Nemo breaks The Code to win Eurovision 2024

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Last weekend Switzerland‘s Nemo won the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden.

Wow! What a song! What a voice! What staging! What lighting! What direction! All culminating in the win!

Leonor Gomes, writing in D5 MAG, treats us to A Little Amuse-Bouche of Eurovision 2024’s Stage Lighting Design.

In it we learn some of the technical details: “Movable LED cubes, LED floors, light, video, and stage technology will be combined to create dynamic and customisable-to-the-brim variations in the arena. The stage is placed right in the middle of the audience, in a cross-like shape, giving people a 360-degree experience where lighting design, music, and performances are not just seen and heard but felt.”

Over at the European Broadcasting Union official site, more details abound:

  • over 400 radios and 200 intercom panels
  • more than 60 radio channels, both analogue and digital
  • 196 variable speed hoists used to position and move the lighting and LED elements in the design
  • 204 tons of technical gear suspended from the arena ceiling, supported by 3.5 km of truss
  • over 2000 light fixtures, each with LED or laser sources
  • approximately 1000 square meters of LED screens enveloping the set, from the stage floor to LED video cubes
  • 68 speakers
  • 56 microphones
  • 9 sound desks
  • 3 different sound mixes, including in-ear monitors for artists, PA for the on-site audience, and the broadcast mix for TV viewers worldwide
  • 55 seconds to move each prop into place while simultaneously rolling another off the stage
  • over 1000 accredited media representatives from around 60 countries

The Eurovision site names the two people most responsible: Florian Wieder and Fredrik Stormby.

Take a look at the incredible live Steadicam work during the French song:

My take: I love this show and watch it each year. I love the now-permanent slogan: United by Music.

 

Your next great idea might already be in the public domain

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Jason Hellerman writing on No Film School invites us to Explore 100+ Public Domain Fairy Tales for Crafting Your Screenplay.

He says:

“Thanks to the public domain, we have access to over 100+ fairy tales that have stood the test of time and are free for anyone to use, adapt, and enjoy.”

Jason feels that public domain fairy tales have many things going for them, such as: familiarity, their established storylines, their endless source material, clear themes and messages, plus multigenerational and universal appeal.

The Numbers concurs that there’s money to be made with fairy tales.

Here’s the list he provides:

  • Cinderella
  • Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
  • Beauty and the Beast
  • Sleeping Beauty
  • Rapunzel
  • Hansel and Gretel
  • Little Red Riding Hood
  • The Frog Prince
  • The Little Mermaid
  • The Emperor’s New Clothes
  • The Ugly Duckling
  • The Tortoise and the Hare
  • The Boy Who Cried Wolf
  • The Three Little Pigs
  • Jack and the Beanstalk
  • Goldilocks and the Three Bears
  • The Pied Piper of Hamelin
  • The Gingerbread Man
  • The Musicians of Bremen
  • The Goose Girl
  • The Princess and the Pea
  • The Emperor and the Nightingale
  • The Snow Queen
  • The Three Billy Goats Gruff
  • The Lion and the Mouse
  • The Fisherman and his Wife
  • Thumbelina
  • The Brave Little Tailor
  • The Little Match Girl
  • The Magic Fish
  • The Golden Goose
  • The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids
  • The Red Shoes
  • The Steadfast Tin Soldier
  • The Wild Swans
  • The Elves and the Shoemaker
  • The Princess on the Glass Hill
  • The Twelve Dancing Princesses
  • The Bremen Town Musicians
  • The Three Feathers
  • The Valiant Little Tailor
  • The Snow-White Dove
  • The Little Red Hen
  • The Girl Without Hands
  • The Magic Porridge Pot
  • The Frog Princess
  • The Dragon and the Princess
  • The Master Cat; or, Puss in Boots
  • The Story of Bluebeard
  • The Story of Tom Thumb
  • The Queen Bee
  • The Singing Bone
  • The Water of Life
  • The Wolf and the Crane
  • The Wolf and the Sheep
  • The Young Giant
  • The Golden Bird
  • The Straw, the Coal, and the Bean
  • The Swineherd
  • The Three Princesses of Whiteland
  • The White Cat
  • The Wishing-Table, the Gold-Ass, and the Cudgel in the Sack
  • The White Snake
  • The Boy Who Wanted More Cheese
  • The Drummer
  • The Golden Crab
  • The Golden Key
  • The Little Glass Slipper
  • The Old Woman and Her Pig
  • The Story of the Three Bears
  • The Travelling Musicians
  • The Two Brothers
  • The Witch in the Stone Boat
  • The Witch’s Daughter
  • The Woodcutter’s Daughter
  • The Young Slave
  • The Seven Ravens
  • The Blue Light
  • The Brave Little Parrot
  • The Glass Mountain
  • The Golden Goose of the Wonderful Garden
  • The Golden Lion
  • The Lazy Spinner
  • The Little Good Mouse
  • The Little Nut-Tree
  • The Old Woman in the Wood
  • The Seven Foals
  • The Sun, the Moon, and Talia
  • The Thief and His Master
  • The Two Brothers and the White Bearded Old Man
  • The White Bird
  • The White Duck
  • The Wise Little Girl
  • The Witch and Her Servants
  • The Magic Mirror
  • The Wild Man
  • The Fairy Gifts
  • The Fire-Bird, the Horse of Power, and the Princess Vasilissa
  • The Juniper-Tree
  • The King of the Golden Mountain
  • The Little Mermaid and the Prince
  • The Master Thief
  • The Nightingale
  • The Six Swans
  • The Twelve Huntsmen
  • The Golden Bird and the Good Hare
  • The Iron Stove
  • The Milk-White Doo
  • The Nettle Spinner
  • The Princess and the Goblin
  • The Princess Mayblossom
  • The Rose Tree
  • The Sea-Maiden
  • The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood

My take: as the Bible says, “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.”

