It was a short holiday week that sure didn’t feel like it, right? Hope you’re enjoying a well-deserved respite this weekend.
Reminder: Remember to check us out on Entertainment Thursdays on NPR’s #1 station in L.A., LAist 89.3.
Elaine Low joined All Things Considered to talk the IATSE labor negotiation about to start and potential for another strike this year:
Sean McNulty meanwhile joined Air Talk with Larry Mantle on the topic of the rise of Christian films and TV:
And now, our best of the week, ICYMI:
Richard’s Field Guide to Hollywood
Navigating this industry ranges from difficult to damn-near impossible. Richard gave the rundown on five, er, challenging archetypes — actors, writers, agents, execs and reporters — and how to interact with each:
You also catch Richard discussing it all with Sonny Bunch on his excellent podcast over at The Bulwark.
AI’s Ai-Yi-Yi
In the wake of OpenAI’s stunning video creation tool, Entertainment Strategy Guy analyzes the tech from all angles, the pros and cons for entertainment, and what we ought to be doing now about it:
Zaslav’s Hollywood
Even as he tears down parts of Hollywood as we know it, Peter Kiefer reports on David Zaslav’s mission to restore at last one piece of Tinseltown history — Robert Evans’ old home:
Meanwhile, WBD’s Q4 earnings report on Friday was a wild ride — not in a good way. Read Sean McNulty’s excellent analysis and breakdown:
You can also hear the team talk what happens now as the legendary studio’s core Hollywood businesses continue to struggle:
(Transcript here)
Labor Pains
In this week’s Series Business, Elaine Low examines the imminent IATSE negotiations, and, on the other side of the pond, Manori Ravindran reports on Equity’s negotiations beginning shortly after:
Berlin’s Political Nightmares
Manori Ravindran also reported from the Berlin Film Festival, where pro-Palestinian protests, Navalny outrage, and the inviting (then disinviting) of members of German’s far-right anti-migrant, antisemitic AdF party overwhelmed the films. Ravindran talks with festival co-director Mariette Rissenbeek:
Oscars Countdown
With voting underway, Gregg Kilday laid out the pros and cons for all 10 of this year’s best picture contenders:
Ali-Frazer. Tyson-Holyfield. Murphy-Giamatti? Oddsmakers have spoken, and this year’s best actor race looks to be a showdown between Oppenheimer’s Cillian Murphy and The Holdovers’ Paul Giamatti:
☀️THE WAKEUP
Again, we’ll repeat, if you aren’t already starting your day with Sean McNulty’s morning business newsletter, you’re not even in the same conversation as the smartest people working in entertainment:
🎧 PODCASTS
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MARTINI SHOT
I Don’t Get Important Phone Calls The bluster of having an assistant and the reboot showbiz needs, from Rob Long:
ART & CRAFTS
The Making of Bella Baxter and a Mad Scientist Poor Things’ costume designer and hair, makeup, and prosthetic designer detail how they brought a madcap aesthetic to life:
👓 THE OPTIONIST
IP Picks🔎: Jump on the ‘Fleishman’ Follow-up Plus, a psychedelic Indiana Jones and Dune on the moon
FINAL HOUSEKEEPING!
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