AFTRA & SAG Continue Merger Discussions

LOS ANGELES and NEW YORK (August 29, 2011) —- Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists continued formal discussions this weekend between the AFTRA New Union Committee and the SAG Merger Task Force to facilitate the creation of one union to represent all members of Screen Actors Guild and AFTRA. Meeting together as the Group for One Union, or G1, members and staff of both unions held meetings Saturday through Monday by video and teleconference between New York and Los Angeles. Originally scheduled as face-to-face meetings in New York, members and staff were cautioned not to travel due to the impending landfall of Hurricane Irene in New York and elsewhere along the East Coast. Both unions quickly implemented a contingency plan, however, to ensure the safety of all participants and continue the meetings as scheduled. The G1, comprised of members including actors, performers, recording artists and broadcast professionals, received a presentation from its Member Education & Outreach Workgroup, and reviewed and discussed findings and recommendations of its Governance & Structure Workgroup. These and four other member-led workgroups have been holding discussions since they were created by the G1 at its inaugural meeting in Silver Spring, MD, June 19 -21. If anyone doubted our commitment to merger, what happened this weekend should put those doubts to rest even a hurricane couldnt stop us, said SAG National President Ken Howard. We covered a lot of ground and I’m so proud of our SAG and AFTRA team. Its a challenging task, but were working extremely well together and I’m more confident than ever that we will get this done for the members.” We made important progress this weekend, said AFTRA National President Roberta Reardon. We examined the myriad strategies, approaches and structures to create a strong, new union that will further empower our members to strengthen their careers and secure their future. I thank everyone involved for their continued solidarity and deeply appreciate their patience and resilience as we worked through the challenges of Hurricane Irene. The weekend meetings were facilitated by Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations Professor Susan J. Schurman, and noted labor consultant Peter S. DiCicco. The next meeting of the Group for One Union is scheduled for October 14 18 in Los Angeles.

Jerry Leiber, Lyricist Behind "Jailhouse Rock" and "Chapel of Love," Dies

Pop music lyricist Jerry Leiber, whose partnership with Mike Stoller created such timeless hits as "Jailhouse Rock" and "There Goes My Baby," helping to shape the identity and commercial potential of early rock and roll, died Tuesday of cardio pulmonary failure, Rolling Stone is reporting. He was 78.our editor recommendsLeiber-Stoller rocks Sony/ATVRelated Topics•Obituaries A dual member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Baltimore native helped create the "crossover" phenomenon with mainstream hits for black artists like The Coasters ("Young Blood," "Yakety Yak," "Charlie Brown") and Ben E. King ("Stand By Me"). Other definitive songs include "Love Potion No. 9," "Kansas City" and a pair of songs that became eternally tied to Elvis Presley. In 1956, Presley snatched up their track "Hound Dog," written four years earlier for Big Mama Thornton. A year later, Presley growled to "Jailhouse Rock," a genre-defining song released alongside the film of the same name. Sony/ATV Music Publishing acquired the Leiber-Stoller catalogue in April 2007. The firm's Chairman and CEO Martin N. Bandier said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, "The songwriting team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller remains one of the greatest and most prolific partnerships of all time. Jerry was a special part of our Sony/ATV family and it was a relationship that ranks among the very best and most sincere in my entire career. Like the lyrics in his iconic songs, Jerry was humorous, insightful and always memorable. He will be missed by everyone who knew him, but lucky for all of us his songs will live on for generations." The 1960s were kind to Leiber/Stoller with a continued parade of hits including the Drifters' "On Broadway," the Shangri-Las' "Leader of the Pack" and the Dixie Cups' "Chapel of Love." In 1969, they produced Peggy Lee's "Is That All There Is?" Their songs are pop music standards and are regularly covered by other artists and featured on television shows such as American Idol, which dedicated an entire episode in season 10 to their catalog. Their legacy was further cemented in 1995 when Smokey Joe's Cafe: The Songs of Leiber & Stoller opened on Broadway. The show comprised of 40 songs from the duo and was nominated for seven Tony Awards before closing five years later. Born less than a month before Leiber in 1933, Stoller still resides in Los Angeles. Marc Schneider is a reporter for Billboard. Related Topics Obituaries

Paula Deen: I am Shocked By Anthony Bourdain's Comments Since I have Never Cooked for Him

