What happens when you gaze at yourself in a muddled puddle of self-reflection? For filmmaking duo Bill and Turner Ross, it’s all about turning the camera inward to look outward, courtesy of the cinema verité style.
The Ross Brothers’ latest feature, “Gasoline Rainbow,” follows five teenagers from small-town Oregon as they embark on one final adventure together after high school: reaching the Pacific coast, 500 miles away. Along the way, the group encounters outsiders from the fringes of the American West and discovers that the contours of their lives will be set by trails they blaze themselves. They are forgotten kids from a forgotten town, but they have their freedom and they have each other, hurtling toward an unknowable future — and The Party at the End of the World.
While “Gasoline Rainbow” has been mistaken as a documentary, the feature is, in fact, loosely scripted and relies on the improvisational techniques of its five leads,...
The Ross Brothers’ latest feature, “Gasoline Rainbow,” follows five teenagers from small-town Oregon as they embark on one final adventure together after high school: reaching the Pacific coast, 500 miles away. Along the way, the group encounters outsiders from the fringes of the American West and discovers that the contours of their lives will be set by trails they blaze themselves. They are forgotten kids from a forgotten town, but they have their freedom and they have each other, hurtling toward an unknowable future — and The Party at the End of the World.
While “Gasoline Rainbow” has been mistaken as a documentary, the feature is, in fact, loosely scripted and relies on the improvisational techniques of its five leads,...
- 4/10/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Many documentary filmmakers want their work on the big screen and not small. So, what gives? Why isn’t that happening?
One could argue that we haven’t seen a doc boom in cinemas since 2018 which served up such breakouts as Won’t You Be My Neighbor ($22.8M), Three Identical Strangers ($12.3M) and Rbg ($14M). The pandemic is partially to blame as audiences have savored non-fiction stories on streaming, i.e. the Netflix series, Tiger King.
“It’s not that it doesn’t work theatrically,” explained Lionsgate EVP Acquisitions and Co-Productions, Charlotte Koh who was part of the SXSW session “How to Tell True Stories: Narrative vs. Documentary”.
“It’s becoming more competitive to get people’s attention because there is so much documentary product out there that can be watched through streamers and other ways,” Koh added.
Also on the panel moderated by Variety documentary journalist Addie Morfoot were Bryn Mooser,...
One could argue that we haven’t seen a doc boom in cinemas since 2018 which served up such breakouts as Won’t You Be My Neighbor ($22.8M), Three Identical Strangers ($12.3M) and Rbg ($14M). The pandemic is partially to blame as audiences have savored non-fiction stories on streaming, i.e. the Netflix series, Tiger King.
“It’s not that it doesn’t work theatrically,” explained Lionsgate EVP Acquisitions and Co-Productions, Charlotte Koh who was part of the SXSW session “How to Tell True Stories: Narrative vs. Documentary”.
“It’s becoming more competitive to get people’s attention because there is so much documentary product out there that can be watched through streamers and other ways,” Koh added.
Also on the panel moderated by Variety documentary journalist Addie Morfoot were Bryn Mooser,...
- 3/9/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Bradford Thomason and Brett Whitcomb’s feature documentary “Butterfly in the Sky,” about the beloved 1980’s PBS children’s series “Reading Rainbow” will be released in select AMC theaters and digitally through Fifth Season.
The film, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2023, takes audiences behind the scenes of the children’s series and tells the story of the show’s creators, who believed the small screen could inspire a love of reading. The docu also spotlights the show’s host LeVar Burton and gives an inside look at the challenges he and the show’s creators faced in cultivating a love of reading through television.
The doc, produced by Xtr, will have a limited theatrical release beginning on March 17 in select AMC theaters followed by a full run in New York and additional cities. The film’s digital and international rights have been acquired by Fifth Season. The...
The film, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2023, takes audiences behind the scenes of the children’s series and tells the story of the show’s creators, who believed the small screen could inspire a love of reading. The docu also spotlights the show’s host LeVar Burton and gives an inside look at the challenges he and the show’s creators faced in cultivating a love of reading through television.
The doc, produced by Xtr, will have a limited theatrical release beginning on March 17 in select AMC theaters followed by a full run in New York and additional cities. The film’s digital and international rights have been acquired by Fifth Season. The...
- 2/28/2024
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Documentary+ Acquires Oscar-Nominated Animated Short ‘Ninety-Five Senses,’ Starring Tim Blake Nelson
Exclusive: Fast channel Documentary+ has picked up worldwide rights to Ninety-Five Senses days after the film earned an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Short.
Ninety-Five Senses, produced by the “Mast” accelerator program of the Salt Lake Film Society, is directed by Jerusha and Jared Hess. The fictional film, inspired by nonfiction, tells “the story of a man facing his own mortality while reflecting on the grave mistakes of his youth. This is juxtaposed against the beauty of life and how we perceive it. ‘It may be that in the next life, we’ll have ninety-five senses,’ he muses. The film comprises five scenes, with connective vignettes, animated in six distinctive styles.”
‘Ninety-Five Senses’
It premieres today on Documentary+, which describes itself as the “leading documentary Fast channel and streaming platform.”
“The striking visual appeal and great storytelling of Ninety-Five Senses instantly attracted us to this short,” said Justin Lacob, head...
Ninety-Five Senses, produced by the “Mast” accelerator program of the Salt Lake Film Society, is directed by Jerusha and Jared Hess. The fictional film, inspired by nonfiction, tells “the story of a man facing his own mortality while reflecting on the grave mistakes of his youth. This is juxtaposed against the beauty of life and how we perceive it. ‘It may be that in the next life, we’ll have ninety-five senses,’ he muses. The film comprises five scenes, with connective vignettes, animated in six distinctive styles.”
‘Ninety-Five Senses’
It premieres today on Documentary+, which describes itself as the “leading documentary Fast channel and streaming platform.”
“The striking visual appeal and great storytelling of Ninety-Five Senses instantly attracted us to this short,” said Justin Lacob, head...
- 1/25/2024
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
Natasha Lyonne and Bryn Mooser pose for photos together while attending the 2024 Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday (January 7) in Beverly Hills, Calif.
The 44-year-old actress and the 44-year-old filmmaker were seen striking a couple of prom-like poses as they arrived for the annual event.
Natasha is actually a second time nominee at the show tonight, as she is nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy for her work in the Peacock series Poker Face! Her fellow nominees include Selena Gomez, Ayo Edebiri, Rachel Brosnahan, Elle Fanning and Quinta Brunson.
She was previously up for the same award in 2020 for her work on Russian Doll.
The week before, Natasha and Bryn attended the W Magazine and the Vanity Fair/Amazon’s MGM Studios parties. A month prior, they stepped out to support Macaulay Culkin at his Walk of Fame ceremony.
The 44-year-old actress and the 44-year-old filmmaker were seen striking a couple of prom-like poses as they arrived for the annual event.
Natasha is actually a second time nominee at the show tonight, as she is nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy for her work in the Peacock series Poker Face! Her fellow nominees include Selena Gomez, Ayo Edebiri, Rachel Brosnahan, Elle Fanning and Quinta Brunson.
She was previously up for the same award in 2020 for her work on Russian Doll.
The week before, Natasha and Bryn attended the W Magazine and the Vanity Fair/Amazon’s MGM Studios parties. A month prior, they stepped out to support Macaulay Culkin at his Walk of Fame ceremony.
- 1/8/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
Natasha Lyonne and Bryn Mooser pose for photos together while attending the 2024 Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday (January 7) in Beverly Hills, Calif.
The 44-year-old actress and the 44-year-old filmmaker were seen striking a couple of prom-like poses as they arrived for the annual event.
Natasha is actually a second time nominee at the show tonight, as she is nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy for her work in the Peacock series Poker Face! Her fellow nominees include Selena Gomez, Ayo Edibiri, Rachel Brosnahan, Elle Fanning and Quinta Brunson.
She was previously up for the same award in 2020 for her work on Russian Doll.
The week before, Natasha and Bryn attended the W Magazine and the Vanity Fair/Amazon’s MGM Studios parties. A month prior, they stepped out to support Macaulay Culkin at his Walk of Fame ceremony.
The 44-year-old actress and the 44-year-old filmmaker were seen striking a couple of prom-like poses as they arrived for the annual event.
Natasha is actually a second time nominee at the show tonight, as she is nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy for her work in the Peacock series Poker Face! Her fellow nominees include Selena Gomez, Ayo Edibiri, Rachel Brosnahan, Elle Fanning and Quinta Brunson.
She was previously up for the same award in 2020 for her work on Russian Doll.
The week before, Natasha and Bryn attended the W Magazine and the Vanity Fair/Amazon’s MGM Studios parties. A month prior, they stepped out to support Macaulay Culkin at his Walk of Fame ceremony.
- 1/8/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
W Magazine is kicking off Golden Globes weekend with a star-studded party!
Editor-in-Chief Sara Moonves and Editor-at-Large Lynn Hirschberg hosted their annual Best Performances Party in celebration of the magazine’s “Best Performances Issue” on Friday night (January 5) at Chateau Marmount in Los Angeles.
Best Performance cover stars Margot Robbie, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Nicolas Cage, and Colman Domingo, were all in attendance along featured stars Taraji P. Henson, Julia Garner, Barry Keoghan, Callum Turner, and Franz Rogowski.
