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Signs of the Apocalypse Roundup – November 2009 – Week 1

VH1 orders new-daddy series
Show will instruct unprepared men on how to be good fathers
The network has ordered a new reality series from “The Biggest Loser” producer 3Ball Prods. tentatively titled “Dad Camp,” in which first-time fathers receive a crash course in grown-up responsibilities. “Dad Camp” is part of the network’s move toward more inspirational programming and its shift from the more tabloid-friendly dating shows that were a recent source of controversy for the network.

Discovery orders ‘Airplane Repo,’ renews ‘Swords’
Discovery Channel is stocking up on more rough-and-tumble reality, picking up a series about airplane repo men and renewing its adventure-documentary series “Swords” for a second season. “Airplane Repo” centers on repossessor Nick Popovich as he re-acquires jets and helicopters from delinquent owners. Each episode shows the team planning the best approach for snatching a plane, then follows the group as they attempt the high-risk acquisition. “Swords: Life on the Line” follows New England long-line fisherman and has helped Discovery maintain the Tuesday time period usually home to crab-fishing hit “Deadliest.”

Oxygen orders another round of ‘Dance Your Ass Off’
Cable renewal FYI: Oxygen has picked up a second season of “Dance Your Ass Off.” The production was the most-watched freshman series in Oxygen’s history, averaging more than a million total viewers, so no real surprise. “Top Chef” producers Magical Elves will be taking over production duties next season.

Fox cooking up ‘Masterchef’
Ramsay to co-produce cooking competition series
“Masterchef” has come to the States. Fox has given a series commitment to the long-running U.K. cooking competish series from Reveille. Gordon Ramsay, Fox’s chef-in-chief, will co-produce through his domestic banner, and he’ll have an on-air role on the show. Fox is expected to order 12-15 hourlong segs of the series, with production to start in the near future.

Seinfeld casts his ‘Marriage Ref’
Comedian Tom Papa will star in NBC’s reality series, where he will make judgment calls about marital disputes. In each episode of the Seinfeld-produced series, couples present their case to a panel of comedians and celebrities. The panel then tries to convince the Ref which spouse is correct. Papa has served as Seinfeld’s opening act on tour, has had two stand-up specials on Comedy Central and is onscreen in “The Informant!”

More Horsemen

Business of the Business

BBC management to be reduced by 18%
Plans to cut more than 100 senior management positions
The BBC is swinging the axe again with plans to slash more than 100 of its senior management positions over the coming three-and-a-half years. The U.K. broadcasting giant said 18% of the 640-plus senior and exec director posts will go and anyone hired in can expect a smaller salary than those offered by players in the commercial sector. The pubcaster has also frozen pay for the next three years for all executive directors and is suspending bonuses indefinitely.

Do Hollywood studios own rights on Mars?
The WSJ has a front-page article that picks on the contractual phrase, “throughout the universe, in perpetuity.” The authors make the point that the language has become standard in Hollywood as entertainment companies pick on amateur talent by locking up every possible future stream of revenue. True, one will find a universal rights-grab in contracts with reality television stars. The Real Housewives of New Jersey, for example. But even power players often give up rights “throughout the universe.” A search of the SEC’s Edgar database turns up 560 examples of the phrase in the last couple years alone, including in CBS CEO Les Moonves’ employment agreement.

Australia offers up prod’n offset
Rebate can reach 40% for feature projects
Incentivewise, Oz is still tubthumping its generous Producer Offset that provides a rebate of 40% of feature expenditure and 20% for all other formats. To qualify, a film must be an official co-production certified by Screen Australia or pass a Significant Australian Content (SAC) test. For productions that do not pass the nationality test, there is the Location Offset, which offers a 15% rebate. The production must have a total expenditure of at least A$15 million ($13 million). Down Under’s f/x skills continue to draw big productions, with Rising Sun Pictures securing work on both parts of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.” Post-production is eligible for the Post Digital and Visual Effects Production Offset (PDV). This is a 15% rebate on qualifying PDV expenditure of A$5 million ($4.5 million). The production does not need to have been filmed in Australia to qualify.

Imageworks tools deal with Foundry
Duo move forward in field of software tools
Sony Pictures Imageworks and software maker the Foundry have struck a technology-sharing agreement that marks a significant step forward in the standardization of visual effects software tools. Under the pact, Imageworks will adopt the Foundry’s compositing software, Nuke, and the Foundry will gain access to Imageworks’ proprietary lighting software, Katana.

Nielsen, DataLogix pact in online ad targeting
Marks a new era of data-oriented targeting
As part of the new pact, the two companies will blend data from DataLogix’ Affiniti Data Platform — which enables marketers to locate their offline customers on the Web using cookie data — with Nielsen’s own PRIZM lifestyle segmentation data, which groups American consumers into 66 distinct groups based on demographics, geography, attitudes and shopping habits. Advertisers will theoretically now be able to use this data mix to purchase more targeted online ad campaigns via several participating online ad networks, such as Audience Science, Collective Media and BrightRoll.

Minutae

Planet of the Odd

Miley Cyrus voted worst celebrity influence of ’09
Miley Cyrus, one of Disney’s hottest stars of the past three years with hit records and hit films, has been voted the worst celebrity influence of 2009 by the very people who made her a star, tweens and teens, according to an online poll on Wednesday. Cyrus, 16, took 42 percent of votes in the poll for AOL’s JSYK.com (Just So You Know) website aimed at 9-15 year-olds, pushing Britney Spears and rapper Kanye West into second and third places, respectively, in a section on worst celebrity influences of the year.

Actor Dennis Hopper diagnosed with prostate cancer
Actor and filmmaker Dennis Hopper has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, his manager Sam Maydew said Friday. He was expected to appear at an exhibition of his photography at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image in Melbourne but has cancelled in order to focus on treatment.

J.R.R. Tolkien earns $50 million a year while still dead
J.R.R. Tolkien showed up at No. 5 on the annual Forbes list of top-earning dead celebrities this year after raking in $50 million between October 2008 and October 2009. A lot of that money apparently came from a settlement between the Tolkien estate and publisher HarperCollins and New Line Cinema over the Lord of the Rings movies.

Legendary Actor Christopher Lee Knighted
In a ceremony held on October 30 at Buckingham Palace, the legendary actor was knighted by Prince Charles of England on behalf of his mother, the Queen of England. Lee’s knighthood was announced in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in June 2009.

Monty Python members threaten to sue NJ Republican over ad clip
This time, New Jersey gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie is accused of ripping off a famous Monty Python skit. Christie posted the ad to the campaign’s official YouTube site, having already aired the spot on TV. The skit features Michael Palin as a newscaster reporting the phenomenon of “deja vu” as subtitles attack Christie’s challenger, Jon Corzine. “I’m surprised that a former U.S. Attorney isn’t aware of his copyright infringement when he uses our material without permission,” said Palin. “He’s clearly made a terrible mistake. It was the endorsement of Sarah Palin he was after — not that of Michael Palin.”

Bits and Pieces

The Fine Print

This is by no means meant to be a comprehensive roundup of the entire weeks’ news. All stories are chosen by me for no other reason than that they got my attention and might capture yours. If something you think is more important chime in on the feedback; we’d love to hear comments and have a conversation about it.

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About The Author

Scott From LA

Scott is an art director, writer and comics creator living in Los Angeles. He has been a pop culture maven from a very young age. His very first job was as a manager of a comic book store. He spent several years working in a video store, and yes, we are talking VHS tapes. A student of literature and Writing, he brings his obsessive love of comic book trivia, movie history and science fiction/fantasy writing to bear on the work he does for CoolShite.

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