New Projects - Year End Sale - Production & Tax Incentives - Broadway & Vaccines
By Abigail Hardin, December 14, 2021
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Are you feeling the weight of the holiday rush? I am! The rush I'm talking about is the culmination of trying to get as much work done as possible, with dwindling daylight hours, and surmounting pressure of holiday expectation. I look forward to the inevitable slowdown in a week or so and am thankful for the lack of parties and social gatherings this year. 2021 has been exhausting and I for one, hope to go into 2022 caught up and a teeny tiny bit rested 🤞
Annie and I had a great time yesterday hosting our Booking Film/TV Work & Pilot Season Prep workshop. For those who missed it, we will be holding a second session tomorrow 12/15 @ 3:00 PM EST with our friends over at Actors Connection. This will be our last workshop of the year, so pop in and learn some tips on how to start 2022 with clarity and focus.
Awards Season
Despite ongoing restructuring and turbulent press over the past year, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association forged ahead with its announcement of the 2022 Golden Globes nominations yesterday morning. The group's nearly 80-year-old award show is currently without a broadcast home, as NBC officially ended its partnership after reports surfaced of the HFPA's startling lack of Black membership. The fallout led to over 100 publicity firms releasing statements condemning the organization's questionable track record, with many vowing to boycott the 2022 Globes altogether.
Seemingly unfazed by the industry backlash, the HFPA moved forward with their nomination ceremony, as president Helen Hoehne revealed the categories via livestream Monday morning and spoke to the "a year of change and reflection" that the group has been experiencing since the allegations first surfaced. BELFAST from Focus Features and Netflix' POWER OF THE DOG picked up the most nominations for films with seven each, with HBO's SUCCESSION snagging the most among TV shows with five. Read the full list of nominees here!
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Production Updates
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy wants everyone to know just how great his nearly three-year-old tax incentives are for productions in the state, and we can't blame him: Mayim Bialik chose to bring her LA-set series AS SICK AS THEY MADE US to Jersey, along with Halle Berry's directorial debut BRUISED. "[W]e are extremely competitive as it relates to incentives," Murphy said of the state's programs and offerings. "And I would say as part of that, I'm proud of things like the diversity bonus — so it's not just competitive in a dollar and cents sense, but it's consistent with our values."
The fight for production real estate is only growing stronger as more and more studios, networks, and streamers greenlight more projects, and the demand for high-quality film locations isn't going anywhere but up. Longtime real estate developer Michael Hackman spoke about the success of his multiple studio investments across North America: "[E]very time I see the sets, I am absolutely in awe of the talent that exists in this industry. The amount of talent and how hard everyone works below the line is incredible; that is the most impressive part of the business."
The production boom isn't central to just the US. Soundstages are cropping up around the UK at a record pace: Almost $1.3 billion went into soundstage construction from 2017-2020 around the country, and 2021-2022 is already expected to be another record year for growth. Projects like Shinfield Studios, which just received the greenlight to build an additional 18 soundstages that will house clients like Disney starting in 2022, are leading the charge in areas around London, reinforcing the titanic amount of production coming through the country in the next few years 🎬
Into the world of NFTs: Lawyers for Quentin Tarantino have responded to Miramax's lawsuit against the writer/director for planning to auction off seven exclusive scenes from PULP FICTION as NFT's, calling the studio's action "wrong - plain and simple." Tarantino's lawyers went on to state that the previously agreed-to contract with Miramax gave the writer full authority over his own words, a point that the studio says could set a precedent for other writers to break their contracts and develop or sell studio-controlled content. NFT's, am I right?
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Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Audiences have been collectively embracing Stephen Spielberg's turn at WEST SIDE STORY during opening weekend, as the film opened to a strong showing across the country heading into the holiday season. Spielberg spoke about his decision to omit subtitles for any of the Spanish dialogue in the movie: "If I subtitled the Spanish I'd simply be doubling down on the English and giving English the power over the Spanish. This was not going to happen in this film, I needed to respect the language enough not to subtitle it." Film critic David Ehrlich praised the move from Spielberg, remarking that it "offers a richer sense of context than any previous version of the show has been allowed before."
Calling all female horror writers! The NYX Horror Collective has teamed up with Stowe Story Labs to offer a new fellowship to women over 40 to work on their material with the help of top writers, producers, and filmmakers around the world. The program will cover attendance at the Stowe Narrative Lab, as well as access to industry software and consultations with an entertainment attorney. Applications for their 2022 labs are now open!
One of the most exciting things about this past year's new crop of shows has been the notable uptick in representation across the board. Particularly in the way that female characters are taking aim at tired, outdated perceptions of power and politics in historically white-male-dominated spaces, shows like SUCCESSION, HACKS, and SQUID GAME sought to turn the typical narrative on its side, and have done so quite perfectly. "It's almost impossible to navigate the system no matter who you are, but if you added on the extra layer of the implications of being a person of color in America, it might just be actually impossible," Margaret Qualley said of her character in MAID, speaking to barriers that continue to exist for women, particularly women of color, in America.
A new initiative aimed at addressing and eliminating the arts education gap among historically underrepresented communities is set to launch thanks to a boost from the Education Theatre Foundation. The Pathway program will connect students in communities of color with industry professionals of color to create works that address racial equity in the US. Students at Aiken High School in Cincinnati and Tri-Cities High School in Atlanta will then perform FELA! THE MUSICAL and DISNEY'S ALADDIN JR., through donated licenses and production costs. "Pathway aims to break down barriers for youth in low-income communities of color to experience those benefits, because the evidence is clear: Students who experience theatre in school are more likely to succeed in life," ETF chief content officer Allison Dolan said.
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On Broadway
Broadway houses have officially extended their vaccine requirements to all audience members ages 5-11, as a part of a larger initiative from NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio to extend vaccine requirements to restaurants and other areas in the city, effective today. Children 5-11 will need to show proof of at least one dose of a vaccine, while everyone ages 12 and up must be double vaccinated.
The Tony Awards Administration Committee met last week to rule on the first round of eligibility requirements ahead of the 2021-2022 Tony season. The group approved lead acting category eligibility for all members of SIX as well as the three brothers of the LEHMAN BROTHERS cast, as well as allowed Ruben Santiago-Hudson's LACKAWANNA BLUES to be considered in the Best Revival category, among other decisions. Won't be long before we have a new group of Tony nominations on our hands 🏆