Lyn Ulbricht’s son, Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht, currently sits behind bars waiting to learn his sentence for breaking multiple laws while running the online drug bazaar – and Lyn believes that the U.S. government broke the law in putting him there. Lyn and director Alex Winter, who produced a documentary about Ross, Deep Web, spoke to uInterview exclusively at SXSW in 2015.
Q: Lyn, how did you find out about your son’s involvement in with Silk Road?
A: We got a call from a Reuters reporter at our house. That’s how I found out. To tell you the truth, sometimes I still can’t believe it. I had mentioned this to Alex, in the movie, it’s kind of like when someone dies. It’s such a shock to have Ross in prison that sometimes I wake up in the morning, and then I remember. It’s such a shock.
Q: Lyn, how did you find out about your son’s involvement in with Silk Road?
A: We got a call from a Reuters reporter at our house. That’s how I found out. To tell you the truth, sometimes I still can’t believe it. I had mentioned this to Alex, in the movie, it’s kind of like when someone dies. It’s such a shock to have Ross in prison that sometimes I wake up in the morning, and then I remember. It’s such a shock.
- 5/27/2024
- by Chelsea Regan
- Uinterview
The story everyone knows about the rise of the Mp3 and the end of the CD gold rush is a good one. It’s got Metallica and Dr. Dre, Sean Parker and the RIAA, Napster, Kazaa, Limewire, and the record industry’s flabbergasting decision to sue its own fans. But the real story, or arguably the most nuanced and fascinating one, lies elsewhere with a bunch of young computer wizzes scattered across the country and a handful of crafty, underpaid factory workers in Shelby, North Carolina.
This story anchors the new MTV Entertainment Studios documentary,...
This story anchors the new MTV Entertainment Studios documentary,...
- 4/3/2024
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
To riff off of Justin Timberlake‘s Sean Parker in “The Social Network“, “Drop the “Legacy,” it’s cleaner.” That’s what James Gunn did with the title of his upcoming Superman movie as production on the blockbuster got underway yesterday. The new title? Simply “Superman“; a clean, bold edit without any superfluous or nonsensical subtitle attached, as franchises are wont to do nowadays.
Continue reading ‘Superman’: James Gunn Drops ‘Legacy’ From Title & Offers First Tease At New Costume at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘Superman’: James Gunn Drops ‘Legacy’ From Title & Offers First Tease At New Costume at The Playlist.
- 3/1/2024
- by Ned Booth
- The Playlist
Has a comeback ever been more poorly timed? Approval ratings for Justin Timberlake have dipped lower each year, coming to a head when Britney Spears’ memoir The Woman in Me was released a few months ago and unveiled intimate drama from her relationship with the “Cry Me a River” singer.
It’s not like his reputation had been particularly stellar over the last several years. A reckoning with the way the media treated Spears in relation to her once-beloved ex overlapped with a reckoning for Janet Jackson, who had to...
It’s not like his reputation had been particularly stellar over the last several years. A reckoning with the way the media treated Spears in relation to her once-beloved ex overlapped with a reckoning for Janet Jackson, who had to...
- 2/8/2024
- by Brittany Spanos
- Rollingstone.com
Dakota Johnson and Justin Timberlake are set to reunite on the Saturday Night Live stage!
You might remember that the two stars worked together in the 2010 movie The Social Network, which was Dakota‘s first major film role.
Dakota played Amelia, who had a one night stand with Justin‘s character Sean Parker without knowing he was the Napster founder until they woke up in the morning.
Now, the two stars will appear on the January 27, 2024 episode of SNL!
Keep reading to find out more…
Dakota is set to host the episode, marking her second time as host, while Justin is going to make his fifth solo musical guest appearance.
NBC has also announced that an original episode of SNL will air on February 3 with guests to be announced.
Dakota has a big movie to promote with the new appearance and it seems Justin will have new music to play!
You might remember that the two stars worked together in the 2010 movie The Social Network, which was Dakota‘s first major film role.
Dakota played Amelia, who had a one night stand with Justin‘s character Sean Parker without knowing he was the Napster founder until they woke up in the morning.
Now, the two stars will appear on the January 27, 2024 episode of SNL!
Keep reading to find out more…
Dakota is set to host the episode, marking her second time as host, while Justin is going to make his fifth solo musical guest appearance.
NBC has also announced that an original episode of SNL will air on February 3 with guests to be announced.
Dakota has a big movie to promote with the new appearance and it seems Justin will have new music to play!
- 1/19/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
UCLA has acquired the former Westside Pavilion shopping mall, which the university will transform into the UCLA Research Park, with Google assisting on converting part of the property.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“This acquisition will be absolutely transformative for UCLA, our great city, and the world. Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California Legislature helped make this possible through a generous state investment, and we are deeply thankful for their support,” said UCLA Chancellor Gene Block. “We will remake the empty former mall into a state-of-the-art hub of research and innovation that will bring scholars from different higher education institutions, corporate partners, government agencies and startups together to explore new areas of inquiry and achieve breakthroughs that will serve our global society.”
The 700,000-square-foot property, located two miles south of the Westwood campus, will initially host two multidisciplinary research centers: the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy at...
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“This acquisition will be absolutely transformative for UCLA, our great city, and the world. Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California Legislature helped make this possible through a generous state investment, and we are deeply thankful for their support,” said UCLA Chancellor Gene Block. “We will remake the empty former mall into a state-of-the-art hub of research and innovation that will bring scholars from different higher education institutions, corporate partners, government agencies and startups together to explore new areas of inquiry and achieve breakthroughs that will serve our global society.”
The 700,000-square-foot property, located two miles south of the Westwood campus, will initially host two multidisciplinary research centers: the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy at...
- 1/3/2024
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
David Fincher isn’t quite ready to give a “like” to the concept of doing a sequel to his 2010 Academy Award-winning film about the founding of Facebook, The Social Network.
Fincher, 61, talked about it with The Guardian in support of his new movie with Michael Fassbender, The Killer.
“Aaron [Sorkin, The Social Network’s screenwriter] and I have talked about it, but, um… that’s a can of worms,” Fincher said, and did not elaborate.
Sorkin would be up for it. In a 2021 interview, he said, “”I think what has been going on with Facebook these last few years is a story very much worth telling, and there is a way to tell it as a follow up to The Social Network, and that’s as much as I know.”
The Social Network won Oscars for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Film Editing, and Best Original Score at the 2011 Academy Awards. It starred Jesse Eisenberg as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg,...
Fincher, 61, talked about it with The Guardian in support of his new movie with Michael Fassbender, The Killer.
“Aaron [Sorkin, The Social Network’s screenwriter] and I have talked about it, but, um… that’s a can of worms,” Fincher said, and did not elaborate.
Sorkin would be up for it. In a 2021 interview, he said, “”I think what has been going on with Facebook these last few years is a story very much worth telling, and there is a way to tell it as a follow up to The Social Network, and that’s as much as I know.”
The Social Network won Oscars for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Film Editing, and Best Original Score at the 2011 Academy Awards. It starred Jesse Eisenberg as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg,...
- 10/27/2023
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
For Justin Timberlake, it took some time before the former N’Sync member could be taken seriously as a potential movie star.
He credited the David Fincher feature The Social Network for affecting others’ perception of him.
