Sunday, February 5, 2017

"La La Land" Tops 69th Directors Guild of America Awards

The Directors Guild of America (DGA) is the entertainment labor union that represents film and television directors.  The DGA gives out the Directors Guild of America Award each year to honor outstanding achievement.

The DGA announced the winners of the 69th Annual DGA Awards at the 69th Annual DGA Awards on Saturday, February 4, 2017 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

2017 / 69th Annual DGA Award winners (for feature films released in 2016):

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in  Feature Film

DAMIEN CHAZELLE
La La Land
(Lionsgate)

Mr. Chazelle’s Directorial Team:

    Unit Production Manager: Michael Beugg
    First Assistant Director: Peter Kohn
    Second Assistant Director: Paula Case
    Assistant Unit Production Manager: Bart Lipton
    Second Second Assistant Director: Brett Robinson
    Additional Second Assistant Director: Dodi Rubenstein

This was Mr. Chazelle’s first DGA Award nomination.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in First-Time Feature Film

GARTH DAVIS
Lion
(The Weinstein Company)

Mr. Davis’s Directorial Team:

    Production Managers: Rajeev Mehra, Rakesh Singh (India Unit)
    First Assistant Director: Chris Webb
    First Assistant Director: Ananya Rane (India Unit)
    Second Assistant Directors: Mark Ingram (Australia Unit), Sunny Tiku (India Unit), KP Singh (India Unit), Shaunak Kapur (India Unit)

This was one of two DGA Award nominations this year for Mr. Davis. He is also nominated in the Feature Film category for Lion. He was previously nominated for the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials in 2009 for “Shadow Puppets,” U.S. Cellular.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series

MIGUEL SAPOCHNIK
Game of Thrones, “The Battle of the Bastards”
(HBO)

This was Mr. Sapochnik’s first DGA Award nomination.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series

BECKY MARTIN
Veep, “Inauguration”
(HBO)

Ms. Martin’s Directorial Team:

    Unit Production Manager: David Hyman
    First Assistant Director: Dale Stern
    Second Assistant Director: Michelle Gritzer
    Second Second Assistant Director: Chris Riddle
    Additional Second Assistant Director: Gary Cotti

This was Ms. Martin’s first DGA Award nomination.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Mini-Series

STEVEN ZAILLIAN
The Night Of, “The Beach”
(HBO)

Mr. Zaillian’s Directorial Team:

    Unit Production Manager: Greer Yeaton
    First Assistant Director: Michael Steele
    Second Assistant Director: Ginger Gonzalez
    Second Second Assistant Director: Rachel Iovine
    Location Manager: Shane Haden

This was Mr. Zaillian’s first DGA Award nomination.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Regularly Scheduled Programming

DON ROY KING
Saturday Night Live, “Host: Dave Chappelle”
(NBC)
Mr. King’s Directorial Team:

    Associate Directors: Michael Mancini, Michael Poole, Bob Caminiti
    Stage Managers: Gena Rositano, Chris Kelly

This was Mr. King’s eleventh DGA Award nomination. He previously won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Specials in 2015 for Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special and for Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Regularly Scheduled Programming in 2013 for Saturday Night Live “Host: Justin Timberlake.” He was previously nominated for Saturday Night Live episodes in 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014, and in 2015 in the Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Regularly Scheduled Programming category for the Saturday Night Live episode, “Host: Tracy Morgan/Musical Guest: Demi Lovato.”

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Specials

GLENN WEISS
The 70th Annual Tony Awards
(CBS)

Mr. Weiss’s Directorial Team:

    Associate Directors: Ken Diego, Robin Abrams, Ricky Kirshner
    Stage Managers: Garry Hood, Peter Epstein, Joey Despenzero, Phyllis Digilio-Kent, Andrew Feigin, Doug Fogel, Jeffry Gitter, Arthur Lewis, Jeffrey M. Markowitz, Cyndi Owgang, Jeff Pearl, Alfonso Pena, Annette Powlis, Elise Reaves, Lauren Class Schneider, Jim Semmelman

This was Mr. Weiss’s thirteenth DGA Award nomination. He previously won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Specials in 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2015 for the 61st, 64th, 65th, 66th, 67th and 68th Annual Tony Awards. He was also nominated in 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2008 for the 55th, 56th, 59th, 60th, and 62nd Annual Tony Awards. He was also nominated in 2015 for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Mini-Series, together with Rob Ashford, for Peter Pan Live!

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Reality Programs

J. RUPERT THOMPSON
American Grit, “The Finale - Over the Falls”
(FOX)

Mr. Thompson’s Directorial Team:

    Associate Director: David Charles
    Stage Managers: Daniel Curran, Kevin Fletcher

This was Mr. Thompson’s seventh DGA Award nomination. He previously won in this category in 2005 for Fear Factor, “Heist Fear Factor, Season 6 Premiere.” He was also nominated in 2006 for Fear Factor, “Military Fear Factor, Season Finale,” in 2008 for Estate of Panic, “102, That Sinking Feeling,” in 2011 for Fear Factor 2.0, “Scorpion Tales,” in 2012 for Stars Earn Stripes, “Amphibious Assault,” and in 2013 for The Hero, “Teamwork.”

