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New Projects Casting - 2020 Effect - How to Pitch - Black Broadway Producers

By Abigail Hardin, November 03, 2020

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Happy November!

If you have not already please VOTE. Now more than ever your vote matters and can shape the direction of this country for generations to come. Today is the last day to make your voice heard. Please exercise this right and privilege! Tonight's coverage is bound to be nailbiting and anxiety producing. But here is an interesting article on how the networks are planning for any and all outcomes and how their coverage and reporting will be different this year. It also highlights some differences between how different states report the vote.

Here are a few other articles on how the entertainment industry has been responding in the past few days.

The next week might be emotionally draining and a rollercoaster ride. Please be kind to yourself! Sending love, light, and happiness everyone's way! 🙏

The 2020 Effect

What a year, and it's not even over! 😬 Now that some production has been back for a few weeks, we are starting to see new content that reflects the real world nightmare that has been 2020.

Some shows have decided to act like COVID never happened. And others like SUPERSTORE is addressing COVID right off the bat. In their first episode back, titled "Essential, " workers have to contend with everything from trying to figure out how to keep a safe social distance while still doing their jobs, to dealing with customers who are hoarding canned food and toilet paper, to concerns that there won’t be enough supplies for them to purchase when their shifts are over. It will be interesting to see how the storyline continues and evolves.

There has been much pressure on cop shows to radically address black representation on their shows and honestly discuss issues of police brutality and racism. Many shows already have made statements committing to such action including the latest - CHICAGO P.D. "Given the amount of time between the unintentional season 7 finale in April, the CHICAGO P.D. cast and writers have held conversations with each other, advisors, and even police officers about how to address police brutality and racism on screen. The longer-than-expected break allowed the CHICAGO P.D. team to really reflect on what their mission would be for the upcoming season."

Last week, CBS announced shorter seasons for many of their primetime TV series. Due to the months-long production delay, the surging added costs of production due to COVID compliance, and with fewer time slots to fill thanks to the delayed premiere dates, NCIS: LOS ANGELES, THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BLUE BLOODS, BULL, MAGNUM P.I., NCIS: NEW ORLEANS, and SEAL TEAM have all been trimmed. The fate of other shows is still yet to be made.

One Positive of Going Digital

Organizers of the New York Film Festival, whose 58th edition faced a welter of complications due to COVID-19, said attendance across virtual and drive-in screenings rose more than 9% over 2019 levels. With drive-in theaters set up in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens and state health restrictions idling the Film at Lincoln Center home base in Manhattan, an estimated 8,300 viewers attended the 33 screenings in person. Nearly 40,000 film rental transactions were made in all 50 U.S. states as well as Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

In an extraordinary sign of how unusual 2020 was turning out to be, officials at the New York, Toronto, Venice, and Telluride festivals issued a joint statement in July stating that they had "moved away from competing" with each other for premieres and talent. Instead, they would focus on collaborating on the best ways to hold large-scale cultural events safely and effectively. Telluride wound up going completely dark this year instead of moving forward with a hybrid edition as most festivals opted to do. The Palm Springs Film Festival also just announced that they will not hold a 2021 festival and look forward to being back in 2022.

Streaming

In light of Quibi announcing they are closing after six months in operation, NBCUniversal Chief Jeff Shell has described their own newcomer streaming service, Peacock, as "the opposite of Quibi." What makes Shell so confidant? The fact that the newcomer has a broad menu of familiar content that has already generated nearly 22 million sign-ups to date. The article also contains an interesting graph comparing all of the streaming service's sign-ups.

It shouldn't come as too much of a surprise that at the top of that streaming comparison chart is Netflix with 195.2 million paid subscriptions. Keep that in mind with this next bit, Netflix is raising their prices in the U.S. by $1 and $2 a month. The service confirmed Thursday that it is raising the price of its HD Standard plan to $13.99 from $12.99, and its 4K Premium plan to $17.99 from $15 over the next two months. The prices take effect today for new members, with current subscribers to be notified 30 days ahead of their price increase based on their billing cycle. The entry-level plan remains fixed at $8.99 per month. The increase comes roughly two years after the last price increase and is estimated to generate $500 million-$1 billion in fiscal 2021 revenue.

The Perfect Pitch

Have you been working on your own project during the shutdown? I certainly hope so! Now more than ever it is super important for you to be working on and developing your own content. Not only are companies looking everywhere for content, but it is a way for you to continue developing and honing your craft. A painter doesn't wait for the gallery to call before painting. A painter paints every day.

So, once you have developed stellar content, the next major hurdle is to master "the pitch." Netflix creative talent director, Christopher Mack, held an event "Pitch Realization Masterclass by Netflix" at a recent film festival. Read the highlights from this event and start working on your own pitch!

Feeling stuck? Here's some advice from working writers to get the creative juices flowing:

Diversity & Inclusion

The SAG-AFTRA National Board is creating a task force to investigate allegations of racist practices in the stunt community. SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris said, "We have heard the personal stories of paintdowns, wiggings, harassment and bias and we stand together to say 'no more'. This board recommitted itself to our mission of diversity, equity, and inclusion for underrepresented stunt performers. Today, we are taking decisive action to address these systemic issues." The board announced Friday night that the task force will investigate current practices and develop and recommend protocols to help ensure fair and equitable hiring practices within the stunt community.