Justin Timberlake credited David Fincher for boosting his acting career Justin Timberlake | Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
In the mid to late 2000s, Timberlake took a slight break from his successful music career to focus on his filmography. He made a few notable projects like Alpha Dog and Black Snake Moan that garnered some praise from his contemporaries in the film industry. But it wasn’t until his performance in The Social Network that he found his acting getting serious recognition.
He won the role as young tech millionaire Sean Parker in the 2010 Oscar-nominated feature. He even beat out Jonah Hill for the role. Hill might have gotten the part if Fincher didn’t insist on Timberlake.
He credited the David Fincher feature The Social Network for affecting others’ perception of him.
Justin Timberlake credited David Fincher for boosting his acting career Justin Timberlake | Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
In the mid to late 2000s, Timberlake took a slight break from his successful music career to focus on his filmography. He made a few notable projects like Alpha Dog and Black Snake Moan that garnered some praise from his contemporaries in the film industry. But it wasn’t until his performance in The Social Network that he found his acting getting serious recognition.
He won the role as young tech millionaire Sean Parker in the 2010 Oscar-nominated feature. He even beat out Jonah Hill for the role. Hill might have gotten the part if Fincher didn’t insist on Timberlake.
- 9/3/2023
- by Antonio Stallings
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
A “Lord of the Rings” aficionado experienced the ultimate fan encounter, and his amazing experience was captured on video.
In the video, a man is seen from behind, walking down a street in Britain, sporting long hair and a beard while holding a blue stick while costumed as Gandalf the wizard from the “Lord of the Rings” movies.
Walking alongside him was an older gentlemen wearing a hat, with the two engaged in conversation.
Read More: Ian McKellen Wants To Reprise Role As Gandalf In ‘Lord Of The Rings’ Amazon Series
When the camera moves to film the men from the front, the man in the cap is revealed to be none other than Sir Ian McKellen, who portrayed Gandalf onscreen.
“Pov: for your mates’ 22nd he dressed as Gandalf and bumped into The Ian McKellen,” reads the video’s caption.
@.scarletlearmonth
Sir * Ian McKellen #bristol #birthdaygandalf #ianmckellen #sirianmckellen #gandalf...
In the video, a man is seen from behind, walking down a street in Britain, sporting long hair and a beard while holding a blue stick while costumed as Gandalf the wizard from the “Lord of the Rings” movies.
Walking alongside him was an older gentlemen wearing a hat, with the two engaged in conversation.
Read More: Ian McKellen Wants To Reprise Role As Gandalf In ‘Lord Of The Rings’ Amazon Series
When the camera moves to film the men from the front, the man in the cap is revealed to be none other than Sir Ian McKellen, who portrayed Gandalf onscreen.
“Pov: for your mates’ 22nd he dressed as Gandalf and bumped into The Ian McKellen,” reads the video’s caption.
@.scarletlearmonth
Sir * Ian McKellen #bristol #birthdaygandalf #ianmckellen #sirianmckellen #gandalf...
- 4/22/2023
- by Brent Furdyk
- ET Canada
David Choe, the star of Netflix’s new hit series “Beef,” is an artist and an actor. But his performance in the series isn’t what has people talking — it’s an admission he made back in 2014 detailing how he sexually assaulted a masseuse, which he later said he made up and called “bad storytelling.” Critics have labeled him a rapist and have called for a boycott of the show.
Here’s everything to know about David Choe.
Who is David Choe?
Born in Los Angeles on April 21, 1976, Choe spent most of his upbringing raised by his Korean immigrant parents in the Koreatown neighborhood. During his teens, he became a spray paint artist, which ultimately led to his full-scale career as a painter, mural artist and art creative. After a short stint attending California College of the Arts and Crafts in Oakland, he went on to self-publish a graphic novel called “Slow Jams,...
Here’s everything to know about David Choe.
Who is David Choe?
Born in Los Angeles on April 21, 1976, Choe spent most of his upbringing raised by his Korean immigrant parents in the Koreatown neighborhood. During his teens, he became a spray paint artist, which ultimately led to his full-scale career as a painter, mural artist and art creative. After a short stint attending California College of the Arts and Crafts in Oakland, he went on to self-publish a graphic novel called “Slow Jams,...
- 4/22/2023
- by Raquel "Rocky" Harris
- The Wrap
Cable was still coming of age when the original “Night Court” aired on NBC in the ’80s and early ’90s. Forget Netflix; when Harry Anderson first sat behind the gavel as Judge Harry Stone, Napster founder Sean Parker had just turned 4. This “Night Court” starring Melissa Rauch as Judge Abby Stone exists in another century, but it may as well be another world.
However, showrunner Dan Rubin (“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”) knows he has an advantage other freshmen do not. “It’s great if you have that name recognition,” he told IndieWire.
This is not the heyday of broadcast TV, but there’s always room for a hit like Fox’s “Accused,” NBC’s “Night Court,” and CBS’ “Fire Country.” The path to making it from idea to air is both similar and different. These days, we have summer originals, straight-to-series orders, smaller episode counts; a midseason premiere is no longer a sign of desperation.
However, showrunner Dan Rubin (“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”) knows he has an advantage other freshmen do not. “It’s great if you have that name recognition,” he told IndieWire.
This is not the heyday of broadcast TV, but there’s always room for a hit like Fox’s “Accused,” NBC’s “Night Court,” and CBS’ “Fire Country.” The path to making it from idea to air is both similar and different. These days, we have summer originals, straight-to-series orders, smaller episode counts; a midseason premiere is no longer a sign of desperation.
- 3/8/2023
- by Tony Maglio
- Indiewire
Second time's the charm? Disney is taking another stab at bringing the grim-grinning ghosts from its "Haunted Mansion" theme park ride out to socialize on the big screen. Its first attempt was in 2003 with Rob Minkoff's "The Haunted Mansion," a supernatural horror comedy anchored by Eddie Murphy that was basically Doa and has since been mostly forgotten. The studio is trying again 20 years later with "Haunted Mansion," a movie that defies the recent reboot trend by subtracting a "The" from the title rather than adding one.
"Haunted Mansion" comes from director Justin Simien and writer Katie Dippold ("Ghostbusters: Answer the Call"), both of whom have a clear affinity for horror-comedy. Indeed, the movie's trailer serves up equal-sized portions of laughs and scares, all set to the eerie tune of Roy Orbison's 1975 song "House Without Windows." Bear in mind, Orbinson's ditty on its own is more melancholy than spooky,...
"Haunted Mansion" comes from director Justin Simien and writer Katie Dippold ("Ghostbusters: Answer the Call"), both of whom have a clear affinity for horror-comedy. Indeed, the movie's trailer serves up equal-sized portions of laughs and scares, all set to the eerie tune of Roy Orbison's 1975 song "House Without Windows." Bear in mind, Orbinson's ditty on its own is more melancholy than spooky,...
- 3/3/2023
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
I believe it was Sean Parker who once said, "Reviving a genre isn't cool. You know what's cool? Deconstructing a genre."
