Stage Hand Sues Dick Clark Prods. Over Late Payments For American Music Awards

Production stage hand Charles Griffin has filed suit against Dick Clark Productions over late payment for services on the 36th Annual American Music Awards telecast. Griffin has also requested class-action status on behalf of other stagehands on the show. In the suit filed Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court, Griffin says DCP hired him November 22, 2008 and discharged him “on or about” the same date after completion of work but did not issue payment until February 5, 2009. Griffin’s complaint alleges DCP “fails to devote sufficient resources to the accounting function with the result that such late payment of wages is customary rather than exceptional.” Griffin states in the suit that state law stipulates that any discharged employee is entitled to receive payment within the next pay period following the end of employment. Griffin asserts that DCP was up to two months late paying him and other employees and is seeking up to $400,000 in damages for all members of the class action.

B'cast bounces in fall

The broadcast biz, looking for an instantaneous injection of hits, has become exactly that this fall. Because of a sitcom surge, some unique new dramas and also the return of Simon Cowell, the Large Four have emerged for year-over-year rankings gains -- something which had happened only two times in the earlier ten years. Nielsen estimations that ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox are viewed normally by 12.3% of grown ups under 50 on the nightly basis, up from 11.9% last year. Fox and CBS would be the early-season leaders in demos, with Fox up a lot more than 15% overall, and CBS slightly enhanced, and remaining dominant as a whole audiences. ABC has held steady, while 4th-place NBC has slid further. Overall, comedy is warmer than anytime in recent memory, which was apparent on opening evening -- when Ashton Kutcher's debut on CBS vet "2 . 5 Males" came an astonishing 28.7 million audiences. Two several weeks in to the season, the Nielsen rankers show comedies composed of 17 from the top 30 non-sports programs among grown ups 18-49, including four newcomers. The genre is particularly dominant in the tip-the surface of the charts, as half-hour laffers claim the very best five 18-49 positions among entertainment series -- four on CBS ("2 . 5 Males," "The Large Bang Theory," "The Way I Met Your Mother" and rookie "2 Broke Women") and something on ABC ("Modern Family," possibly the most popular of all of them). This has not happened since "Do It Yourself,Inch "Seinfeld," "Roseanne," "Sophistication Under Fire" and "Coach" in 1993. Obviously, primetime has shown to be cyclical in character, and comedy -- that has in the past been popular throughout tough economic occasions -- was past due to shine. But gleam sense that auds, more restless than ever before, will also be searching for something they are able to watch while getting involved in social networking. When the half-hour format is much more favorable for this, the 2-hour reality show would appear to become cutting from the grain. ABC's two-hour "DwtsInch is lower 22% year-to-year, while NBC's "The Greatest Loser" has shed 17% of their demo audience. Another two-hour competition series, Fox's "The X Factor," has emerged a good artist this fall, but arrived less than most guesstimates. The hourlong drama appears to become under siege in certain respects, with youthful auds clearly searching for something fresh. Inside a fall which has seen cabler AMC's zombie series "The Walking Dead" rival the rankings of some broadcast dramas, the only real new drama to hack the very best 20 is ABC's "Not so long ago," a story book fantasy from some people behind "Lost." Meanwhile, the crime drama seems to possess cooled -- or at best auds appear to possess enough faves already. While CBS remains potent (and really expires year-to-year) with the kind of "NCIS," "Criminal Minds" and "Blue Bloods," its new crime choices, "Person of great interestInch and "Memorable," have not yet damaged out in early going this fall. Recently, a highly-performed crime show involved the most secure drama wager for that