Tuesday, July 1, 2014

"12 Years a Slave," Beyonce Lead 2014 "BET Awards" - Winners Announced

Young Money, Beyoncé, Pharrell Williams and August Alsina Win Big at The “BET Awards” ‘14

Epic Evening Features Performances by Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, Jennifer Hudson, Nicki Minaj, Yolanda Adams and More

50Th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Bill Receives the 2014 Humanitarian Award Presented by State Farm®

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--It was a night full of electrifying performances, emotional speeches and unforgettable moments at the “BET Awards” '14 -- also known as the "Black World Cup," according to hilarious host Chris Rock -- which aired live from the Nokia Theatre at L.A. LIVE on Sunday, June 29.

Pharrell Williams opened the show with an energetic rendition of "Come Get It Bae" surrounded by a bevy of cheerleaders, and was joined by surprise performer and fellow Virginia native, the amazing Missy Elliott, who brought the crowd to their feet to "Pass That Dutch." Williams became a familiar face on the stage after winning both "Best Male R&B/Pop Artist" and "Video of the Year," and again coming on to present music icon Lionel Richie with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Young Money and Beyoncé took home the most trophies with three awards, as did acclaimed film “12 Years A Slave” which swept the film award categories. Pharrell Williams and August Alsina each won two awards.

The tribute to Richie included a presentation of classics "Hello" and "Still" by John Legend and a pulsating rendition of "Brick House" by Ledisi. Just before Richie came on stage to accept his award, Yolanda Adams delivered a soulful, inspired performance of "Jesus Is Love," bringing the crowd to its feet (and some to tears!) and prompting Richie to admit he was "glad [he] sang the song first." Richie showed off his own skills when he sat at the piano and serenaded the audience with "Easy," then got the crowd dancing along to "All Night Long."

Chris Brown made a triumphant return to the “BET Awards” stage that drew a standing ovation. He proved he hasn't missed a beat delivering an incredible performance of "Loyal," which was amped up even more with appearances by Lil Wayne, Tyga and Travis Barker.

Always one to get the crowd going, Lil Wayne got the mosh pit popping with "Krazy" and "Believe Me." Jennifer Hudson showed off her incredibly powerful pipes during a performance of "Walk It Out" and debut of her new single "It's Your World" as a disco roller derby swirled around her. One of today's hottest rising stars, Jhené Aiko joined John Legend on stage for one of the most impressive performances of the evening.

Celebrating the 20th anniversary of his first album, Usher performed an action-packed medley of his biggest hits, including "Yeah!" "Confessions," "Caught Up" and "Love In This Club," which drew a standing ovation. Nicki Minaj gave an dramatic Alice In Wonderland-inspired performance of "Chi-Raq" and "Pills N Potions," filling the stage with oversized mushrooms, a contemporary dancer and a white rabbit.

T.I. showed off his lyrical prowess with "No Mediocre," while Iggy Azalea wowed the crowd with her skills with her hit single "Fancy." Fan and crowd favorite August Alsina, whose earlier performance alongside Trey Songz and Chris Brown drew squeals from all of the ladies in the house, took home the Coca-Cola Viewers' Choice Award. Robin Thicke gave a mesmerizing performance of "Forever Love," while surprise performers Troop, Color Me Badd and Silk scored huge cheers, as each group took the stage for their biggest hits for a '90s throwback medley of "All I Do Is Think of You," "I Wanna Sex You Up" and "Freak Me."

Presenter Kerry Washington, making her first television appearance since giving birth to daughter Isabelle in April, got in on the night's fun with co-presenter Kevin Hart, who tried to convince the crowd that he was, in fact, Oliver Pope, a reference to Kerry's alter-ego Olivia Pope on her hit show "Scandal."

Taking a cue from Ellen DeGeneres' pizza delivery at this year's Oscar® Awards, Rock provided the audience with a delivery of Roscoe's Chicken 'n Waffles, which they accepted with enthusiasm. Rock had the crowd laughing throughout the night, thanks to his riffs on a range of hot topics, from Donald Sterling to Jay-Z and Solange to Dr. Dre and the Beats/Apple deal.

A taped performance of Beyoncé and Jay-Z of "Partition" capped the epic night, which delivered on its promise to be the hottest ticket in town. The "BET Awards" '14 drew the biggest names in music, entertainment and sports, with appearances by Gabrielle Union, Keke Palmer, Regina Hall, Larenz Tate, Bow Wow, Keshia Chante, Eva Marcille, Terrence Jenkins, Keyshia Cole, Mike Tyson, Nick Cannon, Zendaya, DeSean Jackson, Boris Kodjoe, Gary Owen, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Chadwick Boseman, Tyrese and Nate Parker.

Tim King (Founder, President and CEO of Urban Prep Academies) and Denzel Thompson (a 19-year-old founder and manager of a successful community urban farm and garden) were recognized as the 2014 Shine-A-Light recipients.