Yes, we cinephiles probably throw the word "deconstruction" around a little too casually when talking about genre films that surprised us or defied our expectations. There are, however, times when the term is absolutely applicable. Take "Star Wars: The Last Jedi," a movie that everyone in the world appreciates and enjoys discussing in a calm, rational manner. Rian Johnson's sequel to "The Force Awakens" deliberately takes everything filmgoers know about "Star Wars" and throws it out the window. The goal, as /Film's Jacob Hall once wrote, is not to destroy "Star Wars" but to "challenge you and make you question what 'Star Wars' is and what it can be."
Toying with a genre's tropes is nothing new for Johnson. Heck, it's something he's done in every movie he's directed so far,...
Yes, we cinephiles probably throw the word "deconstruction" around a little too casually when talking about genre films that surprised us or defied our expectations. There are, however, times when the term is absolutely applicable. Take "Star Wars: The Last Jedi," a movie that everyone in the world appreciates and enjoys discussing in a calm, rational manner. Rian Johnson's sequel to "The Force Awakens" deliberately takes everything filmgoers know about "Star Wars" and throws it out the window. The goal, as /Film's Jacob Hall once wrote, is not to destroy "Star Wars" but to "challenge you and make you question what 'Star Wars' is and what it can be."
Toying with a genre's tropes is nothing new for Johnson. Heck, it's something he's done in every movie he's directed so far,...
- 12/21/2022
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
Somewhere over the rainbow, "black-ish" creator Kenya Barris is working on a new take on "The Wizard of Oz." Deadline reports today that Barris will be writing and directing a "reimagining" of the classic story, with his production company, Khalabo Ink Society, producing.
While no details are currently available about the direction the new film may take, it stands to reason that it will incorporate some aspects from L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel, "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," which is now in the public domain. The beloved 1939 "The Wizard of Oz" film, meanwhile, is an MGM production that is still copyrighted (Amazon owns MGM), while Barris' upcoming movie will reportedly be a Warner Bros. project.
The new movie also has a slightly different title: "Wizard of Oz," taking Sean Parker's advice from "The Social Network" and dropping the "The." Still, it seems the project will find a way to...
While no details are currently available about the direction the new film may take, it stands to reason that it will incorporate some aspects from L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel, "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," which is now in the public domain. The beloved 1939 "The Wizard of Oz" film, meanwhile, is an MGM production that is still copyrighted (Amazon owns MGM), while Barris' upcoming movie will reportedly be a Warner Bros. project.
The new movie also has a slightly different title: "Wizard of Oz," taking Sean Parker's advice from "The Social Network" and dropping the "The." Still, it seems the project will find a way to...
- 8/15/2022
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Remember that scene in The Social Network where Sean Parker has an epiphany about The Facebook?
“Drop the ‘The,”” he advises future Metaverse lord Mark Zuckerberg. “Just ‘Facebook.’”
More from TVLineDear TV: Stop Making Two-Hour Movie Ideas Into 10-Hour Limited SeriesSuper Pumped Renewed at Showtime, Season 2 to Follow Rise of FacebookBillions Recap: Stratego Is Not Chess
A near-identical moment occurs in the first episode of Showtime’s Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber, which premiered Sunday. UberCab CEO Travis Kalanick (played here by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is trying to figure out how his fledgling startup is going to avoid paying fines...
“Drop the ‘The,”” he advises future Metaverse lord Mark Zuckerberg. “Just ‘Facebook.’”
More from TVLineDear TV: Stop Making Two-Hour Movie Ideas Into 10-Hour Limited SeriesSuper Pumped Renewed at Showtime, Season 2 to Follow Rise of FacebookBillions Recap: Stratego Is Not Chess
A near-identical moment occurs in the first episode of Showtime’s Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber, which premiered Sunday. UberCab CEO Travis Kalanick (played here by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is trying to figure out how his fledgling startup is going to avoid paying fines...
- 2/28/2022
- by Ryan Schwartz
- TVLine.com
In the entertainment industry, the name WetaFX is synonymous with high-end visual effects. CEO Prem Akkaraju wants to make the firm, founded by filmmakers Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh, a marquee name for original content as well.
As he explains on the latest episode of Variety podcast “Strictly Business,” Akkaraju has helped reorganize the company’s operations to facilitate growth in content production, marking the next evolution of the New Zealand-based VFX company that at present employs about 2,000 people.
“We’re a household name in the households that make movies,” Akkaraju said. “We felt like we had a lot more to offer the world.”
WetaFX is deep in development on a handful of original movies, and plans for series are also part of the blueprint, Akkaraju said. At the same time, WetaFX intends to maintain its prominence in the competitive VFX arena. The demand for WetaFX’s core services is...
As he explains on the latest episode of Variety podcast “Strictly Business,” Akkaraju has helped reorganize the company’s operations to facilitate growth in content production, marking the next evolution of the New Zealand-based VFX company that at present employs about 2,000 people.
“We’re a household name in the households that make movies,” Akkaraju said. “We felt like we had a lot more to offer the world.”
WetaFX is deep in development on a handful of original movies, and plans for series are also part of the blueprint, Akkaraju said. At the same time, WetaFX intends to maintain its prominence in the competitive VFX arena. The demand for WetaFX’s core services is...
- 2/16/2022
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
Unity Software, a 3D game-development platform, is expanding its VFX footprint in a big way with the $1.625 billion acquisition of the technology division of Peter Jackson’s New Zealand-based Weta Digital.
The deal promises to make the tools used to create Gollum for Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings,” Caesar from “The Planet of the Apes” and characters and settings from a slew of other movies available to creators all over the world.
At some point, Unity plans to make Weta Digital’s tools available to creators through a cloud-based workflow, with software-as-a-service pricing to be announced later. Under the deal, Unity is obtaining the Weta Digital suite of VFX tools and technology and its team of 275 engineers, who will join Unity’s Create Solutions division.
Weta Digital’s award-winning visual effects work has spanned numerous movies and TV shows, including “Avatar,” “Black Widow,” “Game of Thrones,” “The Lord of the Rings,...
The deal promises to make the tools used to create Gollum for Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings,” Caesar from “The Planet of the Apes” and characters and settings from a slew of other movies available to creators all over the world.
At some point, Unity plans to make Weta Digital’s tools available to creators through a cloud-based workflow, with software-as-a-service pricing to be announced later. Under the deal, Unity is obtaining the Weta Digital suite of VFX tools and technology and its team of 275 engineers, who will join Unity’s Create Solutions division.
Weta Digital’s award-winning visual effects work has spanned numerous movies and TV shows, including “Avatar,” “Black Widow,” “Game of Thrones,” “The Lord of the Rings,...
- 11/9/2021
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
The only real upside to “The Hitman’s Bodyguard” — a low-stakes action comedy from the dog days of the 2017 summer movie season that’s better remembered for grossing $176 million off a $69 million budget than it is for anything else — is that it was an “original” film. It may have been a thoroughly mediocre outing, but it was one dropped into a multiplex world so clogged with superhero blockbusters and other well-established IP (“Baywatch” mania was sweeping the nation!) that any fresh offerings seemed to float up to the surface by dint of their novelty alone.
Needless to say, “Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard” doesn’t have the same advantage. But , twice the possessive apostrophes, and a picaresque approach to comic violence that veers closer to the likes of “Lupin the Third” than it does to the weighty event films that people have to come expect this time of year. No one will ever...
