Gotham TV prod'n at record levels

Round the number of "Gossip Girl" at Silvercup Art galleries in New You are able to, Gotham mayor Michael R. Bloomberg introduced Thursday that 2011 was NY City's most widely used year for television production on record. "The Mayor's Office of Media & Entertainment is devoted to investing a lot time to make sure the is growing and expand in 2012, getting a lot more jobs for NYers," mentioned Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment commissioner Katherine Oliver. "Gossip Girl" is probably the 23 series that have been shot in NY City throughout the 2011-12 TV season -- a substantial uptick within the mere nine that shot in Gotham in 2002. The series spent $200 million on development in your town and employed some 6,300 people, according to stats within the Mayor's Office. Mayor Bloomberg remains all pervading on NY City's production scene for any very long time. Tubthumping the city's benefits ruffles some lower in Albany (there's some private grumbling that Bloomberg supplies a 5% tax break on top in the state's 30% and takes 100% in the credit), but his efforts regarding film and tv shoots have introduced concentrate on local companies inside an economy hammered with the decline of charitable giving on Wall Street following a housing crisis. The state's concentrate on tax credit issues remains important, too. This Season, the Empire State's legislature selected to totally fund the borrowed funds for four years, giving series producers some space carrying out a backlog of programs together with a few intransigent people in politics drove shows like "Fringe" in the city last season. Contact Mike Thielman at mike.thielman@variety.com

Push The Button: The Short Existence and Dying from the Season's Worst New Show

Kate Reinders, Rebecca Mader, Amaury Nolasco While he walked before reporters as of this month's TV Experts Association press tour, ABC entertainment leader Paul Lee understood an assured way of getting a rise in the come up with reporters: "So, what can you consider Push The Button?In . Professionals, who had christened the sitcom this season's worst new TV series, jeered. Then when Lee put the mix-dressing comedy from the misery a few days later, handful of tears were shed. Even ABC professionals quietly admit that really work It was not good - and left many audiences asking age-old question, "How can a considerably reviled show like which makes it for the air to start with?Inch When ABC acquired an impressive 13 new scripted series this season, many (including, some claim, even Warner Bros. TV, the studio behind the show) were surprised to find out Push The Button available. But Lee was charmed by Push The Button and thought there might be room round the diary for a distinctive half-hour. "Sometimes you select up an plane pilot due to the fact it absolutely allows you to definitely cackle with laughter, that was the problem with Push The Button,In . he told reporters within the TV Experts Association press tour last This summer time. "I make virtually no excuses for the show." Lee also joked while using press that, just like a British native (the land of Benny Hill), he couldn't help but be drawn to some mix-dressing farce: "I'm a Brit, it's throughout my contract which i should do one mix-dressing show yearly. What exactly can one really do?Inch There's some truth compared to that, affiliates say. And even though the pilot to function It was not great ("It was not easily easily the funniest within our aircraft aircraft pilots," understates one professional), it had strong auspices: Pals alums Andrew Reich and Ted Cohen were executive producers. According to Metacritic, which thumbs through TV reviews and assigns a grade to each show, Push The Button was the worst-examined new show of the year up to now, posting a small 19 from 100. That's probably why ABC never even held a press tour session for your show. One professional nevertheless defends the pickup: "It was not the worst show inside the history around the world. Also it wouldn't be the initial demonstrate that experts didn't like." Indeed, a considerably reviled show will still achieve air because professionals go to a glimmer of potential. "It is not always apparent to us once we first notice as possible to experts the show is [terrible]," states one ABC rival. "Maybe something looks better after watching three or four bad aircraft aircraft pilots back to back. Or something like that like this the truth is is stupid-funny and you have a good reaction while screening it. As well as a strange test gives you false hope, or someone round the staff thinks within it.In . The rival professional notes that Lee appears being ready to take risks - witness the surprise success of shows like Not such a long time ago, Revenge and Suburgatory, none that have been considered sure things this fall. "If Paul Lee was charmed due to it, then it will hop on the atmosphere. Which he seems to become 'Let's give a go' guy." Which looks like it's what went lower. Nevertheless the dismal reviews showed up. According to affiliates, Lee's fascination with the show dropped once the press condemned the show. "It increased being your pet pile," one professional states. Adds another: "It may be a tournament to find out who may have the schmuckiest Tweet of a new show." Making matters worse, special interest groups like GLAAD began to trash the show, accusing so that it is insensitive to transgender people. Another joke, about Puerto Ricans, didn't sit well with experts either. Ultimately, Push The Button committed two cardinal sins: It was not funny, plus it completed totally inside the ratings. Nevertheless it wasn't a substantial loss for ABC, which probably didn't spend much to create the show anyway. When the second episode at work It released merely a 1.5 rating among grownups 18-49 around the month of the month of january 10, ABC quickly made a decision to get another one with repeats of Last Guy Standing (improving time slot with a 2. rating the following week). In addition to experts say, all is becoming pardoned. ABC went from zero to hero by tallying to put Cougar Town in Work It's place effective February 14. Still, one rival professional doesn't criticize ABC for giving Push The Button an attempt. "You'll find 100 techniques to get round the air. Everybody knows all the new comedies we positioned on aren't great," according to him. "But most of us rely on them and mix our fingers they use. You typically appear just like a genius when you apply to [popular] that nobody saw coming." Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!

