Millennium Entertainment triggers 'Red Lights'

'Red Lights'PARK CITY, Utah -- Millennium Entertainment has "Red-colored-colored Lights" within the sights, as Boss Bill Lee's distribution company has closed a deal to obtain U.S. rights to Rodrigo Cortes' paranormal thriller. The twisting mental thriller within the director of "Hidden" opened up Friday evening within the jam-packed Eccles Theatre at Sundance. Cortes produced with Adrian Guerra, while Cindy Cowan professional produced through her Cindy Cowan Entertainment banner. UTA handled the acquisition regarding the filmmakers. Pic stars Robert P Niro, Cillian Murphy, Sigourney Weaver and last year's Sundance It-girl Elizabeth Olsen inside the story from the college-backed team of paranormal naysayers who set to debunk a worldwide-famous telekinetic (P Niro). The offer were not immediately revealed. "We are thrilled with 'Red Lights' and excited to distribute the film," mentioned Lee. "This certainly has theatrical potential which we plan take an average theatrical platform release, with ancillaries coming 90-100 days later. We found Sundance while using goal of buying 'Red Lights' whether or not this was good, which we thought Rodrigo did an excellent job while using film. UTA was teriffic to handle, and that we are generally thrilled and proud to distribute the film." Millennium Entertainment adds "Red-colored-colored Lights" with a slate including recent acquisition "Some Paradise," starring Kate Hudson. Produced this season, customers are bolstered having a seasoned staff including marketing and distribution veterans Brooke Ford and Andy Gruenberg. Past releases include David Schwimmer's "Trust," the Chris Evans-starrer "Puncture" and Joel Schumacher's "Trespass," starring Nicolas Cage and Nicole Kidman. Company's next release is Oren Moverman's cop drama "Rampart" on February 10. Woodsy Harrelson stars alongside "Red-colored-colored Lights" thesp Sigourney Weaver and Ben Promote. Later this year, Millennium Entertainment will distribute Juan Carlos Fresnadillo's thriller "Criminals," Richard Linklater's dark comedy "Bernie," and Elgin James' "Little Wild wild birds," which carried out Sundance a year ago. Contact Rob Sneider at rob.sneider@variety.com

Worthy successors

WeinerSwansonFrot-CoutazGaitanMatthew WeinerCreator, "Mad Men"I was a senior in high school when (Brandon Tartikoff) hosted "Saturday Night Live," and I remember thinking, "Who is this executive?" I loved how funny and self-deprecating he was. It wasn't until I got into television that I realized he was responsible for everything I liked to watch. You really got the feeling someone was in charge who really wanted to entertain people and help creative people pull that off. And also, by the way, the real Tartikoff moment just growing up in a writers room, and hearing every executive compared to him -- and often not in a positive way -- I realized he was a different kind of person.I look at his legacy, and I see that he's like the guy who runs Baskin Robbins. "Let's make a new flavor this month. There are all different kinds of people and they like all different kinds of ice cream." I don't think anybody else thinks that way.Dennis SwansonPresident of station operations, FoxI was a general manager in Chicago, and when I was looking for a replacement for the a.m. show there, I saw an audition for Oprah Winfrey. I'm thinking to myself on a Saturday morning over Labor Day weekend in 1983, "Oh my goodness, I can't be this lucky. This woman is the most unique, dynamic and best I've ever seen." The trick for me was to get her under contract.I knew how good she was because I was sitting there watching the audition, but I still had to get it approved. And there was a considerable divide in Chicago at the time racially. You knew that there were risks, but this was a calculated risk. You think to yourself, "This person has so much ability, that it's worth the risk."Fernando GaitanVP of production and content, Colombia's RCN TV and creator, "Ugly Betty"I have always being involved in complex projects. I told the story of the Colombian coffee trade in telenovela format, and the protagonist was an impotent man who fell in love with a coffee collector woman who used to move around the country, and just appeared during the harvest, and who had the key to his sexuality.But where I definitely risked everything was in "Yo soy Betty la fea" ("Ugly Betty"). I wanted to tell the story of beauty through the eyes of an ugly woman, but to do it, it was necessary to break the first amendment of a "telenovela" which says: The protagonist of a "telenovela" must be beautiful, unquestionably beautiful, and must be beloved by men as well as, and especially, by women.From that moment on, I grasped at believing in my own stories. If a story makes its way, it traps you, it attracts you from the paper itself, if it generates the interior strength in the reader, if it produces the unavoidable desire to eat it up to the end, you must bet on it.Cecile Frot-CoutazCEO, FremantleMedia North AmericaVery soon after I arrived in Los Angeles and started working in the business, I started hearing references to (Tartikoff's) name as the gold standard in all creative matters. He loved what he did, had fun doing it and took people on the ride along with him, from his staff at the network, the producers he engaged and of course the talent.His legacy stands as a reminder that nothing great is achieved without taking some big swings. Whether it is with the recasting of "American Idol," the evolution of "America's Got Talent," the relaunching of "Family Feud," the ongoing investment in "The Price is Right" or the launch of "X Factor," I would like to believe that I have taken a page or two out of his rulebook, taken some risks along the way and tried to resist the inevitable pressures to compromise.NATPE 2012Congloms chase big footprint | Syndie concerns grow as daytime yakkers stack up | Distribs, stations guard firstrun syndie shows from web | Worthy successors | What's coming to market | Comedies hit syndie paydirt -- for now | Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Universal counts to 'Thirteen'

