on the quality of each of the intervening sequels, said Basuroy. If consumers perceive that the sequels are better than the original film, the number of sequels can have a positive impact on the current sequel's box office performance. Once again, we found that "buzz" and consumer anticipation can be the "make or break" factor in building the overall franchise. Chatterjee suggests that this study offers movie studios key managerial insight. Studios who count on sequels as less riskier ventures than non sequels need to make sure that production budgets are carefully managed, Chatterjee said. Sequels may not perform as well as the original and knowing that production costs escalate for all films - particularly those of sequels - studios need to manage the timing of the releases, the number of sequels, and the gap in between releases.

What else do studio managers need to know? Chatterjee and Basuroy are working on a new project that advises managers how to manage the tricky situation of boredom that is inevitable when sequels repeat the same plot and storyline. Our research shows that consumers actually like repetition, but only up to a point, says Basuroy. For example, people would rather have Rocky I do pretty much the same things as in the parent Rocky movie. But, by the time Rocky IV or V comes along, people will like to see a different story, or even a different actor play Rocky.

As Chatterjee points out, this is one of those few areas where managers and academics have to learn a lot from each other, which makes our research all that more exciting.