The “BET Awards” is one of the most watched award shows on cable television according to the Nielsen Company. The “BET Awards” franchise remains as the #1 program in cable TV history among African-Americans, and it is BET's #1 telecast every year. It recognizes the triumphs and successes of artists, entertainers and athletes in 19 categories.

In addition to all of these incredible moments, the complete list of “BET Awards” ’14 winners is:

Best Female R&B/Pop Artist
Beyoncé

Best Male R&B/Pop Artist
Pharrell Williams

Best Group
Young Money

Best Collaboration
Beyoncé f/ JAY Z – Drunk In Love

Best Male Hip Hop Artist
Drake

Best Female Hip Hop Artist
Nicki Minaj

Video of the Year
Pharrell Williams – Happy

Video Director of the Year
Hype Williams

Best New Artist
August Alsina

Best Gospel Artist
Tamela Mann

Best Actress
Lupita Nyong’o

Best Actor
Chiwetel Ejiofor

YoungStars Award
KeKe Palmer

Best Movie
12 Years a Slave

Subway Sportswoman of the Year
Serena Williams

Subway Sportsman of the Year
Kevin Durant

Coca-Cola Viewers’ Choice Award
August Alsina f/ Trinidad Jame$ - I Luv This

Centric Award

Jhené Aiko – The Worst

Best International Act: Africa
Davido (Nigeria)

Best International Act: UK
Krept & Konan

FANdemonium Award
Beyoncé

BET.com/BETAwards (http://www.bet.com/shows/bet-awards.html) is the official site for the “BET Awards” ’14 and features all the incredible content from this year’s show. Join the conversation on social media by following BET’s multiple social media platforms dedicated to the BET Awards:

    On Twitter & Instagram: @BETAwards, Use hashtag: #BETAwards
    On Facebook: facebook.com/TheBETAwards
    On Tumblr: betawards.tumblr.com

The “BET Awards” ’14 took place along with the BET Experience at L.A. LIVE presented by Coca-Cola® in Los Angeles from June 27-29th. The show will premiere on BET's international network Tuesday, July 1 at 8:00 p.m. GMT.

Encore viewings of the show will air on BET on:

    Monday, June 30 at 7:00 p.m.* (immediately followed by the post-show)
    Saturday, June 5 at 8:00 p.m.*
    Thursday, June 10 at 7:00 p.m.*

Stephen G. Hill, BET’s President of Music Programming and Specials and Lynne Harris Taylor, BET’s Vice President of Specials, will serve as Executive Producers for the “BET Awards,” along with Jesse Collins, CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment.

*All times ET/PT

ABOUT “BET AWARDS”
The BET AWARDS is one of the most watched award shows on cable television according to the Nielsen Company. The BET AWARDS franchise remains as the #1 program in cable TV history among African-Americans, and it is BET's #1 telecast every year. It recognizes the triumphs and successes of artists, entertainers, and athletes in a variety of categories.

ABOUT BET NETWORKS
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks - BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

ABOUT JESSE COLLINS ENTERTAINMENT:
Jesse Collins Entertainment is a full service television and film production company founded by entertainment industry veteran Jesse Collins. For more than a decade, Collins, the company’s CEO, has played an integral role in producing some of television’s most memorable moments in music entertainment. Formerly Executive Producer/EVP of Cossette Productions, Collins has produced ground-breaking and award winning television programming including the BET Awards, the GRAMMY Awards, BET Honors, The UNCF Evening of Stars and the BET Hip Hop Awards. Collins currently executive produces “The Real Husbands of Hollywood,” (now going into its 3rd hit season) alongside industry Icons Stan Lathan and Ralph Farquhar; and has worked with superstar talent such as Will Smith, Chris Rock, Jay-Z, Rihanna, Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Prince, Mariah Carey and many more.

Follow us @BET_PR


The Fourth Negromancer of July 2014

It's July 2014 and it's still a month away from Guardians of the Galaxy.

Welcome to Negromancer 2.0.  This is the rebirth of Negromancer, the former movie review website as a new movie review and movie news site.

All images and text appearing on this blog are © copyright and/or trademark their respective owners.


Sunday, June 29, 2014

BET Premiere Cinema Spotlights Black Independent Film in July 2014

BET Networks Shines a Spot Light on Black Hollywood with the Premieres of GUN HILL Wednesday, July 2 and the World Television Premiere of Award-Winning Independent Film MIDDLE OF NOWHERE Wednesday, July 23, 2014

The BET Premiere Cinema Film GUN HILL is Written and Directed By Reggie Rock Bythewood

MIDDLE OF NOWHERE is written and directed by Ava DuVernay, winner of the Best Director Award at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival and the Independent Spirit John Cassavetes Award
June 27, 2014 01:19 PM Eastern Daylight Time


NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BET Networks continues to shine a spotlight on Black Hollywood with its BET PREMIERE CINEMA franchise and the original movie debut of GUN HILL starring acclaimed actor, writer, and activist Larenz Tate and the world television broadcast premiere of the award-winning film, MIDDLE OF NOWHERE starring Emayatzy Corinealdi and BEING MARY JANE’s, Omari Hardwick.

