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Agent Pat (Agentpat)
12-21-2001, 12:20 AM
As printed in Daily Variety: <BR> <BR>"Par charges for Electric Studio to finance pix on first-look basis" <BR>By MICHAEL FLEMING, 12/17/01 <BR> <BR>NEW YORK -- Dean Devlin's Electric Entertainment has found an outlet to plug into. <BR> <BR>A deal is near for the company to make a five-year alliance at Paramount Pictures. Writer-producer Devlin would secure his own line of equity to finance Electric overhead and development, with Par fully financing the films on a first-look basis. Electric will maintain its headquarters off the Par lot. CAA is finalizing deal. <BR> <BR>Electric was formed by Devlin last May, when he ended his Centropolis partnership with director Roland Emmerich, his partner on such films as "Independence Day," "Stargate," "Godzilla" and "The Patriot." Centropolis had a deal at Fox and then Sony, with the duo deciding to part when the latter pact expired and Emmerich decided to concentrate primarily on his directing efforts. The helmer is attached as director on several Electric development projects that Devlin will produce. Devlin then staffed up with Philippe Maigret, who is Electric's chief operating officer, and veep of development Marc Roskin. <BR> <BR>Devlin never made a film at Paramount, but there is some kinship between him and studio topper Sherry Lansing. In her pre-mogul days when she was an actress, Lansing appeared in the 1970 Irvin Kershner-directed film "Loving," written and produced by Devlin's dad, Don Devlin. <BR> <BR>Electric is expected to emerge with most of the projects set up at Sony, and the company will get its first product onscreen with "Eight Legged Freaks," the Ellory Elkayem-directed sci-fi pic about deadly giant spiders that stars David Arquette. The film, a co-production between Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow Pictures, will be released next summer. <BR> <BR>------------------------------- <BR> <BR>Emmerich finds 'Peace' <BR>"Tyro scribe Berz penned World War I drama" <BR>By CLAUDE BRODESSER, 11/28/01 <BR> <BR>Helmer Roland Emmerich has attached himself to "Light of Peace" from tyro scribe Mirko Betz. <BR> <BR>"I think Mirko is a real find," Emmerich said in a statement. "Against an enormous historical backdrop, he has successfully created a powerful character piece." <BR> <BR>Betz penned the drama, about an unlikely friendship between two men in opposing armies during World War I, while in UCLA's screenwriting program. <BR> <BR>Former Centropolis exec Marc Roskin brought the script to Emmerich and will oversee its development. Spec script was purchased for low six figures using Centropolis' discretionary fund during the company's first-look deal with Sony's Columbia Pictures, which expired in February. Columbia is understood to have right of first refusal on the project, which is not yet set up at a studio. <BR> <BR>Betz was represented by attorney Christine Cuddy; Emmerich is repped by CAA.
Sheri Gordon (Sheri)
12-21-2001, 08:28 AM
Now THIS is cool news. <IMG SRC="http://www.electric-ent.com/bbs/clipart/happy.gif" ALT=":)"> Thanks, AP!
Will Finch (Shetan)
12-21-2001, 01:12 PM
Mighty cool news AP!
Agent Pat (Agentpat)
12-22-2001, 11:53 AM
No prob. Maybe ole Dean will have something to say when the dust settles. :o)
Chris Ceraolo (Chris)
12-23-2001, 07:32 AM
Yeah, sounds like it. I know it's great to have Dean replying regularly to stuff, but if he's busy writing (which is my feeling-how's Mexico Dean?) or busy setting up deals to produce new movies that we can talk about here-More Power to Him! <BR> <BR>Chris <BR>The FOX Plant
Agent Pat (Agentpat)
03-03-2002, 07:07 PM
More tid-bits excerpted from Variety... <BR> <BR>Michael Birnbaum was recently named president of Artisan Pictures' production arm, Landscape Pictures. Landscape chairman and Artisan Pictures CEO Bob Cooper made the announcement to Daily Variety on 2/25. <BR> <BR>With the announcement, Cooper and Birnbaum unveiled the development slate for Landscape's ambitious game plan to act as a development and production entity for studio projects budgeted over $20 million. <BR> <BR>Among the projects will be a Roland Emmerich title that will be distributed by Sony. "Cyber Love Story," is a futuristic thriller penned by Ron Bass from an original idea by Birnbaum. Dean Devlin and Emmerich will also produce. <BR> <BR>:o)
And the Oscar goes to... (F_U_N_G_U_S)
03-03-2002, 09:38 PM
I have to be honest with you folks... <BR> <BR>They REALLY need help in the naming department. <BR> <BR>Unless it's a simple title that is unique to the storyline (Independence Day, Universal Soldier, Stargate, etc), the titles just aren't driving me into a theatre any time soon. <BR> <BR>Arac Attack was a good title, and really seemed to fit the movie. And it's also plenty distinguishable enough from "Iraq Attack" (just based on premise alone). Sure, there'd be a bunch of parodies using Iraq, but that would only net them some publicity, whilst helping to take the edge off any potential backlash. <BR> <BR>Cyber Love Story does absolutely nothing for me. <BR>How about "Digital Romance" or something slightly more catchy, less cliche?