Throughout the night, guests sipped on Casamigos Tequila cocktails and danced to a set by DJ Ross One. The evening was presented by legendary shoe designer Christian Louboutin.
Keep reading to find out more…
Keep scrolling to see all the stars that attended the party…
Abby Elliott
Addison Rae
Andrew Scott
Aurora James
Ayo Edebiri, Molly Gordon, & Rachel Sennott
Barry Keoghan
Fyi: Barry Keoghan is wearing an outfit by Stella McCartney with a Vacheron Constantin watch.
Editor-in-Chief Sara Moonves and Editor-at-Large Lynn Hirschberg hosted their annual Best Performances Party in celebration of the magazine’s “Best Performances Issue” on Friday night (January 5) at Chateau Marmount in Los Angeles.
Best Performance cover stars Margot Robbie, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Nicolas Cage, and Colman Domingo, were all in attendance along featured stars Taraji P. Henson, Julia Garner, Barry Keoghan, Callum Turner, and Franz Rogowski.
Throughout the night, guests sipped on Casamigos Tequila cocktails and danced to a set by DJ Ross One. The evening was presented by legendary shoe designer Christian Louboutin.
Keep reading to find out more…
Keep scrolling to see all the stars that attended the party…
Abby Elliott
Addison Rae
Andrew Scott
Aurora James
Ayo Edebiri, Molly Gordon, & Rachel Sennott
Barry Keoghan
Fyi: Barry Keoghan is wearing an outfit by Stella McCartney with a Vacheron Constantin watch.
- 1/6/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
Olivia Wilde is spending some time with longtime collaborator Bryn Mooser.
The 39-year-old actor and director was spotted out with Bryn, who is the head of the film production company Xtr, on Tuesday (December 19) in Los Angeles.
Photos from the outing were obtained by Et. In them, Olivia looked chic in a long gray coat while Bryn, 44, opted for a leather jacket.
Their meetup comes amid an exciting new collaboration!
Read more about Olivia Wilde and Bryn Mooser’s next collaboration…
Olivia is set to link up with Bryn while working on her next directing project, which will be her first documentary. It’s about the “storied, star-filled history of one of the world’s most iconic 1970s music venues,” according to Variety, who broke the news in late 2022.
This will not be the first time that they have worked together. In fact, their history can be traced back to...
The 39-year-old actor and director was spotted out with Bryn, who is the head of the film production company Xtr, on Tuesday (December 19) in Los Angeles.
Photos from the outing were obtained by Et. In them, Olivia looked chic in a long gray coat while Bryn, 44, opted for a leather jacket.
Their meetup comes amid an exciting new collaboration!
Read more about Olivia Wilde and Bryn Mooser’s next collaboration…
Olivia is set to link up with Bryn while working on her next directing project, which will be her first documentary. It’s about the “storied, star-filled history of one of the world’s most iconic 1970s music venues,” according to Variety, who broke the news in late 2022.
This will not be the first time that they have worked together. In fact, their history can be traced back to...
- 12/22/2023
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
Exclusive: Sandbox Films (Fire of Love) and Xtr (Ascension) have teamed to produce feature doc A Life Illuminated, exploring the life and legacy of pioneering marine biologist Edie Widder, in association with ocean exploration nonprofit OceanX.
Set to direct the pic is Tasha Van Zandt, the filmmaker behind such award-winning documentaries as After Antarctica, about legendary polar explorer Will Steger, and One Thousand Stories, about renowned artist Jr.
A Life Illuminated watches as Widder undertakes an extraordinary journey into the magical world of bioluminescence, through which she decodes the language of light that allows deep-sea life to communicate in complete darkness. It’s Widder’s unceasing need to understand and communicate with the most enigmatic forms of life on Earth that leads her to dive into the unknown, exploring the profound mysteries hidden beneath the ocean’s surface.
The film will draw upon Widder’s vast archive, from her earliest dives in deep sea submersibles,...
Set to direct the pic is Tasha Van Zandt, the filmmaker behind such award-winning documentaries as After Antarctica, about legendary polar explorer Will Steger, and One Thousand Stories, about renowned artist Jr.
A Life Illuminated watches as Widder undertakes an extraordinary journey into the magical world of bioluminescence, through which she decodes the language of light that allows deep-sea life to communicate in complete darkness. It’s Widder’s unceasing need to understand and communicate with the most enigmatic forms of life on Earth that leads her to dive into the unknown, exploring the profound mysteries hidden beneath the ocean’s surface.
The film will draw upon Widder’s vast archive, from her earliest dives in deep sea submersibles,...
- 12/19/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Peacock has acquired U.S. rights to Waad Al-Kateab’s second feature-length documentary “We Dare to Dream.”
The pact comes after the 93-minute film made its world premiere in June at the Tribeca Film Festival and had a Oscar qualifying theatrical run at New York City’s IFC Center in October. The docu, about the refugee Olympic team at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, will begin streaming on Peacock on Dec. 1.
“The fact that Peacock has now acquired our film gives me hope that millions of people will be able to understand our story, and that we, the world’s refugees, are not the crisis,” says Al-Kateab. “We are a consequence of multiple crises in the world from climate instability to political conflict that are causing millions, like me and my children, to lose their homes and their way of life. With new crises at a breaking point today, I think...
The pact comes after the 93-minute film made its world premiere in June at the Tribeca Film Festival and had a Oscar qualifying theatrical run at New York City’s IFC Center in October. The docu, about the refugee Olympic team at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, will begin streaming on Peacock on Dec. 1.
“The fact that Peacock has now acquired our film gives me hope that millions of people will be able to understand our story, and that we, the world’s refugees, are not the crisis,” says Al-Kateab. “We are a consequence of multiple crises in the world from climate instability to political conflict that are causing millions, like me and my children, to lose their homes and their way of life. With new crises at a breaking point today, I think...
- 12/1/2023
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
John Legend is lending his voice to “We Dare to Dream,” a documentary about the refugee Olympic team at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
Legend will write, compose and record “Don’t Need to Sleep,” an original song for the docu, which will open theatrically Oct. 20 at New York’s IFC Center.
Legend as well as his Get Lifted Film co-founders Mike Jackson and Ty Stiklorius will serve as executive producers on the project alongside Angelina Jolie.
“I am honored to contribute an original song to ‘We Dare to Dream,'” says Legend. “Waad Al-Kateab has created an important film and I hope “Don’t Need to Sleep” does the documentary and its extraordinary subjects justice.”
“We Dare to Dream” is director Waad Al-Kateab’s second feature doc. In her first film, “For Sama,” which was nominated for an Academy Award, the Syrian director used her camera to capture her daily...
Legend will write, compose and record “Don’t Need to Sleep,” an original song for the docu, which will open theatrically Oct. 20 at New York’s IFC Center.
Legend as well as his Get Lifted Film co-founders Mike Jackson and Ty Stiklorius will serve as executive producers on the project alongside Angelina Jolie.
“I am honored to contribute an original song to ‘We Dare to Dream,'” says Legend. “Waad Al-Kateab has created an important film and I hope “Don’t Need to Sleep” does the documentary and its extraordinary subjects justice.”
“We Dare to Dream” is director Waad Al-Kateab’s second feature doc. In her first film, “For Sama,” which was nominated for an Academy Award, the Syrian director used her camera to capture her daily...
- 10/17/2023
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Inside Schiaparelli’s L.A. Party With Jennifer Lopez, Designer Daniel Roseberry and Evil Eye Cookies
“The relationship between fashion and celebrities can feel very transactional,” said Daniel Roseberry, the Hollywood-loved artistic director of Schiaparelli, at a party for the brand on Thursday, Oct. 12 in Los Angeles.
All around him at the event — held at the iconic Mayan-style John Sowden House in Los Feliz, designed in 1926 by Lloyd Wright — there were actresses aplenty wearing the label’s surrealist-infused looks.
Jennifer Lopez posed by the pool in a strapless corset dress with golden evil-eye details at the waist. Demi Moore chatted with Angela Bassett and the latter’s stylist Jennifer Austin by the bar, as waiters passed around cookies decorated to look like evil eye symbols, one of the house’s signature design codes. Elsewhere, Gabrielle Union, Taraji P. Henson, Olivia Wilde, Natasha Lyonne (with filmmaker and Xtr founder Bryn Mooser), Regina King and director Janicza Bravo all hung out in a lively large group.
#JenniferLopez arrives...
All around him at the event — held at the iconic Mayan-style John Sowden House in Los Feliz, designed in 1926 by Lloyd Wright — there were actresses aplenty wearing the label’s surrealist-infused looks.
Jennifer Lopez posed by the pool in a strapless corset dress with golden evil-eye details at the waist. Demi Moore chatted with Angela Bassett and the latter’s stylist Jennifer Austin by the bar, as waiters passed around cookies decorated to look like evil eye symbols, one of the house’s signature design codes. Elsewhere, Gabrielle Union, Taraji P. Henson, Olivia Wilde, Natasha Lyonne (with filmmaker and Xtr founder Bryn Mooser), Regina King and director Janicza Bravo all hung out in a lively large group.
#JenniferLopez arrives...
- 10/13/2023
- by Degen Pener
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Freeform has added three new unscripted series, “Chrissy & Dave Dine Out,” “Royal Rules of Ohio” and “Sasha Reid and The Midnight Order” to its slate.