broadcast nets, but 2011 has seen unsuccessful spinoffs of "Criminal Minds" and NBC's "Law and Order." ABC's "Body of Proof," which bowed last spring, has shown to be nothing special in the second season, and also the Peacock canceled cop remake "Prime Suspect" after seven low-ranked episodes this fall. From the network perspective, Fox is incorporated in the rare position of leading the 18-49 pack before "The American Idol ShowInch hits the environment, thanks largely to 2 shows: the Cowell-fronted reality contest "The X Factor," which ranks twelfth among non-sports series this fall and it has increased both Wednesday and Thursday nights and Tuesday comedy "New Girl," a high-10 artist (although it has ended up some following a hot start). Among its other new shows, Fox's dinosaur drama "Terra Nova" has deflated, as has Sunday animated comedy "Allen Gregory." And also the internet should have some worry about the slide of third-year skein "Glee," that is lower about 25% year-to-year. The very best news for CBS is its Monday selection, where 9 p.m. anchor "2 . 5 Males" expires a lot more than 30% year upon year, even when you get rid of Kutcher's debut, and 8 p.m. stalwart "The Way I Met Your Mother" expires 24%. These growth spurts have assisted the newcomer airing together at 8:30, "2 Broke Women," to interrupt out because the season's top new show. The Eye's midweek veterinarians are searching great, including "NCIS" (the season's No. 1 drama in 25-54) and "The Large Bang Theory," that is up 15% year-to-year (possibly because of elevated exposure in distribution) and it is the fall's No. 3 series in 18-49. Two CBS hrs that may use improvment are Fridays at 8, where "A Gifted Guy" has not done much, and Sundays at 9, where "The Great Wife" has carried out decently on its new evening. Additionally to "Not so long ago," ABC continues to be increased by three other new shows, including comedies "Last Guy Standing" and "Suburgatory." The second has fit in well between coming back laffers "The CenterInch (up 17% versus. this past year) and "Modern Family" (up 20% along with a close second behind "2 . 5 Males" among entertainment series this fall). And after battling for a long time to locate something which works Wednesdays at 10 (think "Cashmere Mafia," "Dirty Sexy Money" and "The Entire Truth"), the internet has hit on something with "Revenge," a up-to-date tweak around the cleaning soap format that has not really flourished around the Large Three in two decades the show is amongst the buzzed about newcomers from the fall, and it has been winning or challenging because of its timeslot's lead each week. The ABC misfire from the fall was its reboot of "Charlie's Angels," while new drama "Pan Am" does OK but has not taken flight such as the internet might have loved. Regrettably for NBC, the less stated about its performance this fall, the greater. Its "Sunday Evening Football" may be the season's No. 1 show, up a little versus. this past year, however the only Peacock program one of the top 40 non-sports shows this fall is "Work,Inch lower 17% without Steve Carell. "The Playboy Club" was axed after three airings, and also the net's greatest sparks among new shows came from Friday drama "Grimm" and Wednesday comedy "Up Through The Night," using the latter obtaining a midseason timeslot change to the 9:30 p.m. publish-"Office" position. Still, despite an excellent Bowl boost come Feb, the internet will need to work some midseason miracle to prevent another 4th-place finish. n Fall TV season instantly Grown ups 18-49, excluding sports Top new shows Rating/share1.2 Broke Women (CBS)5.5/142.New Girl (Fox)5./133.Not so long ago (ABC)4.5/114.The X Factor (Fox)4.4/125.Suburgatory (ABC)3.7/top 10 coming back shows Rating/share1.2 . 5 Males (CBS)7.6/182.Modern Family (ABC)7.3/193.The Large Bang Theory (CBS)6./184.The Way I Met Your Mother (CBS)5.1/145.Grey's Anatomy (ABC)5./13 Quantity of top-30 shows by network CBS11ABC10FOX8NBC1 * Includes "Glee" and "Desperate Average women" - (Sept. 19 - November. 13, 2011) Source: Nielsen Contact Ron Kissell at ron.kissell@variety.com

Web Series Company directors Prove You Do Not Need A Large Budget To Create Quality Indie TV

