Fairy Tale TV is ‘Must-See’ TV

Grimm's Monroe (Silas Weir Mitchell), seen here in his CG Bludbot incarnation created by HIVE-FX of Portland, Ore. Photo: HIVE-FX

With few exceptions, compelling TV dramas used to be the exclusive property of cable/satellite channels. This was not because network shows were subject to more stringent regulations regarding colorful language and nudity. Often, the cable shows simply had bigger budgets for their original dramas, because they may only be producing a few at a time – and for a shorter season than is typical of network TV. Sure, you could rely on your Big Three networks for passable one-hour dramas and the occasional made-for-television movie or miniseries, but for gripping, human drama, one had to be willing to pay for the viewing privilege. Millions of Americans, myself included, have been – and will continue to be – eager to spend a monthly fee to view series such as Band of Brothers and The Sopranos (HBO), Mad Men (AMC), Battlestar Galactica (Syfy), and Homeland (Showtime). However, during the last few years, the major networks have turned their attention toward producing better dramatic series with sizeable casts, big budgets, and even on-location shooting.

Programs such as The West Wing (NBC), Lost (ABC), NCIS (CBS) and now Grimm (NBC) have brought creative storytelling, captivating action, and high production values back to the masses. Grimm, as featured in the May/June issue of Markee, is the latest TV drama to charm the U.S. television viewing audience. In fact, its recent May season finale won its Friday night timeslot with nearly 6 million viewers.

Grimm is a rather unique program that reinterprets the well-known “Grimm’s Fairy Tales” with a modern twist. Portland police detective Nick Burkhardt (David Giuntoli) has inherited the ability to see supernatural creatures, and as a “Grimm,” he is tasked with keeping the balance between mankind and the mythological. There’s truly nothing like it on TV, so Christine Bunish spoke with the show’s visual effects team at HIVE-FX to learn how some of Grimm’s scariest monsters are created as viewers watch them change from their human forms. 

As you will see in our May/June issue, the production values of today’s network dramas certainly are on par with those of the pay channels. And the success of effects-heavy programming such as Grimm should lead to more shows in that vein. In turn, that will put more VFX artists and companies to work, the prospect of which pleases me a great deal.  

If you've never seen the show, be sure to catch up on Grimm during its hiatus, and tune in this fall when it returns.

NAB 2012

One of the more interesting booths at NAB 2012, TVLogic's doll display.

Working in business-to-business publishing means going to trade shows. And when you cover a variety of industries, as we do here at Lionheart, that means frequent travel to trade shows. In fact, the editors and others staffers at Lionheart cover some of the largest trade shows held in North America, including the World of Concrete and the NAB Show. As executive editor of Markee 2.0, it is my pleasure to cover NAB.

Actually, as you may have read in my March/April editor's letter, this was my first chance to attend NAB since joining Markee. I must say, I have covered many large trade shows in the past, but none seem to have the energy of NAB. The attendees were fully enthused to be there, the exhibitors were excited to greet everyone, and the exhibits themselves were the largest and most impressive I've seen. The only down side I could find was that all of the sights and sounds from the equipment manufacturers, software developers and components producers was a bit overwhelming. The best way to get through it, I found, was to narrow my focus by industry and map out my daily tours accordingly. After all, the exhibits were open for four days, so there was plenty of time to see it all – barely.

What I came away with – as is the intention of most editors who attend such events – is a working knowledge of new technologies available for my readers, a glimpse of where the industries Markee covers are headed, a new appreciation for the work of all those involved in TV and film production, and a notebook filled with article ideas. I can't wait to get started!

I want to thank the NAB staff and organizers for producing an outstanding event. And I wish to thank all the companies and their representatives who took the time to speak with me. Look for post-event coverage on our website and in our e-newsletter. (Sign up for the newsletter here.)

Meet Us In Las Vegas

We at Markee are excited about attending the 2012 NAB Show this month in Las Vegas. We hope you’re as excited to be there as we are! Actually, this year marks my first as an attendee at NAB, having only stepped in as executive editor of this publication late last year.