Needless to say, “Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard” doesn’t have the same advantage. But , twice the possessive apostrophes, and a picaresque approach to comic violence that veers closer to the likes of “Lupin the Third” than it does to the weighty event films that people have to come expect this time of year. No one will ever...
- 6/9/2021
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
Imax CEO Richard Gelfond on Thursday said his large-format theater company stands to “benefit” as Hollywood studios abandon the traditional 90-day windows between movies hitting theaters and heading to consumers on demand.
“Imax is going to benefit from that, and the reason is, more of the value proposition is going to go to the backend of the release,” Gelfond said during Imax’s investor call on Thursday. “As windows get shorter, studios and talent are going to be more focused on how to create an event around their movie and how to make their movie stands out. We started to see some of that already– as windows have moved around, a lot of talent and directors have been in touch and asked how we can do more Imax with our movies.”
Since Imax releases tend to be focused more on bigger-budget tentpole films — and include a premium charge for ticket...
“Imax is going to benefit from that, and the reason is, more of the value proposition is going to go to the backend of the release,” Gelfond said during Imax’s investor call on Thursday. “As windows get shorter, studios and talent are going to be more focused on how to create an event around their movie and how to make their movie stands out. We started to see some of that already– as windows have moved around, a lot of talent and directors have been in touch and asked how we can do more Imax with our movies.”
Since Imax releases tend to be focused more on bigger-budget tentpole films — and include a premium charge for ticket...
- 3/4/2021
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
Amanda Gorman and Chrissy Teigen are billed as special guests for a virtual fundraiser on March 8 for Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi’s political action committees.
Clinton and Pelosi also will participate in the 7 Pm Et event, which will mark International Women’s Day. Tickets start at $25 per person, and those who contribute from $2,500 to $10,000 per person will get access to a reception with Clinton and Pelosi. The proceeds will be split between Clinton’s Onward Together Committee and Pelosi’s Pac to the Future .
Gorman was the inaugural poet when she recited The Hill We Climb at the swearing in ceremony for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Teigen, the model and TV personality, has been a political activist and has been particularly outspoken on social media.
Both committees raise money to disburse to other candidates. The Onward Together Committee raised just over $350,000 in the last election cycle, with contributions...
Clinton and Pelosi also will participate in the 7 Pm Et event, which will mark International Women’s Day. Tickets start at $25 per person, and those who contribute from $2,500 to $10,000 per person will get access to a reception with Clinton and Pelosi. The proceeds will be split between Clinton’s Onward Together Committee and Pelosi’s Pac to the Future .
Gorman was the inaugural poet when she recited The Hill We Climb at the swearing in ceremony for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Teigen, the model and TV personality, has been a political activist and has been particularly outspoken on social media.
Both committees raise money to disburse to other candidates. The Onward Together Committee raised just over $350,000 in the last election cycle, with contributions...
- 2/26/2021
- by Ted Johnson
- Deadline Film + TV
Weta Digital has tapped Ken Kamins, and former Disney COO Tom Staggs, and Google SVP Jeff Huber to its Board of Directors. The appointments come as the Peter Jackson studio has offices planned in Los Angeles and San Francisco. The trio join Weta Digital board members Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Sean Parker, Joe Letteri and CEO Prem Akkaraju.
“Tom, Jeff and Ken are extraordinary additions to the board of Weta Digital,” said Prem Akkaraju, Global CEO of Weta Digital. “They have established best practices at the highest levels of company management, in entertainment and digital technology. Their combined business acumen and collective depth of experience perfectly positions Weta Digital for exponential growth. Opening offices in Los Angeles and San Francisco enables storytellers to tap Weta’s production pipeline and work with concept designers, animation supervisors and other key creatives, in both the US and New Zealand. Weta Digital’s expansion...
“Tom, Jeff and Ken are extraordinary additions to the board of Weta Digital,” said Prem Akkaraju, Global CEO of Weta Digital. “They have established best practices at the highest levels of company management, in entertainment and digital technology. Their combined business acumen and collective depth of experience perfectly positions Weta Digital for exponential growth. Opening offices in Los Angeles and San Francisco enables storytellers to tap Weta’s production pipeline and work with concept designers, animation supervisors and other key creatives, in both the US and New Zealand. Weta Digital’s expansion...
- 12/17/2020
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Where has the time gone? Ten years ago to the day, The Social Network released in theatres and gave viewers a more in-depth look into the inspiration, development and rapid growth of Facebook. Amongst the star-studded cast was singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake, who took to Instagram to remind his fans of his iconic role as the lowkey shady entrepreneur Sean Parker, co-founder of Napster—an early Spotify for the Gen-Zers—and Facebook's first president. The caption read, "10 years ago today The Social Network came out. A lot has changed in a decade. That's an understatement... but I'm just gonna leave it at that." The "Suit & Tie" singer...
- 10/1/2020
- E! Online
See Mark angry. His girlfriend has just broken up with him at a bar. See Mark run. Run, Mark, run! He gets back to his Harvard dorm room and he opens up his laptop; because it’s 2003, it is already set to LiveJournal.com. See Mark type out several angry missives and continually hit “send,” releasing a little bit of online bile out into the world. It’s not the first time something like this has happened re: angry men, bad choices and the internet, nor will it be the last.
- 10/1/2020
- by David Fear
- Rollingstone.com
Video Version of this Article Video: Hollywood Insider YouTube Channel Seeing a well-known musician or singer appear in a film is like tasting an old recipe with a newly added ingredient. The flavor can be unexpected and unique. I have yet to see some of the older movies with Frank Sinatra and Cher but I have seen many films with more recent recording artists. I divide them here into a list of main roles and smaller roles, focusing on films from the past three decades. They’re all worth checking out. Musicians & Singers as Actors - Main roles: Justin Timberlake: The Social Network (2010) The Social Network is easily one of the highest regarded films of the 2010s, and Jt had a central role in it. He played Sean Parker, Napster co-founder and a man who was crucial to the development of Facebook. Seeing the singer play the role of...
- 9/14/2020
- by Joshua Valdez
- Hollywood Insider - Substance & Meaningful Entertainment
Exclusive: As the entertainment industry continues to remake itself during Covid-19, Palo Alto-based startup Xcinex believes it has a technological solution ideally suited to the times. As long as customers are Ok with being scanned.
The company’s Venue system, scheduled to become available by the end of the year, is essentially a rent-a-system for distributors and a connected-tv streaming device with an added dimension. In a revenue-share arrangement, it plans to enable premium video-on-demand movie releases, plus concerts, comedy shows, theatrical productions and sporting events. All of those areas are under immense financial pressure due to the closures of theaters and the dark cloud over live events.
Xcinex (pronounced “scene-x”) is funded by angel investors rather than well-known venture firms or individuals. While the planned launch of Venue by the end of the year does not yet have any major studios in the fold, it has caught the attention...
The company’s Venue system, scheduled to become available by the end of the year, is essentially a rent-a-system for distributors and a connected-tv streaming device with an added dimension. In a revenue-share arrangement, it plans to enable premium video-on-demand movie releases, plus concerts, comedy shows, theatrical productions and sporting events. All of those areas are under immense financial pressure due to the closures of theaters and the dark cloud over live events.
Xcinex (pronounced “scene-x”) is funded by angel investors rather than well-known venture firms or individuals. While the planned launch of Venue by the end of the year does not yet have any major studios in the fold, it has caught the attention...
