Hunting in pairs

'Midnight in Paris''A Harmful Method'Some from the year's most powerful ensembles were put together by casting company directors with lengthy collaborative histories with particular A-list helmers.Laray Mayfield met David Fincher around the very day she showed up in L.A., and "after two-and-a-half decades he's oh my gosh friend," through six features that vary from "Fight Club" towards the forthcoming "The Lady Using the Dragon Tattoo."Ellen Lewis' "unbelievably special relationship" with Martin Scorsese started together with his segment of "NY Tales" and "GoodFellas" through 12 features, including the 2010 "Hugo."It is a classic chicken/egg situation. Did these teams become buddies because they have labored together so frequently? Or they have worked with so frequently consequently from the friendship?"Um you realize, I believe that within our situation ah, gosh, it is tough to separate that out," confesses a thoughtful Juliet Taylor having a halting delivery not different to that particular of her boss on a lot more than 30 films up to now, Woodsy Allen."We spend a lot of time speaking on the telephone, just shooting the breeze about stuff," she states. "Yes, he's a real close friend. However I think that despite the fact that we are gossiping about other things, the professional aspect runs really deep."For "Night time in Paris," she states, "we spent a minimum of per month considering different casts and various age ranges to create the storyline work, a lot more than we'd on every other picture." Simultaneously, she and her team "did a lot of research" around the film's 20's historic figures, attempting to match their actual age range and search. "It is good whether it's exact, but it is good sometimes to consider one step out, so you've just a little freedom to experience by using it.InchDeirdre Bowen states she and David Cronenberg, with whom she's done 10 films up to now, "have really grown together according to a couple of things: an appreciation for really strong faces, along with a really healthy respect for that script and what story has been told. Then we find the correct faces to have the ability to tell that story."A face prone to surprise audiences of "A Harmful Method" is Viggo Mortensen as Sigmund Freud, considering two earlier, violence-oriented turns using the helmer. But, she argues, "Freud is somebody that will get out there and do fight intellectually, and also the character in 'Eastern Promises' will get out there and do fight physically. There is a common element there. We understood Freud must be a really energetic performance to ensure that the script to reside.InchIt does not hurt a thesp, then, to talk about the filmmakers' past. Lisbeth Salander, the eponymous "Girl Using the Dragon Tattoo," would be a plum part that Mayfield states "numerous of women thought about being considered." But Rooney Mara would be a known quantity to Fincher and Mayfield after "The Social Networking." "We're able to tell in early stages that they would be considered a strong contender" to portray "this tiny, small young girl that has this tremendous strength inside her."This season, U.K-based Fiona Weir tallied up her 4th "Harry Potter" film (and fifth credit overall) with David Yates, along with a third consecutive credit with Clint Eastwood on "J. Edgar."Weir understood "like a filmmaker, David's taste is very naturalistic, while the field of Harry is very increased. Therefore it was exciting to usher in people like Peter Mullan and Helen McCrory, stars from the completely different, natural background, and produce his taste into that world."For Eastwood, she marvels at "his appreciation of the items it is stars within the casting process, not to mention being put in the film.InchInchHe frequently favors to cast with stars who've read beside me on tape, if he's within the same room together it is extremely obvious they are in the existence of a screen icon, also it helps make the pressure increased.Inch(Symbols obviously get their own methods for working. For a long time, Allen wouldn't even read stars, Taylor states. "He'd meet them for just a few minutes. They wouldn't even sit lower. He'd say 'It's great to satisfy you, thank you for arriving,' also it would really be off whatever visceral reaction he'd.Inch)Ultimately, what solidifies the director/casting director relationship is really a special type of chemistry restored with every effective endeavor. "I certainly benefit from the other filmmakers Sometimes with," states Mayfield, "but because David (Fincher) and that i know one another very well and also have a shorthand, there's most likely a far more natural flow than it might be with individuals you do not know too.InchA married relationship of minds and skills, like every marriage, may have its rocky moments. "I understand Woody's taste very well,Inch Taylor states, "and that i more often than not accept it. Basically think he's creating a large mistake, he really listens. He certainly will not opt for someone basically don't believe it's wise -- but when I believe someone may be beneficial and that he does not, he is definitely an immovable object, clearly."Weir similarly summarizes her use Yates. "David and that i may not start in the same location, but we always finish available online for."Once the marriage works, it's wonderful. "After I met Debi Mazar I felt she was ideal for the role of (wiseguy mistress) Sandy in 'GoodFellas,'?" Lewis recalls. "Many occasions the casting process is all about creating the vision from the director, and often the director has something so specific in the mind that you are really playing almost a speculating game by using it.InchI recall how exciting it had been that somebody whom I felt was ideal for this role, younger crowd felt was perfect. And you simply pump your fist up, and you are like, 'That's so excellent that this is exactly what you'd in your mind. Because so did I!'"SAG Honours: The Ensemble:Hunting in pairs Jay shows bald eagle for rising talent Expert opinions Primetime wholes comprised of great parts SAG those who win often mind to Oscar glory Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Kyle Chandler Likely to Broken City

He'll be described as a political operativeHe was last seen trying to help keep his boy as well as the lad's pals from being menaced having a marauding alien (as well as the US military) in Super 8, but also for his next trick, Kyle Chandler will dabble in politics, joining the cast of Allen Hughes' thriller Broken City.Mark Wahlberg is starring just like a Noo Yoik detective hired having a effective local mayor (Russell Crowe) to uncover that's been setting it up away along with his wife (Catherine Zeta Manley).However, if Wahlberg eventually tracks lower the man, he out of the blue seems dead as well as the detective starts to understand more about an even more dark conspiracy.Craig Pepper may also be aboard, playing a mayoral candidate who's challenging Crowe, and Chandler will probably be one of the primary players within the campaign. Griffin Dunne, James Ransone, Jeffrey Wright, Justin Chambers and Alona Tal are inside the cast.Hughes is busy shooting the film at this time around, having a US release date searching for The month of the month of january 18, 2013.Chandler does rather well for themselves since getting plenty of notice (together with an unexpected Emmy win this year) for his concentrate on TV drama Friday Evening Lights. He'll next be viewed in Ben Affleck's hostage drama Argo.

Rachel Weisz Joins The Railway Guy

She's on for that Colin Firth dramaColin Firth already has the advantage of a compelling story for his next film, The Railway Guy, and today he's benefiting from superb acting support the same shape as Rachel Weisz.Jonathan Teplitzky is pointing the actual-existence tale of The Second World War veteran Eric Lomax. Frank Cottrell Boyce and Andy Paterson have modified Lomax's eponymous autobiography, which charts his capture and torture through the Japanese military and the forced focus on the well known "dying railway" with what used to be referred to as Burma.War Horse's Jeremy Irvine continues to be cast because the more youthful Lomax, and Weisz will have the older version's wife, Patti. While earlier reviews had Lomax pursuing his captors to be able to acquire some vengeful closure, Variety now more precisely reviews he really makes peace together with his former torturers using the support of his wife.Teplitzky will start shooting next Feb around australia. Weisz was last observed in Dream House (though she most likely really wants to forget that) and can next be observed in Terrence Malick's latest, still-untitled project and also the Bourne Legacy. She's been busy focusing on Oz, The Truly Amazing And Effective.