Premiering Wednesday, July 2 at 9 PM ET/PT on BET, GUN HILL is a high-powered cop drama is about identical twins on opposite sides of life: Trane, a cop, and Bird, a con. On one fateful night, Trane is killed. Bird assumes his identity and begins his own search for redemption. Set in the mean streets of New York, this smart, gritty two-hour movie event, GUN HILL, features an ensemble cast of characters operating on all sides of the law, where no one is quite what they seem. Written and directed by Reggie Rock Bythewood the film also stars Emayatzy E. Corinealdi, Tawny Cypress, Aisha Hinds, Michael Aronov, Phyllis Yvonne Stickney Shanti Ashanti, Hisham Tawfiq and Daniel Stewart Sherman. GUN HILL is executive produced by Reggie Rock Bythewood and Don Kurt.

Premiering Wednesday, July 23 at 9 PM ET/PT on BET MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, winner of the Best Director Award at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, the Independent Spirit John Cassavetes Award, Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Actor is an independent feature film written and directed by Ava DuVernay. As Ruby (Emayatzy Corinealdi) rides a bus through the inner city streets, she wills herself to push away memories that crowd her. Four years earlier, she was a vibrant medical student married to the love of her life, Derek (Omari Hardwick). Now, she makes her way to the maximum security prison on the outskirts of town. This is where her love now resides. Behind coiled razor wire and forty foot concrete walls. As the couple stares into the hallow end of an eight-year prison sentence, Ruby must learn to live another life, one marked by shame and separation. But through a chance encounter with hard-working bus driver Brian (David Oyelowo) and a stunning betrayal that shakes her to the core, she is soon propelled in new and often frightening directions of self-discovery. As we chronicle her turbulent yet transformative journey, we witness the emergence of a broken woman made whole. Lorraine Toussaint Sharon Lawrence, Dondre Whitfield and Maya Gilbert also star in the film.

In addition to original BET-created films, BET PREMIERE CINEMA introduces audiences to critically-acclaimed independent films and documentaries – both never-before-seen and those that have completed their theatrical run.

For more information on our BET Premiere Cinema films go to bet.com/BETStarCinema. Join the conversation on Twitter: @BETGunHill @MiddleofNowhere @BETCinema.

About BET Networks
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks - BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.


Saturday, June 28, 2014

Negromancer News Bits and Bites for June 22 to June 28, 2014 #5


NEWS:

From InquisitirEddie Murphy returns for the fourth Beverly Hills Cop film (apparently officially titled "Beverly Hills Cop IV"), and the film has earned $13.5 million in tax rebates.

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From The Wrap:  "Pacific Rim 2"to be released on Friday, April 7, 2017, according to announcement by Legendary Pictures and Universal Pictures.

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From Vulture:  Highlights (or low lights) from Gary Oldman's controversial Playboy interview.

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From IGN:  While working on the Predator reboot, Shane Black is also plotting the return of pulp era hero, Doc Savage, and he wants Chris Hemsworth of the Thor films, to play Savage.

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From Christian Science Monitor: Emily Blunt in Batman Vs. Superman?

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From Hollywood ReporterChanning Tatum joins Ralph Fiennes, Tilda Swinton and George Clooney in Coen Bros.' "Hail Caesar."

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From Hollywood Reporter:  Fox looks to reboot "Predator" franchise with Shane Black (Iron Man 3) writing the treatment and possibly directing the film.  Fred Dekker will apparently write the script.  Black actually had a minor role in the original film, 1987's Predator.

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From VarietyThink Like a Man Too won the June 20-22, 2014 weekend box office, according to early estimates.


STAR WARS:

From DeadlineRian Johnson, who directed the films Brick and Looper and some key episodes of "Breaking Bad," will reportedly write and direct "Star Wars Episode 8 "and either write and direct "Episode 9" or only write it.  Hitfix has related speculation.


COMIC BOOK MOVIES:

From WebProNews:  Is Scarlett Johansson the superheroine we need in Lucy?

From UPI:  Black Widow to ride electric Harley Davidson in "Avengers 2."

From Total Film:  Much of "Ant-Man" will be based on Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish's screenplay, says Marvel Studios boss, Kevin Feige.  Plus, he talks other stuff.

From VarietyKelsey Grammer talks about how he got his cameo as Beast in X-Men: Days of the Future Past.  The article also suggests that some members of the original X-Men film trilogy could appear in the upcoming "X-Men: Apocalypse" (2016?).


FILM and TV Trailers:

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles June 24 2014 trailer.