Kate Wetherhead and Andrew Keenan-Bolger, "Distribution Only" The theater community has accepted Kate Wetherhead and Andrew Keenan-Bolger's actor-centric Web series "Distribution Only," and guest stars Kristin Chenoweth, Rachel Dratch, and Chita Rivera are just the start of show's A-list talent. Despite their fame, these stars still turn to Wetherhead and Keenan-Bolger for advice."What you know already in a certain point people stop searching for direction, also it really is not the situation," states Keenan-Bolger, who produced, directs, seems in, and creates the show with Wetherhead. "You kind of pricier that. Us giving direction to those absurd Tony those who win is definitely kind of mind-coming."The show's high-profile guest stars also exemplify the tight-knit character from the theater world, as Wetherhead and Keenan-Bolger filled all of the roles with buddies and acquaintances. Ironically for any show about who audition, the designers haven't auditioned anybody. "We undergo our mutual buddies on Facebook," Keenan-Bolger states of methods they cast the first season. "The planet required to observe how gifted a few of these everyone was.InchFor that second season, which airs solely on BroadwayWorld.com, the duo requested a nearby casting director for help. Formally the show doesn't have casting directoraside in the imaginary ones around the series.However, casting company directors, company directors, and authors have arrived at to they for an opportunity to become on the program. "I believe it's funny that this really is the acting chance they need,Inch states Wetherhead, who also stars as lower-on-her-luck actor Cent Reilly. However, you will not see these creatives playing themselves. "That's our rules," Wetherhead describes. "If you are no actor and you're simply on the program, you cannot play that which you do."No casting director is connected to the series at this time around. Email submissionsonly@yahoo.com to ask about casting possibilities. Ned Ehrbar, "Co-op from the Damned" It's harmful to become an actress sometimes. "Our stars accidentally consumed fake bloodstream," states Ned Ehrbar, creator, author, and director of "Co-op from the Damned," a sketch comedy Web series in regards to a haunted apartment building. "One was handcuffed to some chair, and that we could not discover the key."The series just completed shooting its five-episode second season, and also the creative team is speaking with websites about hosting it. Ehrbar shoots the show episodically and utilizes a casting director to maintain the interest in new figures. Casting director Jonathan Groce also demonstrated useful when Ehrbar needed to request stars to look nudea tricky situation, specifically for a minimal-budget Web series. "You are just very up-front and sincere and obvious," Ehrbar states, "and do not pull the rug from under them anytime throughout the discussions."Although Ehrbar creates the show, it depends on improvisation, an art he searches for in most his stars. "I write kind of a really fundamental description of what is going to happen, and so the actor fills in many the blanks," he describes.To remain on track, Ehrbar storyboards every episode. "We go ahead and take individual sections and use them a large board somewhere on set," he states. "We tear them off once we finish them. As lengthy once we have that done, then other things that anybody pops up with is fantastic."To make contact with Jonathan Groce, the casting director of "Co-op from the Damned," email jgroce724@gmail.com or mail distribution to 805 N. Dillon St., L.A., CA 90026. Sean Becker, "The Guild" "The Guild," produced by and starring Felicia Day, may be the poster child for effective Web series, but director Sean Becker continues to have lots of rivals. "Our competition isn't just other Web series but additionally viral videos online,Inch he states. "With sites like Hulu and Netflix, now we are rivaling actual TV and actual film."The most popular showits YouTube funnel has a lot more than 300,000 subscriberschronicles the escapades of several online players, and Becker, who won this years Streamy Award for comedy pointing, continues to be using the series since Season 2. After five effective seasons along with a partnership with Microsoft, the show has got the luxury of the production crew, which provides it an aggressive edge.Despite its success, however, "The Guild" is limited to some tight budget. The designers only have about fourteen days to shoot a 12-episode season that's eight to 11 pages each day. "From the pointing perspective, I would like to shoot episodically, because then you're able to concentrate on that single moment," Becker states, adding he shoots the show because he would an element film. "But that is improper.InchYou will find no testing days prior to the shoot, and all sorts of the extra supplies work with free. Fortunately, fans from the show don't appear in your thoughts. "They've really produced their very own group known as the Guild of Extra supplies," states Becker. "They have glued being fans from the show and standing on set while 'The Guild' has been made."The casting director of "The Guild" is Helen Geier. No contact details was deliver to this short article. Scott Brown, "Asylum" Scott Brown lies to his stars. Well, not technically. The director of "Asylum" keeps the show's mysteries alive by hiding plot points in the stars, therefore producing a far more truthful reaction inside them. "Since the actor does not know, it causes this interesting have to discover within their character," he describes.Pointing a mental drama was something of the mystery for Brown themself. Like a author and director concentrating in comedy, he met "Asylum" creator Serta Williams when they were studying screenwriting together in the College of Los Angeles. Brown required the chance to direct drama as a means of challenging themself and growing being an artist.But drama is really a challenge for an additional reason too. "If people visit the Web, they have got 5 minutes and they would like to laugh," Brown states. "It's challenging a five-minute fix of drama.""Asylum" lately joined with Wager.com for that show's second season along with a bigger platform to assist provide authenticity. "We attempt to build up a crowd who's willing to create a resolve for the arc of all of the episodes," Brown states. "Drama is a superb storytelling medium, and there is a location for this on the web.Inch While Wager acquired "Asylum" being an exclusive Web series, no casting director is connected to the series at this time around. Creator Serta Williams can be obtained for queries at serta_williams@mac.com.