National basketball association Lockout Finishes: What Hollywood Says

Bane, the huge brute of the villain at nighttime Dark night Increases, isn't like anything Batman has faced in Christopher Nolan's previous two franchise records.our editor recommends'Dark Dark night Rises' Director Christopher Nolan Discloses New Particulars Concerning the Plot, Villain BaneThe Dark Dark night Rises' Wall Street Fight Scene Resembles Pittsburgh Shoot (Video)Reese Witherspoon Plays Chris Pine, Tom Sturdy in 'This Means War' Trailer (Video)Tom Sturdy: What's Next for that Actor Performed by Tom Sturdy, the very first glimpses of Christian Bale's on-screen enemy happen to be quite imposing. So that as Sturdy and Nolan tell Empire Magazine, he creates "the best physical villain." PHOTOS: 'The Dark Dark night Increases' Start Looking: Around the Set "He's an excellent kind of movie monster," Nolan informs Empire, "however with an amazing brain, which would be a side of him that had not been drawn on before. Since the tales in the comics are extremely epic and incredibly evocative - greatly in the manner that Bruce Wayne's origin story is epic and evocative. I was searching to actually parallel by using our selection of villain. So he's a worthy foe." Which's not saying they don't play in the carnage. Sturdy describes the film's carnage, previewed in recent amateur videos shot in NY and Pittsburgh, as brutal. "He's a destroying ball," states Sturdy. "He's horrible. A very horrible good article.Inch Contrasting with this lots of people is another daunting task being an actor. Sturdy, who's adopted physical roles before, confesses found your dream choreography overwhelming sometimes. VIDEO: 'Dark Dark night Increases' Fight Scene Hits Web "When you are learning a testing room you decide to go, OK, I've got a connection with seven people," he states. "This person I face, that one I slip and that i punch, that one I get and suplex, this person I kick hard and that one, he stops a hammer together with his mind. After which I meet Batman. That's all okay inside a testing room, however you add 1,000 people who are outfitted just like the seven you are designed to hit." Still, in the way Sturdy talks of his co-star, probably the most daunting part of the shoot was going face to face with Bale. "He looks really intimidating," Sturdy states. "There is a three-year-old within me that's going, 'Oh my God that's Batman! That's Batman and he will struck me! However I love Batman!' I Quickly try looking in the mirror. And That I hit him back. Two times as hard." Nolan thinks his star a lot more than rose towards the occasion. "It is a very effective factor if you notice it get together, beyond things i had ever imagined," he states. "That's what you'll get from dealing with great stars." PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery The Numerous Faces of Tom Sturdy PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery 'The Dark Dark night Rises' Start Looking: Around the Set Christopher Nolan Tom Sturdy Christian Bale The Dark Dark night Increases

UKTV captures J.J. Abrams' 'Alcatraz'

LONDON -- UKTV, an increasing pressure within the U.K. purchases market, has nabbed exclusive British TV privileges to J.J. Abrams' thriller "Alcatraz." The pay TV operator, possessed through the BBC and Scripps, also guaranteed another skein from Warner Bros. Worldwide Television, medical laffer "Hart of Dixie." Deals were produced by UKTV's director of program purchases Catherine Mackin, and Warner Bros. Worldwide Television prexy Jeffrey Schlesinger. "Alcatraz" will air on UKTV's flagship web Watch, while "Hart of Dixie," that is occur Alabama, is destined for female-friendly funnel Really. Both shows are because of bow on UKTV at the begining of 2012. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Netflix Picks Up New Episodes Of Arrested Development

Netflix And Showtime Eye Potential New Arrested Development Limited Series Just like it did with its first original series acquisition, drama House Of Cards, Netflix has outbid an established pay cable network for the rights to new episodes of the Emmy Award-winning comedy series Arrested Development. Netflix and Showtime were both pursuing the new installment of Arrested Development, which will now be available to Netflix subscribers in early 2013. The exact number of episodes has not been determined, though at an Arrested Development panel discussion last month, where series creator Mitch Hurwitz broke the news of the series revival, he indicated that the idea is to do a limited 9-10 episode series, which would serve as a bridge between the original series and the long-gestating Arrested Development movie. The plan is for each episode to focus on a different member of the Bluth clan. Arrested Development producer 20th Century Fox TV has no deals with the cast, but all have expressed interest in reprising their roles. Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, Portia de Rossi, Michael Cera, Tony Hale, Jeffrey Tambor, David Cross, Alia Shawkat and Jessica Walter supported the idea at the panel last month. “Arrested Development… has stood the test of time,” 20thTV chairmen Dana Walden and Gary Newman said, noting that this is the third canceled series the studio had produced, along with Family Guy and Futurama, to come back. Everyone, ourselves included, seems to feel like the Bluths left the party a bit too soon,” said Brian Grazer and Ron Howard of Imagine TV, which co-produced Arrested Development with 20th TV (Howard also narrates the show). “Bringing a series back from cancellation almost never happens, but then,Arrested always was about as unconventional as they get, so it seems totally appropriate that this show that broke the mold is smashing it to pieces once again.

Host choice highlights Academy awards, Globes divide

Regardless of the mixed responses to his biting humor only at that years Golden Globes, Ough Gervais is going to be to host Januarys kudocast. The VoteIf yesteryear week of honours-related turmoil has outlined anything, it's the Academy of movement Picture Arts & Sciences and also the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. have two completely different teams of focal points if this involves their kudocasts.Wednesday's confirmation of Ough Gervais because the host from the Golden Globes highlights the variations much more clearly. Both organizations say they are thinking about producing bigger rankings, but one of these simple orgs isn't such as the other.As the Academy greatly really wants to keep ABC happy about its hefty license fee by bringing in a more youthful demo, it's equally wanting to uphold tradition and keep the intense -- but frequently staid -- luster that is Oscar's phone card.Display A: recruiting Brett Ratner as producer for that 2012 ceremony, then being shocked (shocked!) when his well-recorded rough edges grew to become headline news. AMPAS prexy Tom Sherak wanted attention when he hired Ratner, and that he may still have accomplished by using some damage control following the director's gay slur grew to become a flashpoint.Rather, the Academy moved rapidly to distance itself in the whole, wishing the simple-listening stylings of John Grazer and Billy Very would wipe the incident in the town's awareness. It's as though the Academy walked outdoors, saw it was pouring down rain, and made the decision not to go out again.Incidentally, it's challenging more youthful audiences thinking about watching a 3-hour ceremony that honors films they haven't seen while celebs thank people they have never heard about, no matter the host and producer handling the telecast.The HFPA, however, is benefiting on its status to be the greater fun counterpoint towards the Academy awards (although it has worked for respectability recently) by welcoming back Ough Gervais for round three as host.For that HFPA, rankings factors clearly trumped any residual bad feelings its people might have had over Gervais' Globes emcee stint this past year. Even though NBC's standards and practices overseers might blunt his edge, Gervais likely signed up with the caveat that no superstar or subject material could be exempt from his ridicule. It isn't like he needs the job.Indeed, it is important for that Academy awards to stay Hollywood's greatest recognition, which provides the Globes a bit more leeway. But it is essential for that Academy to determine who the Academy awards are for: the television audience or even the industry.It's pretty hard to serve both well. Contact Christy Grosz at christy.grosz@variety.com