Previously set at Hulu, “Chrissy & Dave” and “Royal Rules of Ohio” will now debut linearly on Freeform, with episodes available for streaming on Hulu the next day. Joel Kim Booster hosts the restaurant series alongside Chrissy Teigen and David Chang where they take viewers to must-try restaurants in Los Angeles that are unexpected. As Chang gets to work in the kitchen with the restaurant’s chef, Teigen and Booster host a crop of hand-picked celebrity guests for an entertaining dinner party.
The premiere episode will find them dining out at the wildly popular restaurant Pizzeria Bianco, where Chef Chris Bianco serves up some of the best pizza in the country. Joining them as guests will be late-night host Jimmy Kimmel and his wife, writer/producer Molly McNearney.
Previously set at Hulu, “Chrissy & Dave” and “Royal Rules of Ohio” will now debut linearly on Freeform, with episodes available for streaming on Hulu the next day. Joel Kim Booster hosts the restaurant series alongside Chrissy Teigen and David Chang where they take viewers to must-try restaurants in Los Angeles that are unexpected. As Chang gets to work in the kitchen with the restaurant’s chef, Teigen and Booster host a crop of hand-picked celebrity guests for an entertaining dinner party.
The premiere episode will find them dining out at the wildly popular restaurant Pizzeria Bianco, where Chef Chris Bianco serves up some of the best pizza in the country. Joining them as guests will be late-night host Jimmy Kimmel and his wife, writer/producer Molly McNearney.
- 9/27/2023
- by BreAnna Bell
- Variety Film + TV
Freeform is adding three unscripted series to its slate, including two that originated at Hulu.
Chrissy & Dave Dine Out and Royal Rules of Ohio will now premiere on Freeform where they’re considered a better fit for the female-friendly lineup; they will be available to stream the next day on Hulu.
The third is Sasha Reid and the Midnight Order, a documentary series following Dr. Sasha Reid and her secret society of young women who solve crimes.
Freeform expects to reveal new scripted pickups in the coming weeks.
Chrissy & Dave follows Chrissy Teigen and David Chang, who, along with Joel Kim Booster, will be “cracking the restaurant scene wide open in Los Angeles. While David gets his hands dirty in the back of house with the restaurant’s chef, Chrissy and Joel will hold court in the front of house, hosting an always loose, unexpected and entertaining dinner party with...
Chrissy & Dave Dine Out and Royal Rules of Ohio will now premiere on Freeform where they’re considered a better fit for the female-friendly lineup; they will be available to stream the next day on Hulu.
The third is Sasha Reid and the Midnight Order, a documentary series following Dr. Sasha Reid and her secret society of young women who solve crimes.
Freeform expects to reveal new scripted pickups in the coming weeks.
Chrissy & Dave follows Chrissy Teigen and David Chang, who, along with Joel Kim Booster, will be “cracking the restaurant scene wide open in Los Angeles. While David gets his hands dirty in the back of house with the restaurant’s chef, Chrissy and Joel will hold court in the front of house, hosting an always loose, unexpected and entertaining dinner party with...
- 9/27/2023
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
Writers and actors aren’t the only people in Hollywood grappling with the impact generative artificial intelligence will have on the entertainment industry. Documentarians are also concerned about AI and what it means for the ethical standards and practices of nonfiction filmmaking.
Many have used AI to transcribe interviews in the past few years and in recent months generative-ai models including ChatGPT and Midjourney have helped docu assistant editors create spreadsheets and visual placeholders as well as extract and catalogue metadata. But recent advancements in AI, such as the ability to generate fake photographs and only needing three seconds of someone’s voice to create synthesized audio of that person saying anything, have filmmakers like Dawn Porter (“The ‘Lady Bird Diaries”) worried.
“We are supposed to be the truth, and it might be the truth as we see it, but we are also supposed to be transparent,” says Porter. “I...
Many have used AI to transcribe interviews in the past few years and in recent months generative-ai models including ChatGPT and Midjourney have helped docu assistant editors create spreadsheets and visual placeholders as well as extract and catalogue metadata. But recent advancements in AI, such as the ability to generate fake photographs and only needing three seconds of someone’s voice to create synthesized audio of that person saying anything, have filmmakers like Dawn Porter (“The ‘Lady Bird Diaries”) worried.
“We are supposed to be the truth, and it might be the truth as we see it, but we are also supposed to be transparent,” says Porter. “I...
- 8/1/2023
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: After producing Gasoline Rainbow, the latest boundary-pushing work from rising star filmmakers Bill Ross IV and Turner Ross, which is set to world premiere in the Orizzonti section of this year’s Venice Film Festival, Mubi has retained U.S. rights and set the film for theatrical release in 2024.
The Match Factory is handling international sales.
Starring newcomers Tony Abuerto, Micah Bunch, Nichole Dukes, Nathaly Garcia and Makai Garza, the film written, produced, shot and directed by the Ross Brothers follows five teenagers from small-town Oregon who, with high school in the rearview, decide to embark on one last adventure. Piling into a van with a busted taillight, their mission is to make it to a place they’ve never been —the Pacific coast, five hundred miles away. Their plan, in full: “F**k it.”
By van, boat, train, and foot, their improvised odyssey takes them through desert wilderness,...
The Match Factory is handling international sales.
Starring newcomers Tony Abuerto, Micah Bunch, Nichole Dukes, Nathaly Garcia and Makai Garza, the film written, produced, shot and directed by the Ross Brothers follows five teenagers from small-town Oregon who, with high school in the rearview, decide to embark on one last adventure. Piling into a van with a busted taillight, their mission is to make it to a place they’ve never been —the Pacific coast, five hundred miles away. Their plan, in full: “F**k it.”
By van, boat, train, and foot, their improvised odyssey takes them through desert wilderness,...
- 8/1/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
As the SAG-AFTRA strike gets underway, documentary filmmakers are still at work. But despite the fact that the dual strike by actors and their writer counterparts in the WGA could lead to gaps in narrative content for broadcast networks and streaming companies, the doc industry isn’t holding out much hope that studios will start flooding money into documentaries.
“There’s a feeling of solidarity and support for SAG and for the WGA,” says Bryn Mooser, founder of nonfiction film and television studio Xtr. “The struggle they are facing is a struggle that doc filmmakers have also faced since the beginning of the industry on the documentary side, which is fair pay and making sure we are represented in the right way, et cetera. But if anybody thought that this would mean that (studios) will just shift resources to a different part of the industry like docs while this gets figured out,...
“There’s a feeling of solidarity and support for SAG and for the WGA,” says Bryn Mooser, founder of nonfiction film and television studio Xtr. “The struggle they are facing is a struggle that doc filmmakers have also faced since the beginning of the industry on the documentary side, which is fair pay and making sure we are represented in the right way, et cetera. But if anybody thought that this would mean that (studios) will just shift resources to a different part of the industry like docs while this gets figured out,...
- 7/14/2023
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Oscar-winning actor and activist Angelina Jolie has signed on as an executive producer on We Dare to Dream, the new documentary from Oscar-nominated director Waad Al-Kateab (For Sama).
We Dare to Dream tells the story of the young, stateless athletes from Iran, Syria, South Sudan and Cameroon who competed together under the banner of the Ioc Refugee Olympic team at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. We Dare to Dream has its world premiere at the Tribeca Festival on Sunday.
Jolie has long been a vocal advocate for the rights of refugees. The actor and filmmaker served as a goodwill ambassador for Un refugee agency the Unhcr from 2001 to 2012 and as a special envoy from 2012 to 2022.
“I have long admired Angelina’s clear-sighted and principled approach to human rights and refugee issues,” Al-Kateab said in a statement. “She has been a true ally to the refugee community and to me personally over the last two years.
We Dare to Dream tells the story of the young, stateless athletes from Iran, Syria, South Sudan and Cameroon who competed together under the banner of the Ioc Refugee Olympic team at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. We Dare to Dream has its world premiere at the Tribeca Festival on Sunday.
Jolie has long been a vocal advocate for the rights of refugees. The actor and filmmaker served as a goodwill ambassador for Un refugee agency the Unhcr from 2001 to 2012 and as a special envoy from 2012 to 2022.
“I have long admired Angelina’s clear-sighted and principled approach to human rights and refugee issues,” Al-Kateab said in a statement. “She has been a true ally to the refugee community and to me personally over the last two years.
- 6/9/2023
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Every creator on earth now feels the guiding hand of AI.
On social media, TikTokers are rewarded with massive views for tailoring content to an algorithm that is meticulously designed to trigger dopamine release. In Hollywood, producers are rewarded with lucrative film deals for developing projects that feed the black box AI at studios and streaming platforms, which keep valuable viewership data insights to themselves. That viewership data is built via feedback loops created by recommendation engines reinforced by the very viewer behaviors they shape in the first place. It is value creation increasingly usurped by machines, and between TikTok and streaming platforms, the precious space that allows for human-first innovation is closing. TikTokification is metastasizing.
The Writers Guild is right to push for protections against AI, but nowhere are these protections more urgent than in the documentary and nonfiction space, where I have worked both as a producer and a writer.
On social media, TikTokers are rewarded with massive views for tailoring content to an algorithm that is meticulously designed to trigger dopamine release. In Hollywood, producers are rewarded with lucrative film deals for developing projects that feed the black box AI at studios and streaming platforms, which keep valuable viewership data insights to themselves. That viewership data is built via feedback loops created by recommendation engines reinforced by the very viewer behaviors they shape in the first place. It is value creation increasingly usurped by machines, and between TikTok and streaming platforms, the precious space that allows for human-first innovation is closing. TikTokification is metastasizing.
