Now that we have a deal between Time Warner Cable and CBS, we can turn our Hollywood focus back on the movie industry.

Steve Julian: Business analyst Mark Lacter, would you agree it's been an up and down summer at the box office?

Mark Lacter: It's been a flaky summer for Hollywood, Steve.  On the plus side, ticket revenue was up more than 10 percent, and attendance increased around six-and-a-half percent compared with last year (this covers the first week of May through Labor Day weekend).  The problem is that the studios and their investors spent huge amounts of money to make a lot of these movies, and they had to compete in a very crowded market - 23 big-budget films came out this summer, which is way higher than normal, and some of them never had a chance.

Julian: Some examples?

Lacter: Probably the biggest clunker was "The Lone Ranger," which could end up losing close to $200 million for Disney.  Another big disappointment was "White House Down," which was distributed by Sony and brought in only $140 million, which for a big-budget action film is really bad.  Even a film like "Pacific Rim," which did well at the box office, might still end up in the red because the production and marketing costs were so high.

Julian: And summer, of course, is the time when studios want to bring out these monster releases -

Lacter: - right, what they call "tent poles" - and in that category, the biggest winner was Disney's "Iron Man," which took in $1.2 billion.  Also having a great summer was "Monsters University" from Pixar, with $700 million.  You also had "Despicable Me 2" and "Fast and Furious 6," which might not be our cup of tea (speak for yourself, it takes me back to my police car days!), but did very well for Universal.  Eight of the top 12 films this summer were sequels - and yet, sequels were no guarantee of success (a number of them really struggled).  And, some non-blockbuster films found considerable success: "Now You See Me" from Lionsgate only cost $75 million to make.

Julian: So, in some ways, Hollywood was its usual unpredictable self.

Lacter: That's right - and don't expect any big changes in strategy when it comes to big-budget films.  The prospect of having huge success with one of these blockbusters is just too great, but perhaps more important is the fact that many of these films are financed by multiple groups of investors, and so the risk is spread around.  It's not like the old days when a studio bankrolled the whole thing.

Julian: Though, sounds like it's bad news for the city of Los Angeles: the "Man of Steel" sequel is going to be shot in Michigan?

Lacter: Mayor Garcetti has actually declared a state of emergency because the city keeps losing business to other states that offer big tax incentives to films - what's known as runaway production.  The truth is that business has been lost over the years, but L.A. is hardly in any danger of losing its spot as the center of entertainment.  And, you can see that with the L.A. County Board of Supervisors signing off on Disney's plan for a TV and movie production facility near Santa Clarita that will add more than a half-million square feet of studio space.

Julian: And, Universal's expanding, too.

Lacter: Earlier this year, Universal was given the approval to build more production facilities, and Paramount is planning an expansion, as well.  Now, these are all very ambitious projects - not the sort of investments that would be made if these studios were looking elsewhere to make movies and TV shows.  And, of course, they mean jobs - actually, employment levels in the entertainment industry have remained fairly steady going back the last decade.

Julian: Are there states that are pulling back their incentives?

Lacter: Yes, the state of North Carolina, which has been especially aggressive in using tax incentives to draw in movies and television going back to the 80s, is phasing out the giveaways because legislators have decided that the economic benefits aren't worth the tax revenues being lost.  And, other states with tax incentive programs are pulling back as well - they're finding that the payback is very difficult to measure.

Mark Lacter writes for Los Angeles Magazine and pens the business blog at LA Observed.com.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

California Jerry Brown will sign a bill to expand California's film and television tax credit program into law in Hollywood; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

A moment Hollywood's been waiting a while for will take place... in Hollywood. 

A ceremony is planned for Thursday morning at the Chinese Theater where Governor Jerry Brown will sign the "California Film and Television Job Retention and Promotion Act" into law.

The bill - also known  as AB 1839 — will more than triple the funding for California's film and television production tax credit program. 

The push to expand and enhance the tax credit program has been going on for more than a year. In August of 2013, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti used the term "state of emergency" to characterize the flight of film and television production to other states and countries. Garcetti is expected to speak at the ceremony. 