'South Park' restored through 2016

'South Park'Comedy Central has restored "South Park" through 2016, using the show to the 20th season. Trey Parker and Matt Stone continues to create, direct and edit every episode of "South Park" as always (the happy couple offer the majority of the voices around the animated series). The Viacom comedy cabler has devoted lots of marketing dollars to branding 2011 "The Entire Year from the Fan" for "South Park" aficionados around the occasion from the series' 15th season. The multi-hyphenate duo behind the series lately taken this year's Tony Honours with religion-designed musical comedy "It of Mormon." "Comedy Central continues to be the house for fifteen years and that we love working there," stated Parker and Stone. " 'South Park' is really a blast and that we can't wait to create more." Contact Mike Thielman at mike.thielman@variety.com

Mediaset grapples with change

Mediaset V . p . Piersilvio Berlusconi was among people confabbed with Silvio Berlusconi at his Arcore mansion yesterday the fateful parliamentary test.Confalonieri, pictured with Berlusconi, appeared to stay in the mansion.18 years after becoming the initial media mogul being selected pm, is losing his political energy. With Italia engulfed inside an economic crisis, his Mediaset TV empire is positioned to achieve the discomfort.The other day, Berlusconi's parliamentary The other day, Berlusconi's parliamentary majority crumbled, which he certain to step lower that round-the-clock, Mediaset released a 31% drop in nine-month operating profit to 368.2 million ($507.8 million), while shares closed lower nearly 3%.Forever of 2011, stock value has nearly cut in two in the organization, Italy's dominant commercial broadcaster, which works a pay TV service which is a prominent player in the united states. Both ratings and advertising are lower.Even though Berlusconi-controlled conglom remains a muscular media player, with 60% in the advertising market, the Milan bourse together with other stock marketplaces see harder occasions ahead for that organization.Swiss broker Credit Suisse recently downgraded Mediaset from "neutral" to "underperform," stating Italy's fragile economy which is long-term impact on advertising, among additional circumstances. Similar notes came off their brokers, including Goldman Sachs and Italo merchant bank Mediobanca.Berlusconi was expected to step lower when political allies withdrew their support around the normally routine budget bill in parliament's Lower House on November. 8.Elections are needed the moment The month of the month of january, marking the probable finish of Berlusconi's political leadership era -- though similar political obituaries were written for your media mogul after his party lost country wide elections in 2006, to complete his second stint as pm.Yesterday his fateful parliamentary test, Berlusconi held an individual and meeting at his Arcore mansion outdoors Milan along with his earliest children, Marina, who chairs his Fininvest holding company, and Piersilvio, V . p . of Mediaset. Fedele Confalonieri, Mediaset's chairman and Berlusconi's old friend, appeared to become present. At least, Mediaset faces losing the political clout that experts charge has trained having a largely captive market."While using finish in the cycle, we'll most likely uncover regarding the extent Mediaset's performance remains elevated by his conflict of curiosity,In . states former Italo communications minister Paolo Gentiloni, now a prominent parliamentary opponent.Gentiloni thinks Mediaset's TV rivals -- pubcaster RAI, Telecom Italia Media and News Corp.'s Sky Italia paybox -- will feel safer about buying and selling once their primary competitor isn't any more mind in the government.This, consequently, might help them "substantially erode" Mediaset's 60% share in the Italian TV advertising cake, according to him.New TV players may even setup shop in Italia where -- while using notable exception of Rupert Murdoch -- "nobody remains crazy enough to use industry, when the one that dictates the recommendations of the sport may be the primary competitor," Gentiloni states.Here's an example might be the Berlusconi government's recent so-referred to as "beauty contest" auction to assign five new digital TV multiplexes that could carry between two and six DTT channels each. It not successful to draw any foreign traders, aside from News Corp.'s Sky Italia, which managed it only after fierce legal wrangling.But you will discover other, more sanguine assumes Mediaset's predicament and future outlook.Francois Godard at London-based Enders Analysis confirms that Mediaset harnesses its dominant position and political clout for the finest degree. But more youthful crowd thinks changing your the political scenario could make little difference."No one is able that Mediaset could lose its dominant share of advertising in Italia," Godard states. "Rather, you can bet to get rid of a bit of their margin, particularly to Sky."Godard doesn't buy the theory that Berlusconi has scared off foreign players."The German companies are open to anybody," he notes. "Any worldwide company could can be found in but nobody has because, ultimately, free-to-air TV is certainly an oligopolistic industry, and you also need economic climates of scale."Everyone confirms the continuing fight between Mediaset and Sky's sure to escalate. Which this clash in the media moguls in Italia will probably be interesting to check out.Mediaset features a two-pronged enterprize model in place in Italia. On terrestrial TV, it airs broadcast channels Canale 5, Rete 4 and Italia 1, together with one half-dozen specialized stations. Furthermore, it runs a digital terrestrial pay TV operation, Mediaset Premium, which competes very with Sky Italia.But Mediaset Premium, launched in 2007 to build up an income stream less based on advertising, remains losing profits, due to high-content costs and cut-rate prices within the effort to place itself just like a low-finish pay TV player. Premium doesn't charge monthly subscription costs, but rather works together with pay-as-you-go cards to supply its content on-demand. It's 4.5 million clients, when compared with Sky Italia's 5 million. But Sky Italia, having its high-def channels and monthly subscription fee, rakes in close to four occasions as much cash per customer.In 2013, Sky Italia is predicted to overtake Mediaset as Italy's top-producing commercial TV player, with different study by ITMedia Speaking to, stating the long-term impact of Italy's economic crisis round the advertising market. The business, which works free-to-air funnel Cielo (Italian for sky), is predicted to create more feevee stations on DTT, encroaching on Mediaset's core biz. Nobody needs News Corp. to obtain heavily in free TV. Experts see Sky Italia's transfer to Mediaset's turf as purely proper, "an easy method to enable them to tell Mediaset 'Let's talk' if the involves soccer rights and possibly to regulation," Godard states. "It's being an arms race."Mediaset can also be fighting around the different front, became a member of with private Italian equity fund Clessidra, for control of global giant Endemol, most broadly noted for "Government,Inch "Deal or No Deal" and "Extreme Transformation: Home Edition." Incorporated in the method to broaden in the core biz, Mediaset, Goldman Sachs and John P Mol's Cyrte Fund bought the Nederlander content giant in 2007. Consider then Endemol's debt has spiraled uncontrollable, raising the opportunity that may finish off within reach of hedge funds.Time Warner has bid 1 billion ($1.4 billion) for your cash-strapped entity. You will discover reviews that pan-European broadcaster RTL has furthermore developed a nonbinding offer.Deutsche Bank analyst Alessandro Bai-Badino still provides the news for the Berlusconi group."I don't think the Us citizens or perhaps the The spanish language people are able. In my opinion Mediaset keeps it," Bai-Badino states.Mediaset's chief financial officer Marco Giordani assured experts within a business call the other day the organization is moving ahead quickly to secure control of the Nederlander giant.For Mediaset itself, content has converted into an aching place, with Italo audience share losing from 38.2 this season to 37 this year, while ratings at flagship Canale 5 are lower two signifies an 18.1 periodic share. Advertising is gloomier 2.9% within the last nine several days."five years ago, Mediaset was in the lead and creating its own content ideas," Bai-Badino states. "But forget about.InchAs evidence of the requirement of better programming, he cites "Baila!," a present Mediaset flop that required it's origin from an Endemol format. It absolutely was attracted early lately following a BBC and RAI lodged a copyright breach suit proclaiming the show was an illegal ripoff in the BBC's "Strictly Come Dancing" format -- known to as "DwtsInch Stateside.More recently, the twelfth season of "GovernmentInch bowed on Canale 5 towards the least expensive ratings ever, leading to speculation it might be canceled."Mediaset's weak place is its inadequate real acquisition of content," verifies Milan media analyst Francesco Siliato. "They've always preferred with the idea to not invest whatsoever, to supply Berlusconi together with other traders a bigger dividend, in order to purchase infrastructure, as though they were an infrastructure operator as opposed to a content provider."Besides getting upset up wavelengths, Mediaset closed a deal in October to think about inside the country's telco towers operator Digital Multimedia Technologies, achieving dominance inside the TV broadcasting tower market. It's a move seen by some as symptomatic from the need to control every part of the Italian market.But Giordani firmly declines that Mediaset has let content quality slip, stating a $2.7 billion-per-year acquisition of programming. He places blame lower viewership around the introduction of DTT channels, adding that audiences are fragmenting throughout Europe."Today, 25% of audiences are watching something aside from RAI and Mediaset," according to him. "five years ago, that figure only decided to be 12%."Giordani sidesteps the question of techniques Italian politics could impact Mediaset, selecting to consider the impact in the troubled economy on all players. "Things are difficult at this time around, but it's a difficulty on other nations inside the Eurozone," according to him. "Many of us are interconnected."Tim Westcott, a senior analyst at Screen Digest, confirms on that account. "All advertising-supported tv producers are facing tough occasions," according to him. "Mediaset remains an enormous business about 50 % the tv spend inside the greatest economic climates in Europe."However, he adds, "once the sentiment is always that once Mediaset handles to get rid of its apparent mention of the political energy things will probably be downhill, then possibly it'll lose numerous its aura."Westcott also noted that, incorporated in the diversification plan, Mediaset has extended been mixed up in country, where it really works six channels, including top broadcaster Telecinco and Cuatro. With an positive note, modified internet profit at Mediaset The nation was up 7.3% inside the third quarter, up $156 million when compared with similar period a year ago.A appear diversification strategy does appear key for Mediaset to offset its potential insufficient privilege in the publish-Berlusconi political era."To enable them to have trouble, they've got to decrease to 45% in the Italian advertising market -- still probably accurate documentation in Europe," Gentiloni predictions.Gentiloni is most likely the a few who agree that, with Berlusconi in energy, Mediaset has always greatly enhanced its advertising share regardless of ratings. He notes that Mediaset's current 60% ad share continues to be acquired getting a lower 38 ratings share, a gap he sights anomalous. "Hopefully," according to him, "we'll uncover what thing about this difference is justified with the market -- and a lot of it is actually -- and what part is not.Inch Contact Nick Vivarelli at nvivarelli@gmail.com