Gaming twice as lucrative as movies

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Matt Grobar reports on Deadline that LaKeith Stanfield is Circling ‘El Paso, Elsewhere’ Video Game Adaptation.

He writes:

“Academy Award nominee LaKeith Stanfield (The Book of Clarence) is in talks to star in and produce a feature adaptation of the hit neo-noir video game El Paso, Elsewhere, Deadline has learned. The film will center on James Savage (Stanfield), who while recovering from a toxic relationship, confronts both his inner demons and enigmatic ex-girlfriend, Janet, before she executes a world-ending ritual. James navigates her reality-bending universe of ethereal monsters while facing the truth of his own addictions and skewed sense of self-worth, learning that the only route to love is through healing.”

The Numbers ranks All Time Worldwide Box Office for Based on Game Movies and crowns 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie the king with over $1.3 Billion.

Video game movie adaptation crosses over two entertainment segments: gaming and movies. Guess what. Gaming is twice as lucrative.

According to PwC, “Total gaming revenue is expected to rise from US$227 billion in 2023 to US$312 billion in 2027, representing a 7.9% CAGR (compound annual growth rate.)” Meanwhile, “Global Movies and Entertainment Market size is poised to grow from USD 104.49 billion in 2023 to USD 182.23 Billion by 2031, at a CAGR of 7.2%,” according to SkyQuest.

My take: Apparently it was over 40 years ago when gaming first bested films and music: “In 1982, the arcade video game industry reached its peak, generating $8 billion in quarters, surpassing the annual gross revenue of both pop music ($4 billion) and Hollywood films ($3 billion) combined.” Now, gaming is by far the winner. btw, Minecraft (the movie) is coming in April 2025.

Jerry Seinfeld: “The Movie Business is over!”

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Brett Martin writing in GQ reports that “Jerry Seinfeld Says Movies Are Over.”

While promoting his new Netflix movie “Unfrosted,” the billionaire comedian talks about his directing debut.

“These movie people are unbelievable. They’re insane…. They’re so dead serious! They don’t have any idea that the movie business is over. They have no idea…. Film doesn’t occupy the pinnacle in the social, cultural hierarchy that it did for most of our lives. When a movie came out, if it was good, we all went to see it. We all discussed it. We quoted lines and scenes we liked. Now we’re walking through a fire hose of water, just trying to see.”

Brett asks, “What do you think has replaced film?”

“Depression? Malaise? I would say confusion. Disorientation replaced the movie business. Everyone I know in show business, every day, is going, What’s going on? How do you do this? What are we supposed to do now?”

Jerry Seinfeld closes by reveiling his philosophy:

“There’s nothing I revile quite as much as a dilettante. I don’t like doing something to a mediocre level. It’s great to be 70, because you really get to preach with some authority: Get good at something. That’s it. Everything else is bullshit.”

My take: Great advice. To me, Seinfeld remains one of the best TV sitcoms of all time.

Apple Log on iPhone

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Apple Log on iPhone is Not a Gimmick according to ZY Cheng of Malaysia.

In a fast-paced 10 minutes he covers:

  • the difference between conventional filming and filming in log
  • how exposure changes in log (1:12)
  • using the iPhone Camera App to film in log (5:06)
  • using the Blackmagic Camera App to film in log (5:47)
  • the log profile and black and white levels (6:31)
  • log exposure tips for day and night filming (7:53)

Apple Log is available on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Note that Apple will most likely be upgrading these come September 2024.

My take: I want this. I need this!

Canadian Box Office over 20%!

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A curious thing happened at the Canadian theatrical box office during the week of April 5-11, 2024: over 20% of the screenings were Canadian movies. This number is usually between three to ten percent of screenings.

In BC, Monkey Man had over 55% of the Canadian screenings, with Dune: Part Two pulling in over 40%. In other words, those two movies represented over 95% of the Canadian screenings in BC for the week of April 5-11, 2024.

Canadian movies, eh?

Monkey Man was produced by Canadian motion picture company Bron Studios. Netflix declined and shopped it, and Jordan Peele picked it up. Unfortunately, Bron may be having financial difficulties.

Dune: Part Two was co-written and directed by Canadian Denis Villeneuve. It probably earns its maple leaf because the special effects were done by three Canadian companies:

  • DNEG has offices in both Toronto and Montreal.
  • Wylie Co. has offices in Montreal.
  • Rodeo FX has studios in Montreal, Quebec City, and Toronto.