The Writers Guild is right to push for protections against AI, but nowhere are these protections more urgent than in the documentary and nonfiction space, where I have worked both as a producer and a writer.
- 5/4/2023
- by Emmet McDermott
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
When “Summer of Soul” sold for $15 million out of the 2021 pandemic-virtual Sundance Film Festival, we saw the peak of the documentary boom. Questlove’s feature debut was a Sundance record, but it wasn’t alone; other Sundance docs like “Fire of Love” and “Flee” sold for high-seven figures.
Today, Sundance 2023 premiere “It’s Only Life After All,” which included its subjects the Indigo Girls performing at the festival’s Opening Night fundraiser, has yet to find a buyer. Ditto “Going Varsity in Mariachi,” “The Disappearance of Shere Hite,” or Doug Liman’s Brett Kavanaugh doc “Justice.”
Sundance also had documentaries that came with distribution, like Hulu’s “Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields,” Amazon’s “Judy Blume Forever,” and Apple’s “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie.” However, if you’re looking for documentaries that aren’t based on high-recognition IP, or concepts that can’t be parceled into irresistible, cliff-hanging episodes — well,...
Today, Sundance 2023 premiere “It’s Only Life After All,” which included its subjects the Indigo Girls performing at the festival’s Opening Night fundraiser, has yet to find a buyer. Ditto “Going Varsity in Mariachi,” “The Disappearance of Shere Hite,” or Doug Liman’s Brett Kavanaugh doc “Justice.”
Sundance also had documentaries that came with distribution, like Hulu’s “Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields,” Amazon’s “Judy Blume Forever,” and Apple’s “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie.” However, if you’re looking for documentaries that aren’t based on high-recognition IP, or concepts that can’t be parceled into irresistible, cliff-hanging episodes — well,...
- 4/11/2023
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Exclusive: The docuseries based on The Sound: Mystery of Havana Syndrome podcast is moving a step closer to fruition.
Xtr, the non-fiction studio behind Apple’s They Call Me Magic and Oscar-nominated Ascension, has boarded the project, which comes from Project Brazen.
Deadline revealed in January that Project Brazen, which was launched by Pulitzer finalists Tom Wright and Bradley Hope, were launching the podcast, hosted by Nicky Woolf, who hosted Audible’s Qanon podcast Finding Q.
At the time, Project Brazen was also developing it as a docuseries with Prx and Xtr will now co-produce. Prx is no longer involved.
Havana Syndrome is a medical condition allegedly affecting U.S. diplomats in countries such as Cuba. The series will explore the events that began in December 2016, when a U.S. official in Havana went to the embassy medical center to report a debilitating and confounding illness that included headaches, nausea,...
Xtr, the non-fiction studio behind Apple’s They Call Me Magic and Oscar-nominated Ascension, has boarded the project, which comes from Project Brazen.
Deadline revealed in January that Project Brazen, which was launched by Pulitzer finalists Tom Wright and Bradley Hope, were launching the podcast, hosted by Nicky Woolf, who hosted Audible’s Qanon podcast Finding Q.
At the time, Project Brazen was also developing it as a docuseries with Prx and Xtr will now co-produce. Prx is no longer involved.
Havana Syndrome is a medical condition allegedly affecting U.S. diplomats in countries such as Cuba. The series will explore the events that began in December 2016, when a U.S. official in Havana went to the embassy medical center to report a debilitating and confounding illness that included headaches, nausea,...
- 4/3/2023
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
New York-based film and TV studio and streaming network FilmRise has acquired North American distribution rights to true-crime documentary feature film “The Thief Collector.”
Directed by Emmy winner Allison Otto (“The Love Bugs”), the film follows one of the most audacious and puzzling art thefts of a generation. In 1985, Willem de Kooning’s seminal work, “Woman-Ochre,” was sliced from its frame and stolen off the walls of the University of Arizona Museum of Art, disappearing into the desert. Over 30 years later, in a remote town in New Mexico, the $160 million dollar painting was rediscovered in the unlikeliest of places – the home of an eccentric married couple, both schoolteachers, with a keen eye for great works but a very unconventional method of collecting them. The film features Glenn Howerton co-creator, director, writer and star of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.”
“The Thief Collector” had its world premiere at the 2022 SXSW Film...
Directed by Emmy winner Allison Otto (“The Love Bugs”), the film follows one of the most audacious and puzzling art thefts of a generation. In 1985, Willem de Kooning’s seminal work, “Woman-Ochre,” was sliced from its frame and stolen off the walls of the University of Arizona Museum of Art, disappearing into the desert. Over 30 years later, in a remote town in New Mexico, the $160 million dollar painting was rediscovered in the unlikeliest of places – the home of an eccentric married couple, both schoolteachers, with a keen eye for great works but a very unconventional method of collecting them. The film features Glenn Howerton co-creator, director, writer and star of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.”
“The Thief Collector” had its world premiere at the 2022 SXSW Film...
- 3/22/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
AMC Networks is throwing everything it’s got at Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches.
The company will simulcast the series, which is the second in the Rice universe following Interview with a Vampire, across all five of its linear networks as well as streamer AMC+.
Interview with a Vampire, which has been renewed for a second season, debuted on AMC and AMC+.
The company has also set a companion documentary All of Them Witches to run alongside the drama series.
Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches will premiere on Sunday January 8 at 9pm. It will also air on AMC Networks’ streamers Shudder, Sundance Now, Acorn and Allblk from Thursday January 12.
The eight-part series, which is based on Rice’s trilogy of books, focuses on an intuitive young neurosurgeon, Rowan Fielding, played by Alexandra Daddario, who discovers that she is the unlikely heir to a family of witches. As she grapples with her newfound powers,...
The company will simulcast the series, which is the second in the Rice universe following Interview with a Vampire, across all five of its linear networks as well as streamer AMC+.
Interview with a Vampire, which has been renewed for a second season, debuted on AMC and AMC+.
The company has also set a companion documentary All of Them Witches to run alongside the drama series.
Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches will premiere on Sunday January 8 at 9pm. It will also air on AMC Networks’ streamers Shudder, Sundance Now, Acorn and Allblk from Thursday January 12.
The eight-part series, which is based on Rice’s trilogy of books, focuses on an intuitive young neurosurgeon, Rowan Fielding, played by Alexandra Daddario, who discovers that she is the unlikely heir to a family of witches. As she grapples with her newfound powers,...
- 12/20/2022
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
“Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches” will launch next month via a five-network simulcast premiere on AMC Networks. The world premiere will take place across BBC America, IFC, SundanceTV and We TV alongside AMC and AMC+ on Sunday, January 8 at 9 p.m. Et.
In addition to the series debut, the network has set “All of Them Witches,” a documentary exploring the history of witches, to be released on Dec. 21 on AMC+ and on Jan. 2 at 10 p.m. Et on AMC as a companion special.
Based on Rice’s best-selling trilogy, “Lives of the Mayfair Witches,” the eight-episode series focuses on an intuitive young neurosurgeon, Rowan Fielding (Alexandra Daddario), who discovers that she is the unlikely heir to a family of witches. As she grapples with her newfound powers, she must contend with a sinister presence that has haunted her family for generations.
Alexandra Daddario leads the cast as Rowan Mayfair. Jack Huston...
In addition to the series debut, the network has set “All of Them Witches,” a documentary exploring the history of witches, to be released on Dec. 21 on AMC+ and on Jan. 2 at 10 p.m. Et on AMC as a companion special.
Based on Rice’s best-selling trilogy, “Lives of the Mayfair Witches,” the eight-episode series focuses on an intuitive young neurosurgeon, Rowan Fielding (Alexandra Daddario), who discovers that she is the unlikely heir to a family of witches. As she grapples with her newfound powers, she must contend with a sinister presence that has haunted her family for generations.
Alexandra Daddario leads the cast as Rowan Mayfair. Jack Huston...
- 12/20/2022
- by BreAnna Bell
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Documentary+, the free streaming service launched by non-fiction studio Xtr, is moving into original series for the first time.
The platform is preparing to launch two series – Picture Locked and In My Own Words. It will launch the pair this month, coming on the back of original doc feature launches including The Sentence of Michael Thompson and When The LAPD Blows Up Your Neighborhood.
Picture Locked is an immersive retrospective with documentary filmmakers providing an in-depth breakdown of their breakthrough works, taking audiences shot by shot through the twists and turns of their process, while dissecting their own journeys as directors and the industry at large.
The series will explore films including explore Matt Ogens’ Confessions of a Superhero, chronicling the lives of costumed performers on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Bryan and Amy Storkel’s Holy Rollers, following a blackjack team of devoted card-counting Christians as they win millions from casinos,...
The platform is preparing to launch two series – Picture Locked and In My Own Words. It will launch the pair this month, coming on the back of original doc feature launches including The Sentence of Michael Thompson and When The LAPD Blows Up Your Neighborhood.
Picture Locked is an immersive retrospective with documentary filmmakers providing an in-depth breakdown of their breakthrough works, taking audiences shot by shot through the twists and turns of their process, while dissecting their own journeys as directors and the industry at large.