Sheri Gordon (Sheri)
03-03-2002, 09:51 PM
Most movies go through many phases in development hell, and I'm sure the title that hits the screens will eventually be way different. <IMG SRC="http://www.electric-ent.com/bbs/clipart/happy.gif" ALT=":)"> Cyber Love Story seems more of a description/classification than a title, imho. <BR> <BR>The Fast and the Furious had been produced under the working title of Redline. Me, I personally prefer Redline, but I'm glad they didn't waste such a good title on a movie about ricers. <IMG SRC="http://www.electric-ent.com/bbs/clipart/happy.gif" ALT=":)"> <BR> <BR>(What's the significance of "redline", you might wonder? It's that red line on your tachometer that you shouldn't rev your engine past, unless you gots a big budget for fixin stuff. hehehe Runnin' life to the limit.)
And the Oscar goes to... (F_U_N_G_U_S)
03-03-2002, 09:53 PM
Hmmm... just reading the original post in the thread, I'm curious about something: <BR> <BR>What's the difference between "first looks rights" and "rights of first refusal"?
Tina (Trina)
03-04-2002, 07:54 AM
Second Hmmm... I don't even have such a red line... ;-)
Sheri Gordon (Sheri)
03-04-2002, 09:11 AM
That could be taken lots of ways, Trina. ;-)
Agent Pat (Agentpat)
03-04-2002, 09:58 AM
Third Hmmmm.... <BR> <BR>Where are these statements? "First looks rights" and "rights of first refusal." They're not in this thread, except in Fungus' question.
And the Oscar goes to... (F_U_N_G_U_S)
03-04-2002, 11:56 AM
They're in your original post Pat. I'll quote more: <BR> <BR>First part, about Mr. D and paramount: "...with Par fully financing the films on a first-look basis." <BR> <BR>Second part, about Roland: "Columbia is understood to have right of first refusal on the project, which is not yet set up at a studio." <BR> <BR>Btw, Sheri, the reason the title was changed to Fast and the Furious, was the war movie "Thin Red Line" was just coming out, and they figured the movies would be too close together (they were only what, less than half a year apart?). <BR> <BR>I think Pat needs new glasses though. She just hit her birthday and everything's going downhill >;Þ
Sheri Gordon (Sheri)
03-04-2002, 01:16 PM
Better watch out, Fungie boy, I think she still has that Harley... ;-)
Sheri Gordon (Sheri)
03-04-2002, 01:17 PM
You wanna talk about title similarities....what about The Patriot out when Segal's The Patriot was still in the New Release section of the video stores? <IMG SRC="http://www.electric-ent.com/bbs/clipart/happy.gif" ALT=":)"> <BR> <BR>'sides, there's a world of difference between the reference meant in "Thin Red Line" and "Redline".
Stefan (Auric)
03-04-2002, 02:50 PM
hehehe... I was just about to ask if that "Red line" Sheri was referring to was thin. ;)
And the Oscar goes to... (F_U_N_G_U_S)
03-04-2002, 04:58 PM
Sheri, you're talking about a popular, successful, critically acclaimed war movie, versus... a Steven Segal movie... I don't think they were worried :] <BR> <BR>(stuff here about Pat and her bike snipped) <BR><FONT SIZE="+2">>;Þ</FONT>
Sheri Gordon (Sheri)
03-04-2002, 05:28 PM
Gee, Fungus, is that a tire tread I see appearing on your forehead there? <BR> <BR>>>>>>>>>>& #62;>>>>>>>>>& #62;>>>> <BR>>>>>>>>>>& #62;>>>>>>>>>& #62;>>> <BR> <BR> <BR>Yup, looks like one. ;) <BR> <BR>Stefan...the line is kinda like the ones you see here: http://promos.mcafee.com/speedometer/ <BR> <BR>(waiting for JAG to post HIS famous cap of one of them there speedometers hehehe)
And the Oscar goes to... (F_U_N_G_U_S)
03-04-2002, 11:22 PM
Shaddup Sheri. I'm holding back out of respect <FONT SIZE="-2">for the elderly</FONT> <BR> <BR> <BR>>;Þ
Sheri Gordon (Sheri)
03-04-2002, 11:48 PM
Damn Straight! <BR> <BR>with this aching back, I FEEL like an elderly today. Wheeeeere's my cane? (so I can beat on Fungus with it)
Tina (Trina)
03-05-2002, 10:36 AM
So what did I actually say?
Will Finch (Shetan)
03-09-2002, 09:18 PM
The new light sculpture at NYC certainly brought to mind Columbia's? "Light of Peace".