Category: News

Michael Davis: Model Behavior

  • News
  • March 16, 2007

michael-davis100-9812506I have to apologize to my editor Mike Gold for this column upfront. Sorry, Mike, I told you I would write an article about education and empowerment and I will, I promise! But I have to write this article because, well, you will see why…

A few days ago I was at the Sprint store trying to get my cell phone serviced. Some idiot at the Palm Company sent me an email telling me that I needed to download some new software so my smartphone can handle the new daylight saving time.

Well let’s just say my smartphone is as dumb as a brick. When I downloaded the darn software it erased all my information on the phone. By the way, the phone automatically changed the date an hour later.

I went to the Sprint store to get them restore some of what I lost. While I was there a sweet young lady named Azy hooked me up by spending two hours with Palm technical support on my problem. She was cool but I had just wasted two hours of a beautiful day and this was first day in weeks that I had a moment to myself. Need to say I was not happy!

When I left I went to a car dealership across the street. I went there to calm down (hey, nothing calms a dude down like shopping for a new car; ladies – cars are a man’s shoes) When I got to the car dealer there, in all her glory, was a SUPER MODEL! I won’t tell you who it was because this is about to get ugly, but you would know this person. Whenever I see a celebrity, and I see a lot because I work in television, I always ask the same thing, “Can I have some money?”

Well she thought that was funny and we started talking. She was fairly nice until she noticed I had a comic book in my hand. It was the new Blokhedz graphic novel. It’s called Genesis and it’s great! She asked about it and I told her it was really cool, she looked at it for a few seconds and then she said “Comics are for kids, and stupid.”

I tried to explain the rich history of comics; she was having none of this. “Comic books are just silly.” I tried AGAIN to explain about comics. She just gave me a “You stupid” look. (more…)

Stan Lee Media sues Marvel

  • News
  • March 16, 2007

Oh, how I love financial and legal shenanigans. Stan Lee Media has one of the messier histories in the dot-com boom and bust, with tales of stock manipulation and attempted bribes to Bill and Hillary Clinton by partner Peter Paul. And it looks like we aren’t done yet.

Fresh out of bankruptcy, Stan Lee Media, Inc. filed a $5 billion lawsuit against Marvel Entertainment yesterday in US District Court in NY. In the suit, as reported by Marvel, Stan Lee Media claims it is shares co-ownership of some of Marvel’s superhero characters.  Marvel says the suit is without merit.

The suit claims that Stan Lee throughout his employment with Marvel retained the co-creator rights to all his characters, and in August 1998 when Marvel terminated Stan’s employment, he regained those rights. Stan then went and formed the dotcom firm Stan Lee Media as a way to tap into the Internet boom, and on October 15, 1998, he signed over not only his creations to the new firm, but his likeness as well. Then in November, 1998, Lee individually entered an employment agreement with Marvel, signing over his Marvel characters and likeness to Marvel, despite having already signed over the rights to Stan Lee Media. The suit claims Stan Lee Media informed Marvel of their contract and that Marvel "independently and/or in collusion with Stan Lee, intentionally concealed the material terms" of Marvel’s new agreement from Stan Lee Media, the public and its own shareholders, and that Stan Lee Media is entitled to 50 percent of all revenue going back three years and going forward 50 years. (By law, they can only go back three years, not as far as 1998.)

To make matters even more confusing, Stan the Man himself is no longer affiliated with the recently emerged from bankruptcy Stan Lee Media. In fact, Stan and his current company, POW Entertainment (makers of Who Wants To Be A Superhero?) is suing the principals in Stan Lee Media alleging that they illegally took over his former company and infringed on his trademarks and copyrights. Stan has said that, “I do not support this action and believe the suit to be baseless.”

What hath Knight Rider wrought?

  • News
  • March 16, 2007

kitt-8733627How did we get to this story before Warren Ellis did? A man has been found who likes having sex with cars.

The details of mechanic Chris Donald’s alleged romantic vehicular liaisons have been unearthed by The Sun, so take it with a grain of salt. In addition to a large number of cars, Mr Donald claims to have also done the dirty with two boats and a jetski.

"Mr. Donald apparently says that his sexual fetish may have been triggered by formative childhood experiences watching Knight Rider. ‘When I was a young boy I used to see human qualities in cars,’ he says. ‘As I grew up I noticed I was having feelings towards cars and they began catching my eye in a certain way.’ "

Brings new meaning to Super Pursuit Mode, don’t it? We can imagine the dialogue now. "Michael, it’s time for a turbo boost…"

Comics – because it’s there

  • News
  • March 15, 2007

Via Lisa at Sequentially Speaking, Joao Garcia climbed Mount Everest’s north side eight years ago, and has decided to tell his story via comics, publishing a limited, 2,000-print adaptation of his Everest story book A mais Alta Solidao (The highest solitude), illustrated by Ricardo Cabra.  Read his interview with ExplorersWeb here.

This appears to be something of a trend among Portuguese creative folk; a few days ago ExplorersWeb interviewed artist Antonio Coelho about his climbing experiences.  Both interviews are well worth scoping out for the copious numbers of illustrations therein.

John Ostrander: Writing 101

  • News
  • March 15, 2007

ostrander100-5978791What does a writer do?

I did an interview recently and I was asked what advice I could give to someone who also wanted to be a writer. I get asked that at classes, lectures or seminars and I always answer by asking that question.