Yes, these are Canadian films in the sense that Canadians had a big hand in making them. Not sure they reflect the Canadian identity and experience though.

My take: I always watch the credits to the very end. It’s always worth the chuckle when a Canadian government logo scrolls by on a patently non-Canadian film. Canadian tax dollars at work!

 

“air head” is the first AI generated short film

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Sora has received one of the first AI generated short films from Canada’s shykids_:

OpenAI says on their blog:

“Based in Toronto, shy kids are a multimedia production company who utilized Sora for their short film about a balloon man. ‘We now have the ability to expand on stories we once thought impossible,’ shares the trio made up of Walter Woodman, Sidney Leeder and Patrick Cederberg. Walter, who directed Air Head, remarks that ‘as great as Sora is at generating things that appear real, what excites us is its ability to make things that are totally surreal. A new era of abstract expressionism.’ Speaking to the wider industry, ‘people from all over the world with stories ready to burst out of their chests finally have the opportunity to show the world what’s inside.'”

The BTS video is quite illustrative, as it does look like some post work was done on at least one clip:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by shy kids (@shykids_)

I love this quote: “Sora is very much a slot machine as to what you get back.”

By the way, these are the folks behind 2013’s brilliant, genre-launching Noah (nsfw):

My take: sure, it’s not prime time yet, but Sora will only get better. Check out these other “text to video” tools on Future Tools. Oh, and I think the contrast in “air head” is too flat.

The FCC complaints regarding John Cena presenting at the Oscars

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Kory Grow reveals in Rolling Stone what the Three People [who] Did Not Enjoy John Cena’s Physical Perfection at [the] Oscars wrote.

He begins with the admission that “Rolling Stone was able to review the irate messages via a Freedom of Information Act request.”

One wrote:

“Indecent Prime Time TV: There is no reason why a grown man will come to national television like a streaker and molest and abuse all the children who will hear and see this in TV and in the various media the following day. There is need for Cena and the Oscar organizers to be cancelled for promoting gratuitous and inappropriate nudity in such horrific levels that they deserve boycott in the first order.”

Another wrote:

“What more can I say….other than an undresses [sic] man coming out on stage with only and piece of paper covering his private parts! Do your job! Get this filth off our TVs!”

A third wrote:

“Double standards with nudity: John Cena’s almost-complete nudity during the Oscars on March 12th, 2024, was abhorrent. If that had been a woman, the world would have ended.”

Riley Utley reports on Cinemablend that the Academy specified that “a bulge cannot be showing, and you can’t show crack.”

No crack proof.

Watch the costume change.

My take: lol! The world did not end. In fact, it was one of the high points of the broadcast. Perhaps those three were just jealous?

Distribution rules and streaming steadily impacting small theatres

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Kevin Maimann writes on CBC that Canada’s indie movie theatres say industry is in crisis.

He begins by stating: “Canada’s independent cinema industry is in crisis, its owners say, as they face mounting challenges from streaming services and restrictive Hollywood studio rules.”

It turns out that “rules imposed by major studios like Disney determine when and for how long they are able to screen certain big-ticket films.”

These are called “‘clean runs,’ when studios require an independent theatre to dedicate a screen to just one film for up to four weeks, even if the film stops drawing crowds after the first week. This can be especially frustrating for small-town theatres that only have one screen.”

And they can’t rent their theatre out during that time.

“They said if your door’s open, you’re showing our product.“

Another studio constraint is “zone provisions, which keep exhibitors from playing films that are screening at bigger nearby theatres.

By the time they’re allowed to screen some films, they could be streaming.

See the Network of Independent Canadian Exhibitors report.

My take: could the studios and their distributors be actively trying to kill off independent cinemas? I doubt it. But small town cinemas are so much more than just Hollywood outposts; they are often the only local in-person cultural and artistic hub available to citizens.

Warner Bros. shelves “Coyote vs. Acme”

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Joe Hernandez reports on NPR: Here’s why some finished films are mothballed.

He begins, “Back in November [2023,] Warner Bros. Discovery announced it was not planning to release “Coyote vs. Acme,” a hybrid animated and live-action comedy starring John Cena and Will Forte that had wrapped filming a year earlier.”

And then adds that the studio shelved both “Batgirl” and “Scoob!: Holiday Haunt” in 2022.

He explores the reasons behind spending $70M, $90M and $40M and then shelving movies rather than releasing them to the public:

  • Money: “Hollywood financial experts say that when studios scrap finished projects the decision usually comes down to money.”
  • New Directions: “Abandoning a project may also reflect the shifting priorities of a studio.”

He concludes, “Though it may make financial sense for a studio to abandon a film, that argument may prove little comfort to the movie’s cast and crew or the fans eagerly awaiting its release.”

My take: Here’s his description of the cancelled movie: “Based on a satirical New Yorker piece, the movie followed Wile E. Coyote as he sued the Acme company after its products again and again fail to help him catch the elusive Road Runner.” That sounds hilarious! I’d watch that. And it seems cruel to green light a movie, get folks to spend years of time and effort working on it and then pull the rug out from under everything. Beep! Beep!