Hollywood

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Hollywood stars come out for Obama

Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama’s campaign coffers reportedly are $10 million richer after two star-studded fundraisers in Beverly Hills last night. That according to Variety, which has a detailed story about Obama’s appearances on its website today. Some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry attended a $28,500 a person courtyard dinner at the historic Greystone Mansion. Others paid $2,500 apiece for an affair […]
Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Graphic novels & comics hot properties in Hollywood

Graphic novels along with comic books are the favorite go-to-sources for movies in Hollywood these days. There is serious dough to be made, two examples: comic-turned-film “The Dark Knight” has a domestic gross nearing $500 million and “300” the movie based on a graphic novel has raked in more than $450 million worldwide since 2006.     So it is no surprise that Warner Bros. […]
Monday, August 11, 2008

Novels, Romance & Hollywood

Novelist and Screenwriter James Dalessandro makes a point. Writer James Dalessandro has been pitching to Hollywood for years and knows how the game is played. Dalessandro shared some of what he has learned with wit, charm and a straight chaser of blunt reality at the Scriptscene mini-conference, July 30, held during the Romance Writers of America 28th Annual Conference in San Francisco. The […]
Saturday, August 9, 2008

Two Bernies have left the Hollywood room

Comic/Actor Bernie Mac dies at the age of 50 There’s a little less laughter in Hollywood today. Actor/comedian Bernie Mac died in a Chicago hospital this morning, after what his publicist says were complications brought on by pneumonia. Cool Mac was an original. He could set up and deliver a joke with impeccable timing or crack-up an audience with just a look. […]
Thursday, August 7, 2008

Newbie screenwriter makes six-figure deal

Screenwriter Jason Sullivan is probably somewhere whooping it up and I don’t blame him one bit. Sullivan sold a comedy pitch to Columbia Pictures for real money, six-figures according to reports. This is his first screenplay sale. The Sullivan comedy is about three friends in their 30s who try to make up for an experience they missed — summer camp.  So they rent […]
Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Screenplay deals

Another superhero project is on the fast track to the Big Screen. Recently, Adam Jay Epstein and Andrew Jacobson sold a pitch called, “The Transplants” to Walt Disney Pictures for mid-six against high-six figures. The action-adventure comedy focuses on four superheroes. I know, the logline is lacking in details, but this very brief description of the story is all that is […]
Thursday, July 17, 2008

Big day in Hollywood

The Primetime TV Emmy nominations were announced this morning. The biggest surprise — a very impressive showing by basic cable programmers. In fact, the HBO presidential series, “John Adams” received the most nominations of any program with 23. Also, up for best drama series two first-year cable shows AMC’s “Mad Men,” and FX’s “Damages.” This is the first time cable […]
Tuesday, July 15, 2008

New anti-smoking campaign for some Hollywood movies

Movies aimed at the younger generation will soon carry anti-smoking public service announcements when they are released on DVD. The Los Angeles-based Entertainment Industry Foundation announced a new initiative to include the special PSAs on movies that have scenes of tobacco use and are rated G, PG, and PG-13. The PSAs will appear in the opening minutes of all new […]
Tuesday, June 24, 2008

“Marley & Me” author writes memoir

Author of the bestselling “Marley & Me” John Grogan’s new memoir, “The Longest Trip Home”, has been announced for publication on October 21 by William Morrow. “From his troublemaking childhood to his courtship of a fiery blond named Jenny, Grogan writes about how he came to terms with who he is and what he believes.” It’s called the “story of […]