Paula Deen, Anthony Bourdain Paula Deen states she's shocked, but takes our prime road after Anthony Bourdain known as her the "most harmful person to America" and stated her food "sucks."Anthony Bourdain's celebrity chef smackdown"I had been really type of shocked thinking about I have never met Anthony," Deen told Fox and Buddies Friday. "I understand he's never visited home I have never cooked for him. I do not think he's visited my restaurant. I had been really shocked that such harsh words might be used."Bourdain stated within this week's problem of TV Guide Magazinethat Deen "revels in unholy connections with evil companies and she's proud to the fact that her meals are f---ing not a good idea." Deen stated she's no clue what motivated Bourdain to lash out at her, but indicates it might have been a publicity stunt. When are you able to next catch Paula Deen on television, online or when needed? Add her for your Watchlist and you will know without a doubt"I'm not sure whether it would be a publicity factor of if a person had just peed in the bowl of cereal that morning and that he was mad," she stated. "Anthony, dear, I am so sorry you are feeling this way. I, too, am put for the reason that position - I am requested questions that may really get me in danger, however i wiggle my way around them because several things would be best left unsaid. Listen, arrived at the house, I'll prepare a meal and when you'll still believe way about me, so whether it is. ... I have existed lengthy enough to understand to select my battles which ain't one of these.InchFor his part, Bourdain appears to regret his comments - that they stated on Twitter were really "worst, most harmful to America prepare on FN [Food Network].""Resolved: The next time I am requested (for that millionth time) who the worst cooks on Food Network are, I'll just shut up," he tweeted. "Who cares?"Watch Deen's interview:

Dying to Do Letterman

A Joke production. Produced by Joke Fincioen, Biagio Messina. Executive producers, Steve Mazan, Denise Mazan. Directed by Joke Fincioen, Biagio Messina.With: Steve Mazan, Denise Mazan, Ray Romano, Arj Barker, Kevin Nealon, Larry "Bubbles" Brown, Robert Schimmel, Brian Regan, Will Durst, Jim Gaffigan, Kenny Kane.Diagnosed with liver cancer and told he may have only five years to live, Los Angeles-based standup comic Steve Mazan resolves to pursue his childhood dream of becoming a latenight TV guest in indie docu "Dying to Do Letterman." Like its regular-guy subject, the pic proves more endearing than hilarious, as the thirtysomething Mazan, working without an agent, launches an earnest grassroots campaign to attract the interest of David Letterman's talent booker Eddie Brill, whose highly particular preferences provide the film with a worthy curtain-peeling dimension. Tonally upbeat, sometimes to a fault, "Dying" will live, like Mazan, on the smallscreen. Persistent, if not relentless, the modest, Chicago-born Mazan hones his bits in far-flung clubs, enlisting auds to email Letterman's gatekeepers with words of praise. An exec producer sends bad news, but the comic remains undaunted, soliciting pro advice from fellow funny men and cooking up jokes between medical visits. Eventually connecting with Brill, Mazan settles on a mildly humorous routine about futzing with old-school hotel keys -- a shtick whose incremental evolution toward the "Letterman" verdict becomes the pic's most compelling element. Tech credits likewise prove sufficient to meet broadcast standards.Camera (color, HD), Adam Sampson; editors, Fincioen, Messina; music, Dave Pelman; production designer, Elvis Strange. Reviewed on DVD, Minneapolis, Aug. 14, 2011. (In DocuWeeks, Cinequest Film Festival.) Running time: 79 MIN. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Pyaar Ka Punchnama

Outspoken and overly critical Nishant Agarwal meets gorgeous new co-worker, Charu, offers his help, assists her financially, and they become close friends. His room-mates, Rajat and Vikrant, are pleased with this outcome as they already have girlfriends in Neha and Rhea respectively. But both the relationships are not as harmonious, as Rajat feels Neha is self-centered and demanding, while Rhea appears to be withdrawn and aloof. Missing their meetings and bar-hopping, the trio decide to take a time-out and be by themselves. All three women, however, find out and decide to accompany them to the beach where they eventually mingle. The trio do not know that soon misunderstandings will crop up - and it will take a lot of effort and understanding to resolve them.

The Liverpool Goalie

Jo Idstad is thirteen. Jo is a good student at school, but he is convinced that life is dangerous. In order to survive at school, he has to avoid deadly dangers at all costs which, according to him include his roughneck classmates, life-threatening sports and pretty girls. Hed much rather stick to his preferred activities such as solving mathematical equations and swapping football cards. These are the tricks that help Jo keep his life under control. But then one day, a new girl, Mari, joins his class and nothing is the same again.