OBIT:

From Hitfix:  Actor Eli Wallach died Tuesday, June 24, 2014 at the age of 98(!).  He was born in December of 1915, and was apparently married to the same woman (actress Anne Jackson) since 1948.  He was an acting legend, and is probably best remembered for his role in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.  I will most fondly remember him for his powerful and alluring performance in the film, Baby Doll.

Negromancer sends condolences to Mr. Wallach's family and friends.  R.I.P. Eli Wallach.


Lupita N'yongo, Chris Rock Among 271 Invited to Join Academy

Academy Invites 271 to Membership

LOS ANGELES, CA – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is extending invitations to join the organization to 271 artists and executives who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to theatrical motion pictures. Those who accept the invitations will be the only additions to the Academy's membership in 2014.

“This year’s class of invitees represents some of the most talented, creative and passionate filmmakers working in our industry today,” said Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs.  “Their contributions to film have entertained audiences around the world, and we are proud to welcome them to the Academy.”

The 2014 invitees are:

Actors
Barkhad Abdi – “Captain Phillips”
Clancy Brown – “The Hurricane,” “The Shawshank Redeption”
Paul Dano – “12 Years a Slave,” “Prisoners”
Michael Fassbender – “12 Years a Slave,” “Shame”
Ben Foster – “Lone Survivor,” “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints”
Beth Grant – “The Artist,” “No Country for Old Men”
Clark Gregg – “Much Ado about Nothing,” “Marvel’s The Avengers”
Sally Hawkins – “Blue Jasmine,” “Happy-Go-Lucky”
Josh Hutcherson – “The Hunger Games,” “The Kids Are All Right”
Julia Louis-Dreyfus – “Enough Said,” “Planes”
Kelly Macdonald – “Brave,” “No Country for Old Men”
Mads Mikkelsen – “The Hunt,” “Casino Royale”
Joel McKinnon Miller – “Super 8,” “The Truman Show”
Cillian Murphy – “The Dark Knight Rises,” “Inception”
Lupita Nyong'o – “Non-Stop,” “12 Years a Slave”
Rob Riggle – “21 Jump Street,” “The Hangover”
Chris Rock – “Grown Ups 2,” “Madagascar”
June Squibb – “Nebraska,” “About Schmidt”
Jason Statham – “Parker,” “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels”
David Strathairn – “Lincoln,” “Good Night, and Good Luck.”

Casting Directors
Douglas Aibel – “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” “The Immigrant”
Simone Bär – “The Monuments Men,” “The Book Thief”
Kerry Barden – “August: Osage County,” “Dallas Buyers Club”
Nikki Barrett – “The Railway Man,” “The Great Gatsby”
Mark Bennett – “Drinking Buddies,” “Zero Dark Thirty”
Risa Bramon Garcia – “Speed,” “Wall Street”
Michelle Guish – “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,” “Nanny McPhee”
Billy Hopkins – “Lee Daniels’ The Butler,” “Disconnect”
Ros Hubbard – “Romeo & Juliet,” “The Mummy”
Allison Jones – “The Way, Way Back,” “The Heat”
Christine King – “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader,” “Star
Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith”
Beatrice Kruger – “To Rome with Love,” “The American”
Marci Liroff – “Mean Girls,” “Pretty in Pink”
Debbie McWilliams – “Skyfall,” “Quantum of Solace”
Joseph Middleton – “TheTwilight Saga: New Moon,” “Legally Blonde”
Robi Reed – “For Colored Girls,” “Do the Right Thing”
Kevin Reher – “Monsters University,” “Finding Nemo”
Paul Schnee – “August: Osage County,” “Dallas Buyers Club”
Gail Stevens – “Zero Dark Thirty,” “Slumdog Millionaire”
Lucinda Syson – “Gravity,” “Fast and & Furious 6”
Fiona Weir – “J. Edgar,” “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2”
Ronnie Yeskel – “The Sessions,” “Atlas Shrugged Part 1”

Cinematographers
Sean Bobbitt – “12 Years a Slave,” “The Place beyond the Pines”
Philippe Le Sourd – “The Grandmaster,” “Seven Pounds”
James Neihouse – “Hubble 3D,” “Nascar: The IMAX Experience”
Masanobu Takayanagi – “Out of the Furnace,” “Silver Linings Playbook”
Bradford Young – “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints,” “Pariah”

Costume Designers
William Chang Suk Ping – “The Grandmaster,” “In the Mood for Love”
Pascaline Chavanne – “Renoir,” “Augustine”
Daniela Ciancio – “The Great Beauty,” “Il Divo”
Frank L. Fleming – “Draft Day,” “Monster’s Ball”
Maurizio Millenotti – “Hamlet,” “Otello”
Beatrix Aruna Pasztor – “Great Expectations,” “Good Will Hunting”
Karyn Wagner – “Lovelace,” “The Green Mile”