Turning 40 turns up the heat on thesps, IMdB

A friend of mine likes to proclaim that "age is the great democracy." In the middle years, that's about the most soothing thing you can say. Their motion states, "Without any factual support, Plaintiff makes the unreasonable assertion that her birth date could be obtained from no source other than her credit card data and that it is therefore her belief that Defendants obtained her birth date using her credit card information. (Further, Plaintiff has no legal privacy interest in her date of birth, which she acknowledges was part of public records, and therefore the alleged actions were not unlawful.)" But it does little to assuage the many performers, particularly actresses, who are facing the big 4-0. Those who have made it big already struggle to find roles, even if they look much younger, but it's probably especially pronounced for the many more aspiring actresses who are still waiting for their life's investment to pay off. For those over 50, forget it. These well-established complaints over ageism in the industry took an interesting turn recently when an unidentified actress filed a $1 million suit in Seattle against Amazon and its subsidiary, IMDB, claiming that the showbiz credits site used her legal name, address and ZIP code that she provided when she subscribed to IMDBPro to glean information about her birthdate, which they published on her profile without her permission. Shortly after the suit was filed, the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists went on the attack against IMDB as they press the site to limit the use of age information, saying that for many performers, "when their actual ages then become known to casting personnel, the 10+ year age range that many of them can portray suddenly shrinks, and so do their opportunities to work." They said that IMDB had a "moral and legal obligation" not to facilitate age discrimination in employment. The unidentified actress, rather than try to overcome the obvious First Amendment concerns (in her case IMDB is publishing accurate information available in public records), is pursuing a number of claims, including breach of contract, fraud and, most provocatively, violation of Washington's privacy act. Privacy is just the thing to stir emotion and support, as lawmakers increasingly turn their attention to the wealth of information held by Internet firms. "In the entertainment industry, youth is king," the actress' suit states. "If one is perceived to be 'over-the-hill,' i.e. approaching 40, it is nearly impossible for an up-and-coming actress." On Wednesday, Amazon filed a motion for dismissal, arguing not only that her suit relied on "pure speculation" over how it used the information that she gave, but that she voluntarily supplied the data "for use consistent with her agreements with IMDb.com." As for the charge that they "intentionally intercepted and recorded" her information to use that date for "unlawful purposes" in violation of Washington's privacy act, Amazon points out that she gave her consent. Even if IMBD used her subscriber information to find her date of birth, that use fell within the subscriber agreement. She had "no expectation of privacy," Amazon states, as the information she claims she intended to keep private from the site, "she sent directly" to them. SAG's focus on IMDB undoubtedly helps drive attention to age discrimination, but it's a big question as to how far the suit can go and what type of legal claim SAG or AFTRA could have. Alan Brunswick, partner at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, said that one thing to keep in mind is that age discrimination laws "are generally designed to prevent discrimination against folks 40 and older." He added that "because IMDB has no contractual relationship with SAG, I don't think they have any legal obligation to comply with SAG's requests, let alone their demands." But even if the guilds were able to forge some agreement with IMDB, age information would be harder to access, but it wouldn't be impossible to find. In the future, the vexing thing for middle-aged performers is not likely to be IMBD but what they posted on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter when they were young, well before they even had acting aspirations. In other words, it'll be ever tougher to delink from your past. Not that it was ever that easy. About a decade ago, working for TV Guide, I had to profile an actor approaching his middle years. Anxious to prove that he was 38, he went so far as to show me his driver's license to prove it. The story ran with the age and, sure enough, I got a letter from one of his high school classmates, wondering how this fellow alum had stayed so young. Contact Ted Johnson at ted.johnson@variety.com

'Snow White-colored as well as the Huntsman' Trailer: Kristen Stewart's Heart round the Menu for Charlize Theron

Mirror mirror round the wall, who's the fairest famous them? If "them" is Hollywood's apparently endless method to obtain Snow White-colored movies, and "fairest" is which gets the most buzz within the given moment, then raise a glass for 'Snow White-colored as well as the Huntsman'! The initial trailer for your fantasy epic with Christian Serratos, Chris Hemsworth and Charlize Theron has turned up online, and presents a movie rife with action, spectacle, cheesy over-the-top-ness, and heart-eating. Apparently. And you also thought K-Stew may have things simpler after she stopped being Edwards Friend Jacob! Directed by Rupert Sanders, Universal's 'Snow White-colored as well as the Huntsman' involves theaters next June. Hopefully, Universal Boss Ron Meyer doesn't later slam the film as "shitty." Mind to Apple to check out in HD. [Photo: Universal] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook RELATED