Casting Populazzi: Who Should Play the Book's Characters on the Small Screen

Ezra Miller and Sarah Hyland What do Pretty Little Liars, The Vampire Diaries, Twilight, The Lying Game and The Hunger Games have in common? They're all popular young-adult novels getting adapted for the screen. Populazzi is the latest in the genre - Disney starlet Bella Thorne, among others, has been tweeting about it. The novel follows Cara, the new girl who, with the help of her best friend, attempts to climb the social ladder. Author Elise Allen is no stranger to writing for both television and print. She's written for Dinosaur Train and she co-wrote the novel Elixir with Hilary Duff. (The two are at work on a second book.) Populazzi is Allen's first solo novel, and she shares her dream casting choices with TVGuide.com if the book were to make it to the screen. Cara Leonard: "She needs to be great with comedy, but also honest and likeable, even when she messes up big time," Allen says. "I love Modern Family's Sarah Hyland.As Haley Dunphy, she nails exactly what I'm talking about. I can totally see her making her way up the ladder, fumbling believably every step of the way. She'd make you laugh even as she's making you wince." Archer Jain:"He's charming, quirky, quick-witted and completely at ease ... except when he's trying to express his feelings for Cara, at which point he gets all tangled up in himself," Allen explains. "I'd love to see Royal Pains' Ezra Miller in this role. I took notice of Ezra in the movie City Island, and he'd have every viewer shaking Cara to make her realize she and 'platonic' best friend Archer are perfect for one other!" Nate Wetherill:"As the dark, brooding guitar-playing DangerZone who makes Cara's blood race, I'm dying to see Darren Criss," she says. "Swoon-worthy Nate is a 180 from [his Glee character] Blaine, but I know Criss could pull it off, and I think he'd have a blast with it." Trista Camello:"As the ultimate It Girl who keeps everyone's secrets in the palm of her hand, Trista could totally hang and hold her own with the Pretty Little Liars and the actress who plays her has to be as riveting as Troian Bellisario, Ashley Benson, Lucy Hale and Shay Mitchell," Allen says. "My pick? Emma Watson. She's gorgeous, self-possessed, a terrific actress. Bonus: sexy, devious Trista is a complete departure from [Harry Potter's] Hermione Granger - what a great way to start a whole new chapter in her career." Who would you cast?

This Week in NYC: Join Movieline and Jesse Eisenberg at the Apple Store

Just as you might have heard of a little comedy coming out this weekend called 30 Minutes or Less, you might also have heard of its leading man: Jesse Eisenberg — recent Oscar nominee, Movieline hero, and, this Friday, a guest of the Apple Store SoHo, where we’ll be talking about the young actor’s latest project (and plenty more). Save the date! The chat starts at 8 p.m. sharp and is free to attend; seats are limited, so don’t feel bad about begging off the last hour or so of work to get in line and prepare your adulatory signs, T-shirts and the like. I’ll be moderating the chat and showing clips from 30 Minutes; you’ll be asking brilliant questions, as per custom. Start brainstorming now; we look forward to seeing you there!

Mouse's XGen to Autodesk

Disney used its XGen software to to create the hair in "Tangled." Disney used its XGen software to to create the hair in "Tangled." Walt Disney Animation Studios has licensed its XGen visual effects and animation software, used for Rapunzel's hair in "Tangled" as well as fur, feathers and foliage, to software giant Autodesk.Under the exclusive five-year license, Autodesk will turn XGen into commercial software available to animation and vfx professionals and to students. Announcement came at the Siggraph computer graphics conference.WDAS chief technology Andy Hendrickson said XGen lets artists "add complexity in very easy ways, to make a really complex image in a very artistic and painterly way rather than having to get down into the math and figure it out on your own." It was developed by WDAS and first introduced at the 2003 Siggraph conference. "My biggest hope is that (XGen) becomes a standard," Hendrickson said.Hendrickson said the shift to simpler tools is driven in part by the changes he sees in the CG biz and the artists coming into it. "They're more artistically oriented and less mathematically oriented," he said.Marc Petit, senior VP of Autodesk Media & Entertainment, told Variety the deal represents two growing trends in vfx and animation. First, he said, the studios are demanding open file formats so images can move freely and cleanly among facilities. Second, he said, tools are becoming standardized, and such widely used commercial programs as Maya are encompassing more and more tools.Autodesk expects to make more such licensing deals in the months to come, said Petit, though not necessarily with Disney.It is not the first time Autodesk has incorporated Walt Disney Animation Studios technologies into its software. In the last two years it has incorporated Disney's Camera Sequencer, which provides multi-camera capability for previsualization and virtual moviemaking, and texture-mapping tool Ptex, into its widely used Maya software.Disney has also taken several of its internal software projects open-source: SeExpr, Reposado, munki, and Partio.Hendrickson cited three reasons that Disney likes taking its tools either commercial or open source. "Disney has some really good technology. It hasn't been known lately for its good technology so this helps us get known for that," he said. "Second, giving back to the industry is important. Third, it decreases our training liability." If artists are already familiar with Disney software when they're hired, then Disney would spend fewer resources training them. Contact David S. Cohen at david.cohen@variety.com