The series will explore films including explore Matt Ogens’ Confessions of a Superhero, chronicling the lives of costumed performers on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Bryan and Amy Storkel’s Holy Rollers, following a blackjack team of devoted card-counting Christians as they win millions from casinos,...
- 12/19/2022
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
The implosion of cryptocurrency platform Ftx and its increasingly infamous founder Sam Bankman-Fried is the subject of a new documentary from premium nonfiction studio Xtr.
The company behind docs including “They Call Me Magic,” “Meet Me in the Bathroom” and the Emmy and Peabody award-winning “76 Days” is already in production on the untitled Ftx feature. Oscar nominee and Emmy winner David Darg is directing and presently on the ground in the Bahamas, where Ftx is headquartered and where Bankman-Fried is currently being questioned by securities officials.
The project touts “unprecedented access to key players at Ftx and the cryptocurrency community.” The doc “will explore the corporate drama that upended markets, sparked government investigations and sent shock waves through an industry still battling to gain mainstream credibility,” the filmmakers told Variety.
The international scandal has riveted the entertainment and media sector over the past month, since Ftx’s liquidity was called into question.
The company behind docs including “They Call Me Magic,” “Meet Me in the Bathroom” and the Emmy and Peabody award-winning “76 Days” is already in production on the untitled Ftx feature. Oscar nominee and Emmy winner David Darg is directing and presently on the ground in the Bahamas, where Ftx is headquartered and where Bankman-Fried is currently being questioned by securities officials.
The project touts “unprecedented access to key players at Ftx and the cryptocurrency community.” The doc “will explore the corporate drama that upended markets, sparked government investigations and sent shock waves through an industry still battling to gain mainstream credibility,” the filmmakers told Variety.
The international scandal has riveted the entertainment and media sector over the past month, since Ftx’s liquidity was called into question.
- 11/17/2022
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
Olivia Wilde is in talks to make her feature documentary directorial debut with the nonfiction studio Xtr.
The doc will chronicle the storied, star-filled history of one of the world’s most iconic 1970s music venues. The under-wraps project has been in development for about a year, and more details are coming soon.
“Olivia and I met around 15 years ago and worked together in Haiti after the [2010] earthquake,” says Xtr founder and CEO Bryn Mooser. “I started making films there, and she would always help out with them. I’ve been encouraging her to direct this doc for a long time.” Wilde helmed the 2011 comedy short “Free Hugs,” which Mooser produced, and she exec produced several short docs that he directed or produced since 2010’s “Sun City Picture House,” including 2015’s “Body Team 12,” which earned both of them News and Documentary Emmys.
The doc feature is just the latest in...
The doc will chronicle the storied, star-filled history of one of the world’s most iconic 1970s music venues. The under-wraps project has been in development for about a year, and more details are coming soon.
“Olivia and I met around 15 years ago and worked together in Haiti after the [2010] earthquake,” says Xtr founder and CEO Bryn Mooser. “I started making films there, and she would always help out with them. I’ve been encouraging her to direct this doc for a long time.” Wilde helmed the 2011 comedy short “Free Hugs,” which Mooser produced, and she exec produced several short docs that he directed or produced since 2010’s “Sun City Picture House,” including 2015’s “Body Team 12,” which earned both of them News and Documentary Emmys.
The doc feature is just the latest in...
- 11/3/2022
- by Gregg Goldstein
- Variety Film + TV
IFC Films is acquiring North American rights to “Lakota Nation vs. United States,” a documentary about the Lakota Indians’ quest to reclaim the Black Hills. That sacred land was stolen in violation of treaty agreements, and the film, from directors Jesse Short Bull and Laura Tomaselli, looks at the many ways that the U.S. has ignored, overlooked and failed to grapple with the historical wrongs done to Indigenous communities.
“Lakota Nation vs. United States” is narrated by and features the poetry of acclaimed Ogala Lakota poet Layli Long Soldier, winner of the National Books Critics Circle award and finalist for the National Book Award. The score is composed by Raven Chacon, recipient of the 2022 Pulitzer Prize for “Voiceless Mass,” and director of photography is Kevin Phillips (“Super Dark Times”). The Lakota activists featured in the film include Nick Tilsen and Krystal Two Bulls, two organizers of today’s Landback movement,...
“Lakota Nation vs. United States” is narrated by and features the poetry of acclaimed Ogala Lakota poet Layli Long Soldier, winner of the National Books Critics Circle award and finalist for the National Book Award. The score is composed by Raven Chacon, recipient of the 2022 Pulitzer Prize for “Voiceless Mass,” and director of photography is Kevin Phillips (“Super Dark Times”). The Lakota activists featured in the film include Nick Tilsen and Krystal Two Bulls, two organizers of today’s Landback movement,...
- 11/1/2022
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Documentary+, the free streaming service launched by non-fiction studio Xtr, has launched its latest slate of original feature docs.
The service is launching three new films in October and November in addition to The Sentence of Michael Thompson, which is coming to the service after its debut on MSNBC, and When The LAPD Blows Up Your Neighborhood, which was the service’s first original.
The streamer launched in 2020 and is available in 95M households as both on-demand and via Fast channel platforms.
Crypto Farmers, which launches on November 8, comes from director Nick Aldrige, who helmed Hillsong Church: God Goes Viral that aired on the BBC Storyville strand.
It examines the unlikely relationship between a young cryptocurrency entrepreneur and struggling farmers in rural Wales. As farms in Britain continue to shut down due to unprofitability, Crypto Farmers follows a group of Britons as they build hydro, solar, and manure-powered crypto...
The service is launching three new films in October and November in addition to The Sentence of Michael Thompson, which is coming to the service after its debut on MSNBC, and When The LAPD Blows Up Your Neighborhood, which was the service’s first original.
The streamer launched in 2020 and is available in 95M households as both on-demand and via Fast channel platforms.
Crypto Farmers, which launches on November 8, comes from director Nick Aldrige, who helmed Hillsong Church: God Goes Viral that aired on the BBC Storyville strand.
It examines the unlikely relationship between a young cryptocurrency entrepreneur and struggling farmers in rural Wales. As farms in Britain continue to shut down due to unprofitability, Crypto Farmers follows a group of Britons as they build hydro, solar, and manure-powered crypto...
- 10/24/2022
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: The timely documentary The Sentence of Michael Thompson will be reaching a big audience soon, courtesy of MSNBC and Xtr’s streaming service Documentary+.
The cable news channel will premiere the short film on October 30, with the Documentary+ debut coming on November 1. The film, directed by Kyle Thrash and Haley Elizabeth Anderson, focuses on Thompson, “the longest serving non-violent offender in Michigan history,” who became the subject of an intense legal battle to win his freedom. [See teaser below]
“In 1994, Thompson was sentenced to 42 to 60 years in prison for selling three pounds of cannabis to a close friend turned police informant, and he remained there even as Michigan legalized the recreational use of marijuana,” a release about the film said. Prior drug possession convictions contributed to his draconian sentence, as did a dubious weapons charge (police searched his residence after his arrest and found some antique guns and some other weapons that...
The cable news channel will premiere the short film on October 30, with the Documentary+ debut coming on November 1. The film, directed by Kyle Thrash and Haley Elizabeth Anderson, focuses on Thompson, “the longest serving non-violent offender in Michigan history,” who became the subject of an intense legal battle to win his freedom. [See teaser below]
“In 1994, Thompson was sentenced to 42 to 60 years in prison for selling three pounds of cannabis to a close friend turned police informant, and he remained there even as Michigan legalized the recreational use of marijuana,” a release about the film said. Prior drug possession convictions contributed to his draconian sentence, as did a dubious weapons charge (police searched his residence after his arrest and found some antique guns and some other weapons that...
- 10/13/2022
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Vertical Entertainment has secured North American, United Kingdom, and Ireland distribution rights to Broadway Rising, Amy Rice’s documentary chronicling the reopening of Broadway after the 2020 Covid pandemic shutdown.
With Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Justin Mikita among its producers, Broadway Rising charts the industry’s journey back to the stage after going dark on March 12, 2020, and also examines the entire financial ecosystem that supports New York theater, including hundreds of restaurant owners and staff, costume houses, designers and more.
“Broadway Rising is an inspirational film recounting the Broadway community’s resilience depicting the highs and lows of its comeback, and New York’s comeback by extension as the two are so intertwined,” said Vertical’s SVP of Acquisitions Tony Piantedosi.
Rice’s credits include HBO’s By the People: The Election of Barack Obama and The Newsroom.
In addition to Ferguson, a Tony winner for Take Me Home, and...
With Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Justin Mikita among its producers, Broadway Rising charts the industry’s journey back to the stage after going dark on March 12, 2020, and also examines the entire financial ecosystem that supports New York theater, including hundreds of restaurant owners and staff, costume houses, designers and more.
“Broadway Rising is an inspirational film recounting the Broadway community’s resilience depicting the highs and lows of its comeback, and New York’s comeback by extension as the two are so intertwined,” said Vertical’s SVP of Acquisitions Tony Piantedosi.
Rice’s credits include HBO’s By the People: The Election of Barack Obama and The Newsroom.
In addition to Ferguson, a Tony winner for Take Me Home, and...
- 10/6/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
Bryn Mooser, CEO and founder of nonfiction entertainment studio Xtr, says he wants to see more production on L.A.’s Eastside, a historic area for movie filming.