It’s not a trick question, although some people seem to think it is. Generally, I get answers like:

a) writers create stories

b) writers make up characters

c) writers make up things

It’s actually a lot simpler, more basic, and far tougher than all of the above.

What does a writer do? A writer writes. We don’t simply think about writing or talk about writing or imagine ourselves writing, although every writer I know does that and, in many cases, prefers to do that. It’s a hell of a lot easier than actually doing the work. However, if that’s all you do, then you’re not a writer. You’re a wannabee.

A writer writes. Every day. If you’re just starting, find a time and place that you can do it even if it’s only for five minutes. It’s like when you’re starting to exercise; you’re not – or shouldn’t – go from 0 exercise to trying to running the Boston Marathon. You need first to get into shape; with writing you need to get into the habit of writing. At first you’re looking for consistency – five to seven days a week.

I don’t care where or how you do it – in a diary, a journal, with pen and paper, on a computer or what. Text messaging is not the same thing, and you know it. It’s preferable to write in something so you can see what you’ve done, where you can refer back to earlier entries. Date the entries. (more…)

Hellboy: Blood and Iron premieres on Cartoon Network

  • News
  • March 14, 2007

Cartoon Network will premiere Hellboy: Blood and Iron, the second feature Hellboy animated feature film, on March 17 at 7 PM Eastern.  The movie features the voices of a number of the actors that appeared in director Guillermo del Toro’s live-action Hellboy movie including John Hurt, Ron Perlman, Selma Blair and Doug Jones. Tad Stones and Victor Cook direct the movie. Guillermo del Toro and Mike Mignola are creative producers.

The second Hellboy live action movie is scheduled for 2008, and a third animated feature is in finishing stages.

Dreamworks animation goes 3D

  • News
  • March 14, 2007

DreamWorks Animation has announced plans to produce all of its new films in full 3-D.  they plan to produce their movies employing stereoscopic 3-D technology from the start of the movie production process, and has already begun production on its first movie to be made in this format, Monsters vs. Aliens (working title), slated for release in summer 2009. 

According to DreamWorks, "this approach will increase its storytelling opportunities and create a more immersive movie-viewing experience."  Up until this time many of the movies shown in 3D were produced for regular movie theater projection with the 3-D parts or full-length 3-D movies rendered for 3D projection in post-production (e.g. Chicken Little and others).  As for where these movies will be shown, DreamWorks points to a significant increase over the past two years in the number of theaters that have the proper equipment to support stereoscopic projection, and claims that by 2009 there will be several thousand screens equipped for 3-D.

(more…)

TNT drama series in development

  • News
  • March 14, 2007

TNT has a few new series in development that could be of interest to us all:

  • The Talisman – a six-hour limited series scheduled for summer 2008; a new project from DreamWorks Television and executive producer Steven Spielberg, based on the Stephen King and Peter Straub novel of the same title.
  • The Saint – a new one hour series based on the Leslie Chateris classic character – the famous Simon Templar. From executive producer William J. McDonald and producer Jorge Zamacona. The Saint was featured in movies dating back to the late 1930s (starring the great George Sanders) and the British television series from the 1960s starring Roger Moore. I can hear the theme song now…
  • The Company – a limited one-hour, six-part series debuting in August with Chris O’Donnell, Alfred Molina and Michael Keaton that looks at the CIA’s activities during the Cold War, based on the bestselling novel by Robert Littell. Batman, Robin, and Doc Ock? Sure, why not.

Potter breaks another record

  • News
  • March 14, 2007

The last time Harry Potter headed out to the bookstores, he brought 10,800,000 books with him. Today, he’s older and stronger and can carry an unprecedented 12,000,000 copies of his latest, and last, thriller.

So if you’re investing in first editions, you can skip double-bagging Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

The promotion theme wil be "There Will Soon Be 7," although a great many fans believe that by the end of this final volume, we won’t have Harry Potter to kick around anymore.

Marvel Studios promotions

  • News
  • March 14, 2007

As Marvel’s Iron Man movie heads into production this week, we get word of a lot of promotions and changes of job titles at Marvel Studios. At the top, David Maisel is now Chairman of Marvel Studios and Kevin Feige is President of Production. Maisel, who joined Marvel in 2003, is credited for the conception and execution of the new film production effort, including establishing the strategy for self-financing the endeavor. Feige has worked on all of Marvel’s movies since 2000, and is currently producer on Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk.  In his expanded role, Feige will now also oversee creative for the studio’s animated projects for TV and DVD, as well as video games. 

Additionally, Marvel Studios has recently added and promoted a number of executives in senior management, including:

  • Tim Connors as EVP/Business Affairs and Operations
  • Ross Fanger as EVP/Physical Production
  • Michael Brown as SVP/Marketing
  • Charlie Davis as SVP/Post Production
  • Rod Smith as SVP/Production Finance
  • Elizabeth Lynch as VP/Business and Legal Affairs
  • Jean-Claude Boursiquot as Director/IT and Studio Technology
  • Matt Finick as SVP/Studio Finance and Corporate Development
  • Ryan Potter as Associate Counsel.
  • Eric Rollman as EVP/Animation and Television
  • Ames Kirschen as SVP and Executive Producer/Video Games
  • Craig Kyle as SVP/Animation
  • Jeremy Latcham as VP/Development and Production
  • Stephen Broussard as Creative Executive
  • Joshua Fine as Story Editor/Animation

With everybody moving up a notch or two, someone has to make way at the top — in this case it’s Michael Helfant, President and COO, who will "pursue other opportunities."

(more…)

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