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children's Programs

TINA MABRY
An American Girl Story - Melody 1963: Love Has to Win
(Amazon)

Ms. Mabry’s Directorial Team:

    Unit Production Manager: Richard G. King
    First Assistant Director: Otto Penzato
    Second Assistant Director: David Berke
    Second Second Assistant Director: Christopher H. Cook
    Additional Second Assistant Directors: Candice Lee, Matthew W. Ross

This was Ms. Mabry’s first DGA Award nomination.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials

DEREK CIANFRANCE
(RadicalMedia)
Chase, Nike Golf – Wieden + Kennedy Portland

    First Assistant Director: Rick Lange
    Second Assistant Director: Ethan Ross, Craig Sackett, Cue Chatley
    Second Second Assistant Directors: Greg Moutran, Stephen Killebrew

Doubts, Powerade – Wieden + Kennedy Portland

    First Assistant Director: Mariela Comitini
    Second Assistant Director: Brad Robinson

Expectations, Powerade – Wieden + Kennedy Portland

    First Assistant Director: Mariela Comitini
    Second Assistant Director: Brad Robinson

Manifesto, Squarespace – Anomaly

    First Assistant Director: David Backus
    Second Assistant Director: Josh Voegelin

This was Mr. Cianfrance’s first DGA Award nomination.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary

EZRA EDELMAN
O.J.: Made in America
ESPN Films

This was Mr. Edelman’s first DGA Award nomination.

DGA Awards Medallion Small Lifetime Achievement & Service Award Recipients

RIDLEY SCOTT
Lifetime Achievement Award in Feature Film

This award, which is given to a Director in recognition of distinguished achievement in motion picture direction, is the Guild's highest honor and the recipient is selected by the present and past presidents of the Guild.

JAY D. ROTH
DGA Presidents Award

This award, which is given for leadership and extraordinary efforts in enhancing the welfare and image of the Guild and the industry, is bestowed only by a unanimous vote of the sitting and former DGA Presidents.

THOMAS SCHLAMME
Robert B. Aldrich Service Award

This award is given in recognition of extraordinary service to the Directors Guild of America and to its membership.

MARIE CANTIN
Frank Capra Achievement Award

This award is given to an Assistant Director or Unit Production Manager in recognition of career achievement in the industry and service to the Directors Guild of America.

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Saturday, February 4, 2017

Image Comics Announces Young Adult Graphic Novel, "Afar"

LUSH FANTASY TALE AFAR POISED TO BE YA CROSSOVER HIT

Original graphic novel coming this March

Writer Leila del Duca (series artist and co-creator of SHUTTER) teams up with artist Kit Seaton (The Black Bull of Norroway) for the coming-of-age fantasy tale AFAR, coming this March 2017 from Image Comics.

In a fantastical postindustrial desert, fifteen-year-old Boetema suddenly develops the ability to astrally project to other planets while she sleeps. When she accidentally gets a young man hurt on a planet light-years away, she must figure out a way to project back to save him. On her own world, Boetema’s parents have temporarily left her and her thirteen-year-old brother, Inotu, to make a living as salt shepherds. Left to their own devices, the two siblings must flee across a dangerous desert when Inotu gets into trouble with a threatening cyborg bodyguard. As Boetema visits amazing planets and encounters vibrant cultures, she must confront her mistakes and learn to trust in Inotu as she navigates her newfound abilities. 

"Working with Kit on this science-fantasy family adventure has been an incredible experience,” said del Duca. “Kit has taken our characters and added so much depth and beauty to the world we created. Her posing, character designs, environments, and imagination compliment the script delightfully and I'm very happy with AFAR, our first collaboration in a genre we both adore."

"It has been my great to joy to work with Leila del Duca on this book,” said Seaton. “Leila has woven an epic fantasia about a vibrant young woman with a talent for traversing galaxies when she sleeps, and her clever yet naive younger brother, who has a knack for finding trouble. Leila is a skilled storyteller who will leave you craving the next adventure."

AFAR OGN (ISBN: 978-1-63215-941-0) hits comic book stores on Wednesday, March 29th, 2017 and bookstores on Tuesday, April 4th, 2017. It may be ordered by retailers with Diamond code JAN170641, and it is available for preorder via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indiebound, and Indigo.

Advance praise for AFAR:

"I love how del Duca, Seaton, and [editor] Stotts create a comic that touches on mindfulness. Boetema is a new kind of hero who achieves a higher mental state through her dreams. Created by some very imaginative artists, AFAR is a world of infinite possibilities.” —Nick Dragotta (EAST OF WEST, HOWTOONS)

"Leila and Kit have managed to create a story with emotional depth, cosmic scale, lavish designs, and characters that are truly unique. In a cultural landscape of reboots, sequels and adaptations, AFAR stands out as a very promising collaboration between two gifted storytellers." —Benjamin Dewey (AUTUMNLANDS, Tragedy Series, Beasts of Burden)

"AFAR is an absolutely beautiful debut from writer Leila del Duca and artist Kit Seaton which solidifies the pair as a creative team to watch." —Joe Keatinge (SHUTTER, GLORY, and RINGSIDE)

"A strange, beautiful world and fascinating, tough characters makes AFAR a riveting read. Gorgeous artwork, too!" —Faith Erin Hicks (The Nameless City, The Adventures of Superhero Girl)


ABOUT IMAGE COMICS
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

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2017 Kids' Choice Awards Nominations Announced - Complete List of Nominees

Nickelodeon Announces 2017 Kids’ Choice Awards Nominations

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Captain America: Civil War, Kevin Hart and Justin Timberlake Earn Most Nods across 28 Categories

Voting Begins, Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017 with WWE Superstar John Cena Hosting Show, Live on Saturday, March 11, 2017 at 8 p.m. (ET/PT)

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nickelodeon announced the nominees for the 2017 Kids’ Choice Awards, the only live event where kids’ votes count and the biggest stars of the day line up to get slimed. Celebrating kids’ favorites from across the worlds of film, television, music and pop culture, this year’s all-star list of nominations include: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Daya, Chris Evans, Idris Elba, Megan Fox, Lukas Graham, Kevin Hart, Scarlett Johansson, Dwayne Johnson, Felicity Jones, Leslie Jones, Anna Kendrick, Bruno Mars, Melissa McCarthy, JoJo Siwa, The Chainsmokers, Justin Timberlake, Twenty One Pilots and more.