Nominee reaction: Thomas Langmann

Together with his best picture nom for "The Artist," producer Thomas Langmann follows within the actions of his father Claude Berri, who had been nominated within the same category for 1979's "Tess."All the praise for "The Artist" is a "dream," especially thinking about the first hesitation of executives. When you shop the film, Langmann recalls that whenever he pointed out the project was black-and-whitened and quiet, "The initial question was, 'Well, what's the next project?' " Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Nick eyes telenovela at Nite

Nickelodeon and Televisa are joining forces with an 80-episode adaptation of Mexican telenovela "Achieve for just about any Star," to air on Nick at Nite. Jill Farren Phelps ("General Hospital") and Hisham Abed ("The Slopes" ) will professional produce "Achieve," only one-camera, daily series of a teenage girl whose existence is switched upside lower when finds success just like a songwriter and wins the adoration for her favorite singer. Josh Griffith ("The Youthful as well as the Restless") assists as mind author. "Achieve" will probably be produced in colaboration using the new the new sony Pictures TV, with production set to begin in La in March. "We have experienced first-hands very good in the daily scripted format with this particular kid audience with the wealth of 'House of Anubis' and our teen audience with 'DeGrassi: Generation X,A " mentioned Cyma Zarghami, prexy of Viacom's Nickelodeon Group, "and our Nick Latin American funnel has already established good results in creating telenovelas with Televisa." "Achieve" is certainly an adaptation of "Alcanzar una Estrella," first broadcast on Canal p las Estrellas and Univision in 1990. That series produced a film and follow-up telenovela starring Ough Martin and Sasha Sokol. "Incorporated within the steps towards developing a strong presence inside the Anglo TV market, Televisa is excited to coproduce with Nickelodeon among the numerous effective scripts out of your library in the daily series format," Televisa television and content prexy Jose Baston mentioned. "We believe the daily series will probably be well recognized by Nicks family audiences and may capture their attention daily since it has happened in a variety of areas in the world where Televisa has launched its production capabilities. ... We picture Achieve for just about any Star since the to start many joint projects." Contact Jon Weisman at jon.weisman@variety.com

Incognito obtains $50 mil in financing

Incognito Pictures, brought by ex-PayPal executive and financier Jack Selby, has released with $50 million in financing and lengthy-term output cope with The Weinstein Co. Banner introduced the launch Monday and stated it's centered on "creating intelligent, genre-agnostic films with worldwide appeal." La-based Incognito will unveil its initial slate the following month. The agreement with TWC covers distribution across all platforms, including foreign sales and domestic theatrical releases. Selby assists as chairman and it is being became a member of by veteran producer Scott Stone, who's been drawn on as Boss. "Why is Incognito unique is the fact that we've guaranteed significant permanent capital which in the past continues to be put on films at greater cost points," the duo stated inside a statement. "Rather, there exists a unique chance to fill an underserved market more decently allocated films with specialized content that attracts audiences, both locally and abroad." David Glasser, TWC's chief operating officer, stated "Incognito includes a strong business and business model in addition to great style of product." Selby released Horsethief Pictures at the end of 2009. That banner created Western "The Final Rituals of Ransom Pride," which world preemed in the Edinburgh Film Festival and was offered to Screen Media. Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com