Of course, this isn’t my first trade show as a magazine editor, or even the first time I’ve been to a trade show in Las Vegas. On the contrary, I’ve had the privilege of visiting “Sin City” several times. And each time, I’m reminded of the city’s colorful past and rich (in every sense of the term) history. From tiny railroad town to the construction of the Hoover Dam, from Howard Hughes and Elvis Presley to the city’s centennial in 2005, Las Vegas has come a long way. And it continues to evolve and find new ways to stay relevant.

In fact, to filmmakers and TV producers, Las Vegas – and many other parts of Nevada – always has been a significant source of material and a location with unlimited character. There have been at least 90 major motion pictures shot in the state – and who could forget CSI: Crime Scene Investigation? (You can find a complete list of movies made in the state on the Nevada Film Office’s website at www.nevadafilm.com.)

Speaking of Nevada as a location, Markee spoke with the Nevada Film Office as part of our Spotlight on the Southwest in the March/April 2012 issue. Grab your copy to learn more about Nevada’s diversity of locations, as well as those of Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. As you know, this region has a spectacular landscape; I hope you have a chance to see some of it. But don’t neglect the NAB Show (and our NAB equipment preview in that same issue of Markee)! I hope to see you on the trade show floor.

Don't Miss "Deadline"

As a journalist, I'm always interested in seeing movies centered on main characters who are reporters or editors. Usually these films are about real-life events and the reporters who covered those events or "broke" the stories in the first place. And even though Hollywood may not always get the details right when it comes to how stories are reported, or how newsrooms actually work, or – and this is what really irritates me sometimes – what reporters are willing to do to get the story, I still enjoy many of these films and will watch them over and over. Especially the films inspired by true events.

So, naturally, my interest was piqued when I learned of the upcoming film, Deadline, which is premiering in various U.S. cities in the month of March. The film is already bringing a great deal of good buzz with it. It has been called a movie with a conscience, and a well crafted thriller that packs a powerful punch.

Inspired by a true story, the film follows Nashville Times reporter Matt Harper (Steve Talley) as he helps a man try to solve a 20-year-old, racially motivated murder in rural Alabama. Deadline is based on Mark Ethridge's novel Grievances, which is based on the author's own experiences. Ethridge is a Pulitzer Prize winner and a former managing editor of The Charlotte Observer.

Directed by Curt Hahn and co-starring Eric Roberts, the cast and crew of Deadline currently are on a 42-city bus tour before the film opens nationwide April 13. Check the film's official web page for showtimes in your area. I know I'm not going to miss it.

Get Listed in Our 2012 Markee 2.0 Resource Guide

The 2012 Markee 2.0 Resource Guide will be published in March 2012. Make sure your firm is included in the Guide by clicking on this link and entering your information. For the 23rd consecutive year, the Guide has been THE resource of choice among industry professionals across America. This Guide includes resources for locating equipment, crew, services, and more throughout all parts of the United States.

MPAA Chairman Talks about Hollywood's Economic Impact in Georgia

Christopher Dodd, chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) was in Atlanta on Feb. 22, 2012 to speak with the Atlanta Press Club about the importance of the Georgia entertainment industry to the state’s economy, and the diverse array of jobs created in the state through film and television production. Markee was there with other members of the local media.

"In just four years – between 2007 and 2011 – the economic impact of production in Georgia grew from $244 million to $2.4 billion. The number of jobs supported by the industry in Georgia more than doubled: from 11,800 to 25,000," the former senator from Connecticut said.

He continued: "And the economic benefits of film and TV production are not limited to those who work on the shows and movies. In Covington, production of The Vampire Diaries can mean 2,500 hotel rooms filled. Across Atlanta, owners of small office buildings and warehouses who have been unable to find tenants in a tough economy are renting them out as sets. Restaurants and caterers, drug stores and dry cleaners – when a production comes to town, everybody benefits."