- 6/18/2020
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
After 25 years, director Peter Jackson’s New Zealand-based Weta Digital will finally finance and produce original content with the launch of Weta Animated. That means building on what Weta has already accomplished with such iconic performance-captured characters as Gollum, Kong, and Caesar, along with its innovative world building prowess, which continues in James Cameron’s upcoming “Avatar” sequels.
Only now the Oscar-winning Jackson and wife Fran Walsh, his producing-screenwriting partner (“The Lord of the Rings” trilogy), will have total control over their own movies and series, powered by the VFX wizards of Weta Digital, led by four-time Oscar winner Joe Letteri, the visionary senior visual effects supervisor.
“We are huge fans of animated storytelling in all of its forms,” Jackson said in the announcement, “but it can be a long, protracted, and often costly way to make movies. That’s, in part, why we have created this company — to change...
Only now the Oscar-winning Jackson and wife Fran Walsh, his producing-screenwriting partner (“The Lord of the Rings” trilogy), will have total control over their own movies and series, powered by the VFX wizards of Weta Digital, led by four-time Oscar winner Joe Letteri, the visionary senior visual effects supervisor.
“We are huge fans of animated storytelling in all of its forms,” Jackson said in the announcement, “but it can be a long, protracted, and often costly way to make movies. That’s, in part, why we have created this company — to change...
- 6/18/2020
- by Bill Desowitz
- Thompson on Hollywood
After 25 years, director Peter Jackson’s New Zealand-based Weta Digital will finally finance and produce original content with the launch of Weta Animated. That means building on what Weta has already accomplished with such iconic performance-captured characters as Gollum, Kong, and Caesar, along with its innovative world building prowess, which continues in James Cameron’s upcoming “Avatar” sequels.
Only now the Oscar-winning Jackson and wife Fran Walsh, his producing-screenwriting partner (“The Lord of the Rings” trilogy), will have total control over their own movies and series, powered by the VFX wizards of Weta Digital, led by four-time Oscar winner Joe Letteri, the visionary senior visual effects supervisor.
“We are huge fans of animated storytelling in all of its forms,” Jackson said in the announcement, “but it can be a long, protracted, and often costly way to make movies. That’s, in part, why we have created this company — to change...
Only now the Oscar-winning Jackson and wife Fran Walsh, his producing-screenwriting partner (“The Lord of the Rings” trilogy), will have total control over their own movies and series, powered by the VFX wizards of Weta Digital, led by four-time Oscar winner Joe Letteri, the visionary senior visual effects supervisor.
“We are huge fans of animated storytelling in all of its forms,” Jackson said in the announcement, “but it can be a long, protracted, and often costly way to make movies. That’s, in part, why we have created this company — to change...
- 6/18/2020
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Weta Digital, one of the world’s premier visual effects companies, has named Prem Akkaraju as CEO and also announced Weta Animated, which will develop original animated content for both theaters and streamers for the first time in its 25-year history.
“We are huge fans of animated storytelling in all of its forms, but it can be a long, protracted and often costly way to make movies,” Peter Jackson, who is one of the majority owners alongside Fran Walsh, said. Walsh and Jackson will write, product and direct animated projects for the company.
“That’s, in part, why we have created this company — to change the model and open the doors to filmmakers and storytellers who might not otherwise be given the change to show what they can do.”
Also Read: Sean Parker Invests in Peter Jackson's VFX Company Weta Digital
“When people speak about the magic of filmmaking, they are speaking about Weta,...
“We are huge fans of animated storytelling in all of its forms, but it can be a long, protracted and often costly way to make movies,” Peter Jackson, who is one of the majority owners alongside Fran Walsh, said. Walsh and Jackson will write, product and direct animated projects for the company.
“That’s, in part, why we have created this company — to change the model and open the doors to filmmakers and storytellers who might not otherwise be given the change to show what they can do.”
Also Read: Sean Parker Invests in Peter Jackson's VFX Company Weta Digital
“When people speak about the magic of filmmaking, they are speaking about Weta,...
- 6/18/2020
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
Peter Jackson is getting into the business of animation. The filmmaker’s special effects company Weta Digital is launching an an animation division.
Industry veteran Prem Akkaraju will serve as its chief executive officer. The New Zealand-based company said Thursday that creating animation has been a long-held dream of majority owners Jackson and Fran Walsh, who will write, produce and direct several animated projects for the company. Details of those projects were not disclosed.
“We are huge fans of animated storytelling in all of its forms, but it can be a long, protracted, and often costly way to make movies,” Jackson said in a statement. “That’s, in part, why we have created this company – to change the model and open the doors to filmmakers and storytellers who might not otherwise be given the chance to show what they can do.”
Weta Animated will work alongside Weta Digital’s visual...
Industry veteran Prem Akkaraju will serve as its chief executive officer. The New Zealand-based company said Thursday that creating animation has been a long-held dream of majority owners Jackson and Fran Walsh, who will write, produce and direct several animated projects for the company. Details of those projects were not disclosed.
“We are huge fans of animated storytelling in all of its forms, but it can be a long, protracted, and often costly way to make movies,” Jackson said in a statement. “That’s, in part, why we have created this company – to change the model and open the doors to filmmakers and storytellers who might not otherwise be given the chance to show what they can do.”
Weta Animated will work alongside Weta Digital’s visual...
- 6/18/2020
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
After a distinguished run as the visual effects house that brought to life Gollum, King Kong and other incredible creatures for Peter Jackson’s Middle Earth films and other film spectacles including James Cameron’s Avatar sequels and Avengers: Endgame, Weta Digital is making a major expansion. Jackson and Fran Walsh’s 25-year old concern is launching the offshoot Weta Animated to generate for the first time original content in animation for cinema and streaming platforms.
Spearheading that effort as CEO will be Prem Akkaraju, who co-founded Sr Labs (formerly known as Screening Room) with Sean Parker. Parker, who became an investor in Weta Digital last year, has joined its board as vice chairman. Akkaraju is on the board as well and remains executive chairman of Sr Labs, the premium home viewing venture which continues its campaign to become part of the theatrical release ecosystem and promising revenue to both studios and exhibitors.
Spearheading that effort as CEO will be Prem Akkaraju, who co-founded Sr Labs (formerly known as Screening Room) with Sean Parker. Parker, who became an investor in Weta Digital last year, has joined its board as vice chairman. Akkaraju is on the board as well and remains executive chairman of Sr Labs, the premium home viewing venture which continues its campaign to become part of the theatrical release ecosystem and promising revenue to both studios and exhibitors.
- 6/18/2020
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Majority owners Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh to create animated projects for the company.
New Zealand VFX powerhouse Weta Digital has hired the first CEO in its 25-year history and is moving into original content with the launch of Weta Animated.
Prem Akkaraju, a business partner of Napster co-founder Sean Parker with whom he co-founded cinema streaming start-up The Screening Room - renamed Sr Labs in spring – arrives as Weta moves into creating original animation for cinema and streaming platforms.
Weta majority owners Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh have long wanted to expand into animation and will write, produce and direct...
New Zealand VFX powerhouse Weta Digital has hired the first CEO in its 25-year history and is moving into original content with the launch of Weta Animated.