Jason Momoa writes Conan sequel

Conan The Barbarian star Jason Momoa says he has written a sequel to the 2011 film.According to Momoa, he has already submitted the script for a follow up to the fantasy action film to the studio."I wrote it," the Game Of Thrones actor told CraveOnline. "So we're waiting to see if they'll accept it."Momoa said the story wasn't based on existing material."It's character-adapted, because I really want to get into more of the mythical creatures, you know?" he added.Thomas Dean Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer and Sean Hood share writing credits on the 2011 remake, based on author Robert E. Howard's character.Conan The Barbarian opens in UK cinemas on 24 August.

Conquest of the 'Planet of the Apes': Box Office Report August 5-7

The monkeys have overrun the multiplex. Caesar the Chimp came, saw, and conquered the box office, as 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes' outperformed expectations to debut with an estimated $54 million. The primate prequel had been expected to premiere at No. 1, but with projected sales in the low 40s. Clearly, pundits underestimated the fan love for the 43-year-old franchise. Reviews have been surprisingly positive, especially for Andy Serkis, who plays Caesar via motion-capture, as he did when he played King Kong for Peter Jackson six years ago. And viewers have apparently forgiven leading man James Franco for his asleep-at-the-wheel performance as Oscar host, since 'Rise' marks the best weekend debut of his career (not counting the 'Spider-Man' movies, where he played a supporting role). Holding on to second place was 'The Smurfs,' which declined just 41 percent from last week's surprise smash opening, down to an estimated $21.0 million, for a 10-day total of $76.2 million. The only movie for young kids among recent openings, the tale of the tiny blue people was expected to have long legs. On the other hand, movies targeting young adults and men over 25 were hit hard by the unexpectedly strong start of 'Apes.' 'Cowboys & Aliens,' which barely edged out 'Smurfs' last week, fell to third with an estimated $15.7 million, down 57 percent from its debut. (It had been expected to fall to about $17 million.) Its 10-day total is $67.4 million. Expect it to continue to slide steeply as fresher genre movies come out over the next couple of weekends. The movie most tripped up by the 'Apes' banana peel was this week's other new wide release, 'The Change-Up.' With its strong comic pedigree (from the writers of 'The Hangover' and the director of 'Wedding Crashers'), the film was predicted to join this summer's long list of successful, raunchy R-rated comedies with a likely opening of around $19 million. Instead, the Jason Bateman-Ryan Reynolds body-switch comedy opened with a weak $13.5 million, according to estimates. Blame middling-to-weak reviews, blame the still-strong 'Horrible Bosses' (also starring Bateman, and still in the top 10), or blame those damn dirty apes. (A moment of sympathy, please, for Olivia Wilde. First 'Cowboys,' then 'Change-Up.' That's two underperforming debuts in two weeks.) In fifth place, 'Captain America: The First Avenger'' also suffered a bit from monkeymania. It fell 49 percent to an estimated $13.0 million. In three weekends, it's earned $143.1 million. Overall, the box-office gap between 2011 and the first seven months of last year narrowed a little. It's now 4.5 percent, or $308.8 million behind sales this time in 2010. Not even 'Apes' and this month's other potential hits are expected to earn enough to close the gap and catch up to last year before the end of the summer. 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes' - Trailer No. 1 The full top 10: 1. 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes,' $54.0 million (3,648 screens), new release 2. 'The Smurfs,' $21.0 million (3,395), $76.2 million total 3. 'Cowboys & Aliens,' $15.7 million (3,754), $67.4 million 4. 'The Change-Up,' $13.5 million (2,913), new release 5. 'Captain America: The First Avenger,' $13.0 million (3,620), $143.1 million 6. 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2,' $12.2 million (3,175), $342.8 million 7. 'Crazy, Stupid, Love,' $12.1 million (3,020), $42.2 million 8. 'Friends With Benefits,' $4.7 million (2,398), $48.5 million 9. 'Horrible Bosses,' $4.6 million (2,025), $105.2 million 10. 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon,' $3.0 million (1,854), $344.2 million Follow Gary Susman on Twitter: @garysusman.

