Just saw Jeff Lynne of ELO at the Grammy museum and he mentioned he has nine new songs ready for a new album some time in the near future. With all the of the new music, we fans are really happy to hear this news!
New Disney Tie-in Commercial
First (of what I am sure are many) cross promotions for Disney
Disney is paying $4.05 billion to buy Lucasfilm Ltd
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Disney is paying $4.05 billion to buy Lucasfilm Ltd., the production company behind “Star Wars,” from its chairman and founder, George Lucas. It’s also making a seventh movie in the “Star Wars” series called “Episode 7,” set for release in 2015, with plans to follow it with Episodes 8 and 9 and then one new movie every two or three years.
The Walt Disney Co. announced the blockbuster agreement to make the purchase in cash and stock Tuesday. The deal includes Lucasfilm’s prized high-tech production companies, Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound, as well as rights to the “Indiana Jones” franchise.
Disney CEO Bob Iger said in a statement that the acquisition is a great fit and will help preserve and grow the “Star Wars” franchise.
“The last ‘Star Wars’ movie release was 2005’s ‘Revenge of the Sith’ — and we believe there’s substantial pent-up demand,” Iger said.
Kathleen Kennedy, the current co-chairman of Lucasfilm, will become the division’s president and report to Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn. Lucas will be creative consultant on new “Star Wars” films.
Lucas said in a statement, “It’s now time for me to pass ‘Star Wars’ on to a new generation of filmmakers.”
Changes at Dreamwork Animation…
DreamWorks Animation Board of Directors Chairman Roger Enrico Resigns
GLENDALE, Calif., Oct. 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. (Nasdaq: DWA) today announced that Roger Enrico has resigned as Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Company, effective immediately. DreamWorks Animation’s Board of Directors has named fellow Board member Mellody Hobson as the Company’s Chairman of the Board.
Mr. Enrico has served as Chairman of DreamWorks Animation since its inception as a public company in 2004. Mr. Enrico formerly served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of PepsiCo, Inc., where he spent 31 years.
“Roger has been an invaluable leader to our Board of Directors and his guidance helped put DreamWorks Animation on a path to success from day one,” commented Jeffrey Katzenberg. “On behalf of the Board of Directors and our entire management team, I’d like to deeply thank Roger for his unfailing service over the past eight years and wish him the very best in the future.”
The GoPro Hero3 Black Edition can capture 4K Video
SAN FRANCISCO–GoPro pulled the wraps off of a new generation of its line of Hero sports camera packages built around the smallest, most powerful camera that it has ever offered: the GoPro Hero3.
The GoPro Hero3 Black Edition is the flagship model that will retail for $399.99. This new model features a chassis that is 30 percent smaller and 25 percent lighter than the outgoing Hero2 model and is only 20mm thick when removed from its plastic shell. The plastic shell itself is also smaller (obviously) and features a new flat lens. The case also features a double lock that ensures that the rear plastic door isn’t going anywhere once it’s sealed, unless you want it to — even then, it’s sort of tricky to deal with.
The Hero3 is able to capture up to 4K video at up to 15 frames per second, a new 2.7K video resolution at up to 30fps, and an oddball 4:3 aspect ratio 1440p video at up to 48fps. Of course the standard HD resolutions also make return appearances. The Hero3 Black Edition fleshes out its list of formats with 1080p full HD at 60fps, 960p tall HD at 100fps, 720p HD at up to 120fps, and WVGA 480p at up to 240fps. You may think that 4K video is overkill, particularly at the low 15fps frame rate, but being able to capture more-conventional HD video resolutions at ridiculously high frame rates can make for some sweet slow-motion video.
Beyoncé Will Perform During Super Bowl Halftime Show
Beyoncé will perform during halftime at Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans on February 3rd. While an official announcement is expected Wednesday, Beyonce posted the below image to her Tumblr mimicing eye-black, which football players use to stop the glare from the sun.
It will be the second Super Bowl appearance for the superstar: Beyoncé sang the national anthem in 2004 when the NFL held its championship game in her hometown of Houston. This year’s Super Bowl will be the first held in New Orleans since 2002, and will certainly be one of the most watched television events of the year.
Warner Bros. Plans Justice League Movie For 2015
Summer 2015 looks like it may see the world’s two most popular superhero teams go head-to-head. Warner Bros. is targeting their big screen ensemble, Justice League, for the same summer as Marvel’s The Avengers 2.