Universal has pre-emptively bought "Thirteen," a spec by Benjamin Magid, and set it up with Uni-based Strike Entetrainment and Brooklyn Weaver at Energy Entertainment.Veteran production exec Kristel Laiblin brought the project into Strike's Eric Newman and will oversee."Thirteen" centers on possession and is understood to utilize a mixture of found-footage point of views. The story is reminiscent of 1990's "Flatliners," which starred Julia Roberts and Kiefer Sutherland as medical school students experimenting with the line between life and death. Sale closed Friday night. Magid penned "Pan," a supernatural take on J.M. Barrie's "Peter Pan," which is scheduled to go into production later this year with Chris Tuffin, Renee Tab and Weaver producing and Ben Hibon directing. Magid's repped by WME and managed by Energy Entertainment. WME and Energy teamed on last week's spec sale of Brad Ingelsby actioner "Run All Night" to Warner Bros. in a preemptive deal. Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com

Iger takes home $31.4 mil this season

IgerWalt Disney Boss Robert Iger acquired $18.5 million in base pay and bonus for fiscal 2011, up 13.6% in the prior year, the business mentioned within the annual proxy filling while using Opportunities and Exchange Commission Friday. Including equity honours worth $12.9 million, his total compensation rose to $31.4 million.That compares with no more than $28 million the prior year, which incorporated $11.6 000 0000 in equity honours.Disney mentioned inside the fiilng that executive compensation required it's origin from "the exceptional growth the business accomplished when faced having a persistent challenging economic atmosphere." It noted the finest slice of Iger's compensation showed up performance-based honours. Plus it mentioned the figure given for equity compensation reflects the so-referred to as fair value round the date in the award. Meaning the specific amount an professional takes home may differ for that way Disney stock does together with other metrics.Iger will assume the title of chairman in March and contains introduced expects to step lower as Boss in 2015 but remain executive chairman for the next year.Disney's general counsel Alan Braverman was the Mouse's next finest paid out professional with total annual compensation of $21.6 000 0000, well up from $7 million the last year as his bonus hopped by nearly $6 000 0000 and also the equity honours by nearly about $7 million.The most effective five finest paid out professionals, including Kevin Mayer, professional V . p . for corporate strategy and business development chief financial officer Jay Rasulo and mind of human assets Jayne Parker together received total compensation $55 million.Disney mentioned it'll hold its annual meeting of traders on March 31 in Might, Missouri. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Chefs offer Sundance goers an alternate

Tijuana chef Javier Plascencia cooks at Chefdance Saturday. "There's lots of great restaurants in Park City. The issue is, they are all packed, and each film really wants to host an evening meal for his or her cast and professionals," stated Kenny Griswold, who together with Mimi Kim released Chefdance nine years back to provide festgoers a relaxed opportunity to eat and schmooze. 5-evening number of dinners begins tonight at 427 Primary St. (the previous Harry O's space) having a roster of intriguing chefs cooking for 2 festival film teams each evening. Films include Spike Lee's "Red-colored Hook Summer time" and comedy "Save the Date." Each dinner hosts 250 visitors, a mixture of filmmakers, talent and executives in the asked films and finance professionals from private equity finance and banking groups within an atmosphere where "you are able to really finish a conversation," Griswold stated. Tonight's dinner is as simple as chefs from San Diego's Ocean Rocket Bistro, with your imaginative touches as kimchi cotton chocolate and pork cheekbones with apple pop rocks and mustard fresh paint. Saturday's dinner provides a rare opportunity to taste Tijuana chef Javier Plascencia's food outdoors of Mexico. The Baja Mediterranean cuisine pioneer assists dishes including sous vide beef tongue with black mole and yellowfin tuna parfait. "Top Chef" champion Hung Huynh prepares a sea food-focused menu Sunday, while Monday's dinner from "Iron Chef" judge Donatella Arpaia features gnocchi with whitened truffles. Griswold stated the truth that nothing changes hands -- Nicholas Meals provides most of the elements -- helps cultivate a slow paced life the finance pros appreciate. Chefdance's dinner-party format, that also addresses the problem in acquiring Park City bookings, has created other chef-driven occasions throughout the fest. The Supper Club gets control nowhere Iguana with restaurateur-TV host Todd British dealing with chefs including Zakary Pelaccio of NY's Fatty Crab. "Top Chef" alum Marcel Vigneron toplines Supper Suite at Montage Deer Valley, while Goodnight Gansevoort in the One Group House delivers dinners for photos including "Lay the favouriteInch from NY restaurants STK and Asellina. Contact Pat Saperstein at pat.saperstein@variety.com

The Key Circle: Mike Has Returned! Will another Balcoin Child Be Revealed?