Studiocanal lands 'Marilyn' for Gaul

PARIS -- Studiocanal has nabbed French privileges to Simon Curtis' "My Week With Marilyn." The British pic's high-profile cast includes Emma Watson, Michelle Williams and Kenneth Branagh. Pic recounts Colin Clark's encounters as third assistant director on "The Prince and also the Showgirl" with Marilyn Monroe in 1957. Script is dependant on Clark's journals. Created through the Weinstein Co., BBC Films and Trademark Films, pic has performed numerous fests, including NY, Mill Valley and AFI. TWC will distribute "Marilyn" Stateside on November. 23. Studiocanal will release "Marilyn" on March 7 in Gaul, based on trade mag La Film Francais. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

The Most Popular Scene: Tarsem Finds Mutual Understanding Between Guy Bites Dog plus an Episode of Cops

Now, Movieline’s favorite honey badger of company company directors, Tarsem (The Fall, The Cell), reveals his spin on Greek mythology in Immortals, an illusion actioner that blends artistic influences as huge and varied as Caravaggio, classics, and Henry Cavill’s abs. Who simpler to ask with a round of The Most Popular Scene in comparison to visionary filmmaker, who handled to focus on the uncanny film parallels involving the 1992 Belgian mockumentary Guy Bites Dog, a Cannes Film Festival awardee, which episode within the “brilliant” first season of COPS. First, Tarsem set happens getting a scene from Guy Bites Dog, Rmy Belvaux, Andr Bonzel, and Benot Poelvoorde’s violent mockumentary of a film crew shadowing a serial killer: “I consider this because I used to be completely amazed with this particular,” Tarsem began. “The set-up will there be’s a serial killer he would go to particular place which he goes, ‘Come with me at night’ — it’s as being a mockumentary, which now, 10 years . 5 later, can be a defunct subject with anything else within the Paranormals to everything, everybody just shoots people. However it would be a factor I used to be always showing film students: Don't deal with Hollywood, try to look at this, they developed a billion-dollar idea with almost no money. In this particular, they’re doing kind of a mockumentary around the serial killer which he takes those to an area and states, ‘I i would love you to fulfill somebody.’” “Cut for the serial killer speaking for the camera,” he ongoing. “Big, Large gestures! Pointing, pointing, pointing. You hear his voice just like you’re hearing him from 100, 200 foot away. He goes [whispering very], and also on the main appear you’re hearing [coughing, heavy breathing] and somebody’s walking. The truth is whenever you’re talking with him that 100 foot away might be the overweight appear guy, arriving your direction. [Laughs] So his boom will there be, but his voice will be here, plus it takes forever for your guy later on up in your town!” Tarsem appreciated the same scene of aural interruption in the Nicolas Cage-Coen brothers and sisters classic. “[It elevated] hair around the rear of my neck… but in the filmic way there is a same factor inside the Coen brothers and sisters’ Raising Arizona. When i first seen it completed in exactly the same way elsewhere, but because ultimately, he runs using a supermarket and many types of the stress, tension, plus it breaks to la-di-dah music, then tension, tension.” But wait! The scene that came nearest to approximating the brilliance of Guy Bite Dog came not in the film, in the syndicated crime reality show COPS, inside an episode (which, sadly, doesn’t seem to be proven online) that many most likely pre-dated the film and broadcast circa 1989. “The the one that I really like, I saw in the COPS episode,” Tarsem appreciated. “ It had been inside the first season of COPS. They were brilliant! After which it somebody got the stupid idea of saying, why don’t we ensure it is sophisticated and acquire among people large lights, getting another appear guy. It absolutely was so dreadful because people might be natural and out of the blue you’d have this, ting! Light happens. It absolutely was like, just what the fuck?” “So it absolutely was among people moments, nonetheless they were running behind getting a man as well as the appear guy got separated. The digital camera went behind the guy who the cops were chasing after after, as well as the appear guy experienced 7-11. Then when these were running, chasing after following this person the music activity was like the Hindi movie music the guy was hearing inside the 7-11, and so they arrive at the rear and out of the blue they were chasing after following this person. I mentioned, two movies that are almost hands-heldy — the serial killer movie which episode of COPS — kind of did the identical factor. It absolutely was just magical. The Two items you never want happen: The guy you’re speaking for you personally — you need his appear, not the appear in the guy taking a piss inside the urinal.” Stay up-to-date for Movieline’s full interview with Tarsem, and study more The Most Popular Moments here. Follow Jen Yamato on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.

