Exclusive
Cast & Crew Closes Agreement To Acquire Backstage
This month, Cast & Crew official acquired Backstage Holdings, expanding the company’s market presence with the addition of another storied brand. Backstage is a leading provider of talent and employment resources, and together, the two companies will seek to continue streamlining productions and enabling the creation of exciting content. In a statement, Cast & Crew Chief Executive Officer John Berkley said, "We believe that finding the best talent and creative resources is one of the most critical challenges in content creation today, and Backstage has proven themselves capable of making this difficult work so much easier for millions of industry participants.” Backstage will continue to operate as a distinct brand under the existing leadership of CEO Josh Ellstein and President Michael Felman. Both will report directly to Mr. Berkley, with the shared vision of enhancing and expanding the combined company’s offerings to further modernize the industry’s creative and talent-related processes.
Industry
Hollywood Halting Major Movie Releases in Russia
During what has been a trying and tumultuous time for so many people, five of Hollywood’s biggest studios have paused the Russian releases of several tentpole films in response to the country’s invasion of Ukraine. Disney was the first to pull back, cancelled their March 10 release of Turning Red with an announcement on Monday. Warner Bros. joined in, halting today’s release of The Batman, and Sony also stopped their April release of Spider-Man spinoff Morbius. A representative from Paramount confirmed a pause for theatrical releases The Lost City and Sonic the Hedgehog 2. On Tuesday, Universal released a blanket statement that said, “In response to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, Universal Pictures has paused planned theatrical releases in Russia.” Currently, Russia ranks among the top 12 international box office players. Reactions like this have been seen across all of entertainment, with the Olympic Sports Committee and European Broadcasting Company (which is behind the Eurovision Song Content) making similar statements barring Russia from event participation.
Gaming
With Bandcamp, Epic Wants To Rock and Roll All Fortnite
With the advent of pandemic-era in-game concerts, Epic Games demonstrated a desire to be in the music biz with their ubiquitous game, Fortnite. In an industry-shaking move, Epic purchased Bandcamp, a well-known music-sharing platform for independent musicians. Bandcamp is beloved by musicians because the platform has generally given more control over music to artists as well as a higher share of profits—an average of 82% per sale. As streaming becomes the dominant format for music consumption, these elements have been a growing point of contention, with many artists arguing that they are not receiving their fair share of revenue. Epic Games, who have not yet shared its plan for music expansion, said in a statement, “Epic and Bandcamp share a mission of building the most artist-friendly platform that enables creators to keep the majority of their hard-earned money.” With their signature game, Fortnite, the company drew in 28 billion users for virtual concerts in April 2020, though they have also received negative press due to lawsuits with Apple. So far, independent musicians remain cautiously optimistic about the opportunity for expanded distribution with this new development.
Awards
Artisans and the Academy Awards: New Format Causing Significant Backlash
Last week, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences unveiled a plan to bump several traditional competition categories from the live three-hour ceremony. The eight categories that have been cut are Documentary Short, Film Editing, Makeup and Hairstyling, Original Score, Production Design, Animated Short, Live-Action Short, and Sound. The announcement comes after the addition of two new categories, Oscar Fan Favorite and Cheer Moment, both of which are aimed at boosting viewer engagement. Needless to say, many nominees, craft union members, and film fans are quite upset over the development. Susan Cabral-Ebert, a member of the Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild, hopes the Academy reconsiders their plan before the March 27 event. Alan Heim, head of the Motion Picture Editors Guild, IATSE Local 700, said that “This move renders the ‘invisible art’ of editing even less visible.” The Cinema Audio Society is also advocating for a reversal, as they believe all artists should be equally celebrated for their contributions. In 2019, the Academy attempted to remove four craft categories from the main broadcast, distributing those awards during commercial breaks, but this decision was reversed. Fans who understand that films are made by teams of talented people, not just A-list names, hope that this decision is reversed quickly.
Broadway
Circle of Life: From a 1958 Stage Debut to a Theater in His Name
New York’s Cort Theater has become a Broadway staple, having hosted 110 years of performances. The venue has decided to change its name to honor an iconic actor who made his stage debut there in 1958: James Earl Jones. The Shubert Organization Inc., which owns and operates multiple theaters on and off Broadway, initiated the name change. In a statement, Jones said, “Let my journey from then to now be an inspiration for all aspiring actors.” James Earl Jones’ career spans multiple decades and formats. He is well known for voicing iconic characters like Darth Vader and Mufasa, and he’s received numerous accolades, including three Tony Awards, a Grammy, two Emmys, and an honorary Academy Award. The legendary theater closed during the pandemic, but they will reopen for performances as soon as renovations are complete. The theater plans to hold a summer ceremony honoring the actor with a formal dedication. According to Robert E. Wankel, Shubert CEO and board chair, “That James deserves to have his name immortalized on Broadway is without question.”
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