Highly regarded as an unpredictable, celebrity-filled mess-fest, Kids’ Choice Awards this year features nine new categories guaranteed to be unique to this awards season, like “Favorite Frenemies,” “Most Wanted Pet” and “#Squad.” Hosted by WWE Superstar John Cena, Nickelodeon’s 2017 Kids’ Choice Awards airs live on Saturday, March 11, 2017 at 8 p.m. (ET/PT), from USC’s Galen Center in Los Angeles.

Beginning today, kids can cast their votes across 28 categories with a brand-new voting experience on Nickelodeon’s digital platforms including Nick.com and the Nick app on iPad, iPhone, Kindle, and Android devices. Users will also be able to vote through Twitter and Facebook using special KCA hashtags and the hashtag of their favorite nominee. Fans also can join in on the slime-fest by going to Nick.com/kca17, the official destination for everything Kids’ Choice Awards, for hilarious videos, the KCA Creator game, quizzes and pictures, and to get the latest KCA news on this year’s show, nominees and attendees.

In television, kids will have the opportunity to vote for first-time nominees, Black-ish, Fuller House, Supergirl, Paradise Run and The Loud House, along with their choice between America’s Got Talent, Shark Tank, The Voice, America’s Funniest Home Videos and American Ninja Warrior for “Favorite Reality Show.” Nickelodeon’s Jace Norman was nominated for “Favorite Male TV Star” in Henry Danger and Breanna Yde is up for “Favorite Female TV Star” in School of Rock. Additionally, in the “Favorite Cartoon” category, kids will choose between ALVINNN!!! and The Chipmunks, SpongeBob SquarePants, Teen Titans Go!, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Amazing World of Gumball and The Loud House.

Stars will vie for the blimp across ten music categories, with Bruno Mars, Justin Timberlake and Twenty One Pilots topping the list with four nominations each. After ruling the Billboard and iTunes charts, The Chainsmokers make their Kids’ Choice Awards nominee debut with two nods for “Favorite Music Group” and “Favorite New Artist.” Adele, Beyoncé, Meghan Trainor and Fifth Harmony also garnered two nominations each, while internet sensations Carson Lueders, Jacob Sartorius, Johnny Orlando, JoJo Siwa, Matty B and Tiffany Alvord battle it out in the new category of “Favorite Viral Music Artist.” For the first time ever, the KCAs will also feature a new music category for “Favorite Global Music Star,” which features six artists from around the world battling it out for the honor of a blimp.

Superheroes, trolls and turtles dominated the movie categories with Captain America: Civil War, conjuring up top affirmations with eight nominations. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice followed closely behind with seven, while Ghostbusters and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story garnered five each. Stars receiving first time nods in the film category include, Justin Timberlake for “Favorite Voice from an Animated Movie” in Trolls (bringing his total nominations to seven), Kristen Wiig for “Favorite Movie Actress” in Ghostbusters, and Felicity Jones for “Favorite Butt-Kicker” in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Kevin Hart makes a double appearance in the new category “BFF’s (Best Friends Forever),” nominated for Central Intelligence and Ride Along 2 -- bringing his total 2017 KCA nominations to six.

While this will be Cena’s first time hosting the global show, he is beloved worldwide by the Nickelodeon family, having previously hosted Australia’s Kids’ Choice Awards in 2008, as well as undergoing a sliming at the first UK Kids’ Choice Awards in 2007.

Sponsors of Nickelodeon’s 2017 Kids’ Choice Awards include Cinnamon Toast Crunch™, Crest®, Hot Wheels®, Nintendo, Skechers®, Toyota and Walmart.

Stay up-to-date on all Kids’ Choice Awards news by Liking Nickelodeon on Facebook and following @Nickelodeon on Twitter and Instagram

The nominees and categories for Nickelodeon’s 2017 Kids’ Choice Awards are (*new categories):

TELEVISION:

Favorite TV Show – Kids’ Show
Game Shakers
Girl Meets World
Henry Danger
Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn
The Thundermans

Favorite TV Show – Family Show
Big Bang Theory
Black-ish
Fuller House
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Supergirl
The Flash

Favorite Reality Show
America’s Funniest Home Videos
America’s Got Talent
American Ninja Warrior
Paradise Run
Shark Tank
The Voice

Favorite Cartoon
ALVINNN!!! and The Chipmunks
SpongeBob SquarePants
Teen Titans Go!
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
The Amazing World of Gumball
The Loud House

Favorite Male TV Star
Benjamin Flores Jr. (Triple G, Game Shakers)
Aidan Gallagher (Nicky, Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn)
Jack Griffo (Max, The Thundermans)
Jace Norman (Henry, Henry Danger)
Casey Simpson (Ricky, Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn)
Tyrel Jackson Williams (Leo, Lab Rats)