Growth, Gratitude

Take Five Growth, Gratitude November 6, 2011 Jenna Lamia Judy Chen, NY City Over the past few months, I have constantly felt as if I have been merely spinning my wheels. Regardless of how ambitious I can be at times, it truly takes a lot of persistence just to make a little headway in this industry, especially with all the auditioning each day. Whenever doubt surfaces about whether or not I made the right decision to leave behind a completely different career, I simply remind myself that there is no reason I can't make a living in a field that makes me so happy. (Note: Making a living and being rich and famous to me are very different things.)In last month's column, I shared my decision to produce my own play next spring. Needless to say, in an attempt to realize these lofty goals of mine, I have been buried in books on play production these past few weeks. Reading about the entire process is not only a huge learning experience but an interesting and motivating one as well. There are so many different components involved, and my next step is to determine who has skill sets that I do not possess so that I can bring the best group together. I never realized all the line items that go into the budget for a single productionsuch as lighting and marketing. How much should I charge for tickets? What set pieces can be used in multiple ways to save on cost? Let's have the actors wear their own clothes. These are the decisions and questions circling my head that make me realize that there is no such thing as a truly "glamorous" profession.Of course, I don't stop there. What's next? Once the idea for the play was planted in my mind, I subsequently wondered why I couldn't also produce films, given my innate curiosity and love of reading. I enjoy fiction and nonfiction and, if I had more time, could easily read a few books a week as I did when I was younger. There are definitely still plenty of untapped stories to be told that can captivate an audience with their originality. Smart writing and interesting topics will always bring to light great entertainment and broaden people's horizons. So in an attempt to start small, I am working on a short film about a professional gamblera career path and lifestyle that I have always found fascinating.I never thought I could achieve the things I read about other people accomplishing. It certainly didn't feel like it could ever pertain to me, but when it came time to provide a reason why not, I realized that I didn't have a good excuse either. I agree with the adage that luck is preparation meets timing. However, I would rephrase luck as being preparation meets timing for the absolutely persistent individual.Ed Stelz, NY City Today I sat at FoodParc on 6th and 29th, watching monologues, scenes, and burgers fill the mouths of a group of actor friends. We coached. We worked. We played. We socialized. We even came up with a genuinely amazing, hilariously unique concept for a television series (so Kevin Reilly at Fox, if you're reading this...nudge, nudge). On my return from a trip to the lavatory, I heard my buddy Marcus declare, "I think I might revisit those 'networking' places. I just may take some classes again." "Yeah, me too," I said as I flopped into my chair. This shocked the group, for I had once sworn never to return. I had heard stories of agents and/or CDs who attended these "networking" places solely for the purpose of lining their pockets with extra green goodies. Granted, these stories may be few and far between, but who are we to know which ones they are? "I feel there is one key element to them, though," I casually suggested between delicious burger bites. "To not care." "Right, right!" Marcus quickly agreed. "To be honest, I just don't give a hoot anymore," he said. "I don't have any more anxiety about instant acting success and stability. It's freeing." It's unfortunate that the "instant success" vibe these networking companies give off adds to the already high level of breaking-into-the-business anxiety we have as actors. Then, when we don't get it, our anxiety is multiplied tenfold. But why, evil people, why?A buddy of mine, Aaron, recently booked a recurring role on CBS' "A Gifted Man." He is everything the industry is looking for: attractive, tall, talented white male. But, it has taken him a solid five years to even get to this point. He was unrepresented for the first three. For the next, he bombed many auditions, including one where he put onion slices in his pocket and rubbed them on his eyes. The result: smelling like onions and being unable to stop crying. For the last, he got amazing representation, leading to this show. He mentioned recently that he didn't have any anxiety about when or how to break in. He just worked his butt off and rode the wave. For me, I spent my first year out of school dropping a fortune on the networking companies. I had the major, overtly anxious need for stability early on. It wasn't until recently, when I had a paid seminar with a Gersh agent, that I let that anxietyor "care," if you willgo. Guess what? He called me into his office.At every networking class I've ever been to, 98 percent of the attendees cared too much. So remember, no matter where you are, the goodsyour talent and charismawill get you in the door with someone at some point. The badsanxiety, neediness, hurriednesseasily overpower the goods and slow the process. The more the latter wins, the more you'll feel free. Jenna Lamia, Los Angeles I fear I may have written about something similar earlier this year, so I am wary of repeating myself, but this month I'm thinking about gratefulness. In our business, jobs are notoriously hard to come by. You tell people you're an actor, and they make that face that looks like you just told them your cat died, sucking air through their teeth and furrowing their brow. "Ooh, that's a hard road." Yes, it is, and for every job we get there are 99 people who didn't get it. That's why I think it's important to always behave in a way that communicates how happy we are to be there, how grateful that someone wants to pay us for our talents. It is not just politeness; it furthers one's career to always say, "Thank you for having me." I recently had a new actor do a co-starring role on "90210." The part was small, but he made a meal of it. He had to take the subway and two buses to get to the beach where we were shooting, 90 minutes south of Los Angeles. He showed up early and stayed late, and he made a point of thanking everyone for having him. He was prepared, and polite, and so clearly grateful for the opportunity that he made a big impression on me. I am writing another episode, and he is in the forefront of my mind"How can I get that character back into the action?"and all because I remember how gracious and professional he was on the one day he worked. I am not advocating making a nuisance of yourself, or hanging out at video village trying to "friend" every producer on Facebook, but a sincere thank-you goes a long way, and you'd be surprised how rarely we hear it. Just as actors want to be respected for their contributions to character, writers get a charge out of actors who are excited about their rolesthe roles we wrote. We may seem quiet or distracted, but that's probably because we are implementing the fourth set of notes from the studio, not because we don't want to meet you. I remember guest-starring on shows and feeling like it wasn't my place to approach video village, and certainly not the writers. But I can say, at least from this writer's perspective, that a little personal connection goes a long way. Endearing yourself to the writers and producers is a very good idea, and it's surprising that some actors don't make that effort. Find the writers at lunch, or after wrap, and introduce yourself. They're probably too shy to do it themselves. You're the extroverted actorgo for it! It can only help your karmaand your career.Deborah Strang, Los Angeles I am sitting in the back of the theater with my laptopor rather, the A Noise Within box office laptop. Onstage they are rehearsing a dance sequence from our upcoming production of "Twelfth Night," the opening show of our inaugural season in our new permanent theater. It is rather cool to be here and still be able to process tickets, reply to email ticket requests, and still make my entrance at the right time. It is a rare moment of technology being my friend. I have, over the years, taught myself many new and wonderful things concerning computers, the Internet, databases, etc., but at 60 years of age I am far removed from digitals (people born in the digital age) or millennials (I forget the definition of this one, but it's the group just prior to the digitals). Mostly it makes me weep.This is not something I like about myself. I would prefer not to panic when I set the DVR (I started to call it a VCR, so you get my point). When I can't get our new ticket scanners to work, my brain starts to burst while Wendy, our development director, a true millennial, can calmly start punching buttons to try to figure out what's wrong. Wendy is also a multitasker. She can be eating her lunch, checking the mail, carrying on a conversation with an intern, and doing data entry all at the same time. And doing all of it well. That is not I.Sometimes I feel that the whole business has made a revolutionary change in my lifetime. I remember when we had to drive from one studio to another to pick up audition sides. Most of us didn't even have fax machines. Now everything is online. My agent expects to email me and have me receive the info immediately on my smart phone (which I don't have). I can't keep up with all the various websites where I should be listed, much less the technology required to adjust the size of my pictures for each of them. I need a 12-year-old digital to manage my career and a full-time assistant to answer my emails. None of this is saving me time.But eventually each day, I log out of my computer and turn off my cell phone. I enter the world of live theater, where it is a poet's words and actors and an audience and humanity. We tell a story; someone listens and responds. It's very immediate and real, and I know the directions.Somewhere between the typewriter and now, someone has left out the directions for the next step. And until I step on the stage, I am left feeling inept and untutored. This is not what I want. I am smart, I am capable, I can learn how to make this &%*#@$@ scanner work. And age will have nothing to do with it.KC Wright, Los Angeles I had a great October. I went on location for a shoot, I took a bunch of cool classes, and I auditioned for a variety of interesting projects. It was my busiest month in a while and also my most artistically satisfying. I can't complain, and yet, to my surprise, I have been staring at an empty page for an hour, trying to figure out what to write. After a lot of frustrated attempts at sentences, I'm realizing why I find myself stumped. I've spent the past two years trying to convince everyone around me that I know what I'm doing. But I've learned so much in the past four weeks, moved so much closer to my goals, and grown so much as an actor and an adult, that I am ashamed. It's as if copping to my discoveries will expose how much I really don't know. After growing up in the theater, four years of Carnegie Mellon, and two years of high-level Hollywood auditions, admitting to my lack of expertise feels like a death sentence. So please don't revoke my actor card for this: I learned more about filmmaking on a weeklong shoot than in four years of school and two years of classes. My theater training gave me the essentials of character, relationship, truth, and listening, but none of the sense of frame and space that film acting requires. The more I work on-camera, the more I discover the importance of a screen-acting skill set. When I first moved to L.A., purists extolled the similarities between screen and stage; others declared "screen is exactly the same, just smaller." It's taken me a while to realize how different the technicalities really are, and learning the process by working on a film is immensely helpful. It has already changed the way I audition.This brings me to the best part of the month: working on location. I spent about a week in the mountains, filming "Eaglewalk," and beyond getting out of L.A. and working on an amazing set, I got to live out a childhood dream of starring in a horror movie. It was exactly what I hoped: intense and scary and so much fun. The camaraderie between cast and crew and the unique environment allowed for such rich storytelling, and there's something indulgent about escaping real life to live and breathe a project. On top of all that (and it really was fun), I got the chance to test my knowledge of and learn about screen acting from a more experienced cast and crew. It was a bit of trial by fire but an incredible opportunity to grow; I'm proud of myself for the work I did but prouder that I let go of the false bravado and allowed myself to learn.Why is the word "inexperienced" so cutting? Maybe because it belittles the work I've done so far, or the distance I have traveled. Maybe because the career I want rests on expertise, or at least the illusion of expertise. Opening myself up to learning opens me up to admitting the scary truth: This work is the most important thing in the world to me, and yet I am still just a beginner. Who knows what the next month