“Echo Park in particular is sort of where the center of the creative community is, especially for documentary filmmakers,” says the Oscar-nominated producer (Lifeboat, Body Team 12). “The neighborhood used to be called Edendale, and that’s where the first Hollywood studios were. Charlie Chaplin’s studio, the Keystone Studios, Mary Pickford, everybody was here. The first talkie was filmed probably a mile or so away. So there’s this history of making things here, which is really exciting.”
That’s what drew Mooser, a fifth-generation Angeleno, to open Xtr’s new 35,000-square-foot production facility and headquarters on a cul-de-sac in Echo Park (in the former home of BelleVarado Studios). The studio, established in 2019 and previously...
Bryn Mooser, CEO and founder of nonfiction entertainment studio Xtr, says he wants to see more production on L.A.’s Eastside, a historic area for movie filming.
“Echo Park in particular is sort of where the center of the creative community is, especially for documentary filmmakers,” says the Oscar-nominated producer (Lifeboat, Body Team 12). “The neighborhood used to be called Edendale, and that’s where the first Hollywood studios were. Charlie Chaplin’s studio, the Keystone Studios, Mary Pickford, everybody was here. The first talkie was filmed probably a mile or so away. So there’s this history of making things here, which is really exciting.”
That’s what drew Mooser, a fifth-generation Angeleno, to open Xtr’s new 35,000-square-foot production facility and headquarters on a cul-de-sac in Echo Park (in the former home of BelleVarado Studios). The studio, established in 2019 and previously...
- 10/2/2022
- by Evan Nicole Brown
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Utopia and Showtime have partnered to acquire “Meet Me in the Bathroom,” the documentary film about the early 2000s New York City rock and roll scene that made its premiere at this year’s Sundance.
Will Lovelace and Dylan Southern directed the film that’s based on the 2017 book by Lizzy Goodman. Goodman’s book is a comprehensive oral history of the bands that redefined the rock scene in the early 2000s and late ’90s, including The Strokes, Interpol, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, LCD Soundsystem and more. The film specifically is an assemble of archival footage from that era and forgoes talking head interviews, instead featuring rare early performances and behind the scenes looks at NYC’s top bands.
Utopia will release the film theatrically in theaters later this year, and Showtime will air “Meet Me in the Bathroom” by the end of 2022.
Also Read:
Why ‘Meet Me in the Bathroom...
Will Lovelace and Dylan Southern directed the film that’s based on the 2017 book by Lizzy Goodman. Goodman’s book is a comprehensive oral history of the bands that redefined the rock scene in the early 2000s and late ’90s, including The Strokes, Interpol, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, LCD Soundsystem and more. The film specifically is an assemble of archival footage from that era and forgoes talking head interviews, instead featuring rare early performances and behind the scenes looks at NYC’s top bands.
Utopia will release the film theatrically in theaters later this year, and Showtime will air “Meet Me in the Bathroom” by the end of 2022.
Also Read:
Why ‘Meet Me in the Bathroom...
- 8/10/2022
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Utopia and Showtime have acquired the North American rights to Pulse Films’ “Meet Me in the Bathroom,” a documentary about the explosion of rock ‘n’ roll that helped define the early 2000s in New York City and ushered in a new generation of musical talent. The film, which is directed by Will Lovelace and Dylan Southern, premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Utopia will release “Meet Me in the Bathroom” in theaters later this year. The film will air on Showtime at the end of 2022.
Based on the hit 2017 oral history of the same name by Lizzy Goodman, “Meet Me in the Bathroom” says it “tells the story of the last great romantic age of rock,” one that looks at the impact that bands like The Strokes, LCD Soundsystem, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Interpol had on revitalizing the cultural life of a reeling, post-9/11 city. To tell its story of this pivotal moment in music,...
Based on the hit 2017 oral history of the same name by Lizzy Goodman, “Meet Me in the Bathroom” says it “tells the story of the last great romantic age of rock,” one that looks at the impact that bands like The Strokes, LCD Soundsystem, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Interpol had on revitalizing the cultural life of a reeling, post-9/11 city. To tell its story of this pivotal moment in music,...
- 8/10/2022
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
As we know all too well, freedom and justice aren’t for all in America.
Sundance documentary “Free Chol Soo Lee” centers on the racial profiling and subsequent arrest of then 20-year-old Korean immigrant Chol Soo Lee who was accused of a gang-related murder in San Francisco’s Chinatown in 1973.
The documentary premieres August 12 at the IFC Center in New York City, followed by a special one-night-only simulcast screening event hosted by Mubi in over 180 theaters nationwide August 17 for the week that would’ve been Lee’s 70th birthday. After the special one-night-only event, “Free Chol Soo Lee” will continue to roll out to theaters across the country, including the Roxie Theater in San Francisco starting August 19, with Los Angeles and additional cities to come. IndieWire shares the exclusive trailer below.
As seen in the documentary, after a trial hinging on questionable accounts from white tourists, Lee is convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
Sundance documentary “Free Chol Soo Lee” centers on the racial profiling and subsequent arrest of then 20-year-old Korean immigrant Chol Soo Lee who was accused of a gang-related murder in San Francisco’s Chinatown in 1973.
The documentary premieres August 12 at the IFC Center in New York City, followed by a special one-night-only simulcast screening event hosted by Mubi in over 180 theaters nationwide August 17 for the week that would’ve been Lee’s 70th birthday. After the special one-night-only event, “Free Chol Soo Lee” will continue to roll out to theaters across the country, including the Roxie Theater in San Francisco starting August 19, with Los Angeles and additional cities to come. IndieWire shares the exclusive trailer below.
As seen in the documentary, after a trial hinging on questionable accounts from white tourists, Lee is convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
- 7/20/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
The trailer for “Menudo: Forever Young,” the HBO Max docuseries about the titular Latin American boy band, has been released.
Directed by filmmakers Angel Manuel Soto and Kristofer Ríos, the four-part docuseries follows the rise of Menudo, a Puerto Rican musical group formed in 1977 by producer Edgardo Díaz that became one of the most popular boy bands in history, selling 20 million records worldwide during the 1980s. The series chronicles the group’s meteoric rise in the ’80s, and the fall it suffered during the ’90s, after sexual abuse allegations against Díaz surfaced. Over a dozen former members of the band were interviewed for the docuseries to discuss the exploitation they experienced while performing for the group.
“Menudo: Forever Young” is executive produced by Soto, Cristina Costantini and Jeff Plunkett of Muck Media, Alex Fumero of Trojan Horse, Bryn Mooser and Justin Lacob of Xtr. Rios co-executive produces with Maura Anderson.
Directed by filmmakers Angel Manuel Soto and Kristofer Ríos, the four-part docuseries follows the rise of Menudo, a Puerto Rican musical group formed in 1977 by producer Edgardo Díaz that became one of the most popular boy bands in history, selling 20 million records worldwide during the 1980s. The series chronicles the group’s meteoric rise in the ’80s, and the fall it suffered during the ’90s, after sexual abuse allegations against Díaz surfaced. Over a dozen former members of the band were interviewed for the docuseries to discuss the exploitation they experienced while performing for the group.
“Menudo: Forever Young” is executive produced by Soto, Cristina Costantini and Jeff Plunkett of Muck Media, Alex Fumero of Trojan Horse, Bryn Mooser and Justin Lacob of Xtr. Rios co-executive produces with Maura Anderson.
- 6/9/2022
- by Carson Burton, Wilson Chapman and Sasha Urban
- Variety Film + TV
Documentary studio Xtr and Crooked Highways are teaming up on “Merch!”
The upcoming documentary will look at the origin and impact of music merchandise through the stories of pivotal musicians, designers, fans, and entrepreneurs who helped commodify artists. The non-fiction feature will trace the history of these products, starting with the first Elvis Presley concert t-shirt. That continued with the psychedelic tie-dyed look popularized by the Grateful Dead and the skull-heavy iconography of Metallica and Megadeth. It extends to the present day, when artists like Kanye West, Justin Bieber, Harry Styles and Billie Eilish continue to mint money through imagery, posters, clothes and more.
“Merch!” will feature archival footage and will tell the story of the late merchandising legend, Dell Furano, as well as his brother Dave Furano, who co-founded Winterland Productions with Bill Graham. They witnessed merchandise transform from niche products for die-hard concert-goers to a massive revenue stream...
The upcoming documentary will look at the origin and impact of music merchandise through the stories of pivotal musicians, designers, fans, and entrepreneurs who helped commodify artists. The non-fiction feature will trace the history of these products, starting with the first Elvis Presley concert t-shirt. That continued with the psychedelic tie-dyed look popularized by the Grateful Dead and the skull-heavy iconography of Metallica and Megadeth. It extends to the present day, when artists like Kanye West, Justin Bieber, Harry Styles and Billie Eilish continue to mint money through imagery, posters, clothes and more.
“Merch!” will feature archival footage and will tell the story of the late merchandising legend, Dell Furano, as well as his brother Dave Furano, who co-founded Winterland Productions with Bill Graham. They witnessed merchandise transform from niche products for die-hard concert-goers to a massive revenue stream...
- 5/27/2022
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Xtr has launched production on Role Players, which is billed as the definitive documentary on the seminal fantasy game Dungeons & Dragons.
Boasting never-before-seen archival footage and interviews with high-profile celebrity D&d fanatics, Role Players will tell the all-encompassing story of Dungeons & Dragons, from the game’s origin story to the cult-like devotion of its players, exploring the power living in a fantasy world can have on real-life human connection.