Favorite Female TV Star
Rowan Blanchard (Riley, Girl Meets World)
Dove Cameron (Liv and Maddie, Liv and Maddie)
Lizzy Greene (Dawn, Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn)
Kira Kosarin (Phoebe, The Thundermans)
Breanna Yde (Tomika, School of Rock)
Zendaya (K.C., K.C. Undercover)

FILM:

Favorite Movie
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
Captain America: Civil War
Ghostbusters
Pete’s Dragon
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows

Favorite Movie Actor
Ben Affleck (Batman, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice)
Will Arnett (Vernon, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows)
Henry Cavill (Superman, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice)
Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man, Captain America: Civil War)
Chris Evans (Captain America, Captain America: Civil War)
Chris Hemsworth (Kevin, Ghostbusters)

Favorite Movie Actress
Amy Adams (Lois, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice)
Megan Fox (April, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows)
Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow, Captain America: Civil War)
Felicity Jones (Jyn, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story)
Melissa McCarthy (Abby, Ghostbusters)
Kristen Wiig (Erin, Ghostbusters)

Favorite Animated Movie
Finding Dory
Moana
Sing
The Secret Life of Pets
Trolls
Zootopia

Favorite Voice From An Animated Movie
Ellen DeGeneres (Dory, Finding Dory)
Kevin Hart (Snowball, The Secret Life of Pets)
Dwayne Johnson (Maui, Moana)
Anna Kendrick (Poppy, Trolls)
Justin Timberlake (Branch, Trolls)
Reese Witherspoon (Rosita, Sing)

Favorite Villain
Helena Bonham Carter (The Red Queen, Alice Through the Looking Glass)
Idris Elba (Krall, Star Trek Beyond)
Will Ferrell (Mugatu, Zoolander 2)
Kevin Hart (Snowball, The Secret Life of Pets) *Note: animated
Charlize Theron (Ravenna, The Huntsman: Winter’s War)
Spencer Wilding (Darth Vader, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story)

Favorite Butt-Kicker
Ben Affleck (Batman, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice)
Henry Cavill (Superman, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice)
Chris Evans (Captain America, Captain America: Civil War)
Chris Hemsworth (The Huntsman, The Huntsman: Winter’s War)
Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow, Captain America: Civil War)
Felicity Jones (Jyn, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story)
Jennifer Lawrence (Mystique, X-Men: Apocalypse)
Zoe Saldana (Lieutenant Uhura, Star Trek Beyond)

BFF’s (Best Friends Forever)*
Ruby Barnhill & Mark Rylance (Sophie/BFG, The BFG)
Kevin Hart & Dwayne Johnson (Bob/Calvin, Central Intelligence)
Kevin Hart & Ice Cube (Ben/James, Ride Along 2)
Chris Pine & Zachary Quinto (Captain Kirk/Spock, Star Trek Beyond)
Neel Sethi & Bill Murray (Mowgli/ Baloo, Jungle Book)
Ben Stiller & Owen Wilson (Derek/Hansel, Zoolander 2)

Favorite Frenemies*
Anna Kendrick & Justin Timberlake (Poppy/Branch, Trolls)
Ben Affleck & Henry Cavill (Batman/Superman, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice)
Chris Evans & Robert Downey Jr. (Captain America/Iron Man, Captain America: Civil War)
Ginnifer Goodwin & Jason Bateman (Judy/Nick, Zootopia)
Dwayne Johnson & Auli’I Cravalho (Moana/Maui, Moana)
Anna Kendrick & Justin Timberlake (Poppy/Branch, Trolls)
Charlize Theron & Emily Blunt (Ravenna/Freya, The Huntsman: Winter’s War)

Most Wanted Pet*
Baloo from The Jungle Book (Bill Murray)
Dory from Finding Dory (Ellen DeGeneres)
Po from Kung Fu Panda 3 (Jack Black)
Red from The Angry Birds Movie (Jason Sudeikis)
Rosita from Sing (Reese Witherspoon)
Snowball from The Secret Life of Pets (Kevin Hart)

#Squad*
Captain America: Civil War - Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, Chadwick Boseman
Finding Dory – Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Kaitlin Olson, Hayden Rolence, Willem Dafoe, Ed O’Neill, Ty Burrell, Eugene Levy
Ghostbusters – Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story – Felicity Jones, Forest Whitaker, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Alan Tudyk, Donnie Yen, Riz Ahmed, Mads Mikkelsen
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows – Noel Fisher, Jeremy Howard, Pete Ploszek, Alan Ritchson
X-Men: Apocalypse – James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Evan Peters, Tye Sheridan, Ben Hardy, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Sophie Turner, Alexandra Shipp, Olivia Munn

MUSIC:

Favorite Music Group
The Chainsmokers
Fifth Harmony
Maroon 5
OneRepublic
Pentatonix
Twenty One Pilots

Favorite Male Singer
Drake
Justin Bieber
Bruno Mars
Shawn Mendes
Justin Timberlake
The Weeknd

Favorite Female Singer
Adele
Beyoncé
Ariana Grande
Selena Gomez
Rihanna
Meghan Trainor

Favorite Song
24K Magic – Bruno Mars
Can’t Stop the Feeling! – Justin Timberlake
Heathens – Twenty One Pilots
Send My Love (To Your New Lover) – Adele
Side to Side – Ariana Grande ft. Nicki Minaj
Work from Home – Fifth Harmony ft. Ty Dolla $ign

