In PR Game, Studios Playing in the Bush Leagues

Elsewhere in this issue are stories about the television industry but do not look for any contribution from NBC Universal or The CW. Repeated attempts to line up interviews were met with silence on the part of CW and foot dragging on the part of NBC. Surprisingly, it was ABC television that came through with the interviews, including one with the head of the network, Anne Sweeney. It’s surprising because typically The Walt Disney Co. is the worst of the media companies to deal with when it comes to lining up interviews with anyone who knows anything, i.e. with someone other than a flack. Why does any of this matter? Because it says a lot about the culture of these studios and networks and how they do business. They shell out a lot in salaries and benefits for these staffers to be their contacts with the media. In the case of Disney, the staffs are huge. There are times though when I honestly think they don’t want to be contacted; that they do not want to be bothered with another interview request. Which is what is so aggravating about the silence from two networks when reporting the television industry stories. Both NBC and CW were contacted early in the reporting process knowing that their cooperation would be questionable. The same with ABC, which presented its own problem in the lack of phone numbers and email addresses on its contact page. I certainly don’t expect my phone calls to go right through. I don’t expect a media contact to drop everything they are doing to help me out. Silence, however, is not acceptable. Really, was Paul Hewitt so busy over at The CW writing up yet another press release that he couldn’t take 60 seconds to return a phone call or answer an e-mail? Then there’s NBC, which equals or surpasses Disney in the uncooperative attitude of their media contacts. Time and again I’ve had to deal with my requests being passed around to multiple spokespeople. One story idea required talking with a media contact in New York just to interview an exec at the Universal City offices. That story never got written. In the course of trying to line up interviews for this issue I never spoke with anyone from NBC. I received two voicemails from Curt King but my return calls were met with the response he was in a meeting. After dropping out for a week into whatever black hole flacks disappear into, King sent another email saying that a Deborah Thomas would contact me. I’m still waiting. The relationships between reporters and media spokespeople are often antagonistic but don’t have to be. I get along fine with my two contacts at Warner Bros. though there are times when that studio as well can be a pain. But when they tell me no at least I get a call. Not silence. Covering the entertainment industry for a small circulation publication that comes out twice a month isn’t easy and having to butt heads with do-nothing media relations people doesn’t make it any easier. There is no risk, however, in writing any of this; no risk of burning any bridges. You cannot burn something that wasn’t there to start with. Film Funding A Boston-based private equity firm provided $10 million in financing to start up production company Writers’ Group Film Corp. Writers’ Group, located in Lancaster, will use the money from Auctus Private Equity Fund LLC to fulfill financial requirements for its film, television and Internet entertainment projects. “With this commitment we hope to address the funding needs of our various upcoming entertainment projects to ensure the future growth of the Company,” said Writers’ Group President and Chairman Tal L. Kapelner. “We looked at many funding opportunities for our projects in order to find the best fit and I believe we found that right fit with Auctus.” Writers’ Group owns three feature film screenplays it intends to produce and is currently marketing its completed short film, “The G! True Tinseltown Tale: Dude, Where’s My Car?” and a television pilot “Flagged.” 3D Projects 3ality Digital LLC joins with digital theater equipment provider Cinedigm to collaborate on alternative 3D projects expected to arrive in theaters over the next two years. The companies look to build on the success they had in January when they paired to present a live 3D broadcast of the college football BCS game in 80 theaters in 31 states. “The millions of moviegoers who have been drawn to recent animated 3D film releases will be astonished by the power of digital 3D technology to transform live-action content as well,” said Sandy Climan, CEO of Burbank-based 3ality Digital. “The various sports leagues, music producers and other industry executives we are speaking with share our belief that digital 3D will continue to change the way people think about everyday entertainment.” 3ality will produce the content and Cinedigm will handle distribution and marketing through its CineLive satellite network. “This series of 3D productions will create a highly immersive entertainment option that traditional 2D fare simply can’t match,” said Jonathan Dern, President of Cinedigm Entertainment Group in Woodland Hills. “Expanding our 3D content offerings allows us to maximize the investment we have made in our industry leading digital cinema network, and to deliver an unparalleled customer experience.” 3D Summit Climan was among the representatives of Valley entertainment companies taking part in the 3D Entertainment Summit at the Universal City Hilton on Sept. 16 and 17. That this event took place for the second time in less than a year just goes to show the growing acceptance of the three-dimensional format in Hollywood. This year every major studio has a 3D film on its distribution slate. Also taking part in the summit were Jeffrey Katzenberg, CEO of DreamWorks Animation SKG; John Lowry, president and CEO of TrioScopics in Burbank; Steve Schklair, founder and CEO of 3ality Digital Systems; John Nicolard, head of digital production, Fotokem Digital Films in Burbank; Jim Mainard, head of production development, DreamWorks Animation; and Jason Brenek, senior vice president worldwide digital cinema and cinema programming, Walt Disney Studios. Staff Reporter Mark Madler can be reached at (818) 316-3126 or by e-mail at [email protected]. He hasn’t watched NBC on a regular basis since “Seinfeld” went off the air.