The feature is being made by director Morgan Jon Fox (The One You Never Forget) and producer Ted Speaker (Sword of Trust). Bryn Mooser, Kathryn Everett, Justin Lacob and Abazar Khayami are executive producing for Xtr. Pic comes on the heels of Paramount and eOne’s announcement on the title for their upcoming narrative feature, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, and Hasbro’s reported explosive growth on the franchise as a result of the major theatrical release in...
Boasting never-before-seen archival footage and interviews with high-profile celebrity D&d fanatics, Role Players will tell the all-encompassing story of Dungeons & Dragons, from the game’s origin story to the cult-like devotion of its players, exploring the power living in a fantasy world can have on real-life human connection.
The feature is being made by director Morgan Jon Fox (The One You Never Forget) and producer Ted Speaker (Sword of Trust). Bryn Mooser, Kathryn Everett, Justin Lacob and Abazar Khayami are executive producing for Xtr. Pic comes on the heels of Paramount and eOne’s announcement on the title for their upcoming narrative feature, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, and Hasbro’s reported explosive growth on the franchise as a result of the major theatrical release in...
- 5/11/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
A “Dungeons and Dragons” documentary is on the way from global documentary studio Xtr. Titled “Role Players,” the film is described as the “definitive” documentary on the seminal fantasy game and is currently in production.
Using never-before-seen archival footage and interviews with high-profile celebrity D&d fanatics, “Role Players”will tell the all encompassing story of Dungeons & Dragons. From the game’s origin story to the cult-like devotion of its players, the documentary will explore the power living in a fantasy world can have on real-life human connection.
The feature film is helmed by the team behind Xtr’s trading card documentary “The Hobby,” director Morgan Jon Fox and producer Ted Speaker. Bryn Mooser, Kathryn Everett, Justin Lacob and Abazar Khayami will executive produce for Xtr.
“As a director, I am excited to tell the story of D&d, which at its heart is about the true power of learning to work as teams,...
Using never-before-seen archival footage and interviews with high-profile celebrity D&d fanatics, “Role Players”will tell the all encompassing story of Dungeons & Dragons. From the game’s origin story to the cult-like devotion of its players, the documentary will explore the power living in a fantasy world can have on real-life human connection.
The feature film is helmed by the team behind Xtr’s trading card documentary “The Hobby,” director Morgan Jon Fox and producer Ted Speaker. Bryn Mooser, Kathryn Everett, Justin Lacob and Abazar Khayami will executive produce for Xtr.
“As a director, I am excited to tell the story of D&d, which at its heart is about the true power of learning to work as teams,...
- 5/11/2022
- by Adam Chitwood
- The Wrap
Xtr, the award-winning nonfiction company behind “They Call Me Magic” on Apple TV Plus and the Oscar-nominated “Ascension,” announced its acquisition of a 30,000 square-foot studio located off Alvarado St. in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, just west of downtown.
The new Xtr Studios space includes production and post-production facilities, a sound stage, recording studio and offices. The acquisition represents a key milestone for the documentary industry as audience growth and business catch up to narrative.
“This is an incredible time for documentaries where there is more demand than ever before. Having our own facilities will allow us to meet this moment,” said Bryn Mooser, Xtr CEO and founder. “Most importantly, we are excited to build a center for creative excellence and an independent home for filmmakers and artists that inspires them and supports them to make their best work.”
Speaking with Variety, Mooser adds that streaming services have...
The new Xtr Studios space includes production and post-production facilities, a sound stage, recording studio and offices. The acquisition represents a key milestone for the documentary industry as audience growth and business catch up to narrative.
“This is an incredible time for documentaries where there is more demand than ever before. Having our own facilities will allow us to meet this moment,” said Bryn Mooser, Xtr CEO and founder. “Most importantly, we are excited to build a center for creative excellence and an independent home for filmmakers and artists that inspires them and supports them to make their best work.”
Speaking with Variety, Mooser adds that streaming services have...
- 4/26/2022
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Sirens, a rock doc about Beirut all-female thrash metal band Slave to Sirens, will get a theatrical run after Oscilloscope Laboratories bought the North American rights.
The company, which was founded by Beastie Boys’ Adam Yauch, will give the film that premiered at Sundance in January an exclusive theatrical run before launching it on digital platforms.
Directed by Rita Baghdadi, who shot and produced the film along with producing partner Camila Hall, the film explores the lives and music of Slave to Sirens, a band made up of five young metalheads whose burgeoning fame is set against the backdrop of the Lebanese revolution.
Its members wrestle with friendship, sexuality, and destruction as their music serves as a refuge to Beirut’s youth culture. At the band’s core are its two founding members, Lilas Mayassi and Shery Bechara, whose complicated relationship and subsequent tense fallout threatens the very fabric of the band.
The company, which was founded by Beastie Boys’ Adam Yauch, will give the film that premiered at Sundance in January an exclusive theatrical run before launching it on digital platforms.
Directed by Rita Baghdadi, who shot and produced the film along with producing partner Camila Hall, the film explores the lives and music of Slave to Sirens, a band made up of five young metalheads whose burgeoning fame is set against the backdrop of the Lebanese revolution.
Its members wrestle with friendship, sexuality, and destruction as their music serves as a refuge to Beirut’s youth culture. At the band’s core are its two founding members, Lilas Mayassi and Shery Bechara, whose complicated relationship and subsequent tense fallout threatens the very fabric of the band.
- 4/22/2022
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
HBO Max will release Menudo: Forever Young, a new documentary about the Latin American boy band from filmmakers Angel Manuel Soto (Charm City Kings) and Kristofer Ríos (Havana Skate Days), on June 23. The premiere will follow the project’s debut at the 2022 Tribeca Festival on June 11.
Menudo was formed by producer Edgardo Diaz in 1977 with 5 original members: Ricky Melendez, brothers Carlos and Oscar Meléndez, and the Sallaberry brothers, Fernando and Nefty. The group changed members often mostly after the pre-teen and early teenage boys aged out around age 15 or 16. Two of its most famous members include Ricky Martin and Draco Rosa (as Robbi Rosa).
Diaz, who served as the band’s manager, was accused of sexual abuse by multiple members beginning in 1991. He denied the allegations that same year on El Show De Cristina, a popular talk show at the time hosted by Cristina Saralegui.
Menudo disbanded in 2009 though reunion...
Menudo was formed by producer Edgardo Diaz in 1977 with 5 original members: Ricky Melendez, brothers Carlos and Oscar Meléndez, and the Sallaberry brothers, Fernando and Nefty. The group changed members often mostly after the pre-teen and early teenage boys aged out around age 15 or 16. Two of its most famous members include Ricky Martin and Draco Rosa (as Robbi Rosa).
Diaz, who served as the band’s manager, was accused of sexual abuse by multiple members beginning in 1991. He denied the allegations that same year on El Show De Cristina, a popular talk show at the time hosted by Cristina Saralegui.
Menudo disbanded in 2009 though reunion...
- 4/21/2022
- by Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
In this exclusive sneak peek from Apple ahead of Friday’s premiere of docuseries “They Call Me Magic,” Earvin “Magic” Johnson, recalls his notorious pool parties at the height of his fame with the Los Angeles Lakers.
“Well you know, I was known for my parties,” the NBA legend laughs. “I had the best parties in Hollywood. Everybody wanted to come to the pool parties.”
Michael Cooper, a Lakers guard from 1978-1990, says, “It was fun, it was exciting. If you were a married guy, you’d get in trouble. If you were a single guy, you could get in trouble.”
There were plenty of beautiful women at these parties, but wives and girlfriends were not invited, which upset Johnson’s future wife Cookie so much, she walked out on him. The two eventually reunited and have now been married more than 30 years.
The four-part documentary event, which covers Johnson...
“Well you know, I was known for my parties,” the NBA legend laughs. “I had the best parties in Hollywood. Everybody wanted to come to the pool parties.”
Michael Cooper, a Lakers guard from 1978-1990, says, “It was fun, it was exciting. If you were a married guy, you’d get in trouble. If you were a single guy, you could get in trouble.”
There were plenty of beautiful women at these parties, but wives and girlfriends were not invited, which upset Johnson’s future wife Cookie so much, she walked out on him. The two eventually reunited and have now been married more than 30 years.
The four-part documentary event, which covers Johnson...
- 4/21/2022
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
Documentary+, the free streaming service launched by non-fiction studio Xtr, is getting into original programming and has ordered its first project.
The company will launch Fireworks, a feature doc directed by Nathan Truesdell, who recently produced Oscar-nominated film Ascension.
Fireworks will delve into a botched LAPD operation that causes catastrophe in an LA neighborhood.
The film will be part of Documentary+’s new Lost and Found collection, which is one of three strands that it is launching as part of the originals drive. Lost and Found will feature stranger than fiction stories using found footage.
The other two collections are Pop Docs, documentaries that sit at the collision between controversy and pop culture, and After Hours, slow content documentaries created for a late night audience.
The inaugural original for the Pop Docs strand will be a film about Hot Cheetos, which goes behind the fascination of the cult snack food...
The company will launch Fireworks, a feature doc directed by Nathan Truesdell, who recently produced Oscar-nominated film Ascension.
Fireworks will delve into a botched LAPD operation that causes catastrophe in an LA neighborhood.
