Submissions are now being accepted for proposals for the 2025 Hollywood Professionals Association Tech Retreat. Known for its deep dive into the latest advancements and emerging trends in media technology and content creation, the Tech Retreat offers two exciting opportunities for people to contribute: conference presentations and breakfast roundtables.
Submissions are open for the 2025 Big Sky Pitch. The film festival’s headline event of the DocShop Filmmaker’s Forum, the Big Sky Pitch is held during the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival and invites up to ten film teams the chance to pitch their feature length documentary works-in-progress to a panel of top commissioning editors and funders of documentary film.
The American Film Institute has announced that passes are now on sale for AFI Fest 2024, the Institute’s annual film festival showcasing master filmmakers and new cinematic voices from around the world. The 38th edition of AFI Fest will take place October 23–27 at the TCL Chinese Theatres in the heart of Hollywood and will feature a curated selection of red-carpet premieres, special screenings, world cinema, documentaries and short films. With more than 100 films expected to screen, a festival pass is the best way to experience all that AFI Fest has to offer.
The Avon Theatre - Deborah & Chuck Royce Cinema Arts Center, has announced that acclaimed actor, producer and Academy Award winner Michael Douglas will be the recipient of its Lifetime Achievement Award. The award ceremony will occur October 22 at the Avon Theatre in Stamford, Connecticut, with a private after-party at Towne Parlor, a few blocks down from the theatre.
The American Film Institute will confer a Doctorate of Fine Arts degree honoris causa for contributions of distinction to the art of the moving image upon Jamie Lee Curtis. Curtis will be recognized during the AFI Conservatory’s commencement ceremony celebrating the Class of 2024 August 10, at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.
FilmLight has finalized the jury for the 2024 FilmLight Color Awards and announced Australian film director, screenwriter and producer, George Miller, as guest of honor, and award-winning Australian cinematographer, Mandy Walker, as 2024 jury president.
The Saul Zaentz Innovation Fund in Film and Media has announced that its 2023-2024 cohort of 21 fellows have completed fund-sponsored workshops and labs, including story development, film production, and screenplay writing, and are currently in production of their individual projects. This year's diverse cohort brings unique backgrounds and points of view, a hallmark of The Fund's dedication to bringing greater diversity of participation and objectivity to the film industry
Six years ago, Barco began giving private demos for key creatives and exhibition executives of its high dynamic range projection technology called Lightsteering. Today the Lightsteering line of products includes projectors for exhibitors as well as complimentary technology and software toolkits for studios and post-production professionals. Steering light to specific focal points within each frame, Barco says, produces brighter highlights and deeper darks for rich, brilliant, high-contrast images. This is what enables the patented laser projection technology at the core of the HDR by Barco eco-system to deliver a visual experience that the company says is unlike any other HDR system on the market today. HDR by Barco is expected to be widely available later this year. I recently spoke via email with Anders Ballestad, head of content and studio relations for Barco Cinema to learn more about HDR by Barco and, specifically, about Lighsteering. Here is that conversation.
The award-winning studio Laika is bolstering its live action slate by acquiring Crumble, an original script by Brian Duffield (Spontaneous, No One Will Save You), who will direct. Oscar winners Phil Lord and Chris Miller as well as Aditya Sood will produce through their Lord Miller banner. Duffield will also produce. Lucy Kitada and Nikki Baida from Lord Miller will serve as executive producers.
As has been widely reported, Skydance Media and Paramount Global have announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement to form New Paramount – what they say is a next-generation media and technology leader, through a two-step transaction including the acquisition of National Amusements, which holds the controlling share stake in Paramount, and subsequently a merger of Skydance and Paramount Global.
