EXCLUSIVE: In many states, including California, texting or emailing while driving could get you a fine. If you’re a Disney employee, it may also get you fired. That’s according to a companywide memo that went out yesterday. The so-called “distracted driving,” which involves mostly people using their mobile devices while behind the wheel, is a serious problem that caused 5,474 deaths last year. But a private company enforcing the ban on the use of such devices is a little odd even for Disney, considered to be the most buttoned-down and regulated entertainment conglom. According to the memo, Disney “is enhancing its
vehicle safety policy effective immediately.” That includes prohibiting Disney employees from sending or reading texts or emails while driving company cars or their private cars while performing duties related to their Disney jobs. “Failure to comply will lead to disciplinary actions up to and including termination,” the memo said. While the intention is noble, the bureaucratic way it was handled has raised eyebrows, evoked Big Brother references and has mostly puzzled Disney employees as to how exactly would Disney enforce its new rules. Nevertheless, the new policy may affect business as most people working in the entertainment industry in LA do a lot of work on their blackberrys while driving. With its ban, Disney joins the Obama administration which has prohibited federal employees from texting while driving on government business and banned commercial truck and bus drivers from texting behind the wheel. Thirty states and the District of Columbia prohibit drivers from texting behind the wheel; at least eight states have passed laws barring drivers from using hand-held cell phones.
Disney Employees Face Firing Over Texting
Donna Gigliotti Named President Of Production For The Weinstein Company
Reaching into their past to (hopefully) repeat some of their glory, Harvey and Bob Weinstein have tapped a familiar face to be The Weinstein Company’s president of production. Donna Gigliotti was was an executive at Miramax from 1993-1996. She was also one of the Oscar-winning producers on Miramax’s Shakespeare In Love back in 1998 and received an Oscar nomination for TWC’s The Reader in 2008.
New York, NY (October 18, 2010) – Having established a relationship for more than seventeen years, The Weinstein Company (TWC) has hired Oscar-winning producer and former Miramax Films Executive Vice President Donna Gigliotti as president of production. She will work directly with TWC Co-Chairmen Bob and Harvey Weinstein, as well as produce several films for the company. Gigliotti’s first production will be I Don’t Know How She Does It, starring Sarah Jessica Parker, which will begin principal photography January 17. She is currently overseeing My Week With Marilyn, starring Michelle Williams shooting in the UK, and will produce David O. Russell’s Silver Linings Playbook in the latter half of 2011.Gigliotti is one of only five women ever to win a Best Picture Oscar. In her first outing as an independent producer, she received the 1998 Academy Award for producing the seven-time Oscar-winning Miramax film Shakespeare in Love, and was subsequently nominated for a Best Picture Oscar for The Weinstein Company’s 2008 romantic drama The Reader.
MEMO: MGM Not Veering From Spyglass
EXCLUSIVE: Despite the speculation that India conglomerate Sahara India Pariwar might swoop in and buy MGM for $2 billion, it doesn’t sound like MGM’s current management is taking it that seriously. At least not based on this internal memo I just obtained:
Latest Twist In MGM Saga Unfolds In India?
Indian conglomerate Sahara India Pariwar is reported to be in exploratory talks to buy the debt-hobbled MGM studio for $2 billion, according to the Wall Street Journal. Bloomberg adds that the Broccoli family, owners of the James Bond … Read More »
Police Seize Gate Crasher At Warner Bros
UPDATE: I’ve just confirmed that the driver of a car crashed through Gate 5 on the northside of the Warner Bros lot in Burbank late this afternoon and sped onto the property. Burbank Police were called and now have detained him. Authorities … Read More »
Francie Calfo Named Imagine TV President
Veteran TV executive/producer Francie Calfo is joining Imagine TV as president after more than 20 years at ABC. Calfo will replace David Nevins who is leaving to become entertainment president at Showtime, replacing Robert Greenblatt. Calfo’s deal with 20th TV … Read More »
Former 20th TV Drama Topper Moran Joins ABC Studios As New Head Of Drama
EXCLUSIVE: Former 20th Century Fox TV SVP drama Patrick Moran has been tapped as new head of drama at ABC Studios. He will replace Josh Barry, who is stepping down from his post after a year. Barry, a 10-year ABC/ABC Studios … Read More »
Sony Pictures Selects New ‘Spider-Man’; He’s 26-Yr-Old Brit Actor Andrew Garfield
New ‘Spider-Man’ Latest Twist To Reboot Tired Franchise
CULVER CITY, Calif., July 1, 2010 – After a comprehensive worldwide casting search, Andrew Garfield has been chosen to portray Peter Parker
MGM To Morph Into A Pure Production Play?