Designers
William Arnold – “Lovelace,” “Crazy, Stupid, Love.”
K.K. Barrett – “Her,” “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close”
Susan Benjamin – “Saving Mr. Banks,” “The Blind Side”
Bill Boes – “The Smurfs 2,” “Fantastic Four”
Tony Fanning – “Contraband,” “War of the Worlds”
Robert Greenfield – “Priest,” “Almost Famous”
Marcia Hinds – “I Spy,” “The Public Eye”
Sonja Brisbane Klaus – “Prometheus,” “Robin Hood”
David S. Lazan – “Flight,” “American Beauty”
Diane Lederman – “Lee Daniels’ The Butler,” “Tower Heist”
Heather Loeffler – “American Hustle,” “Silver Linings Playbook”
Christa Munro – “Jack Reacher,” “Erin Brockovich”
Andy Nicholson – “Gravity,” “The Host”
Adam Stockhausen – “12 Years a Slave,” “Moonrise Kingdom”

Directors
Hany Abu-Assad – “Omar,” “Paradise Now”
Jay Duplass – “Jeff, Who Lives at Home,” “Cyrus”
Mark Duplass – “Jeff, Who Lives at Home,” “Cyrus”
David Gordon Green – “Joe,” “Pineapple Express”
Gavin O’Connor – “Warrior,” “Miracle”
Gina Prince-Bythewood – “The Secret Life of Bees,” “Love and Basketball”
Paolo Sorrentino – “The Great Beauty,” “This Must Be the Place”
Jean-Marc Vallée – “Dallas Buyers Club,” “Young Victoria”
Felix van Groeningen – “The Broken Circle Breakdown,” “The Misfortunates”
Denis Villeneuve – “Prisoners,” “Incendies”
Thomas Vinterberg – “The Hunt,” “The Celebration”

Documentary
Malcolm Clarke – “The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life,” “Prisoner of Paradise”
Dan Cogan – “How to Survive a Plague,” “The Queen of Versailles”
Kief Davidson – “Open Heart,” “Kassim the Dream”
Dan Geller – “The Galapagos Affair: Satan Came to Eden,” “Ballets Russes”
Dayna Goldfine – “The Galapagos Affair: Satan Came to Eden,” “Ballets Russes”
Julie Goldman – “God Loves Uganda,” “Gideon’s Army”
Sam Green – “Utopia in Four Movements,” “The Weather Underground”
Gary Hustwit – “Urbanized,” “Helvetica”
Eugene Jarecki – “The House I Live In,” “Why We Fight”
Brian Johnson – “Anita,” “Buena Vista Social Club”
Ross Kauffman – “E-Team,” “Born into Brothels”
Morgan Neville – “20 Feet from Stardom,” “Troubadours”
Matthew J. O'Neill – “Redemption,” “China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan
Province”
Rithy Panh – “The Missing Picture,” “S-21: The Khmer Rouge Death Machine”
Lucy Massie Phenix – “Regret to Inform,” “Word Is Out”
Enat Sidi – “Detropia,” “Jesus Camp”
Molly Thompson – “The Unknown Known,” “Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer”
Cynthia Wade – “Mondays at Racine,” “Freeheld”

Executives
Adrian Alperovich
Sean Bailey
Len Blavatnik
Nicholas Carpou
Nancy Carson
Charles S. Cohen
Jason Constantine
Peter Cramer
William Kyle Davies
Christopher Floyd
David Garrett
David Hollis
Tomas Jegeus
Michelle Raimo Kouyate
Anthony James Marcoly
Hiroyasu Matsuoka
Kim Roth
John Sloss

Film Editors
Alan Baumgarten – “American Hustle,” “Gangster Squad”
Alan Edward Bell – “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” “The Amazing Spider-Man”
Dorian Harris – “The Magic of Belle Isle,” “The Mod Squad”
Sabrina Plisco – “The Smurfs 2,” “Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow”
Tatiana S. Riegel – “Million Dollar Arm,” “The Way, Way Back”
Julie Rogers – “Wreck-It Ralph,” “Kit Kittredge: An American Girl”
Mark Sanger – “Gravity”
Joan Sobel – “Admission,” “A Single Man”
Crispin Struthers – “American Hustle,” “Silver Linings Playbook”
Tracey Wadmore-Smith – “About Last Night,” “Death at a Funeral”
Joe Walker – “12 Years a Slave,” “Shame”
John Wilson – “The Book Thief,” “Billy Elliot”

Makeup Artists and Hairstylists
Vivian Baker – “Oz The Great and Powerful,” “Conviction”
Adruitha Lee – “Dallas Buyers Club,” “12 Years a Slave”
Robin Mathews – “Dallas Buyers Club,” “The Runaways”
Anne Morgan – “The Incredible Burt Wonderstone,” “A Little Bit of Heaven”
Gloria Pasqua-Casny – “The Lone Ranger,” “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”