Prem Akkaraju, a business partner of Napster co-founder Sean Parker with whom he co-founded cinema streaming start-up The Screening Room - renamed Sr Labs in spring – arrives as Weta moves into creating original animation for cinema and streaming platforms.
Weta majority owners Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh have long wanted to expand into animation and will write, produce and direct...
- 6/18/2020
- by 36¦Jeremy Kay¦54¦
- ScreenDaily
There’s a word that keeps popping up in “Screened Out,” Jon Hyatt’s must-see documentary about screen addiction in the age of mobile technology. The word is dopamine. That’s the neurotransmitter that sends signals to other cells, along pathways linked to pleasure and reward-motivated behavior. The idea that smartphones trigger our pleasure centers isn’t news, but “Screened Out” is all about the ways that the devices have been designed to do that very thing. That’s why we’re addicted to them. That’s why they’re rewiring our brains.
Since this is a review of a documentary about the insidious effects of technology-as-diversion-as-social-consumerist-engine-as-mind-control, it seems incumbent upon me to say something like, “Here’s a movie that was made for the pandemic, because we’re all trapped at home now, mediating the world through our screens.” Well yes, we are, and yes, if you’re looking...
Since this is a review of a documentary about the insidious effects of technology-as-diversion-as-social-consumerist-engine-as-mind-control, it seems incumbent upon me to say something like, “Here’s a movie that was made for the pandemic, because we’re all trapped at home now, mediating the world through our screens.” Well yes, we are, and yes, if you’re looking...
- 5/28/2020
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
Liked The Social Network? Then, you're going to love this reenactment. On Thursday, Sarah Ramos posted a video of herself acting out a classic scene from the movie along with Dylan O'Brien. The 29-year-old actress took on both Jesse Eisenberg's and Justin Timberlake's roles of Mark Zuckerberg and Sean Parker while the 28-year-old actor revisited Andrew Garfield's portrayal of Eduardo Saverin. They then acted out the intense scene in which Garfield's character tells Eisenberg's character to "lawyer up a--hole." The reenactment quickly went viral and earned millions of views on Twitter. It also received Garfield's stamp of approval, according to Lin-Manuel...
- 5/22/2020
- E! Online
“We must do everything in our power to preserve the time-honoured tradition of theatrical exhibition at this pivotal moment.”
Four years after Screening Room stirred up the exhibition sector with its the day-and-date proposition, the company has rebranded itself Sr Labs and raised $27.5m in equity financing amid a far greater threat to theatre owners.
As the cororonavirus pandemic continues to impact the industry, Screening Room founding investor and Napster co-founder Sean Parker said former Sony Pictures Home Entertainment president Man Jit Singh has been hired as CEO as he touted the company as a way for studios and exhibitors...
Four years after Screening Room stirred up the exhibition sector with its the day-and-date proposition, the company has rebranded itself Sr Labs and raised $27.5m in equity financing amid a far greater threat to theatre owners.
As the cororonavirus pandemic continues to impact the industry, Screening Room founding investor and Napster co-founder Sean Parker said former Sony Pictures Home Entertainment president Man Jit Singh has been hired as CEO as he touted the company as a way for studios and exhibitors...
- 4/13/2020
- by 36¦Jeremy Kay¦54¦
- ScreenDaily
Four years ago, the in-home day and date venture Screening Room polarized exhibitors and studios even as its backers and superstar director/shareholders promised windfalls as high as $8 billion in annual revenue to be split between movie makers and exhibitors from the affluent but homebound 25-39 demo. The disruptive venture is back with a new name – Sr Labs — $27.5 million in equity financing, and a new CEO in former Sony Pictures Home Entertainment president Man Jit Singh. Given the current climate, it seems a model worth re-considering.
Founder and ex-SFX Entertainment and JPMorgan Entertainment Partners honcho Prem Akkaraju has been elevated to Executive Chairman; Ex-Intel and Microsoft exec Jim Baldwin continues as Chief Technology Officer and they head up an advisory board that consists of Napster/Facebook/Spotify investor Sean Parker and Jeff Blake, the former Sony Pictures chairman of worldwide marketing and distribution.
More from DeadlineHow Hollywood Is Handling Coronavirus,...
Founder and ex-SFX Entertainment and JPMorgan Entertainment Partners honcho Prem Akkaraju has been elevated to Executive Chairman; Ex-Intel and Microsoft exec Jim Baldwin continues as Chief Technology Officer and they head up an advisory board that consists of Napster/Facebook/Spotify investor Sean Parker and Jeff Blake, the former Sony Pictures chairman of worldwide marketing and distribution.
More from DeadlineHow Hollywood Is Handling Coronavirus,...
- 4/13/2020
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
The Screening Room, the technology company that threatened to upend theatrical distribution by offering new releases in the home, has been rechristened Sr Labs. It also appointed a new CEO — former Sony Pictures Home Entertainment president Man Jit Singh.
Prem Akkaraju, who founded the company with Sean Parker, will assume the role of executive chairman of the company.
“Man Jit brings a wealth of studio experience, industry relationships, and knowledge of content licensing to the company,” said Akkaraju. “Sr Labs has built a suite of innovative technology solutions to service the rapidly-changing film industry.”
In addition, Sr Labs announced that it has raised $27.5 million in equity financing, although it did not reveal its list of backers. Jeff Blake, the former vice chairman of Sony Pictures, is on the board.
The announcement may be the first public acknowledgment of Screening Room’s existence. The technology company made waves when word leaked...
Prem Akkaraju, who founded the company with Sean Parker, will assume the role of executive chairman of the company.
“Man Jit brings a wealth of studio experience, industry relationships, and knowledge of content licensing to the company,” said Akkaraju. “Sr Labs has built a suite of innovative technology solutions to service the rapidly-changing film industry.”
In addition, Sr Labs announced that it has raised $27.5 million in equity financing, although it did not reveal its list of backers. Jeff Blake, the former vice chairman of Sony Pictures, is on the board.
The announcement may be the first public acknowledgment of Screening Room’s existence. The technology company made waves when word leaked...
- 4/13/2020
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
“YouTube at 15” is our package of stories to celebrate the streaming site’s anniversary. It’s hard to imagine, but there really was a time before makeup tutorials, conspiracy explainers, on-demand music videos — really, viral videos at large. Since it’s become such a ubiquitous part of culture, we set out to look at how it’s changed our world. To kick things off, contributing editor Rob Sheffield investigated its surprising origins.
Everybody knows the story of Nipplegate. Janet Jackson. Justin Timberlake. The 2004 Super Bowl halftime show. A wardrobe malfunction.
Everybody knows the story of Nipplegate. Janet Jackson. Justin Timberlake. The 2004 Super Bowl halftime show. A wardrobe malfunction.
- 2/11/2020
- by Rob Sheffield
- Rollingstone.com
Exclusive: The end of Sen. Kamala Harris’ bid for the White House today had bicoastal fallout that includes some of the most powerful people in Hollywood, including Donald Trump’s former agent.
Endeavor co-ceo Ari Emanuel was among the co-hosts for an A-lister fundraiser for California’s junior senator that was set to place Wednesday night at the Beverly Hills home of ex-Facebook president Sean Parker.