There’s still no director attached, but Justice League has a screenplay from Will Beall. Plot details are few, but the lineup of heroes is said to include (at least) Batman, Superman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman and The Flash.
The same article notes that the studio wanted The Dark Knight Rises’ Christopher Nolan to produce the team-up, but that he declined. Nolan is serving as producer on the upcoming Man of Steel, however. While there’s no official confirmation as of yet, it is widely believed that the intent is to carry Henry Cavill’s Superman character over to the Justice League feature.
Here comes Windows8 Tablets!
Microsoft – Microsoft is now claiming the new Surface is on a three week backlog prior to there “official” release on 10/26.
They are being positioned as a high-powered alternative to the Apple iPad and the Samsung Galaxy Tab. The Surface is available at three price points: $699 for a 64 GB model with a “Touch Cover” (a case plus keyboard, basically); $599 for a 32 GB model with a Touch Cover; and $499 for a 32 GB model without a Touch Cover.
Sony –
Sony has priced and detailed the VAIO Tap 20 mobile Tabletop PC and VAIO Duo 11 sliding hybrid Ultrabook seen at IFA 2012 in readiness for the release of Microsoft’s new OS, Windows 8. Both devices lead the charge for a new VAIO Touchworld collection that includes new touchscreen models in the E Series laptop and T Series Ultrabook families-
Digital Domain shutters Florida Unit
Awful news out of Florida this morning. Digital Domain announced today that as part of “a strategic realignment that will enable it to focus its resources on its core business,” it will shut down its new Port St. Lucie, Florida studio Tradition and halt production of its first animated feature The Legend of Tembo. Per the studio’s press release:
As a key part of this strategic realignment, DDMG has begun the cessation of its Port St. Lucie operations by reducing virtually its entire Port St. Lucie workforce, retaining approximately 20 employees who will remain as part of the wind-down.
300 people lost their jobs this morning. The breakdown: “About 100 on Tembo, 50 or so on VFX, 100 or so doing Stereo Conversion work, and about 50 or so misc. employees.”
One artist who was let go tweeted, “A very sad day for the Digital Domain Tradition studios family. I’ll miss the whole Tembo crew,” and followed up with, “In related news, I’m looking for work! I’ll have an updated portfolio online later today.”
Other Digital Domain studios will remain open according to the same press release: “DDMG’s studios in California and Vancouver intend to continue to operate without interruption, as will the Digital Domain Institute, based in West Palm Beach, Florida
AMC Chain – SOLD
BEIJING, China and KANSAS CITY, Mo., Sept, 4, 2012 — Dalian Wanda Group Co., Ltd. (“Wanda”), a leading Chinese private conglomerate and China’s largest investor in cultural and entertainment activities, and AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. (“AMC”), a preeminent U.S. movie exhibitor, today announced the successful completion of Wanda’s acquisition of AMC, creating the world’s largest cinema owner. The transaction is valued at approximately US$2.6 billion.
Wanda Chairman and President Wang Jianlin said, “We are very pleased to have completed the acquisition of AMC and begin this new chapter in Wanda’s international development. Throughout this entire process we have been impressed with the expertise and dedication of AMC’s management team and associates. We now look forward to working with AMC’s CEO Gerry Lopez and his team to invest in and build on the company’s widely-recognized brand and the incomparable entertainment experience AMC offers to its millions of customers.”
Gerry Lopez, chief executive officer and president of AMC, said, “All of us at AMC are thrilled about our future with Wanda. It allows us to continue expanding and innovating in what is the world’s largest movie market. More so, we are enthusiastic about combining AMC’s leadership in the US with Wanda’s leadership in China, the world’s fastest-growing market. We strongly believe in our shared common interests in advancing the movie industry and we feel this partnership creates one of the world’s premier location-based entertainment companies.”
Wanda will operate AMC as a wholly owned subsidiary under its existing brand while investing up to an additional US$500 million in the unit over time to fund strategic and operating initiatives. AMC will continue to control film programming and remain headquartered in the Kansas City metropolitan area, with more than 17,000 associates operating theaters in 32 states across the United States.
The transaction creates the world’s largest global cinema owner by combining Wanda’s 94 theatres, 805 screens and large-scale stage show, film production and distribution, entertainment chains with AMC’s 338 multiplex theatres and 4,865 screens, including 2,171 3-D screens and 124 IMAX screens, making it the world’s largest operator of IMAX screens. Approximately 200 million people watched movies in AMC theatres in 2011.
studio systems group 