will bring? Growth, Gratitude November 6, 2011 Jenna Lamia Judy Chen, NY City Over the past few months, I have constantly felt as if I have been merely spinning my wheels. Regardless of how ambitious I can be at times, it truly takes a lot of persistence just to make a little headway in this industry, especially with all the auditioning each day. Whenever doubt surfaces about whether or not I made the right decision to leave behind a completely different career, I simply remind myself that there is no reason I can't make a living in a field that makes me so happy. (Note: Making a living and being rich and famous to me are very different things.)In last month's column, I shared my decision to produce my own play next spring. Needless to say, in an attempt to realize these lofty goals of mine, I have been buried in books on play production these past few weeks. Reading about the entire process is not only a huge learning experience but an interesting and motivating one as well. There are so many different components involved, and my next step is to determine who has skill sets that I do not possess so that I can bring the best group together. I never realized all the line items that go into the budget for a single productionsuch as lighting and marketing. How much should I charge for tickets? What set pieces can be used in multiple ways to save on cost? Let's have the actors wear their own clothes. These are the decisions and questions circling my head that make me realize that there is no such thing as a truly "glamorous" profession.Of course, I don't stop there. What's next? Once the idea for the play was planted in my mind, I subsequently wondered why I couldn't also produce films, given my innate curiosity and love of reading. I enjoy fiction and nonfiction and, if I had more time, could easily read a few books a week as I did when I was younger. There are definitely still plenty of untapped stories to be told that can captivate an audience with their originality. Smart writing and interesting topics will always bring to light great entertainment and broaden people's horizons. So in an attempt to start small, I am working on a short film about a professional gamblera career path and lifestyle that I have always found fascinating.I never thought I could achieve the things I read about other people accomplishing. It certainly didn't feel like it could ever pertain to me, but when it came time to provide a reason why not, I realized that I didn't have a good excuse either. I agree with the adage that luck is preparation meets timing. However, I would rephrase luck as being preparation meets timing for the absolutely persistent individual.Ed Stelz, NY City Today I sat at FoodParc on 6th and 29th, watching monologues, scenes, and burgers fill the mouths of a group of actor friends. We coached. We worked. We played. We socialized. We even came up with a genuinely amazing, hilariously unique concept for a television series (so Kevin Reilly at Fox, if you're reading this...nudge, nudge). On my return from a trip to the lavatory, I heard my buddy Marcus declare, "I think I might revisit those 'networking' places. I just may take some classes again." "Yeah, me too," I said as I flopped into my chair. This shocked the group, for I had once sworn never to return. I had heard stories of agents and/or CDs who attended these "networking" places solely for the purpose of lining their pockets with extra green goodies. Granted, these stories may be few and far between, but who are we to know which ones they are? "I feel there is one key element to them, though," I casually suggested between delicious burger bites. "To not care." "Right, right!" Marcus quickly agreed. "To be honest, I just don't give a hoot anymore," he said. "I don't have any more anxiety about instant acting success and stability. It's freeing." It's unfortunate that the "instant success" vibe these networking companies give off adds to the already high level of breaking-into-the-business anxiety we have as actors. Then, when we don't get it, our anxiety is multiplied tenfold. But why, evil people, why?A buddy of mine, Aaron, recently booked a recurring role on CBS' "A Gifted Man." He is everything the industry is looking for: attractive, tall, talented white male. But, it has taken him a solid five years to even get to this point. He was unrepresented for the first three. For the next, he bombed many auditions, including one where he put onion slices in his pocket and rubbed them on his eyes. The result: smelling like onions and being unable to stop crying. For the last, he got amazing representation, leading to this show. He mentioned recently that he didn't have any anxiety about when or how to break in. He just worked his butt off and rode the wave. For me, I spent my first year out of school dropping a fortune on the networking companies. I had the major, overtly anxious need for stability early on. It wasn't until recently, when I had a paid seminar with a Gersh agent, that I let that anxietyor "care," if you willgo. Guess what? He called me into his office.At every networking class I've ever been to, 98 percent of the attendees cared too much. So remember, no matter where you are, the goodsyour talent and charismawill get you in the door with someone at some point. The badsanxiety, neediness, hurriednesseasily overpower the goods and slow the process. The more the latter wins, the more you'll feel free. Jenna Lamia, Los Angeles I fear I may have written about something similar earlier this year, so I am wary of repeating myself, but this month I'm thinking about gratefulness. In our business, jobs are notoriously hard to come by. You tell people you're an actor, and they make that face that looks like you just told them your cat died, sucking air through their teeth and furrowing their brow. "Ooh, that's a hard road." Yes, it is, and for every job we get there are 99 people who didn't get it. That's why I think it's important to always behave in a way that communicates how happy we are to be there, how grateful that someone wants to pay us for our talents. It is not just politeness; it furthers one's career to always say, "Thank you for having me." I recently had a new actor do a co-starring role on "90210." The part was small, but he made a meal of it. He had to take the subway and two buses to get to the beach where we were shooting, 90 minutes south of Los Angeles. He showed up early and stayed late, and he made a point of thanking everyone for having him. He was prepared, and polite, and so clearly grateful for the opportunity that he made a big impression on me. I am writing another episode, and he is in the forefront of my mind"How can I get that character back into the action?"and all because I remember how gracious and professional he was on the one day he worked. I am not advocating making a nuisance of yourself, or hanging out at video village trying to "friend" every producer on Facebook, but a sincere thank-you goes a long way, and you'd be surprised how rarely we hear it. Just as actors want to be respected for their contributions to character, writers get a charge out of actors who are excited about their rolesthe roles we wrote. We may seem quiet or distracted, but that's probably because we are implementing the fourth set of notes from the studio, not because we don't want to meet you. I remember guest-starring on shows and feeling like it wasn't my place to approach video village, and certainly not the writers. But I can say, at least from this writer's perspective, that a little personal connection goes a long way. Endearing yourself to the writers and producers is a very good idea, and it's surprising that some actors don't make that effort. Find the writers at lunch, or after wrap, and introduce yourself. They're probably too shy to do it themselves. You're the extroverted actorgo for it! It can only help your karmaand your career.Deborah Strang, Los Angeles I am sitting in the back of the theater with my laptopor rather, the A Noise Within box office laptop. Onstage they are rehearsing a dance sequence from our upcoming production of "Twelfth Night," the opening show of our inaugural season in our new permanent theater. It is rather cool to be here and still be able to process tickets, reply to email ticket requests, and still make my entrance at the right time. It is a rare moment of technology being my friend. I have, over the years, taught myself many new and wonderful things concerning computers, the Internet, databases, etc., but at 60 years of age I am far removed from digitals (people born in the digital age) or millennials (I forget the definition of this one, but it's the group just prior to the digitals). Mostly it makes me weep.This is not something I like about myself. I would prefer not to panic when I set the DVR (I started to call it a VCR, so you get my point). When I can't get our new ticket scanners to work, my brain starts to burst while Wendy, our development director, a true millennial, can calmly start punching buttons to try to figure out what's wrong. Wendy is also a multitasker. She can be eating her lunch, checking the mail, carrying on a conversation with an intern, and doing data entry all at the same time. And doing all of it well. That is not I.Sometimes I feel that the whole business has made a revolutionary change in my lifetime. I remember when we had to drive from one studio to another to pick up audition sides. Most of us didn't even have fax machines. Now everything is online. My agent expects to email me and have me receive the info immediately on my smart phone (which I don't have). I can't keep up with all the various websites where I should be listed, much less the technology required to adjust the size of my pictures for each of them. I need a 12-year-old digital to manage my career and a full-time assistant to answer my emails. None of this is saving me time.But eventually each day, I log out of my computer and turn off my cell phone. I enter the world of live theater, where it is a poet's words and actors and an audience and humanity. We tell a story; someone listens and responds. It's very immediate and real, and I know the directions.Somewhere between the typewriter and now, someone has left out the directions for the next step. And until I step on the stage, I am left feeling inept and untutored. This is not what I want. I am smart, I am capable, I can learn how to make this &%*#@$@ scanner work. And age will have nothing to do with it.KC Wright, Los Angeles I had a great October. I went on location for a shoot, I took a bunch of cool classes, and I auditioned for a variety of interesting projects. It was my busiest month in a while and also my most artistically satisfying. I can't complain, and yet, to my surprise, I have been staring at an empty page for an hour, trying to figure out what to write. After a lot of frustrated attempts at sentences, I'm realizing why I find myself stumped. I've spent the past two years trying to convince everyone around me that I know what I'm doing. But I've learned so much in the past four weeks, moved so much closer to my goals, and grown so much as an actor and an adult, that I am ashamed. It's as if copping to my discoveries will expose how much I really don't know. After growing up in the theater, four years of Carnegie Mellon, and two years of high-level Hollywood auditions, admitting to my lack of expertise feels like a death sentence. So please don't revoke my actor card for this: I learned more about filmmaking on a weeklong shoot than in four years of school and two years of classes. My theater training gave me the essentials of character, relationship, truth, and listening, but none of the sense of frame and space that film acting requires. The more I work on-camera, the more I discover the importance of a screen-acting skill set. When I first moved to L.A., purists extolled the similarities between screen and stage; others declared "screen is exactly the same, just smaller." It's taken me a while to realize how different the technicalities really are, and learning the process by working on a film is immensely helpful. It has already changed the way I audition.This brings me to the best part of the month: working on location. I spent about a week in the mountains, filming "Eaglewalk," and beyond getting out of L.A. and working on an amazing set, I got to live out a childhood dream of starring in a horror movie. It was exactly what I hoped: intense and scary and so much fun. The camaraderie between cast and crew and the unique environment allowed for such rich storytelling, and there's something indulgent about escaping real life to live and breathe a project. On top of all that (and it really was fun), I got the chance to test my knowledge of and learn about screen acting from a more experienced cast and crew. It was a bit of trial by fire but an incredible opportunity to grow; I'm proud of myself for the work I did but prouder that I let go of the false bravado and allowed myself to learn.Why is the word "inexperienced" so cutting? Maybe because it belittles the work I've done so far, or the distance I have traveled. Maybe because the career I want rests on expertise, or at least the illusion of expertise. Opening myself up to learning opens me up to admitting the scary truth: This work is the most important thing in the world to me, and yet I am still just a beginner. Who knows what the next month will bring?