Favorite New Artist
Kelsea Ballerini
The Chainsmokers
Daya
Lukas Graham
Solange
Rae Sremmurd
Hailee Steinfeld
Twenty One Pilots

Favorite Music Video*
24K Magic – Bruno Mars
Can’t Stop The Feeling! – Justin Timberlake
Formation – Beyoncé
Juju On That Beat – Zay Hilfigerrr and Zayion McCall
Me Too – Meghan Trainor
Stressed Out – Twenty One Pilots

Favorite DJ/EDM Artist*
Martin Garrix
Calvin Harris
Major Lazer
Skrillex
DJ Snake
Zedd

Favorite Soundtrack*
Hamilton
Me Before You
Moana
Sing
Suicide Squad
Trolls

Favorite Viral Music Artist*
Tiffany Alvord
Matty B
Carson Lueders
Johnny Orlando
Jacob Sartorius
JoJo Siwa

Favorite Global Music Star*
5 Seconds of Summer (Australia/New Zealand)
BIGBANG (Asia)
Bruno Mars (North America)
Little Mix (UK)
Shakira (South America)
Zara Larsson (Europe)

OTHER CATEGORIES:

Favorite Video Game
Just Dance 2017
Lego Marvel’s Avengers
Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Minecraft: Story Mode
Paper Mario: Color Splash
Pokémon Moon

Nickelodeon’s 2017 Kids’ Choice Awards is produced by Nickelodeon Productions. Elizabeth Kelly, Michael Dempsey, Shelly Sumpter Gillyard and Jay Schmalholz are executive producers.


About Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon, now in its 37th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon’s U.S. television network is seen in more than 90 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 20 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB).

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"Their Finest" and "Chasing Coral" Highlight 2017 Boulder International Film Festival

Opening and Closing Night Films Announced for the Highly-Anticipated 13th Annual Boulder International Film Festival, March 2-5, 2017

Films include the winner of the US Documentary Audience Award at Sundance 2017 and a new film from award-winning director Lone Scherfig

BOULDER, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The 13th Annual Boulder International Film Festival (BIFF) has announced Their Finest and Chasing Coral for its opening and closing night film selections.

    Boulder Int Film Fest selects Their Finest and Chasing Coral as opening and closing night films!

“We are so excited about our opening and closing night film selections this year,” said Robin Beeck, Festival Executive Director. “This is a stellar, dynamic duo—a World War II-era romantic comedy about a female screenwriter starring Gemma Arterton, and an award-winning documentary by renowned Boulder filmmaker Jeff Orlowski and producer Larissa Rhodes, about the effect of the shifting climate on the health of our oceans. We’re honored to showcase both of these incredible films in Boulder.” Tickets for Opening and Closing Night on sale now at biff1.com. Full program announced on February 10th.

Opening Night Red Carpet Gala
Thursday, March 2, 2017 $50, Free for Passholders
5:30pm–7:30pm Pre-film parties at Hotel Boulderado and Rembrandt Yard
7:30pm Boulder Theater doors open
8:00pm Opening Night Film – Their Finest

Their Finest
United Kingdom, Feature Film, 116 minutes, 2016

This rousing romantic comedy from director Lone Scherfig (An Education) takes us back to 1940 Britain when the British Ministry turned to movies to hoist the sagging morale of the country. This witty film shows what happens when an industry of men suddenly find themselves catering to an audience of mostly women whose men are off to war. The industry hires a talented copywriter named Catrin Cole (Gemma Arterton) to write authentic female dialogue. Catrin’s natural ability quickly gets her noticed by charming lead scriptwriter Buckley (Sam Claflin). As bombs are dropping all around them, Catrin, Buckley, and the colorful cast and crew of their movie, Dunkirk!, work furiously to make a film that will lift British spirits.

You can access the trailer here. Directed by Lone Scherfig; written by Gaby Chiappe, based on the novel Their Finest Hour and a Half by Lissa Evans. Starring Gemma Arterton, Sam Claflin, Bill Nighy, Jack Huston, Jeremy Irons, and Richard E. Grant. In select theaters April 7, 2017. An STX Entertainment Release.

Closing Night Film
Chasing Coral
USA, Feature Documentary, 2017, 93 minutes
Sunday, March 5, 2017 $30, Free for Passholders
Doors open 6:30, Film starts at 7:30
https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1427087/tfly

Coral reefs around the world are vanishing at an unprecedented rate—in Chasing Coral, a team of divers, photographers and scientists set out on a thrilling ocean adventure to discover why, and to reveal the underwater mystery to the world. Coral reefs are the nursery for all life in the oceans, a remarkable ecosystem that sustains us. Yet with carbon emissions warming the seas, a phenomenon called “coral bleaching”—a sign of mass coral death—has been accelerating around the world, and the public has no idea of the scale or implication of the catastrophe silently raging underwater. Enter Jeff Orlowski, Boulder-based director of Chasing Ice, which created irrefutable, visual proof of the melting ice caps. With its breathtaking photography, nail-biting suspense, and startling emotion, Chasing Coral is a dramatic revelation that won’t have audiences sitting idle for long.

Produced & directed by Jeff Orlowski, produced by Larissa Rhodes. executive produced by David J. Cornfield, Linda A. Cornfiel, Ryan W. Ahrens, Jill K. Ahrens. Featuring Richard Vevers, Zackery Rago, Dr. John “Charlie” Veron. Edited By Davis Coombe.