When you look at the invite Deadline obtained and some of the deep-pocket names that were supposed to be joining the flush Emanuel and tech billionaire Parker, Harris’ announcement today that she was pulling the plug on her 2020 campaign because of a lack of cash really brings home the economic realities of 21st century politics.
That’s a fact that must sting all the more for both Harris’ camp and Tinseltown donors when you consider that the senator was the beneficiary of more...
Endeavor co-ceo Ari Emanuel was among the co-hosts for an A-lister fundraiser for California’s junior senator that was set to place Wednesday night at the Beverly Hills home of ex-Facebook president Sean Parker.
When you look at the invite Deadline obtained and some of the deep-pocket names that were supposed to be joining the flush Emanuel and tech billionaire Parker, Harris’ announcement today that she was pulling the plug on her 2020 campaign because of a lack of cash really brings home the economic realities of 21st century politics.
That’s a fact that must sting all the more for both Harris’ camp and Tinseltown donors when you consider that the senator was the beneficiary of more...
- 12/4/2019
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Sean Parker, who is best known for founding Napster and helping build up Facebook, has found a new business project to be a part of. He has made a significant investment in Peter Jackson’s Weta Digital in Wellington, New Zealand. Parker is a minority equity investor in the company, which is led by Senior Visual Effects Supervisor Joe Letteri.
Weta Digital has worked on several big budget film projects over the years including Avengers: Endgame, The Lord of the Rings, Avatar, Planet of the Apes and The Hobbit trilogies. The company will “use the funds and his influence to continue to build the enterprise into the future.”
According to Deadline, “Parker and Peter Jackson got to know each other through Screening Room, the venture capital play that aspires to bring first run films through a secure set top box into the homes of 25-45 people who have the financial...
Weta Digital has worked on several big budget film projects over the years including Avengers: Endgame, The Lord of the Rings, Avatar, Planet of the Apes and The Hobbit trilogies. The company will “use the funds and his influence to continue to build the enterprise into the future.”
According to Deadline, “Parker and Peter Jackson got to know each other through Screening Room, the venture capital play that aspires to bring first run films through a secure set top box into the homes of 25-45 people who have the financial...
- 9/12/2019
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Technology entrepreneur Sean Parker has made a “significant” investment in Peter Jackson’s Weta Digital special effects company.
Parker and Jackson made the announcement jointly. They did not disclose the size of Parker’s investment or the specific role he would play.
“I’ve long admired Peter Jackson’s and Fran Walsh’s work, and the ground-breaking VFX and animation that Weta Digital has created over the last two decades,” Parker said. “The visionary leadership, imagination, and technical expertise of Weta Digital was vital to the creation of Academy Award winning films such as ‘Avatar,’ ‘King Kong,’ and ‘Lord of the Ring.’ I look forward to helping grow Weta Digital and I’m excited to partner with Peter, the leadership of Weta, and its incredibly talented team.”
Jackson said in a statement, “Sean Parker brings an invaluable expertise that will fortify Weta Digital from a technological perspective, while also focusing...
Parker and Jackson made the announcement jointly. They did not disclose the size of Parker’s investment or the specific role he would play.
“I’ve long admired Peter Jackson’s and Fran Walsh’s work, and the ground-breaking VFX and animation that Weta Digital has created over the last two decades,” Parker said. “The visionary leadership, imagination, and technical expertise of Weta Digital was vital to the creation of Academy Award winning films such as ‘Avatar,’ ‘King Kong,’ and ‘Lord of the Ring.’ I look forward to helping grow Weta Digital and I’m excited to partner with Peter, the leadership of Weta, and its incredibly talented team.”
Jackson said in a statement, “Sean Parker brings an invaluable expertise that will fortify Weta Digital from a technological perspective, while also focusing...
- 9/10/2019
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Sean Parker, the entrepreneur behind Napster and Facebook, has taken a minority stake in Weta Digital, the New Zealand-based visual effects company formed by Peter Jackson.
Weta Digital is the team behind the CGI characters Gollum in the “Lord of the Rings” films and Caesar from the “Planet of the Apes” movies, as well as designing Middle Earth and Pandora from “Avatar.”
“I’ve long admired Peter Jackson’s and Fran Walsh’s work, and the ground-breaking VFX and animation that Weta Digital has created over the last two decades. The visionary leadership, imagination, and technical expertise of Weta Digital was vital to the creation of Academy Award-winning films such as ‘Avatar,’ ‘King Kong’ and ‘Lord of the Rings.’ I look forward to helping grow Weta Digital and I’m excited to partner with Peter, the leadership of Weta, and its incredibly talented team,” Parker said in a statement.
Also...
Weta Digital is the team behind the CGI characters Gollum in the “Lord of the Rings” films and Caesar from the “Planet of the Apes” movies, as well as designing Middle Earth and Pandora from “Avatar.”
“I’ve long admired Peter Jackson’s and Fran Walsh’s work, and the ground-breaking VFX and animation that Weta Digital has created over the last two decades. The visionary leadership, imagination, and technical expertise of Weta Digital was vital to the creation of Academy Award-winning films such as ‘Avatar,’ ‘King Kong’ and ‘Lord of the Rings.’ I look forward to helping grow Weta Digital and I’m excited to partner with Peter, the leadership of Weta, and its incredibly talented team,” Parker said in a statement.
Also...
- 9/10/2019
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Breaking: Sean Parker has become a minority equity investor in Weta Digital, the Wellington, New Zealand-based company formed by Peter Jackson and led by Senior Visual Effects Supervisor Joe Letteri that does the visual effects for some of the biggest event pictures being made by Hollywood studios, including Avatar and its upcoming sequels, Avengers: Endgame, The Lord of the Rings, Planet of the Apes and The Hobbit trilogies.
Parker, best known for his role at the forefront of such disruptive entities as Facebook and Napster, has made a significant investment in the company, which will use the funds and his influence to continue to build the enterprise into the future. Weta Digital has realized the creation of everything from Gollum to Caesar, Middle earth and Pandora over the past quarter century. Peter Jackson built the enterprise to keep up with the needs of The Lord of the Rings films, initially...
Parker, best known for his role at the forefront of such disruptive entities as Facebook and Napster, has made a significant investment in the company, which will use the funds and his influence to continue to build the enterprise into the future. Weta Digital has realized the creation of everything from Gollum to Caesar, Middle earth and Pandora over the past quarter century. Peter Jackson built the enterprise to keep up with the needs of The Lord of the Rings films, initially...
- 9/10/2019
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Financial terms were undisclosed.
Facebook co-founder Sean Parker has invested in Weta Digital and has taken a minority stake in the New Zealand company co-founded by Peter Jackson.
The parties did not reveal financial terms of the transaction. Parker founded Napster when he was 19 and Plaxo at 21. He was a founding president of Facebook and in 2007 co-founded Causes on Facebook, which registered 180million people to donate money and take action around social issues.
Parker was also behind the controversial Screening Room on-demand venture that made waves in Hollywood several years ago before never took off.
Weta Digital is based in Wellington,...
Facebook co-founder Sean Parker has invested in Weta Digital and has taken a minority stake in the New Zealand company co-founded by Peter Jackson.
The parties did not reveal financial terms of the transaction. Parker founded Napster when he was 19 and Plaxo at 21. He was a founding president of Facebook and in 2007 co-founded Causes on Facebook, which registered 180million people to donate money and take action around social issues.