Dodd then discussed the recent trade deal reached between the United States and China that would allow more U.S. films to be viewed in Chinese theaters. "One of the best ways for our country to spread our values abroad is through our culture," he said. "And this agreement will keep that line of dialogue open with Chinese audiences curious about the superpower on the other side of the Pacific."

He concluded his remarks by voicing the MPAA's views on online piracy, a top priority for the organization. "Let me be clear: Hollywood is pro-technology and pro-Internet. I firmly believe that our industry cannot survive without the innovations that come out of Silicon Valley every day – and I know that we must have a free and open Internet to keep those innovations coming.

"But it works both ways," he continued. "As a letter signed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the online activist group NetCoalition stated, 'A strong system of copyright protection for online content is critical to the continued success of the flourishing Internet marketplace of ideas.'"

There are sensible solutions to the problem. There's more to gain by working together, he said, but policymakers need to understand the full economic impact of this inudstry. "The future of the film and TV industry will look very different from its past. But the heart of our
industry – a great story, well-told – remains the same. And if we continue to do exactly what Georgia has done – treat films and TV shows not just as important parts of our culture, but as critical job creators – it will be a bright future, indeed: one in which this state will play a starring role."

Most Anticipated Movies of 2012

2012 looks to be a banner year for filmmakers and moviegoers alike. There appears to be a great number of potential blockbusters on the calendar, which may help to alleviate headaches among studio executives who view 2011 as a not-so-banner year for box office successes (the rampaging Harry Potter and Mission Impossible sequels notwithstanding). Thus, I present to you my list of the top 5 movies I'm most anxious to see – in no particular order. These five films are sure to find an audience, and very well could be the five highest grossing movies of the year.

Dark Shadows – Once again, Tim Burton and Johnny Depp team up for a quirky Gothic tale (this one about vampires) that is sure to delight. Depp stars as Barnabas Collins, a man who is entombed in 1752 and released in 1972 where he must deal with his new surroundings and distant relatives. The movie is based on the cult TV series by the same name, and costars Eva Green, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jonny Lee Miller, and Helena Bonham Carter (of course). Dark Shadows is set for a May release.

The Bourne Legacy – This Bourne series reboot stars Jeremy Renner as Aaron Cross, another CIA operative with issues. I know, I know: "You can't have a Bourne movie without Matt Damon!" I don't agree. Renner is more than capable of carrying this movie, and with Tony Gilroy behind the camera (He wrote the screenplays for the other Bourne movies.), The Bourne Legacy is going to surprise the skeptics. There are not many details available yet on this film, but it is scheduled for an August release.

Gangster Squad – Sean Penn, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Josh Brolin, Nick Nolte, Giovanni Ribisi. Do you really need to know more? Really? Well, okay. The movie is about a group of LAPD officers trying to put away the LA mafia in the 1940s and 1950s. There are big shoes to fill in the world of mafia movies and period cop dramas, certainly, but this cast has me dreaming of fancy suits, fedoras, and Tommy Guns. Scheduled for an October release.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey – Peter Jackson's latest take on Tolkien doesn't arrive until December, but the lines are probably forming now, so invest in a snug sleeping bag and a comfy camping chair. The movie stars Martin Freeman (Sherlock, Hot Fuzz) as Bilbo Baggins who journeys to reclaim a stolen treasure. You don't have to be a sci-fi or fantasy "fan boy" to enjoy the Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit. Jackson has made them accessible and entertaining for us all. This film certainly will be remembered as a classic, just as the Lord of the Rings series before it.

Django Unchained – Two words: Quentin Tarantino. Two more words: Leonardo DiCaprio. Need to know more? Okay. Tarantino returns to action (finally) with this period action thriller about a slave-turned-bounty hunter (Jamie Foxx) who sets out to rescue his wife from a brutal Mississippi plantation owner (DiCaprio). You just know this is going to epic. And yes, Samuel L Jackson makes an appearance. Look for this one in theaters in December as well. What a month that is going to be!