Members-at-Large
Peter Becker
Jeff Dashnaw
Kenneth L. Halsband
Jody Levin
Tom MacDougall
Chuck Picerni, Jr.
Spiro Razatos
Mic Rodgers
Kevin J. Yeaman

Music
Kristen Anderson-Lopez – “Frozen,” “Winnie the Pooh”
Stanley Clarke – “The Best Man Holiday,” “Boyz N the Hood”
Earl Ghaffari – “Frozen,” “Wreck-It Ralph”
Steve Jablonsky – “Lone Survivor,” “Ender’s Game”
Robert Lopez – “Frozen,” “Winnie the Pooh”
Steven Price – “Gravity,” “The World’s End”
Tony Renis – “Hidden Moon,” “Quest for Camelot”
Angie Rubin – “Pitch Perfect,” “Sex and the City”
Buck Sanders – “Warm Bodies,” “The Hurt Locker”
Charles Strouse – “All Dogs Go to Heaven,” “Annie”
Eddie Vedder – “Eat Pray Love,” “Into the Wild”
Pharrell Williams – “Despicable Me 2,” “Fast & Furious”

Producers
Jason Blumenthal – “Hope Springs,” “Seven Pounds”
Dana Brunetti – “Captain Phillips,” “The Social Network”
Megan Ellison – “American Hustle,” “Her”
Sean Furst – “Daybreakers,” “The Cooler”
Nicola Giuliano – “The Great Beauty,” “This Must Be the Place”
Preston Holmes – “Waist Deep,” “Tupac: Resurrection”
Lynette M. Howell – “The Place beyond the Pines,” “Blue Valentine”
Anthony Katagas – “12 Years a Slave,” “Killing Them Softly”
Alix Madigan – “Girl Most Likely,” “Winter’s Bone”
Paul Mezey – “The Girl,” “Maria Full of Grace”
Stephen Nemeth – “The Sessions,” “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas”
Tracey Seaward – “Philomena,” “The Queen”
John H. Williams – “Space Chimps,” “Shrek 2”

Public Relations
Larry Angrisani
Nancy Bannister
Christine Batista
Karen Hermelin
Marisa McGrath Liston
David Magdael
Steven Raphael
Bettina R. Sherick
Dani Weinstein

Short Films and Feature Animation
Didier Brunner – “Ernest & Celestine,” “The Triplets of Belleville”
Scott Clark – “Monsters University,” “Up”
Pierre Coffin – “Despicable Me 2,” “Despicable Me”
Esteban Crespo – “Aquel No Era Yo (That Wasn’t Me),” “Lala”
Peter Del Vecho – “Frozen,” “The Princess and the Frog”
Kirk DeMicco – “The Croods,” “Space Chimps”
Doug Frankel – “Brave,” “WALL-E”
Mark Gill – “The Voorman Problem,” “Full Time”
David A. S. James – “Mr. Peabody & Sherman,” “Megamind”
Fabrice Joubert – “Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax,” “French Roast”
Jean-Claude Kalache – “Up,” “Cars”
Jason Katz – “Toy Story 3,” “Finding Nemo”
Jennifer Lee – “Frozen,” “Wreck-It Ralph”
Baldwin Li – “The Voorman Problem,” “Full Time”
Nathan Loofbourrow – “Puss in Boots,” “How to Train Your Dragon”
Lauren MacMullan – “Get a Horse!,” “Wreck-It Ralph”
Tom McGrath –  “Megamind,” “Madagascar”
Dorothy McKim – “Get a Horse!,” “Meet the Robinsons”
Hayao Miyazaki – “The Wind Rises,” “Spirited Away”
Ricky Nierva – “Monsters University,” “Up”
Chris Renaud – “Despicable Me 2,” “Despicable Me”
Benjamin Renner – “Ernest & Celestine,” “A Mouse’s Tale (La Queue de la Souris)”
Michael Rose – “Chico & Rita,” “The Gruffalo”
Toshio Suzuki – “The Wind Rises,” “Howl’s Moving Castle”
Selma Vilhunen – “Pitääkö Mun Kaikki Hoitta? (Do I Have to Take Care of Everything?),”
“The Crossroads” 
Anders Walter – “Helium,” “9 Meter”
Laurent Witz – “Mr. Hublot,” “Renart the Fox”

