BoxOffice® Pro - November 2011

INDUSTRY BRIEFS
As Boxoffice went to print, Universal
Pictures declared their intention to
sell the upcoming Brett Ratner action
comedy Tower Heist, starring Eddie
Murphy through video-on-demand just
three weeks after it debuts in theaters on
November 4 at an announced price of
$59.99. The proposed test will be offered
in Atlanta and Portland to approximately
500,000 digital cable subscribers of Universal’s
corporate parent, Comcast Corp.
Cinemark, the third-largest cinema chain
in the country, has already announced
that they will no longer screen Tower
Heist in their theaters.
Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp. and
Technicolor USA, Inc. have signed an
agreement for Technicolor to acquire
certain assets of Cinedigm’s physical and
electronic distribution business, as well as
global, software license agreements related
to Cinedigm’s digital theatrical movie
and trailer distribution business. The deal
is expected to close this November and
is subject to customary and limited closing
conditions. During the next month,
the companies plan to work together to
ensure a smooth transition for customers
and employees.
Also in Cinedigm news, the company has
named Adam Mizel as chief operating officer
and chief financial officer, and Gary
Loffredo has been named president of
Digital Cinema Services and will continue
as general counsel, effective immediately.
Mr. Mizel and Mr. Loffredo will continue
reporting directly to Chris McGurk, chairman
and CEO of Cinedigm Digital Cinema
Corp. Mr. Mizel and Mr. Loffredo
have been members of Cinedigm’s Board
of Directors since 2009 and 2000, respectively.
“I am extremely pleased to have
Adam and Gary assume additional leadership
responsibilities,” said McGurk. “I
have worked with them closely for the last
nine months and know they have an ideal
mix of relevant industry experience and
strategic insight and have demonstrated
the superb leadership ability to drive Cinedigm
to the next level.”
Senator Chris Dodd, chairman and CEO
of the MPAA, has appointed veteran
entertainment industry attorney Henry
Hoberman as the association’s new senior
executive vice president and global
general counsel. Hoberman will oversee
all legal, content enforcement and rights
management programs within the MPAA,
both domestically and abroad. He will
assume his new position in early November.
Hoberman comes to the MPAA
with nearly 25 years of experience in the
media and entertainment industry. Since
2008, he has been the Executive Vice
President, General Counsel and Secretary
of RHI Entertainment, Inc., responsible
for all worldwide business affairs, legal
affairs and human resources. RHI is a
leading producer and distributor of original
made-for-television movies and miniseries,
with a library of over 1000 films.
For the previous decade, he held various
positions of leadership at ABC and The
Walt Disney Company, including Senior
Vice President of ABC, Inc., responsible
for overseeing litigation and employment
practices for all business units of ABC and
the ABC Television Network.
Said Dodd, “Henry’s experience within
the film and television industry and his
breadth of knowledge of the many serious
challenges facing the entertainment
community will be a tremendous resource
to the MPAA. He joins a strong senior
leadership team and dedicated worldwide
staff who have set their sights on
delivering a clear and simple message:
when it comes to growing the economy,
creating jobs and promoting trade and
American innovation, movies matter.”
Sony Pictures Entertainment has notified
theater owners that it will no longer
pay for 3D glasses as of May 1, 2012.
Such a system is already in place in a
number of foreign territories, including
the U.K., Australia, Italy and Spain, but
this is the first time a studio has decided
not to subsidize glasses in the States. The
change is timed to Sony’s two large 3D
summer tentpoles, Men in Black III and
The Amazing Spider-Man. “This is an issue
that has to be resolved between us
and our exhibition partners. We are trying
to give them a very lengthy lead time in
regards to the change in policy,” said
Sony worldwide president of distribution
Rory Bruer.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts
and Sciences has issued new regulations
for the marketing of movies submitted
for the 84th Academy Awards to
Academy members. Prior to the nominations
announcement on January 24, 2012,
screening events may include the live
Q&As and receptions. After the nominations
have been announced, receptions
are not permitted and no one individual
from the film can participate in more than
two panel discussions. Previously, Academy
members could not be invited to any
screening event that included filmmakers
participation or a reception either before
or after the nominations had been announced.
The distribution of screeners is
still permitted, however, with specific restrictions
on packaging and accompanying
materials, and the digital distribution
of movies to Academy members is now
acceptable, as long as the delivery method
conforms to the regulations. The longstanding
ban on negative campaigning
about other nominated films or individuals
is now extended to social media platforms,
and specific penalties are spelled
out. Academy members will be subject to
a one-year suspension for first-time violations
and expulsion for any subsequent
violations. “These campaign regulations
play an important role in protecting the
integrity of the Academy Awards process
and the distinction of the Oscar,” said
Academy President Tom Sherak. “Above
all, we want Academy members to see
movies as they were meant to be seen, in
a theatrical setting.”
The Producers Guild of America has declared
that Steven Spielberg will receive
the 2012 David O. Selznick Achievement
Award in Motion Pictures at the 23rd Annual
Producers Guild Awards ceremony
on Saturday, January 21st. The Selznick
Achievement Award recognizes a producer’s
outstanding body of work in motion
pictures, and past recipients include Clint
Eastwood, Billy Wilder, Brian Grazer, Jerry
Bruckheimer, Roger Corman and John
Lasseter. “As one of the most prolific
filmmakers of all time, Steven’s continued
genius, imagination and fearlessness in
the world of feature film entertainment is
unmatched in this industry,” said Producers
Guild Awards co-chairs Paula Wagner
and Michael Manheim. “Steven has
produced some of the most iconic films
in the history of cinema and we have no
doubt he will continue to bring thrilling
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6 BOXOFFICE PRO NOVEMBER 2011