MTV EMAs: Snow Patrol's Nathan Connolly on Why the Honours Show Marks a completely new Chapter for Belfast

LONDON -- For many people the Northern Ireland capital of Belfast can be a place synonymous with The Troubles, Ireland's decades extended good status for sectarian violence, terrorist atrocities and fear. But careful analysis host the 2010 MTV Europe Honours in Belfast feels as if a completely new chapter for your city, states Snow Patrol guitarist Nathan Connolly. Connolly, a Belfast native now situated in Scotland, states the political transformation wrought within the last decade makes hosting a meeting like the EMAs possible. Snow Patrol may have a free of charge outdoors concert at Belfast's City Hall Sunday evening, because the Sought After Chilli A myriad of all kinds of peppers may have another free gig at Ulster Hall. The main EMA event at Belfast's Journey arena, situated by Selena Gomez, will featureLady Gaga, Coldplay, Jessie J and Full. The Hollywood Reportercaught tabs on Connolly, who referred to the importance -- too for some, inconvenience -- of having the large music honours show within the hometown.our editor recommendsSelena Gomez Raps, Offers Self-Congratulations in MTV EMAs Promo (Video)Attacking Youthful Boys, David Guetta Join Rhianna as Artists at MTV EMAsJustin Bieber to acquire Philanthropy Award at 2011 MTV Europe Music Honours The Hollywood Reporter: Due to the immensity of Belfast's troubled past, how can it feel by having an event like the MTV Europe Music Honours situated due to your hometown? Nathan Connolly: You wouldn't have thought about this being possible even ten years ago. It's amusing: the city is physically throbbing readily in regards to the event. It shows what measures the city originates to be capable of host something as large as this. It's an amazing factor for Belfast to own -- culturally, musically and financially. The EMAs coming here, it's as being a small-city itself. There's a sense of pride, certainly for people. I don't think anybody thought that many of these things were even possible. GALLERY:MTV EMAs 2011 Artists THR: Generally everyone knows Belfast due to its extended good status for terrorist attacks. You think hosting the EMAs can transform that? Connolly: Belfast was always in the spotlight for just about any different reason, it absolutely was always negative. Which may be quite positive. It's changed the means by which individuals go through the town themselves. The way in which people are talking about Belfast differs. That's an amazing factor. THR: What is going to Snow Patrol do within the EMAs? Connolly: We're playing an outdoors venue at City Hall. The formulations are actually happening all week plus it's really an amazing factor for your city. At any level we'd have felt somewhat overlooked once we weren't here. Because we are feeling we're from this level, so that it's the very best step to complete. It feels more special that individuals do a whole [set] outdoors the main event. We're experimenting an hour or so or possibly an hour or so . 5. It feels as if we are coping with do our personal gig. Q&A:Selena Gomez on What you should expect Within the MTV Europe Music Honours' Youngest Host Ever THR: What hold the formulations been like? Connolly: Really amazing. Once we do our soundcheck, It will be as being a small-gig, since they can't switch off the city so you will notice people plus an incredible atmosphere -- that's frankly as exciting since the gig itself. It's apt to be great while using home crowd. We love to playing in your house. But furthermore, to sign up something such as that is different. THR: How's that? Connolly: The simple truth is, Belfast has seen large gigs before nevertheless it's been one artist at any time, it is therefore been U2 or Coldplay or Beyonce. As well as the Journey has received some really large artists and occasions. But we've did not have this volume of artists and talent within the same all inside the city and many types of undertaking concurrently. In my opinion that's why the city atmosphere is since it is -- everyone can be very excited. THR: Is it possible to describe the climate? Connolly: It's a little overwhelming, really. I'm certainly prone to celebrate getting a few drinks today, although In my opinion a few people is going to be cursing us for your stage we've erected outdoors the city Hall. It's been stopping the traffic returning week. Related Subjects Attacking Youthful Boys Rhianna Selena Gomez MTV Coldplay

GWAR Guitarist Found Dead

Cory Smoot, lead guitarist for the heavy metal band GWAR has been found dead on the group's tour bus.our editor recommendsWyatt Knight, 'Porky's' Star, Found Dead at 56 The Associated Press reports Smoot was found early Thursday morning as the band was headed to the U.S.-Canadian border for a show. It was unclear what caused the guitarist's death and his age has not been disclosed. The group's manager, Jack Flanagan has not released details about a funeral or what will happen to the rest of GWAR's tour. Lead singer Dave Brockie (a.k.a. Oderus Urungus) said the bad was dealing with the loss of "one of the most talented guitar players in metal today." Related Topics