Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Video on YouTube

If you're making videos for YouTube and other online video sites, you may want to read about how to prepare video for YouTube without needing to know anything about codecs, optimizing and other such things. It's tailored for a Mac user, but might help a PC user too.

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this posted by David August at 12:15 AM - 0 comments -  

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Free Improv Workshop Feb. 23

At @ iO WEST
[6366 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, CA - google map]

Saturday Feb. 23rd @ 10am - Noon

To sign up, email your NAME & PHONE # to classes@iowest.com
This is all I know about this; caveat actor.

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this posted by David August at 12:07 PM - 0 comments -  

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Post Strike Shows Returning

CBS has ordered Sharks and Rules of Engagement to go back into production, as well as New Adventures of Old Christine and Two and a Half Men
(from Cynopsis).

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this posted by David August at 3:30 PM - 0 comments -  

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

WGA Ended Strike

The membership of the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) today voted overwhelmingly in favor of lifting the restraining order and ending their 100-day strike that began on Nov. 5. 3,775 writers turned out in Los Angeles and New York to cast ballots or fax in proxies, with 92.5% voting in favor of ending the work stoppage.
The strike is over. Our membership has voted, and writers can go back to work, said Patric M. Verrone, president of the Writers Guild of America, West.
WGAW and WGAE members will next vote to ratify the tentative three-year contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. The membership ratification vote will be conducted by mail and also at membership meetings on February 25, 2008
(from wga.org). The strike is over!!

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this posted by David August at 7:56 PM - 0 comments -  

Monday, February 11, 2008

Strike Close to Over

...the WGA Negotiating Committee unanimously and unconditionally recommended the terms of the proposed 2008 MBA to the WGAW Board and WGAE Council. The Board and Council then voted unanimously to recommend the contract, and to submit it to the joint membership of WGAW and WGAE for ratification. The ratification vote will take place over the next few weeks by mail ballot and at a special membership meeting. You will receive ballot materials and a notice of informational meetings during the next week.
A vote will take place on Tuesday, February 12, 2008. A yes vote means you are voting to end the strike immediately; a no vote means you are voting to continue the strike during the ratification process. Ballots can be cast at the Guild Theater from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm. If you [WGA members] aren't able to cast a ballot in person, proxy ballots can be downloaded at http://www.wga.org/contract_07/proxy-2008.pdf and faxed. Proxy ballots and voting instructions are at wga.org. Until the votes are counted, we [the WGA] are still on strike. We will announce the vote count on Tuesday night
(emphasis added, from wga.org).

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this posted by David August at 11:13 AM - 0 comments -  

Saturday, February 09, 2008

Writers, Producers Reach Tentative Deal

The WGA has finalized its tentative agreement with the majors and will present details of the pact to members today in meetings in Los Angeles and New York.
Those meetings - set for the Crowne Plaza in Gotham and the Shrine in Los Angeles - are expected to serve as a barometer for WGA leaders to determine whether the deal's acceptable to the 10,500 striking writers.
The WGA West board of directors and the WGA East Council will meet Sunday to formally endorse the contract. And writers could be back at work as early Monday, depending on whether the WGA's ruling bodies decide whether to end the three-month strike at those Sunday meetings
(emphasis added, from Variety).

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this posted by David August at 3:19 PM - 0 comments -  

Tuesday, February 05, 2008

TV on Broadband and DVR Gain Use

Nearly 80 million Americans (43% of the online population) have watched one of their favorite TV shows on the Internet, up significantly from 12 months ago when that figure was just 25%.
A full 20% of the American online population said they watch TV on the web on a weekly basis, and that’s ahead of the 14% who say they take advantage of cable’s video-on-demand offerings.
Overall, 25% of prime time viewing was time shifted using a DVR, broadband, mobile or similar. Among viewers 18-34, one-third (34%) of viewing was time-shifted. And among 18-49 households with a DVR, a remarkable 55% of the leading 20 shows were time-shifted
(from Digital Life America - Primetime is Anytime PDF). TV online via broadband and time-shifted with DVRs are gaining ground over broadcast and VOD.

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this posted by David August at 2:06 PM - 0 comments -  

Sunday, February 03, 2008

Ending Rent Control on Ballot June 3

More than 100 owners and operators of apartment buildings and mobile home parks spent nearly $2 million to put an initiative on the June 3 ballot to phase out California's rent control laws. About 1.2 million people statewide are covered by such laws.
Los Angeles, which has 626,600 rent-controlled residential units, could be affected more than any other city if the measure passes.
Opponents have dubbed the measure the "Hidden Agenda Scheme," in part because rent control is not mentioned in the ballot title.
Los Angeles has rent control on all apartments built before Oct. 1, 1978, and on mobile home parks whose operating permits were issued before Feb. 10, 1986
(from Los Angeles Times). This measure on the June 3 ballot would phase out rent control in LA itself (e.g., North Hollywood, Hollywood, Eagle Rock, etc.), I'm not sure how other municipalities are affected.

You must be registered by May 19, 2008 to vote on June 3, 2008 (learn how to register to vote on the Secretary of State's website).

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this posted by David August at 11:38 AM - 0 comments -  

US Nets Pick-Up Canadian Shows

This is good news for Canadian producers, writers, directors and creators that we have the opportunity to have Canadian series exported to the U.S., said Stephen Waddell, national executive director of ACTRA, Canada's actors union representing about 21,000 performers. Canada is ready for the big time. If you look at the (Canadian) programs that are being produced now, they're interesting, they're innovative, they bring a new perspective.
What's more, Canadian series acquired by U.S. broadcasters are strike-proof, as evidenced by the Writers Guild of Canada's recent statement that "Flashpoint" is not a "struck work"
(from The Hollywood Reporter).

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this posted by David August at 11:27 AM - 0 comments -  

Progress Toward Ending Writers' Strike

Informal talks between representatives of Hollywood’s striking writers and production companies have eliminated the major roadblocks to a new contract, which could lead to a tentative agreement as early as next week, according to people who were briefed on the situation but requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak.
A deal would end a crippling writers strike that is now entering its fourth month
The agreement may come without renewed formal negotiations between the television and movie writers and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, though both sides still need to agree on specific language of key provisions. If that process goes smoothly, an agreement may be presented to the governing boards of the striking Writers Guild of America West and Writers Guild of America East by the end of next week, the people said
(from The New York Times, via Vallywood!). The LA Times and Variety also report progress seems to have been made.

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this posted by David August at 10:47 AM - 0 comments -