Parker was also behind the controversial Screening Room on-demand venture that made waves in Hollywood several years ago before never took off.
Weta Digital is based in Wellington,...
- 9/10/2019
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Weta Digital — the Oscar-winning VFX firm founded by director Peter Jackson behind such titles as The Lord of the Rings and Avatar — has a new investor in Napster founder and former Facebook president Sean Parker.
Parker is now a minority equity investor in the New Zealand-based company, which is led by senior visual effects supervisor Joe Letteri.
“Sean Parker brings an invaluable expertise that will fortify Weta Digital from a technological perspective, while also focusing on its growth as an industry leader,” said Jackson. “As I have gotten to know him, I have been extremely impressed with ...
Parker is now a minority equity investor in the New Zealand-based company, which is led by senior visual effects supervisor Joe Letteri.
“Sean Parker brings an invaluable expertise that will fortify Weta Digital from a technological perspective, while also focusing on its growth as an industry leader,” said Jackson. “As I have gotten to know him, I have been extremely impressed with ...
- 9/10/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Weta Digital — the Oscar-winning VFX firm founded by director Peter Jackson behind such titles as The Lord of the Rings and Avatar — has a new investor in Napster founder and former Facebook president Sean Parker.
Parker is now a minority equity investor in the New Zealand-based company, which is led by senior visual effects supervisor Joe Letteri.
“Sean Parker brings an invaluable expertise that will fortify Weta Digital from a technological perspective, while also focusing on its growth as an industry leader,” said Jackson. “As I have gotten to know him, I have been extremely impressed with ...
Parker is now a minority equity investor in the New Zealand-based company, which is led by senior visual effects supervisor Joe Letteri.
“Sean Parker brings an invaluable expertise that will fortify Weta Digital from a technological perspective, while also focusing on its growth as an industry leader,” said Jackson. “As I have gotten to know him, I have been extremely impressed with ...
- 9/10/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
(L-r) Adrianne Pecotic, Dendy’s Nick Hayes and Scott Seddon.
Netflix and other streaming services won’t kill the cinema industry and are in fact complementing rather than competing with the theatrical business.
That was the message from Independent Cinemas Australia president Scott Seddon in his opening address at Ica’s annual conference, Brilliant Entertainment – Better Bottom Line, at Palace Cinemas Como today.
Seddon called on exhibition companies’ directors, staff, patrons, friends, family and the media to emphasize the cinema experience is a social need which is growing, not shrinking.
“I want to reinforce the point that there is a misconception in the community in Australia and in most of the world that Netflix will lead to the demise of the theatrical cinema and that is crap. It’s not true,” he said.
Seddon recalled that when he and Ica CEO Adrianne Pecotic attended the CinemaCon convention in 2017 it was...
Netflix and other streaming services won’t kill the cinema industry and are in fact complementing rather than competing with the theatrical business.
That was the message from Independent Cinemas Australia president Scott Seddon in his opening address at Ica’s annual conference, Brilliant Entertainment – Better Bottom Line, at Palace Cinemas Como today.
Seddon called on exhibition companies’ directors, staff, patrons, friends, family and the media to emphasize the cinema experience is a social need which is growing, not shrinking.
“I want to reinforce the point that there is a misconception in the community in Australia and in most of the world that Netflix will lead to the demise of the theatrical cinema and that is crap. It’s not true,” he said.
Seddon recalled that when he and Ica CEO Adrianne Pecotic attended the CinemaCon convention in 2017 it was...
- 4/30/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Netflix, Saudi Arabia, Disney on people’s minds.
It was not the most eventful CinemaCon on record, but several themes emerged from the week’s activities at the annual exhibitor convention in Las Vegas.
Everyone remains obsessed with Netflix
“I love Netflix, but fuck Netflix.” Not a careless aside from a theatre chain CEO, but the words of none other than British insitution Dame Helen Mirren, whose spontaneous utterance on stage at CinemaCon this week nearly blew the roof of the Colosseum theatre in Caesars Palace. It also summed up rather nicely the industry’s love-hate relationship with the global streaming giant.
It was not the most eventful CinemaCon on record, but several themes emerged from the week’s activities at the annual exhibitor convention in Las Vegas.
Everyone remains obsessed with Netflix
“I love Netflix, but fuck Netflix.” Not a careless aside from a theatre chain CEO, but the words of none other than British insitution Dame Helen Mirren, whose spontaneous utterance on stage at CinemaCon this week nearly blew the roof of the Colosseum theatre in Caesars Palace. It also summed up rather nicely the industry’s love-hate relationship with the global streaming giant.
- 4/5/2019
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
This year’s CinemaCon could be heavy on drama.
Netflix, the streaming giant upending the film business, won’t take the stage at the annual exhibition industry confab in Las Vegas, but it’s going to be the topic du jour. The company’s recent success at the Oscars has caused some blowback. Steven Spielberg, for instance, is trying to prevent players that debut their films with only a token theatrical release from being eligible for Academy Awards.
Netflix isn’t the only wild card that has theater owners worried. In the coming months, Disney, Apple and WarnerMedia will launch direct-to-consumer services, with Comcast set to debut its platform in 2020. To compete with Netflix, they plan to unveil series and movies with big names and budgets, something that could cannibalize ticket sales and scramble the exhibition industry ecosystem.
CinemaCon is intended to be a four-day love fest and an opportunity...
Netflix, the streaming giant upending the film business, won’t take the stage at the annual exhibition industry confab in Las Vegas, but it’s going to be the topic du jour. The company’s recent success at the Oscars has caused some blowback. Steven Spielberg, for instance, is trying to prevent players that debut their films with only a token theatrical release from being eligible for Academy Awards.
Netflix isn’t the only wild card that has theater owners worried. In the coming months, Disney, Apple and WarnerMedia will launch direct-to-consumer services, with Comcast set to debut its platform in 2020. To compete with Netflix, they plan to unveil series and movies with big names and budgets, something that could cannibalize ticket sales and scramble the exhibition industry ecosystem.
CinemaCon is intended to be a four-day love fest and an opportunity...
- 3/27/2019
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
In another situation, it could have been the start of a beautiful love story. Bradley Cooper was with his mother, Gloria Campano, at the L.A. home of tech billionaire Sean Parker in April 2016 to celebrate the opening of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy when an emcee announced that Lady Gaga would be giving a surprise performance. Cooper was intrigued, but admittedly not all that familiar with her canon of work or over-the-top stage persona, which worked out well for this particular scenario. Gaga, or as the Oscar-nominated actor prefers to think of her, Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, "came out with her hair slicked back," the 44-year-old recalled to W magazine,...
- 2/25/2019
- E! Online
Lady Gaga's A Star Is Born success will follow her always. The 32-year-old singer and actress got a tattoo of a rose inked on her back, with the words "La Vie en Rose," a reference to French singer Édith Piaf's signature song, which Gaga's character Ally sings in Bradley Cooper's movie remake just before she meets his character, Jackson Maine. Cooper, who makes his directorial debut with A Star Is Born, cast Gaga in the leading female role after watching her perform "La Vie en Rose" at the opening of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy at Sean Parker's house in 2016. The meaning of the words, loosely translated,...
- 2/14/2019
- E! Online
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