The film will be part of Documentary+’s new Lost and Found collection, which is one of three strands that it is launching as part of the originals drive. Lost and Found will feature stranger than fiction stories using found footage.
The other two collections are Pop Docs, documentaries that sit at the collision between controversy and pop culture, and After Hours, slow content documentaries created for a late night audience.
The inaugural original for the Pop Docs strand will be a film about Hot Cheetos, which goes behind the fascination of the cult snack food...
- 3/7/2022
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Xtr, the non-fiction studio behind projects such as Oscar nominated doc Ascension and Apple’s They Call Me Magic, has hired its first Chief Operating Officer.
The company has hired Jonathan Stern in the new position. He comes from Media Advisory Group, the boutique IP rights, branding and consulting firm that he founded.
He will oversee all business operations and optimize Xtr for scale, including establishing new business opportunities and supervising legal, sales, and human resources.
Prior to founding Media Advisory Group, Stern was SVP, Strategic Development at Bunim/Murray Productions and has worked for Red Bull Media House and Fusion Media Group.
It comes as the company plans to expand into new international markets and has 45 films slated for release this year.
It is the latest hire for the company, which recently brought on former Spotify exec Abazar Khayami as its Head of Studio.
Xtr recently premiered six...
The company has hired Jonathan Stern in the new position. He comes from Media Advisory Group, the boutique IP rights, branding and consulting firm that he founded.
He will oversee all business operations and optimize Xtr for scale, including establishing new business opportunities and supervising legal, sales, and human resources.
Prior to founding Media Advisory Group, Stern was SVP, Strategic Development at Bunim/Murray Productions and has worked for Red Bull Media House and Fusion Media Group.
It comes as the company plans to expand into new international markets and has 45 films slated for release this year.
It is the latest hire for the company, which recently brought on former Spotify exec Abazar Khayami as its Head of Studio.
Xtr recently premiered six...
- 2/17/2022
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
We can confidently predict a documentary is forthcoming on ‘90s TV psychic Miss Cleo.
Nonfiction entertainment studio Xtr and production company Majority announced they are in production on a film about the famed tarot card reader, who became the centerpiece of a billion-dollar fraud investigation. Award-winning filmmaker Senain Kheshgi is directing the documentary about a woman who became a ubiquitous television presence in ads offering to tell people’s fortunes through a pay-per-call number.
Miss Cleo purported to be a Jamaican soothsayer, but the person under the turban in fact was Los Angeles native Youree Dell Harris, a sometime actress and playwright hired to embody the gifted psychic.
“Claiming to be a shaman from Jamaica, Miss Cleo’s charisma and famous imperatives enabled the Psychic Readers Network, a pay-per-call service, to charge callers seeking answers over $1 billion for advice,” Xtr noted. “But in 2002 it all came crashing down when the...
Nonfiction entertainment studio Xtr and production company Majority announced they are in production on a film about the famed tarot card reader, who became the centerpiece of a billion-dollar fraud investigation. Award-winning filmmaker Senain Kheshgi is directing the documentary about a woman who became a ubiquitous television presence in ads offering to tell people’s fortunes through a pay-per-call number.
Miss Cleo purported to be a Jamaican soothsayer, but the person under the turban in fact was Los Angeles native Youree Dell Harris, a sometime actress and playwright hired to embody the gifted psychic.
“Claiming to be a shaman from Jamaica, Miss Cleo’s charisma and famous imperatives enabled the Psychic Readers Network, a pay-per-call service, to charge callers seeking answers over $1 billion for advice,” Xtr noted. “But in 2002 it all came crashing down when the...
- 2/16/2022
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
“Free Chol Soo Lee” has been acquired by global distributor, streamer and production company Mubi.
The documentary, which premiered last week at the Sundance Film Festival, will come to U.S. theaters in 2022, with release plans in other territories to be announced soon. News of the acquisition comes after the film’s producer Su Kim was presented with the Sundance Institute and Amazon Studios Producers Award for documentary features on Friday.
Directed by Julie Ha and Eugene Yi, “Free Chol Soo Lee” follows 20-year-old Korean immigrant Chol Soo Lee, who, in 1970s San Francisco, was racially profiled, convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. Investigative journalist K.W. Lee later dives into his case, igniting a powerful social justice movement that both unites Asian American communities and inspires activists in the coming generation.
“Our team is overjoyed to be partnering with Mubi, who embrace and share our goal of...
The documentary, which premiered last week at the Sundance Film Festival, will come to U.S. theaters in 2022, with release plans in other territories to be announced soon. News of the acquisition comes after the film’s producer Su Kim was presented with the Sundance Institute and Amazon Studios Producers Award for documentary features on Friday.
Directed by Julie Ha and Eugene Yi, “Free Chol Soo Lee” follows 20-year-old Korean immigrant Chol Soo Lee, who, in 1970s San Francisco, was racially profiled, convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. Investigative journalist K.W. Lee later dives into his case, igniting a powerful social justice movement that both unites Asian American communities and inspires activists in the coming generation.
“Our team is overjoyed to be partnering with Mubi, who embrace and share our goal of...
- 1/29/2022
- by Wyatte Grantham-Philips
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: There’s a boom in collectible sports trading cards – from the $4.6M paid for a Luka Doncic rookie card or the $5.2M for a 1952 Mickey Mantle card as well as a recent deal that valued card brand Topps at $1.3B.
This is the impetus for a new feature documentary that This Is What Love In Action Looks Like director Morgan Jon Fox is helming for non-fiction studio Xtr.
Fox and Xtr are producing The Hobby, which delves into the historic comeback of the trading card industry. The doc is a deep dive into the real-time trading card fever following longtime collectors and a new generation of buyers including high net worth investors, athletes and celebrities as the hobby goes nuclear.
The documentary follows longtime collectors and a new generation of buyers, including Josh Luber, the co-founder of StockX and Chief Vision Officer of Fanatics Trading Cards, which acquired Topps,...
This is the impetus for a new feature documentary that This Is What Love In Action Looks Like director Morgan Jon Fox is helming for non-fiction studio Xtr.
Fox and Xtr are producing The Hobby, which delves into the historic comeback of the trading card industry. The doc is a deep dive into the real-time trading card fever following longtime collectors and a new generation of buyers including high net worth investors, athletes and celebrities as the hobby goes nuclear.
The documentary follows longtime collectors and a new generation of buyers, including Josh Luber, the co-founder of StockX and Chief Vision Officer of Fanatics Trading Cards, which acquired Topps,...
- 1/19/2022
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
On a sunny afternoon in L.A., Bryn Mooser, CEO of Xtr, folds his long frame into a patio chair perched above the headquarters of his growing documentary company. His green eyes scan the hilly enclaves of Silver Lake and Los Feliz, spotting landmarks: the Griffith Observatory in the distance, Hyperion Avenue below.
He points down the slope. “This is the Gelson’s right there, where Walt Disney bought that piece of land and built the first Disney studio. Mickey Mouse and Snow White were created in–what’s now a parking lot.”
His index finger inches west along the horizon, indicating bungalows with pitched roofs. “You can see the top of that house right there. It’s called the Snow White Cottages,” he says. “Snow White was based on those cottages. Anyway, I love early Disney stuff.”
Nearly a century after Disney laid the groundwork for his entertainment kingdom in the same vicinity,...
He points down the slope. “This is the Gelson’s right there, where Walt Disney bought that piece of land and built the first Disney studio. Mickey Mouse and Snow White were created in–what’s now a parking lot.”
His index finger inches west along the horizon, indicating bungalows with pitched roofs. “You can see the top of that house right there. It’s called the Snow White Cottages,” he says. “Snow White was based on those cottages. Anyway, I love early Disney stuff.”
Nearly a century after Disney laid the groundwork for his entertainment kingdom in the same vicinity,...
- 12/20/2021
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
IndieWire turns 25 this year. To mark the occasion, we’re running a series of essays about the future of everything we cover.
Remember when documentaries were deeply honorable but commercially unviable? “Knock Down the House” shattered Sundance records in 2019 when Netflix bought it for $10 million; Apple and A24 broke that record the next year with the $12 million acquisition of “Boys State.” Apple paid a reported $25 million for “Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry,” while studios like Concordia, Participant, Radical, and Xtr pump millions into the non-fiction genre.
Today, everyone loves documentaries. Streamers are hailed as giving the genre a new lease on life. However, the streaming business is not dedicated to speaking truth to power, as documentaries often do; streamers amass subscribers and create shareholder value.
So, what does that mean for the future of documentaries? If the risk-averse, franchise-dominated movie business is any example, we should expect more documentaries about famous people,...
Remember when documentaries were deeply honorable but commercially unviable? “Knock Down the House” shattered Sundance records in 2019 when Netflix bought it for $10 million; Apple and A24 broke that record the next year with the $12 million acquisition of “Boys State.” Apple paid a reported $25 million for “Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry,” while studios like Concordia, Participant, Radical, and Xtr pump millions into the non-fiction genre.
Today, everyone loves documentaries. Streamers are hailed as giving the genre a new lease on life. However, the streaming business is not dedicated to speaking truth to power, as documentaries often do; streamers amass subscribers and create shareholder value.
So, what does that mean for the future of documentaries? If the risk-averse, franchise-dominated movie business is any example, we should expect more documentaries about famous people,...
- 12/11/2021
- by Chris Lindahl
- Indiewire
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