Lionsgate Motion Picture Group has named Kamala Avila-Salmon as their first Head of Inclusive Content, a new position aimed at developing and implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and strategies which will then be reflected in the studio’s theatrical slate and home entertainment. Avila-Salmon will have a voice in all Motion Picture Group creative processes including greenlight, content development, production, casting, marketing, international sales, and liaise with the studio’s Chief Diversity Officer, Jamila Daniel, to support internal D&I processes and initiatives.

Last week, streaming service Revry launched OML, the first global LGBTQ+ virtual cable TV network. OML on Revry is the first 24/7 live TV channel catering to queer womxn which includes those who identify as lesbian, bi, trans female, gender non-binary, and queer. The OML on Revry channel highlights queer female or femxle stories in a truly "always on" environment and free of charge. This unprecedented move expands on the company’s early 2020 unveiling of its new queer-focused live, multi-channel platform–a niche twist on the growing emergence of free virtual cable TV networks such as Pluto TV, Peacock, and XUMO.

A new Hollywood Commission survey, led by Anita Hill, found 20% of women and 10% of men reported having been sexually assaulted at work. Of the 5,399 women who took the anonymous survey, 5% said they were sexually assaulted last year; 20% said they were sexually coerced, and 42% said they were subjected to unwanted sexual attention on the job the year before completing the survey. "In each category, participants point to high rates of undesirable conduct that continues despite efforts to curtail it,” Hill said in the report, titled “The Hollywood Survey Report #4: Sexual Harassment and Assault." "The entertainment industry can and must do better."

With the spotlight on inclusive storytelling shining brighter than ever before, women in Hollywood, both on and off-screen, joined Variety's "Power of Women: Conversations." This year’s virtual program covered everything from the making of GREY'S ANATOMY to launching a women-centered production company. The challenges of being gender minorities in Hollywood aside, industry leaders spoke to the improvements they continue to see and encouraged audiences to bring change in their own ways. Read more for 10 takeaways from this year’s conversations and panels.

Black Broadway Producers You Should Know

In response to the demand that the theatre community become more diverse and inclusive, Playbill has launched a series spotlighting black Broadway producers. "If you want more Black artists onstage and backstage, you need Black directors, designers, choreographers, and casting directors. If you want more Black directors, designers, choreographers, and casting directors, you need Black producers." The producers featured include:

The Theatre Plight

As the COVID infection rate in the U.K. continues to rise, the country readies for a month-long lockdown November 5–December 2. The new restrictions put a damper on plans for many theatres across the country—including some London venues in the West End—that were set to reopen their doors and welcome socially distanced audiences.

Things aren't looking much better over on this side of the pond. Here is a breakdown of all of the past proposals and the status of current relief bills for the arts industry that sit before congress.

The 12 small independent NYC theater owners pushing for a reopening date have been assigned their day in court. On Thursday, November 12, Attorney Jim Mermigis and a group of 12 Off-Broadway theaters and comedy club owners will argue that by allowing small venues with enhanced air filtration systems to open at 25% capacity, countless artists and theater professionals will be able to go back to work - enabling venues to earn revenue, so they can begin paying rent to landlords also hit hard by the pandemic - a move they say will also provide customers for the thousands of retail stores, restaurants, and garages that surround their venues.

While many regional theatres across the country are struggling to remain operational, and several have already closed, one theatre is getting ready to break ground on a permanent home. The Bay Street Theater, in Sag Harbor, NY, has announced that it will build its first purpose-built home, featuring multiple theatres, spaces for new-work development, education facilities, outdoor performance spaces, and public spaces. Friends of Bay Street currently plan to break ground in mid-2021, with completion anticipated in 2023.

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

Have you watched Bort 2 yet? It still baffles me how Sacha Baron Cohen and co can pull off so many damning and jaw-dropping pranks. I don't know if I would say it was pleasant to watch, but...😳...I was speechless the entire time. There is already a bunch of Oscar buzz for Maria Bakalova whole plays Cohen's 15-year-old daughter, Tutar. In this interview Cohen details the audition process for Bakalova and how the now infamous scene with Rudy Giuliani almost fell apart.

In a recent interview, Jenice Jones, who appears in the film as a hired babysitter for Borat's daughter, said she felt "betrayed" by the filmmaking team as she was led to believe that she was taking part in a real documentary about a teenage girl being groomed to marry a rich man. Jones had no idea the situation was crafted for the BORAT 2 storyline and said she spent weeks worried for the fate of Tutar, who she assumed was a real girl being groomed. Jones landed the part in BORAT 2 due to her association with the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, which the production used to cast the role. The minister from Ebenezer Baptist Church recently launched a GoFundMe crowdfunding campaign to compensate Jones properly for her appearance in BORAT 2 after the production paid her $3,600 for her appearance. The crowdfunding goal was set at $100,000 and has since been met. Sacha Baron Cohen gave a personal $100,000 donation upon hearing of the crowdfunding campaign. The total raised was $132,000.

Sean Connery

Last week we lost a giant - Sean Connery passed away on October 31st at the age of 90. Current James Bond, Daniel Craig, released a statement, "It is with such sadness that I heard of the passing of one of the true greats of cinema. Sir Sean Connery will be remembered as Bond and so much more. He defined an era and a style. The wit and charm he portrayed on screen could be measured in megawatts; he helped create the modern blockbuster. He will continue to influence actors and film-makers alike for years to come. My thoughts are with his family and loved ones. Wherever he is, I hope there is a golf course."

Tidbits & Odds-and-Ends
What to Watch

TV Schedule: What to Watch the Week of November 1, 2020

Online This Week: A Scary Time

What’s New to Streaming in November 2020: Guys & Dolls, Between the World and Me, The Crown, More