Sound
Niv Adiri – “Gravity,” “The Book Thief”
Christopher Benstead – “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit,” “Gravity”
Steve Boeddeker – “All Is Lost,” “Beasts of the Southern Wild”
Beau Borders – “Million Dollar Arm,” “Lone Survivor”
David Brownlow – “Lone Survivor,” “The Book of Eli”
Chris Burdon – “Captain Phillips,” “Philomena”
Brent Burge – “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” “The Hobbit: An Unexpected
Journey”
André Fenley – “How to Train Your Dragon 2,” “All Is Lost”
Glenn Freemantle – “Gravity,” “Slumdog Millionaire”
Greg Hedgepath – “Frozen,” “The Incredible Hulk”
Craig Henighan – “Noah,” “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”
Tony Johnson – “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” “Avatar”
Laurent M. Kossayan – “Red Riding Hood,” “Public Enemies”
Thomas L. Lalley – “Mr. Peabody & Sherman,” “Star Trek Into Darkness”
Ai-Ling Lee – “Godzilla,” “300: Rise of an Empire”
Stephen Morris – “Monsters University,” “Fruitvale Station”
Jeremy Peirson – “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” “Looper”
Mike Prestwood Smith – “Divergent,” “Captain Phillips”
Alan Rankin – “Iron Man 3,” “Star Trek”
Oliver Tarney – “Captain Phillips,” “Philomena”
Chris Ward – “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” “The Hobbit: An Unexpected
Journey”

Visual Effects
Gary Brozenich – “The Lone Ranger,” “Wrath of the Titans”
Everett Burrell – “Grudge Match,” “Pan’s Labyrinth”
Marc Chu – “Noah,” “Marvel’s The Avengers”
David Fletcher – “Sabotage,” “Prisoners”
Swen Gillberg – “Ender’s Game,” “Jack the Giant Slayer”
Paul Graff – “The Wolf of Wall Street,” “Identity Thief”
Alex Henning – “Star Trek Into Darkness,” “Hugo”
Evan Jacobs – “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” “Olympus Has Fallen”
Chris Lawrence – “Edge of Tomorrow,” “Gravity”
Eric Leven – “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2,” “The Twilight Saga: Breaking
Dawn Part 1”
Steven Messing – “Godzilla,” “Oz The Great and Powerful”
Ben Matthew Morris – “Lincoln,” “The Golden Compass”
Jake Morrison – “Thor: The Dark World,” “Marvel’s The Avengers”
Eric Reynolds – “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” “The Hunger Games:
Catching Fire”
David Shirk – “Gravity,” “Elysium”
Patrick Tubach – “Star Trek Into Darkness,” “Marvel’s The Avengers”
Bruno Van Zeebroeck – “Lone Survivor,” “Public Enemies”
Tim Webber – “Gravity,” “The Dark Knight”
Harold Weed – “G.I. Joe: Retaliation,” “Star Trek”

Writers
Chantal Akerman – “A Couch in New York,” “Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce,
1080 Bruxelles”
Olivier Assayas – “Summer Hours,” “Irma Vep”
Craig Borten – “Dallas Buyers Club”
Scott Z. Burns – “Side Effects,” “Contagion”
Jean-Claude Carrière – “The Unbearable Lightness of Being,” “The Discreet Charm of
the Bourgeoisie”
Steve Coogan – “Philomena,” “The Parole Officer”
Claire Denis – “White Material,” “Beau Travail”
Larry Gross – “We Don’t Live Here Anymore,” “48 Hrs.”
Mathieu Kassovitz – “Babylon A.D.,” “Hate (La Haine)”
Diane Kurys – “For a Woman,” “Entre Nous”
Bob Nelson – “Nebraska”
Scott Neustadter – “The Spectacular Now,” “(500) Days of Summer”
Jeff Pope – “Philomena,” “Pierrepoint – The Last Hangman”
John Ridley – “12 Years a Slave,” “Undercover Brother”
Paul Rudnick – “In & Out,” ”Jeffrey”
Eric Warren Singer – “American Hustle,” ”The International”
Melisa Wallack – “Dallas Buyers Club,” “Mirror Mirror”
Michael H. Weber – “The Spectacular Now,” “(500) Days of Summer”
Terence Winter – “The Wolf of Wall Street,” “Get Rich or Die Tryin'”

Associates
Matt Del Piano
Joe Funicello
Robert Hohman
Paul Christopher Hook
David Kramer
Joel Lubin
David Pringle
Melanie Ramsayer
Beth Swofford
Meredith Wechter

Each year Academy members may sponsor one candidate for membership within their branch.  New member application reviews take place in the spring.  Applications for the coming year must be received by March 19, 2015.

New members will be welcomed into the Academy at an invitation-only reception in September.

Friday, June 27, 2014

Extreme Sports Remake of "Point Break" Begins Filming

Alcon Entertainment’s “Point Break” to Begin Principal Photography on June 26th

Top Extreme Sports Athletes to Perform Daring Action Stunts in Various Locations on Four Continents

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Alcon Entertainment’s action-thriller “Point Break,” starring Édgar Ramírez, Luke Bracey, Ray Winstone, Teresa Palmer and Delroy Lindo, begins principal photography today, it was announced by Alcon principals Andrew Kosove and Broderick Johnson.