Lucille Ball's 100th Birthday Celebrated in Her Hometown

More than 900 people dressed like Lucille Ball showed up in her hometown over the weekend to celebrate what would have been the late actress-comedienne's 100th birthday.our editor recommendsLucille Ball Remembered by HollywoodMila Kunis on Sexism in Hollywood, Looking Up to Tina Fey, Lucille Ball The gathering near a "Vitameatavegamin" sign in Jamestown, N.Y., set a world record for the most Lucy look-alikes, with a total of 915 -- including men -- according to published reports. It was part of an annual Lucy Fest in the upstate New York town. STORY: 'I Love Lucy': 5 Things to Know About the Series The crowd arrived in typical attire adorned by Ball in her 1951-57 hit show I Love Lucy, including red lipstick and redheaded upswept 'dos. Some recited "Vitameatavegamin" in unison -- the word is from a classic episode of the show in which Lucy is hired to promote a health tonic that gets her drunk -- and others sang "Happy Birthday" (the actual day is Aug. 6). During the gathering, one man even proposed to his girlfriend; both were wearing nightshirts with the image of Ball's iconic polka-dot dress and held cardboard cutouts of Lucy up to their faces. She said yes. STORY: Lucille Ball: Celebrating 100 Years of the 'I Love Lucy' Star Some attendees also came dressed as Ricky, played on I Love Lucy by her then real-life husband Desi Arnaz, and neighbors Fred and Ethel Mertz, played in the show by William Frawley and Vivian Vance. The festival also included performances by Joan Rivers and Paula Poundstone. Ball died in 1989 at age 77. She was buried in California but was later moved to Jamestown's Lakeview Cemetery by her daughter, who said her mother wanted to be buried next to her own mom. Related Topics Lucille Ball

Pirated 'Super 8' Print Points Back To Howard Stern Show

In a bizarre development that I can only imagine will be very embarrassing to Sirius XM's morning man Howard Stern, a bootlegged copy of the JJ Abrams-directed Super 8 has shown up on content-thieving websites. The print is watermarked with the Paramount Pictures logo, and "H Stern" in the right-hand corner. Film companies and networks like HBO routinely personalize advance screeners to safeguard against piracy. There is widespread speculation the leak came from a DVD sent to the show. I see that already, the Sternfannetwork.com features an "over/under" asking commenters to decide if Stern got $50,000 for posting the film. That is preposterous. Stern receives advance screeners so he can talk knowledgeably about upcoming films he likes, and because he does superb interviews with directors and stars. He will be upset if his show breached a trust with Abrams, a longtime friend who once thrilled Stern's daughters by putting them on his series Felicity. That is something a dad never forgets. I recall that Stern interviewed Abrams when the director made the rounds to promote Super 8. I'm told by studio insiders that Paramount indeed pressed a copy of Super 8 for the Stern show and that one was leaked. The studio has already conducted its own investigation. Right now, they have no indication that anyone from Stern's show was involved, and don't know how the copy made it into the hands of pirates. It will be difficult to figure that out, because the movie opened June 10 and the disc would have been sent a long time ago. But if the disc was passed among Stern show staffers after the boss watched it, and it fell into the hands of someone with the audacity to post a copy that bore Stern's name, I wouldn't be surprised if Stern will want his own investigation. This potentially hurts his show and its credibility with studios. More than anything, this is a cautionary tale to those of us in the media who get early screeners (especially during Oscar season) and then have everyone begging to borrow the DVDs. Super 8 has completed its stateside theatrical run, and the $50 million film has grossed over $185 million worldwide. But having a copy blasted on the Internet potentially dents the film's ancillary fortunes.

Report: Desperate Housewives To End After 2011-2012 Season

FIRST PUBLISHED: August 5, 2011 5:21 PM EDT LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Desperate Housewives may be coming to an end, according to a new report. The long-running primetime soapy drama, starring Eva Longoria, Felicity Huffman, Teri Hatcher and Marcia Cross, will conclude in May of 2012, TV Line reported on Friday. Sources told the website that members of the cast are currently being told about the end of the series, which ABC is expected to confirm to journalists on Sunday when the network hosts its portion of the Television Critics Association Summer Session. A rep for ABC, however, told Access Hollywood that reports were speculative and official word is coming down on Sunday. Desperate Housewives, which centers around the lives of the residents of Wisteria Lane, began on the network in 2004. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.