Britt Robertson and Chris Zylka The Key Circle's witch-switched-witch hunter Mike has finally came back. Within the midseason finale, Nick's older brother went served by the Witch Predators, who had attempted to kill Cassie (Britt Robertson) and her circle. Though Mike (Chris Zylka) was dealing with the predators to consider lower the circle, he fell for Cassie. Which means he will not be too happy doing within the arms of Adam (Thomas Dekker) as he returns. Exclusive: The Key Circle casts Cassie's mysterious father John Blackwell "Wow, which was fast," Zylka jokes from the pair's lip-secure last Thursday's episode. "Jake's initial fact is anger -- and fighting that anger while trying to not show it an excessive amount of.Inch The circle has switched against Mike for his complicity in the near-dying experience, but Cassie is not as released she still wants solutions about her family's history with dark miracle. The circle will definitely be reluctant to trust him, but Zylka demands Jake's go back to Chance Harbor originates from an innocent place. "He's had this type of lengthy journey like a person/witch, and he's finally beginning to find themself out. He really wants to tell the truth and also to take part in the circle," he states. "As he wants something, he goes after it. No. 1, he's deeply in love with Cassie, with no. 2, he really wants to participate something. Clearly, the Witch Predators aren't likely to be happy with him." Exclusive: The Key Circle lands two new bad boys Mike will return having a couple of strategies of their own. They know there's several Balcoin child inside the circle. The Balcoin lineage, audiences have discovered, is marred with dark miracle and evil ghouls. "Jake's wise enough to understand when he goes directly into [revealing there's another Balcoin], they are all likely to desire to be it. Everybody sees what Cassie is capable of doing, especially Faye. He will treat the problem a bit more carefully than you'd expect him to." Mike will even offer understanding of what went down towards the parents of individuals within the circle nearly 2 decades ago. "We are likely to explore our parents' situation and then try to evaluate which really happened 16 years back and it is a pleasant ride that everybody continues. This is an emotional episode for everybody." The Key Circle airs Thursdays at 9/8c around the CW.

Savannah Frazier...Got the Part

"The very first bird can get the earthworm" may appear trite, but nonunion actor Savannah Frazier can verify a realistic look at this clich after her experience of a wide open demand "Within the Fire," an hourlong oratorio dramatizing the tragic Triangular Shirtwaist Factory fire of 1911.Frazier turned up at Jewel Art galleries in Manhattan around 4 a.m. on May 3 to join up to audition for your nonunion national tour of "Fiddler on top.In . She appreciated reading through through with the spine Stage that auditions for "Within the Fire" were being held nearby at Ripley-Grier Art galleries that mid-day, so she needed advantage of the extra time before her "Fiddler" audition at 10 a.m. making hers the title round the sign-up sheet for "Within the Fire."Frazier was only days from graduation within the two-year conservatory program at NY's American Musical and Dramatic Academy, where students are advised to audition every morning before attending classes later tomorrow. "I like who audition," she states, "even when it's a thing that i understand I'm less than appropriate for. Maybe they will not cast me, however i enjoy audition. It's seriously among the most popular steps you can take.InchThe youthful actor was especially considering "Within the Fire," because of its historic written content as well as the status of composer Elizabeth Swados. The show stood a effective one-week run in April to commemorate the 100th anniversary in the event, however, many roles were being recast following a project was recognized for the 2011 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Frazier impressed Swados enough being cast as Alta, a personality with various 16-year-old dressmaker who labored and died inside the factory."I used to be excited to take advantage of the music activity and rehearse Alta's voice to really define her," Frazier states. "Hopefully I came across a realistic look at her, because she will be a real person. After I sang, [Swados] mentioned, 'That's the first time I've heard my song sang the means by that we needed to hear it sang.' That was super exciting.""Savannah is very versatile, and then we attempted her by helping cover their a variety of roles," states musical director Kris Kukul, who labored with stars within the callbacks. "She did well wonderful them, but ultimately few other actor matched up up Alta's sense of ambition, functionality, and inner existence that can match Savannah."Kukul was trying to find strong entertainers who could portray immigrants consequently-of-the-century NY City and reliable that Frazier is a good match the comfort in the cast. "Savannah had all people qualities," according to him. "She nailed it immediately."Has Back Stage aided you obtain cast formerly year? We want to see your story. Keep up with the weekly column by getting in touch with casting@backstage.com for NY or bswcasting@backstage.com for La with "I Obtained the Part" inside the subject line.