ICYMI: Oscars, Sundance and Growing Old

Catch up on this week's best

Janice Min

and

Richard Rushfield

Jan 29, 2023

Another one step forward, two steps back in Hollywood. The week began with the Oscar nominations and the sense that maybe the Academy might be getting things on track around here. By week’s end, however, AMPAS was mired in yet another PR fiasco. Old habits die hard.

We’ll have more on the Andrea Riseborough affair in the days ahead. And we’ll also resume our much-beloved Squeeze series, about the financial crunch felt by workers across the industry, with a look at actors’ declining pay, by Nicole LaPorte, and the new challenges of executive comp, from Peter Kiefer. Earlier Squeeze articles blew open the challenges facing writers, producers and below the line crew in the streaming age (in addition to useful advice on how to possibly survive layoffs). Reminder: this series is for paid subscribers only.

Meanwhile, we took stock of the noms, what they mean for the Academy, how we underestimate what the Sundance festival means for the industry, and much more importantly: Hollywood may be getting old, but that doesn’t mean it wants you to.

How to Age Gracefully in Hollywood Kit Sargeant — our pseudonymous TV writer — offers her thoughts on how to grow old in the land of the young
How the Popular Kids Save Oscar Ratings Cruise, Cameron, Elvis and the 25-year data behind audience bumps and blockbuster nominees
Rushfield: Oscars + Sundance - A Reason To Believe In which our columnist succumbs to an unwelcome fit of optimism
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The Wakeup

Five days of business headlines from Sean McNulty (check out his breakdown of Comcast/Peacock’s quarterly reporting for those who can’t resist an ARPU or EBITDA discussion. As one subscriber commented: “the level of media nerd-dom remains incredibly impressive”):

The Optionist

Andy Lewis conducted a fascinating interview with two IP lawyers about litigation around Top Gun, Queen’s Gambit, and the endlessly confusing world of rights in today’s Hollywood — and how to make sure you actually have them secured (particularly in this age of sequels and spinoffs).

Andy pointed out this tweet from Glen Mazzara as an example of how crazy it’s all become:

Glen Mazzara @glenmazzara

What's that? I spent a year writing a script then found out the producers really didn't have the rights locked up like everyone thought? All good. In the Mazzaraverse, it's a monster hit.

Also check out his usual IP picks of the week with available rights, including a book with rights once held by Chrissy Teigen.

IP Picks: The College Loan Grifter, a Police Procedural and a Songwriter Sleuth
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