Meet the artist video with director Jeff Orlowski at Sundance 2017 here.


About Boulder International Film Festival
The Boulder International Film Festival brings films and filmmakers from around the world to Boulder for a four-day celebration of the art of cinema. The Festival attracts more than 25,000 film enthusiasts, media and industry members each year and takes place March 2-5, 2017. For tickets and more information go to www.biff1.com. You can follow BIFF on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Amazon Announces Debut of "Annedroids" Season 4

Fourth Season of Emmy-Nominated Amazon Original Kids Series Annedroids Will Debut March 3 on Amazon Prime Video in the US and UK

From Creator J.J. Johnson (Dino Dan), the new season of Annedroids, a series which garnered 10 Daytime Emmy Award nominations and a Gold Parents’ Choice Award in 2016, continues to inspire children to be curious and learn by showcasing STEM curriculum

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ: AMZN)—Amazon today announced that the fourth season of its Emmy-nominated, Gold Parents’ Choice Award-winning original kids series, Annedroids, is scheduled to debut March 3, 2017 on Prime Video in the US and UK. Created by multi Emmy Award-winning producer/director J.J. Johnson (Dino Dan) and produced by Sinking Ship Entertainment (Odd Squad), Annedroids is a live-action adventure series that follows Anne, a young female scientist, and her human friends, along with the android assistants she’s created, as they make amazing scientific discoveries while undertaking the biggest experiment of them all: growing up. Through trial and error, the series spotlights how science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) can inspire children to do great things. In 2016, Annedroids was nominated for 10 Emmys, tying Sesame Street for the most nominations that year.

    “Our customers have embraced its inspiring characters and strong message of innovation and scientific discovery.”

The fourth season of Annedroids returns with Anne (Addison Holley, Wishenpoof) and her friends, Nick (Jadiel Dowlin) and Shania (Adrianna Di Liello, Stage Fright), as they embark on more adventures and experiments with their android friends, including: Pal (voiced by Millie Davis, Odd Squad), who is fascinated by everything and loves asking questions; Eyes, whose ability to see things from all angles can get him into trouble; and Hand, who’s strong and dependable but a little bit clumsy; as well as Pidgely, a real pigeon who became a cy-bird when Anne gave him some robotic upgrades; Fangs, a robotic dog that can turn into a skunk, a porcupine and a snake; and Art, a former cleaning robot who defected from working with evil robotics scientist Ada at Magnus Tech.

The new season sheds light on the concept of a “modern day family,” where the word “family” isn’t necessarily defined by blood relation, but rather the people that are closest to you. In this season, Anne, Nick and Shania will band together and use scientific approaches to solve a myriad of problems, including getting lost in the wilderness, dealing with a friend moving out of town, building a robot for competition, and defending the junkyard from a hostile takeover – which leads to an action-packed and epic season finale!

“We’re excited to debut a fourth season of Annedroids and proud of the notoriety and accolades this series has garnered within the television industry,” said Tara Sorensen, Head of Kids Programming at Amazon Studios. “Our customers have embraced its inspiring characters and strong message of innovation and scientific discovery.”

“In Annedroids our characters never fail, they just discover new ways of doing things wrong until they get them right,” says J.J. Johnson, series Creator and Executive Producer. “Expect grander discoveries, surprising character revelations and an explosive conclusion to Pal’s journey in this, our most ambitious season yet.”

Annedroids has received a total of 11 Daytime Emmy nominations with 10 of them from 2016, including Outstanding Children’s Series, Outstanding Performer in a Children’s or Pre-School Children’s Series and Outstanding Directing in a Children’s or Pre-School Children’s Series. The series also garnered the Grand Prize for Best Production, All Categories at the Youth Media Alliance Awards of Excellence. Additionally, the series received the IPST Education Award at The Goethe Institute Science Film Festival 2014, a Gold Parents’ Choice Award, a Parents’ Choice Foundation’s Silver Honor, and three Young Artist Awards. Common Sense Media also named Anne’s character a top 10 best role model in children’s TV.

Season three has an average customer rating of 4.8 stars. Here is what customers have been saying:

  •     “My kids love this show. It's fun and clean, and the protagonist is bright and a great role model especially for young girls. Science and friendship is cool.”
  •     “My 11 year old son loves Annedroids. He cannot get enough of the show. He is always watching the shows over and over.”
  •     “My 8 year old girl loves this show. Entertaining and educational!”
  •     “This series has my kids, my friend's kids, and myself captivated. The friendships, lessons, experiments and facts are worth watching.”
  •     “My 10 year old loves it and it has sparked his interest in science and math.”
  •     “My 9-yr old daughter and I have really enjoyed this series! Clean, educational, fun, and very creative!”
  •     “My 3 children have watched the entire Season 3 ten times...”

Annedroids is part of Prime Video’s growing line-up of award-winning and critically-acclaimed Originals for kids and families. The series is available to stream and enjoy using the Amazon Video app for compatible TVs, connected devices, including Amazon Fire TV and mobile devices, or online at www.amazon.com/originals, at no additional cost to their membership. Prime members can also download select titles to mobile devices for offline viewing. Eligible customers who are not already Prime members can sign up for a free trial at www.amazon.com/prime. For a list of all Amazon Video compatible devices, visit www.amazon.com/howtostream. Annedroids is also available as part of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited, the all-you-can-eat subscription service designed from the ground up for kids. FreeTime Unlimited is available exclusively on Amazon devices, including Amazon Fire TV and Fire tablets, and a year-long subscription is included with every Fire Kids Edition.