Los Angeles-area Assemblymen Mike Gatto and Raul Bocanegra are also expected to be on hand. They introduced AB 1839 in February and moved it strategically through the legislature in Sacramento. While there were few vocal opponents of expanding the tax credit program, the big question was by how much. Many supporters hoped to see the annual pot raised from the current $100 million to at least $400 million, but an exact dollar amount wasn't specified until very late in the legislative process.

In April, the state Legislative Analyst's Office released its hard look at the current tax credit program, pointing out that the state is only getting back 65 cents in tax revenues for every dollar it’s spending on the film and TV subsidy.  The bill to expand the program kept moving.

California's magic number turned out to be $330 million dollars, not as high as chief rival New York State's $420 million per year, but still more than triple California's current offering. Along with the extra cash, AB 1839 also changes the way the tax credit program will be administered.   Rather than using a one-day lottery to determine which productions receive the credit, the state will measure the projects based on their potential to create jobs.   A project that overestimates that potential could be penalized.  

In this file photo, California Gov. Jerry Brown speaks during a news conference on January 17, 2014 in San Francisco, California. Brown on Thursday signed a bill that more than triples the state's annual tax credit for film and TV production to $330 million.; Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Gov. Jerry Brown has headed to the cradle of the Hollywood film industry to sign legislation that more than triples the state's annual tax credit to $330 million a year for films and TV shows produced in California.

Brown says the increase is needed to help prevent other states and countries from hijacking film and TV production by offering their own lucrative incentives.

Brown signed the bill Thursday at the former Grauman's Chinese Theatre, where handprints and footprints of stars from the eras of Humphrey Bogart to Robert De Niro are embedded in concrete.

Under the new system, credit will be awarded based on the number of jobs a production creates and its overall positive impact on the state.

The historic cinema is now called the TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX.

Film tax credit doc

El oscarizado actor regresa a nuestras pantallas en la segunda temporada de este 'thriller', esta vez ambientado en Afganistán y rodado sin un tumor del tamaño de un niño en el estómago. "En mis 60 años de carrera, nunca había interpretado a un personaje durante tanto tiempo como a Dan Chase", reconoce Leer

Grace Kellyová (12. listopadu 1929 – 14. září 1982) byla filmová ikona, jež stihla prožít pod dohledem veřejnosti dva životy: ten kratší patřil úspěšné hollywoodské herečce, ten delší monacké kněžně. Oba obestírá romantický opar dokonalosti. Neprávem: neobešly se totiž bez kontroverze, pragmatičnosti i obyčejného lidského zoufalství.

According to the Garda Siochana, Ireland's national police and security service, the US citizen was discovered unconscious on a bathroom floor Tuesday evening

Sydney Sweeney calls out Hollywood for being 'fake'Sydney Sweeney, American actress who rose to fame with her iconic character in drama series Euphoria, gave a peek behind curtains and revealed a harsh reality of Hollywood. The 27-year-old actress shared her frustration with how the industry...

Sydney Sweeney blasted Hollywood's "women empowering other women" mantra as "fake" and a "front." The actress said that "none of it's happening."

Your practical guide to making award winning movies in one easy-to-follow eBook from Ivan Watson. No hassle, no flannel, just plan common sense from the master himself.

Fr. Nick and Dr. Roxanne Louh welcome actor and producer Robert Krantz, most recently known for his film Faith, Hope, & Love. Join this conversation on life, relationships, and renewal.

The remarkable story of how Steve Stacey made black football history with Wrexham and found his GI father in the Deep South.

1. "Gladiator II" : comment Hollywood se jette dans l'arène politique avec ses péplums  franceinfo
2. « Gladiator », le film qui ressuscite les morts et détruit le cinéma  Le Monde
3. "Gladiator II" : "Ridley Scott respecte surtout les codes bien établis du gladiateur hollywoodien", estime un spécialiste  franceinfo
4. « Gladiator II » : bis repetita, triste cirque  Le Point
5. Gladiator 2, Une part manquante, Le royaume… les films à voir ou à éviter cette semaine  La Provence

Amanda Seyfried reveals reason behind leaving Hollywood

Amanda Seyfried is in pure bliss living around her cattle and pets on an East Coast farm.

The Mean Girls star, 38, gave an overview to Forbes recently of her quiet life since leaving Hollywood for New York City during the peak...