Can ‘The Hobbit’ Wait For MGM Decisions?
EXCLUSIVE: Now that Spyglass has emerged as the favorite to steer MGM’s future fortunes — although Summit insists it’s not out of the running yet and Lionsgate is in merger talks — more details are emerging about MGM’s possible future. Insiders tell me that the Spyglass plan would transform MGM into a pure production company and close down its marketing and distribution divisions. That would certainly cut costs in the short run. Coupled with the equity that Spyglass would bring to the table, a streamlined MGM would lower its debt and have a shot at raising new funding to finance its own pictures. That would let Spyglass partners Gary Barber and Roger Birnbaum do what they do well, which is to lower risk by making domestic and offshore distribution deals.
But I see the downside of this plan. MGM would have to pay others to distribute and market its films — and those fees could be comparable or higher than the monies saved on overhead. I’m told that rival Summit and Lionsgate proposals would maintain MGM as a studio because both companies have distribution divisions. The Spyglass move would mean yet another morphing of MGM over the recent past. Under Harry Sloan, the revived studio started off as a distribution rental system for films by financiers like Sidney Kimmel and The Weinstein Co, a strategy that didn’t work. Read More »
Michael Burns And Carl Icahn Break Bread
EXCLUSIVE: Reliable sources tells me that Lionsgate vice chairman Michael Burns flew to NYC on Wednesday night to have dinner with Carl Icahn “to see if they could work together and avert a hostile takeover of the studio”. This is … Read More »
SHOCKER! David Nevins Out At Imagine TV
EXCLUSIVE: Imagine Television is staying put at 20th Century Fox TV but its president David Nevins is exiting after 8 years. Nevins’ contract was up and I hear he couldn’t come to an agreement with the studio, which pays for Imagine … Read More »
WHY NOW? Baffling Resurgence Of Rumor About MGM-Lionsgate Merger Talks
I’m being told there’s really nothing new with these explanatary conversations. And, anyway, Lionsgate can’t do any kind of deal with MGM unless the studio management brokers some settlement with 32% shareholder Carl Icahn, who has made it clear he won’t … Read More »
TOLDJA! Lionsgate Confirms ‘Machine Gun Preacher’ Deal
Lionsgate has formally announced its acquisition of North American rights to Machine Gun Preacher, the fact-based drama about Sam Childers, a reformed badass who established an orphanage in war torn Africa and then supervised a militia to protect the kids. The … Read More »
It’s Official: Top NBC Marketing Exec John Miller To Exit At The End Of The Year
EXCLUSIVE: End Of An Era: NBCU Top Marketing Executive John Miller To Step Down
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – June 21, 2010 – After one of the longest and most successful careers in entertainment marketing, John Miller, Chief Marketing Officer and President of The NBC Agency, will now transition to a new role within NBC Universal. Miller, who will remain the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of NBC Universal Television Group, will be working full-time on the NBCU Comcast integration.
FANS OF FANGS: Twi-Hards Start Lining Up Already For Thursday’s ‘Eclipse’ Premiere
Here are some early photos of the 600 fans starting to line up today for Thursday’s Eclipse premiere at the Nokia Theater for a glimpse of the cast of this 3rd pic in the Twilight Saga: Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner, Robert … Read More »
‘Carter Beats The Devil’ Regains Magic Mojo
Warner Bros is giving the Glen David Gold novel Carter Beats the Devil another chance to beat death by development hell. The studio has optioned the novel, and set Michael Gilio to write the script. Jon Shestack will produce, and Ginny … Read More »
Bruce Dern and Walton Goggins Surging, Amanda Bynes Disappearing?
A few actor developments that caught my eye this weekend…. Despite her frustration-filled weekend tweeting, I don’t believe Amanda Bynes is done with acting at age 24. Like most parents of now-college age kids, I endured hours of often insufferable Tollin-Robbins-produced … Read More »
10 Set To Star In The Disney Movie ‘Prom’
Disney has assembled the cast of Prom, its high-school comedy feature revolving around a group of teens and the emotional ups and downs they go through prepping for the big dance. The … Read More »
FearNet To Become Basic Cable Channel
Video-on-demand/online service FearNet is planning to go linear October 1. The multi-platform service, owned by Lions Gate, Sony Pictures TV and Comcast, said it will launch as a high-definition ad-supported movie channel. No carriage agreements have been announced though having No.1 cable operator Comcast as a parent should come in … Read More »
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