Can Be Has Challenge With The Bend

She may join Clint Eastwood within the dramaFirst-time director Robert Lorenz has a little more clout than most newcomer filmmakers, considering the fact that he's Clint Eastwood's lengthy-time business partner within their Malpaso production company and guaranteed the legendary thesp's services for his drama Challenge With The Bend. But he's had less luck getting a leading lady to experience Clint's estranged daughter within the film. The most recent possibility? Can Be.Contour finds Eastwood being an aging baseball scout battling using the start of blindness who decides to vacation to Atlanta to look at a potential youthful star within the making. His daughter begrudgingly goes along hoping of repairing their relationship.Lorenz and Eastwood had initially contacted Sandra Bullock for that female lead, who appeared game and joined talks to accept role. But arranging difficulties have managed to get impossible on her to sign up. Still, Adams is really a solid second choice and was apparently already on Lorenz' wish listing of possible stars.Adams can also be fairly busy, so we'll find out if she constitutes a deal. But when she does, she'll be adding Eastwood towards the listing of symbols she's labored with lately, including Kermit (within the Muppets) and Superman (in Guy Of Steel, which she's presently shooting).

Jonsi's music animates Crowe's 'Zoo'

Jonsi burning the night time oil at Crowe's L.A. digs.'We Purchased a Zoo'Although director Cameron Crowe did not approach Sigur Ros frontman Jonsi about scoring "We Purchased a Zoo" before the last day's shooting, in hindsight the option appears just like a formality."We'd a code reputation for the filming, it had been 'Heima,' the (2007) Sigur Ros documentary title, which many of us have been watching," Crowe states. Plus, Jonsi's music would be a constant companion around the movie set. "We began to obtain really hooked on the 'Go' album," Crowe states, referencing Jonsi's 2010 solo debut. "He was area of the DNA from the movie."The Fox film, which opens 12 ,. 23 and stars Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson, stories a father's acquisition of a zoo following a dying of his wife. It is dependant on a memoir by Benjamin Mee.Despite the fact that Crowe calls Jonsi the movie's "emotional tour guide," he confesses "there have been a few other musical voices which were pending" as options for composers, however fate intervened.Around the world, around the same time frame shooting was ending, Jonsi switched on his television in the native Iceland one mid-day and Crowe's 2000 film "Almost Famous" was playing. "I sent (Crowe) a brief email and told him I loved that movie," Jonsi states. Crowe, who had licensed Sigur Ros' music for 2001's "Vanilla Sky," responded, telling Jonsi that his music have been an important affect on the "Zoo" set. One factor rapidly brought to a different and shortly after that, Jonsi jumped on the plane to La to go over creating the score."The question was could he write stuff according to this movie and according to these figures instead of the large canvas that he'd always written on previously," Crowe states. Any qualms were so rapidly allayed that Crowe states, "about midway through, I began to make contact with some director buddies and stated there is a new gunslinger around.InchThe very first piece Jonsi authored grew to become the theme towards the movie. It is a magical, childlike signal, performed mainly on glockenspiel, having a concurrently haunting and lilting appeal that trails off into hints of Sigur Ros' alluring quirkiness. In most, Jonsi composed the majority of the main styles on his laptop throughout that first week-lengthy trip to La, later coming back for any month-lengthy stay to record both in the Village galleries and also the Newman Seem Stage around the Fox lot.Like many rockers-switched-composers, Jonsi's greatest challenge was writing operating of something apart from their own vision. "You may be egocentric when writing your personal music," he states. "Here, you need to consider each one of these other activities (including) the way the movie flows (and) the scene."Additionally towards the score, "Zoo" includes two new Jonsi tunes written particularly for that film, two tunes from "Go," and something Sigur Ros song.Unlike past Crowe movies, you will find only a number of needle drops in "Zoo," including tracks from Gem Jam's Mike McCready, Neil Youthful, Randy Newman, Wilco, Yusef Islam, Bon Iver, Temple from the Dog, and Bob Dylan. "I simply were built with a feeling this was the film where we're able to do more score than in the past,Inch Crowe states.Columbia Records will release the "We Purchased a Zoo" soundtrack 12 ,. 6 with Jonsi's score and also the five Jonsi-related tunes. Fox and Columbia's marketing teams will work together to advertise the set both to Jonsi fans and film buffs. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Jolie-Pitt Brood Visit Vietnam