Meghan Markle is reportedly trying to win Christmas with special packages for her Hollywood fraternity.

The Duchess of Sussex, who has largely been at the back end this year, is promoting her lifestyle brand titled, ‘American Riviera Orchard’ with gift bags.

An...

Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign spent at least $20 million on celebrity appearances during her failed presidential bid, federal election records revealed.

Ann Barish, a socialite who is married to Planet Hollywood co-founder and film producer Keith Barish, secured a buyer for her waterfront Miami Beach home.  Barish, whose full name is Edith Ann Barish, owns the nearly half-acre property at 4810 North Bay Road via a trust, property records show. The two-story, six-bedroom Mediterranean-style house is […]

The post Wife of Planet Hollywood co-founder finds buyer for waterfront Miami Beach home appeared first on The Real Deal.

Sponsored by Sommsation Wines

Georgia Native Sutton will be Showcasing Her Georgia Inspired Cherokee Rose Apparel Ahead of Monday's Game

Emmanuel Lee's award-winning documentary showcases a little-known or understood phenomenon whose victims may number into the millions across the nation and the globe.

MULTI-AWARD WINNER SCREENWRITER Shaneen Bonner announces her new film script, From Homeless To Hollywood. This film script won over thirty awards at film festivals worldwide.

QueenNAK aims to promote Entertainment, Business and cultural exchange between Africa and the United States. She will be donating a portion of the funds raised from the album launching to the government of Sierra Leone to assist the drug victims.

Queennak Host an unforgettable Celebration: launching of her 2nd album "TO GOD", and promoting Entertainment, businesses, Government Affairs & Cuktural exchange in Hollywood Beverly Hills and Los Angeles.

Four Days of Entertainment and Activities will take place Along the Riverfront with Todd Tilghman, winner of Season 18 of The Voice Hosting the Main Event

Sierra Leonean-born artist Queennak is making waves in the entertainment industry as a Hollywood Afrobeat artist, contemporary artist, humanitarian, television personality, and fashion designer.

Extended Alley Closure at the alley west of 5600 – 5648 N. Winthrop Avenue, 1114 W. Hollywood Avenue, & 1114 W. Bryn Mawr Avenue (W. Bryn Mawr Avenue to W. Hollywood Avenue) for alley reconstruction.

Extended Sidewalk Closure at W. Hollywood Avenue at the CTA Tracks for Sidewalk Reconstruction.

NEW DATES EXTENDED SIDEWALK CLOSURE - W. Hollywood Avenue at the CTA Tracks for Sidewalk Reconstruction.

This episode originally ran in 2020.

In 2005, Franklin Leonard was a junior executive at Leonardo DiCaprio's production company. A big part of his job was to find great scripts. The only thing — most of the 50,000-some scripts registered with the Writers Guild of America every year aren't that great. Franklin was drowning in bad scripts ... So to help find the handful that will become the movies that change our lives, he needed a better way forward.

Today on the show — how a math-loving movie nerd used a spreadsheet and an anonymous Hotmail address to solve one of Hollywood's most fundamental problems: picking winners from a sea of garbage. And, along the way, he may just have reinvented Hollywood's power structure.

This episode was produced by James Sneed and Darian Woods, and edited by Bryant Urstadt, Karen Duffin and Robert Smith.

Help support Planet Money and get bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.

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Across Hollywood right now, writers and actors are picketing in front of studio lots. They're walking back and forth, holding up signs demanding concessions on things like pay, how many writers work on projects, and the use of AI in TV and movies.

But, on some of these lots, there are these strange alternate entrances where there are no picketers. Here drivers can come and go as they please without ever encountering any sign of a strike.

Behold the neutral gate. An entrance intended for people who work at these lots but don't work for production companies that are involved with these particular strikes. (Usually that means things like game shows or TV commercials.)

But, as one group of picketers recently experienced, it's hard to know if these entrances are, in fact, only being used by neutral parties or if the entrances might be being abused.

On today's episode, the question of whether one Hollywood production was taking advantage of the neutral gate, and what the fight over a driveway can teach us about the broader labor battles in Hollywood and across the country.

