Miramax and IFC are household names. And when someone who can count them as part of his resumé decides that the natural home for his next public venture is the web, the world of Entertainment has experienced a paradigm shift. And in the right direction.

The exec in question is Mark Lipsky. He’s decided to launch a new venue for independent movies, and the whole operation is housed online. If a service gives Indie producers and their films more exposure, without being governed or crushed by the greedy conglomerates, I’m an implacable fan.

Audiences will be able to enjoy the newest independent productions – most of them making their worldwide debut – for less than $3. And no commercials to get in the way. You can find the story at Wired.com And the new indie theater is housed in this rather elegant site.

Mark my words, folks, this is the future. In the 20+ years since its modest arrival, the Internet has woven itself into every key aspect of modern humanity. We’re now at a point where even the briefest of downtime makes civilized life an impossible dream. I saw an offer today from Spectrotel phone lines – A month of free service, unlimited calls, and loads of great features, with long-distance included…But you have to sign-up online. See what I mean?

Hulu and You Tube brought TV to the web, Spectrotel’s leveraging it to save clients a bundle, iTunes has the soundtrack, and now Massive is bringing the Movies. Show your own Grandchildren a book in ten years and they’ll think you lived in a cave! The valiant savior of Independent films is no longer that Lion, but a sleek little mouse. And that’s just fine by me.

After a long and atypical silence from a woman not known for such calm introspection, Ellen has released a PSA on her talk-show website, urging California-based voters to oppose Prop 8, the ballot initiative that seeks to revoke gay people’s access to the dubious joys of engaging in marriage.

Ms. DeGeneres, who married Portia de Rossi in August, had made no previous contribution, either fiscal or personal, to the ongoing fight against this malodorous plot. Her Mother, however [who is not currently a millionaire,] has donated $700 to strengthen the cause.

The ‘Prop 8′ campaign is absurd, and founded on breathtaking arrogance. A small, judgmental and vociferous group, based in a State that has arguably the highest gay residency percentile in the country, are engaged in a battle to restrict and revoke people’s freedoms and rights in a way that would leave them apoplectic with rage if they were the target instead.

If a gay man – or woman – wishes to indulge in a ceremony that proves their depth of affection and emotional commitment to someone who enhances their lives and helps makes them happy, it’s that person’s choice, their partner’s option…and no other living being’s business!

Were the gay community to even dare suggest that our rights should be limited in a similar way, the results would be instant and almost incendiary. Yet in the full scope of history they’ve made no such demand. This beneficent forbearance of those who are different embodies a lesson from which some of their heterosexual brethren could learn a great deal.

As I mentioned before, both Steven Speilberg and Brad Pitt have brought their celebrity presence [and considerable wealth] to bear on this vital campaign. Ms. DeGeneres, however, along with many of her peers who share her choice, seems to happy to sit on her hands. Should she still be unsure of just how to employ them, I offer some simple, well-meaning advice…

Put them into your pocket, or over your mouth.

Photo by Brainchildvn

The name may be new to you but I can guarantee the vocals are not. In a 43-year career this modest and consummate professional added a peerless frisson of tension to over 5,000 trailers, including “Batman Returns,” and “The Terminator.” He also did commercial work, with his distinctive baritone in high demand by almost every major brand you can name. But despite a success that saw him shuttling between as many as ten voice-over sessions a day he remained modest about his fame and his gift – Which is one talent shared by very few in this egocentric profession!

This short video will give you a better image of this wonderful man. The Director is clearly a rabid egocentric but it gives us a fair outline of a man whose talent and guileless self-deprecation are too rare a blend to be lost to us so prematurely.

Watch for yourself, and enjoy…

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Mr Bocho accuses the Networks of devolving into purveyors of programming he has no interest in providing. In other words, “Reality” series. He also tells Forbes that the Nets are obsessed with micromanaging every detail of a production…which comes as no surprise at all.

From the man who was largely responsible for “Hill Street Blues,” “L.A. Law,” “NYPD Blue,” and a string of other top-rated shows that earned the very same networks millions in ad revenues, this is a damming indictment of the state of America’s broadcast media. The sad part, however, is: 1) How unarguably right his view is, and 2) The total absence of anyone in a similar position with the courage to agree, or even speak out at all.

I mean, when was the last time you watched a quality program on a broadcast network?