About Amazon Video
Amazon Video is a premium on-demand entertainment service that offers customers the greatest choice in what to watch and how to watch it. Amazon Video is the only service that provides all of the following:

  •     Prime Video: Thousands of movies and TV shows, including popular licensed content plus critically-acclaimed and award-winning Amazon Original Series and Movies from Amazon Studios like Transparent, The Man in the High Castle, Love & Friendship, and kids series Tumble Leaf, available for unlimited streaming as part of an Amazon Prime membership. Prime Video is also now available to customers in more than 200 countries and territories around the globe at www.primevideo.com.
  •     Amazon Channels: Over 100 channel subscriptions that Prime members can add to their membership, including HBO, SHOWTIME, STARZ, Cinemax, PBS KIDS, Acorn TV and more, plus Anime Strike – the first curated on-demand subscription by Amazon Channels. To view the full list of channels available, visit www.amazon.com/channels.
  •     Rent or Own: Hundreds of thousands of titles, including new release movies and current TV shows available for on-demand rental or purchase for all Amazon customers.
  •     Instant Access: Customers can instantly watch anytime, anywhere through the Amazon Video app on compatible TVs, mobile devices, Amazon Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, and Fire tablets, or online. For a list of all compatible devices, visit www.amazon.com/howtostream.
  •     Premium Features: Top features like 4K Ultra HD, High Dynamic Range (HDR) and mobile downloads for offline viewing of select content.

In addition to Prime Video, the Prime membership includes unlimited fast free shipping options across all categories available on Amazon, more than two million songs and thousands of playlists and stations with Prime Music, secure photo storage with Prime Photos, unlimited reading with Prime Reading, unlimited access to a digital audiobook catalog with Audible Channels for Prime, a rotating selection of free digital games and in-game loot with Twitch Prime, early access to select Lightning Deals, exclusive access and discounts to select items, and more. To sign-up for Prime or to find out more, visit: www.amazon.com/prime.

About Amazon
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit www.amazon.com/about.

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Friday, February 3, 2017

"Prince4Ever" Tribute Begins April 2017

Paisley Park Announces Special “Prince4Ever” Tribute Programming for the Month of April

CHANHASSEN, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Prince’s Paisley Park in Chanhassen, Minnesota has announced plans for an enhanced tour experience throughout the month of April 2017, titled Prince4Ever, which will uniquely celebrate and honor the iconic life and legacy of Prince Rogers Nelson as the world marks the first anniversary of his passing. Throughout the entire month, fans visiting Paisley Park will be welcomed into Prince’s legendary creative sanctuary to experience new immersive audio-visual content that will bring a heightened sense of presence to Prince throughout the tour experience, showcasing rarely seen video footage, audio clips and artifacts in the exhibition spaces.

In addition, fans touring Paisley Park throughout the month will be welcomed to participate in a special photo project honoring Prince. All visitors will be offered a chance to have their photo taken in a special candle-lit setting on-site at Paisley Park. The photos taken prior to April 21st will be integrated into a special video that will be premiered online on that date. The Prince4Ever Paisley Park tour experience will be available exclusively throughout the month of April to fans on both the General Admission and VIP tours. Tickets for scheduled tours in April are available now via the Paisley Park website at OfficialPaisleyPark.com.

Beyond this expanded tour experience, Paisley Park has announced that it will erect a special Prince4Ever tribute fence within the interior grounds of the property which will be set-up throughout the month of April. The fence will be located along the grass adjacent to the north parking lot at Paisley Park and will display archived fan-donated memorial messages and artifacts originally attached to the exterior perimeter fence in the weeks following Prince’s passing last year. On two Mondays through the month (April 3rd and 10th) fans will be welcomed onto the Paisley Park grounds free-of-charge between 9am and 9pm to attach personal messages in tribute and remembrance to Prince on the specially constructed fence. Visitors who have purchased tickets to scheduled tours throughout April will have the opportunity to view the Prince4Ever fence and add personal tribute messages as part of their overall Paisley Park tour experience. Additional details around these dates will be announced in the weeks ahead.

The Prince4Ever April initiatives build on the already announced Celebration 2017 festivities planned for April 20-23, 2017. The exclusive four-day Celebration event – set to bring together musicians, creative personnel, special guests and friends who worked closest with Prince and knew him best – will feature live music, panel discussions and presentations on Prince’s tremendous talent, influence and importance as a composer, musician, producer, live performer and filmmaker. For the first time in history, the event will bring together musicians crossing all four decades of Prince’s performing career, from The Time, The Revolution, New Power Generation and 3RDEYEGIRL. The event has already attracted an international contingent of Prince fans, with visitors attending from areas including Thailand, Norway, France, South Africa, Japan, Germany, Spain, Australia, Sweden, Canada and the UK among others.

Celebration 2017 will reflect the spirit of the inaugural Prince: A Celebration event, hosted by Prince and held at Paisley Park between June 7-13th, 2000. This event welcomed fans from around the world into an immersive Prince experience that showcased Paisley Park, many of Prince’s rarely seen stage wardrobe and instruments, alongside special events and exclusive music performances. In subsequent years, Prince hosted similar immersive fan experiences, first in 2001 with Prince: A Celebration “The Rainbow Children” and in 2002 with Xenophobia. Celebration 2017 will carry on in this spirit of community and connection, welcoming Prince fans from everywhere into a truly unique and celebratory experience that will highlight the life, creative works, unique achievements and enduring legacy of Prince.