This episode was hosted by Dave Blanchard and Alexi Horowitz-Ghazi, with reporting from Kenny Malone. It was produced by James Sneed and engineered by James Willetts. It was fact checked by Sierra Juarez and edited by Keith Romer. Alex Goldmark is our executive producer.

Help support Planet Money and get bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Washington, D.C. -- March 31, 2023 -- The NAB Show will host IMAX on its Main Stage to highlight how the big screen entertainment technology company is going beyond viewer expectations for streaming experiences. "IMAX Beyond the Big Screen" at 5 p.m. on April 16 showcases how IMAX's signature movie-magic technology, combined with best-in-class devices and streaming platforms like Disney+, transport fans beyond the big screen to experience epic content in the home while preserving filmmaker intent and vision.

Washington – NAB Show launches exciting new content open to all attendees that pulls back the curtain on Hollywood. This series includes insightful presentations, interviews and discussions led by industry veterans, providing valuable knowledge on various aspects of filmmaking for a deeper understanding of the content creation process.

Emilio Estevez shot to fame in the 1980s as a member of the Brat Pack, but then virtually disappeared from Hollywood movies.

Disney reopening Pixar Place, an 'Incredibles' meet-and-greet at Hollywood Studios in May.

HBO’s superhero movie satire “The Franchise” has no new ideas and it’s not even funny. Ironically, the 20-year-old Hollywood satire called “The Comeback” feels more timely.

Sus últimas apariciones públicas han alimentado la idea de que es un tipo difícil, pero resulta ser encantador. ¿Normal? Bueno, esa ya es otra historia. Leer

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday signed bills that offer actors more AI protections and address AI-generated false content in political ads.

As AI technology advances, industry observers expect to see more deals between tech companies and studios and talent. But major challenges remain.

During her speech, the producer and director of the show also apologizes to boyfriend Angel Bismark Curiel as she admits to having cheated on him during the show's production.

Three-time Billboard charting singer-songwriter Robin Simoneandrsquo;s new incarnation is RSHO! Vocalist for Kenny Burrelland#39;s Jazz Orchestra! Robin Simone Hollywood Orchestra (LP/CD) Seventeen super musicians, a gifted conductor/arranger, and Robin all creating an electrifying take on songs of great motion pictures, and bringing new magic to the big band stage...

In barely eight months, Arnold Schwarzenegger has defied the naysayers and found an elixir more potent than Botox for an aging action star: political success.

If you're a fan of The Hollywood Stars from back in the day you probably thought at this point that you'd never again see a new release from the guys, after all it's been 47 years since they put out an album featuring new material

Here's a live recording from beloved pop band America that was committed to tape at the zenith of their career after they enjoyed a long line of hits, all of which are included

Missed your favorite actors? After nearly four months of striking, they’re coming back. Wednesday’s deal between striking actors and studios and streaming services won’t immediately restore filming to its full swing. That will take months. But the tentative agreement that both sides say include extraordinary provisions means that more than six months of labor strife in the film and television industries is drawing to a close. Soon, tens of thousands of entertainment sector workers could get back to work. And popular franchises like “Deadpool,” “Abbott Elementary” and “The Last of Us” will be a step closer to returning to screens.

The show is currently in production in Los Angeles.

"I-Robot" premieres on BET on Saturday, February 6 at 7P/6C.

Bermudian Shiona Turini has been named one of the Hollywood’s top 25 stylists by Hollywood Reporter. The story said, “It’s been a year — one in which Barbie pink dominated fashion, the box office and the Oscar red carpet, notably on America Ferrera, who glittered in a custom Atelier Versace sheath, courtesy of stylist Karla […]

1. Automatisierte Bots auf X greifen in den US-Wahlkampf ein (zeit.de, Eva Wolfangel) “Die Sorge, dass das Internet von Bots zersetzt wird, gibt es schon lange. Jetzt gibt es erstmals klare Belege für solche KI-Accounts – manche machen Stimmung für Trump.” Eva Wolfangel gibt einen Einblick in die derzeitige Forschung zu Bot-Netzwerken. Weiterer Lesetipp: Elon […]

It's 1933 and Mae West is just arriving at Grauman's Chinese Theater for the premiere of I'm No Angel. It draws fans from all over the country—as well as an organized protest from conservative religious groups.