First Published: November 11, 2011 9:09 AM EST Credit: AP Caption Angelina Jolie and her son Pax get on a minivan to leave a Vietnamese restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam on November 11, 2011HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam -- Hollywood power couple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt and their six children are on a visit to Vietnam, where adopted son Pax was born. The actors and their brood were spotted Friday eating lunch at a rustic restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City, known for its delicious traditional Vietnamese fare. It was the familys first trip back to the country since Pax Thien Jolie-Pitt, 7, was adoptedfour years ago. They arrived in Vietnam after visiting Japan, where Pitt was promoting his new baseball film Moneyball. Jolie and Pitt have three biological children and three adopted from Cambodia, Ethiopia and Vietnam. Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Eddie Murphy is Back Already in A Thousand Words Trailer

So this whole Eddie Murphy dropping out of the Academy Awards thing has to be good for someone, right? Maybe even for Eddie Murphy and DreamWorks, who have cleverly unveiled a trailer for the long-postponed Murphy comedy A Thousand Words today, hoping that a little publicity will go a long way for what appears to be a knock-off of one of your favorite Jim Carrey titles. A Thousand Words, shot all the way back in 2008, stars Eddie Murphy as a fast-talking businessman who uses a steady stream of meaningless words to close deals and avoid long lines at Starbucks. (Think Jim Carrey in Liar Liar, only black.) And then everything changes when a wronged client casts a spell on Murphy’s character dictating that he will die after speaking 1,000 more words. Yikes! If only Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences president Tom Sherak had thought of this treatment for Brett Ratner. There is still no release date for A Thousand Words, which the trailer promises is “coming soon.” The smart money would be on a release close to the February Academy Awards, right? VERDICT: Could have used a fat suit. [via FirstShowing.net]

Zsa Zsa Gabor Rushed To Hospital Again

First Released: November 9, 2011 5:32 PM EST Credit: WireImage La, Calif. -- Caption Despite slowing down lower her career, Zsa Zsa Gabor continued to be a red-colored carpet mainstay through the 80s and early 90s. Here, she attends the very first Annual St. Patricks Day Parade Brunch in Beverly Hillsides, Calif., on March 17, 1985Zsa Zsa Gabor continues to be rushed to some La hospital to another health scare. Publicist John Blanchette states the 94-year-old actress was taken by ambulance to Taxation UCLA Clinic on Wednesday after her feeding tube grew to become loose. Blanchette states Gabors husband Frederic von Anhalt observed bleeding in her own stomach in which the tube came unattached. Gabor continues to be put in the hospital frequently since receding of mattress and breaking her stylish in This summer 2010. She'd a leg amputated in The month of january. Copyright 2011 through the Connected Press. All privileges reserved. These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.