Tickets to Celebration 2017 are selling quickly, with VIP tickets already sold out and General Admission track 2 tickets nearly gone. Fans interested in attending are encouraged to visit OfficialPaisleyPark.com to secure tickets while supply lasts. Attendees to Celebration 2017 can access special promotional rates at hotels surrounding Chanhassen, MN. Full details and promotion codes are available at OfficialPaisleyPark.com. With the commencement of Celebration 2017 between April 20-23, regular General Admission and VIP tours will not be available during that window. Fans interested in touring Paisley Park outside of Celebration 2017 are encouraged to book in the weeks before or after April 20-23.


ABOUT PRINCE
Prince sold over 100 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling artists of all time. He won seven GRAMMY® Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and an Academy Award® for the film “Purple Rain,” all of which are displayed at Paisley Park. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, the first year of his eligibility. Prince was born in Minneapolis and resided in the Minneapolis area throughout his life.

ABOUT PAISLEY PARK
Paisley Park, Prince’s private estate and production compound in Chanhassen offers fans of the late music icon the unprecedented opportunity to tour the legendary, 65,000-square-foot complex that served as the center of Prince’s creative universe. Operated by PPark Management, guided tours take visitors throughout the extensive main floor of Paisley Park, including recording and mixing studios where Prince recorded, produced and mixed most of his biggest hits, exhibit spaces that chronicle films such as Purple Rain and Graffiti Bridge, Prince’s private NPG Music Club, and a massive soundstage and concert hall where Prince rehearsed

for concert tours and held exclusive, private events and performances. The tour also features thousands of artifacts from Prince’s personal archives, including iconic concert wardrobe, awards, musical instruments and concert memorabilia.

Paisley Park is located at 7801 Audubon Road, Chanhassen, Minnesota, approximately 30 minutes outside of Minneapolis. For more information about Paisley Park, visit OfficialPaisleyPark.com.

Paisley Park online:
Facebook - www.facebook.com/OfficialPaisleyPark
Instagram - www.instagram.com/officialpaisleypark
Twitter - http://twitter.com/paisleypark

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Image Comics Announces "Women's History Month" Variant Covers

100% OF IMAGE COMICS’ WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH 25TH ANNIVERSARY VARIANT COVER PROCEEDS TO GO TO PLANNED PARENTHOOD

Image Comics is pleased to reveal the first five of 11 variants planned for March’s 25th anniversary theme month—“Women’s History.” The variants will serve to celebrate the careers of women in comics, the strides made throughout comics history made by the women’s movement, and the company’s history of shaking up the status quo. 100% of the proceeds made from these March Women’s History variant covers will be donated to Planned Parenthood.

“Many of Image Comics’ staff—myself included—and an ever-growing catalog of some of the most talented writers and artists in the industry, feel strongly about supporting women’s reproductive rights,” said Corey Murphy, Director of Sales at Image Comics. “Women have come a long way in this country, and the progress that’s been made is in part due to the efforts Planned Parenthood has made in sex education and affordable, preventative healthcare. I’m extremely proud to be a part of a company that’s unafraid to take a stance in supporting a non-profit that’s recently been under fire. This month we celebrate Women’s History, the strides the women have made in the comics industry, and the difference that everyone—male and female—has made by coming together in spreading equality.”

Each month of Image’s 25th year will boast a theme for special anniversary variants, beginning with Wednesday, February 1st, 2017—the exact date of Image Comics’ founding in 1992, and the date of this year’s “Image Comics Day.”

Available in stores on Wednesday, March 1st:

RAT QUEENS #1 by Kurtis J. Wiebe & Owen Gieni, variant artwork by Colleen Doran (Diamond Code DEC168662)
ROYAL CITY #1 by Jeff Lemire, variant artwork by Emi Lenox (Diamond Code DEC168665)

Available in stores on Wednesday, March 8th:

    THE WICKED + THE DIVINE #27 by Kieron Gillen & Jamie McKelvie, variant artwork by Chynna Clugston-Flores  (Diamond Code DEC168658)
    MOTOR CRUSH #4 by Brenden Fletcher, Cameron Stewart & Babs Tarr, variant artwork by Leslie Hung  (Diamond Code DEC168659)
    EAST OF WEST #32 by Jonathan Hickman & Nick Dragotta, variant artwork by Meredith McClaren (Diamond Code DEC168668)
    LOW #16 by Rick Remender & Greg Tocchini, variant artwork by Vanesa R. Del Rey (Diamond Code DEC168663)

Available in stores on Wednesday, March 15th:

    MOONSHINE #6 by Brian Azzarello & Eduardo Risso, variant artwork by Jill Thompson (Diamond Code DEC168660)

Available in stores on Wednesday, March 22nd:

    SHE WOLF #7 by Rich Tommaso, variant artwork by Marian Churchland (Diamond Code DEC168661)
    MAGDALENA #1 by Tini Howard, Ryan Cady & Christian Dibari, variant artwork by Roberta Ingranata (Diamond Code DEC168666)

Available in stores on Wednesday, March 29th:

    MONSTRESS #11 by Marjorie Liu & Sana Takeda, variant artwork by Sanya Anwar (Diamond Code DEC168664)
    OLD GUARD #2 by Greg Rucka & Leandro Fernandez, variant artwork by Nicola Scott (Diamond Code DEC168667)


ABOUT IMAGE COMICS
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

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