Italo box office falls 10%

ROME -- Italian box offices grosses dropped 10% to $846 million in 2011 on ticket sales down 8% to 101 million, due largely to disaffection with Hollywood titles. The U.S. share of the market plummeted from 60% in 2010 to 48% in 2011, earning $411 million. Local pics performed better than they have in decades, earning $301 million from a 37% share of the market, up from 29% the previous year. The remainder was generated by pics from other countries, with Blighty leading the way with $77 million. "Italian cinema has become a major market driver," said producer Riccardo Tozzi, who heads the country's motion picture org, Anica, at a Rome presser, presenting the figures compiled by Cinetel. Tozzi noted that, besides landing five Italo films in the top 12 -- with Medusa's "What a Beautiful Day" at the top -- 2011 also saw an unprecedented 22 local pics pull more than 3 million ($3.8 million) locally, dispelling the "misconception" that growth was due to just a few smash hits. As for Hollywood, exhibbers are upbeat that upcoming pics "Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol," "Moneyball" and "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," along with strong local product, will bring figures back on track in 2012. "I think we can bring the market back up to at least 120 million admissions in 2012, on a par with record-breaking 2010," said Carlo Bernaschi, prexy of multiplex exhib org ANEM. Contact Nick Vivarelli at nvivarelli@gmail.com

Quincy Pics looks for 'Sentient' life

Quincy Pictures has launched with "The Sentient," a sci-fi thriller short with a trio of Oscar-nominated crew members. "Sentient," directed by Gabriel Scott from his own script, has more than 80 vfx shots in nine minutes of film time, with Digital Sandbox contributing all the VFX. Allene Quincy and Nik Isbelle star with Quincy exec producing. Company wants to make "The Sentient" into a full-length feature. Crew included Oscar nominees Randy Kerber as composer, Scott E. Anderson on VFX and Rick Kline, who's been nommed for 11 Oscars, as sound mixer. The short was recently shown at a private industry screening at the Pacific Design Center. Scott is repped by APA and managed by Dave Brown of Artist International. Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com

Juliette Lewis Dishes On Dating Brad Pitt & Her New Role On NBCs The Firm

First Published: January 5, 2012 3:15 PM EST Credit: Access Hollywood Caption Kit Hoover and Billy Bush chat with Juliette Lewis on Access Hollywood Live on January 5, 2012LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Juliette Lewis turned heads when she appeared at the 64th Annual Academy Awards Academy Awards in 1992 with then-boyfriend Brad Pitt at her side rocking cornrows. (See the couple together, HERE!) During a visit to Access Hollywood Live on Thursday, the actress currently starring in NBCs upcoming drama, The Firm remained tight-lipped on her former romance with Brad, but happily explained the reasoning behind her unique hair choice. I would like to discuss my hair because I thought I was a real renegade. And I still think I am, Juliette told Billy Bush and Kit Hoover. I think thats bad ass! Who wears cornrows to the Oscars? I do. How did that come about? Kit asked. Was Brad like, Yes, the cornrows are it? I hung around kind of a rough crowd a couple of years prior and I thought cornrows was a sign of strength and beauty. It was as simple as that, the 38-year-old who was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award that year for her role in Cape Fear explained. So that was my glamor do I just always marched to the beat of my own drum. While Juliette was reluctant to talk about her four-year relationship with the Moneyball star, she spoke of working with Brads ex-wife, Jennifer Aniston, on the 2010 comedy, The Switch. How close did you get with [Jen]? Billy asked. Well, shes a producer on the movie, so she had a lot to say on who was gonna play her BFF. Whats wonderful about her is shes as lovely as youd want her to be, Juliette explained. She just has no airs, and shes very down to earth No, we did not gossip [about Brad], she added. Were grown women, so we just worked and hung out. After taking a hiatus from acting to focus on her music (she performed with rock band Juliette and the Licks until 2009), the actress is returning to TV with a role on NBCs upcoming drama, The Firm. Based on the classic John Grisham thriller, the series picks up 10 years after the book ends with Mitch McDeere (played by Josh Lucas) finding himself hunted yet again after exiting the witness protection program and Juliette says the show will not disappoint. Were all kind of in love with each other as a cast, Juliette who plays Joshs brothers girlfriend on the show told Billy and Kit. Its a really strong cast a lot of suspense. Though the 1993 Tom Cruise-lead film version of the book was a blockbuster hit, the actress said the NBC version will differ from the movie. Were sort of making our own interpretation of the original material, she said. Catch The Firm when it premieres on Sunday at 9 PM on NBC, before moving to its regular timeslot Thursdays at 10 PM. Copyright 2012 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.