The production will film on four continents, including North America, Europe, South America and Asia, and features stunts performed by the world’s top extreme sports athletes, as opposed to stunt performers. Locations set for filming include Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, France, Mexico, Venezuela, French Polynesia, India and the United States. Alcon will release through its output deal with Warner Bros. Pictures.

Ericson Core (“Invincible”) is directing from Kurt Wimmer’s (“Salt,” “Law Abiding Citizen”) screenplay. Ramírez (“Zero Dark Thirty,” “Che: Part One”) stars as Bodhi and Bracey (“G.I. Joe: Retaliation,” upcoming “The Best of Me”) will portray Johnny Utah.

In “Point Break,” a young FBI agent infiltrates an extraordinary team of extreme sports athletes he suspects of masterminding a string of unprecedented, sophisticated corporate heists. Deep undercover, and with his life in danger, he strives to prove they are the architects of the mind-boggling crimes that are devastating the world’s financial markets.

The film marks an extraordinarily ambitious shooting schedule involving some of the most daring stunts ever committed to film. Extreme sports featured include surfing 70-foot waves, snowboarding, wingsuit flying, free rock climbing, and high-speed motorcycle stunts.

Johnson and Kosove are producing, along with John Baldecchi, Chris Taylor and Kurt Wimmer. Studio Babelsberg will also co-produce. RGM Media principal Devesh Chetty and investor John McMurrick, Chairman of Marloss Entertainment, will serve as executive producers.

Renowned extreme athletes performing stunts in the film include surfers Makua Rothman, Billy Kemper, Brian Keaulana and Ahanu Tson-dru; snowboarders Lucas DeBari, Ralph Backstrom, Mitch Toelderer, Mike Basich and Xavier De La Rue; motorcyclists Riley Harper and Oakley Lehman; wingsuit stunt pilots Jeb Corliss, Jon Devore, Julian Boulle, Noah Bahnson and Mike Swanson; and free climber Chris Sharma, among others.

Director Ericson Core, who served as director of photography on such films as “The Fast and the Furious,” will also serve as director of photography. Other behind-the-scene team members include Oscar-winning editor Thom Noble (“Thelma & Louise,” “Witness”), production designer Udo Kramer (“North Face,” “The Physician”) and Oscar-nominated costume designer Lisy Christl (“Anonymous,” “White House Down”).

“Point Break” is inspired by the classic 1991 hit starring Patrick Swayze and Keanu Reeves. It is scheduled for release on August 7, 2015, and will be distributed in North America and in select territories around the world by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

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Wednesday, June 25, 2014

George Lucas' Museum to Open in Chicago - Possibly in 2018

Lucas Museum of Narrative Art to Call Chicago Home

- Museum will be dedicated to Narrative Art – the telling of stories visually

- Key objective will be to inspire and educate future generations

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art (LMNA) today announced its intention to become a member of Chicago’s vibrant cultural arts scene by locating on the city’s Museum Campus. LMNA will be a gathering place to experience narrative art and the evolution of the visual image – from illustration to cinema to digital arts.

    “George Lucas has revolutionized the art of storytelling over the last four decades and we are honored to be the recipient of this incredible legacy investment that will allow everyone to learn about and experience narrative arts”

“We are honored to be partnering with the city of Chicago and the many cultural, educational and community groups that have come forward with ideas about how the LMNA will add to their work,” said George Lucas, the Museum’s founder. “I am humbled to be joining such an extraordinary museum community and to be creating the Museum in a city that has a long tradition of embracing the arts and architecture.”

“George Lucas has revolutionized the art of storytelling over the last four decades and we are honored to be the recipient of this incredible legacy investment that will allow everyone to learn about and experience narrative arts,” said Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “Like Marshall Field, John G. Shedd and Max Adler before him, George’s philanthropy will inspire and educate for generations. No other museum like this exists in the world, making it a tremendous educational, cultural and job creation asset for all Chicagoans, as well as an unparalleled draw for international tourists.”

The LMNA, previously known as the Lucas Cultural Arts Museum, chose Chicago because of the quality of the site proposed by the city’s task force. The 17-acre site offers unparalleled visitor access. “Choosing Chicago is the right decision for the Museum, but a difficult decision for me personally because of my strong personal and professional roots in the Bay Area,” said Mr. Lucas, a native of Modesto, Ca. “I thank all Californians who reached out to me in support of the Museum.”

The Museum’s location, proposed by a task force appointed by Mayor Emanuel, was selected based on its accessibility to public transportation, ease of access from all parts of the city, potential to create significant new green space, and its ability to accommodate an iconic structure. The LMNA will transform the site by moving the existing parking spaces underground and replacing acres of asphalt with more parkland along the harbor. Architectural renderings for the proposed site will be presented to the City of Chicago in early fall.

“It is a great privilege for the Museum to be a custodian of this cherished land,” said Mr. Lucas, who hopes to open the LMNA in 2018.

To learn more about the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art and its collection visit us online at www.LucasMuseum.org.