Let’s say it: American television is about money. First, last and only. Not shows, not quality, and certainly not the audience – Just the dollars. And as Mr. Bochco has proven, it shows. They make intellectual chewing gum for an audience they believe possess the IQ of wool, crush any spark of originality or creativity out of it with obsessive over-management, then infest it with commercials to make as much cash as possible.

…Then they wonder why people don’t watch??

The Summer hiatus is over and so are the Games. The ‘Fall’ season could be the Nets’ chance to repent and refocus their priorities. What do you think — Will they recant and finally show us – the audience – some respect, or will they just go on as before?

Leave a comment and let’s take a poll…

The “Big Brother” crew, located in Studio City, were close to the epicenter and the cast were seen scrambling for cover when the shaking started. The whole house is actually built on a sound-stage — so it’s almost as fake as some of the inmates boobs?? — and as those inside are forbidden any form of outside contact the Producers were reduced to telling them what was happening by yelling the news at them through Bull-horns.

…You couldn’t make this stuff up??

Many of the cast are not even from California, so this was the first time they’d experienced a real, live quake. That perky Viewer’s favorite, Holly was caught on a sun-bed in only her undies when the fun started. I only wish I could be sure this proved the intellectual pygmies responsible for the show had defined a brave new policy to make people watch…but I doubt they possess the intuitive skills.

But the cameras never stopped. The show is streamed live online 24/7, so the cast had to return to ‘work’ as soon as the world calmed down. If they could only equal in relevance what they displayed in commitment, more people might find a reason to care.

With a resumé that includes returning such sumptuous fare as Lawrence of Arabia, Spartacus and My Fair Lady to levels of pristine perfection even their Directors would never have believed possible, it’s clear this momentous duty is in very capable hands. The Godfather, [as Tom says in "You've Got Mail,"] is the I-Ching. It’s among the most universally admired and quoted movies in history, and to entrust its rebirth to anyone even remotely less qualified would have been nothing less than barbarism.

Mr. Harris has been forbidden to discuss the work, which has engaged the skills and patience of more than a dozen people, but the first official press release about the project will be released on Monday and the DVD and Blu-Ray editions are slated to be available by late September.

I don’t know how you folks feel about the news of this well deserved renaissance but I’ve got a Blockbuster nearby, my sleeping bag’s ready and I’m counting the days — You bring the Canole.

This sounds perfectly logical to me – Being an Editor is hard work, while being a talking head on ‘Runway’ is an indolent, egocentric banquet. Perez is simply providing more evidence for the widely-held view that, as is the case with most of her Bohemian cohorts on the show, Nina needs and fully deserves to be ‘aufed.’

Tim Gunn teaches fashion,
Michael Kors designs fashion,
Nina writes…sorry, used to…write about fashion,
And Heidi only wore other people’s fashions.

…So Tim and Mr. Kors are the only ones with the slightest credibility or justification to even be sitting there.

As for Heidi’s qualifications, let’s be clear: Five years as an over-priced, anorexic clothes-horse for the design talents of others does not give you the right to stand in judgment on the lives, hopes and dreams of people who possess even a modicum of that particular talent.

Tim and Mr. Kors can stay. Everyone else — Hasta la vista!

Members of the Western arm of the WGA whose unproduced scripts were shopped or bought by a Studio now have until tomorrow [Friday] to give those scripts to the Union for their ‘Script Validation’ program. This is an attempt to keep track of possible rogue writers, and trace any work that might break the strike.

As one might expect, the AMPTP is handling the matter with all the restrained dignity of a grenade with the pin missing…In short, they’re having a super-annuated cow!

Their response was a positive blizzard of “Cease and Desist” orders, trying to get the scripts into their [ahem!] ‘safe keeping.’ The WGA ignored their demands so the AMPTP sent doom-laden letters direct to the WGA’s members, threatening everything short of eternal damnation if scripts written under contract were not immediately surrendered to them. The Guild promptly filed a complaint about this intimidation with the Labor Relations Board, and it was stopped. But what will take its place is a very good question.

The WGA can’t ‘force’ the Writers to obey, but so far hundreds of scripts have already been delivered to their offices. The results of such mass defiance have yet to appear but you can bet the AMPTP are already employing every available grain of guile and cunning to sink the strike so no-one but them gets a decent, living wage. Studio executives are obscenely rewarded for an amount of work you couldn’t find with a microscope. But they want you to believe the Writers are greedy.

In 2006, an average Writer earned $200-300k. Leslie Moonves [the boss of CBS] earned $28-million. You do the math!