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Editor’s note: Paul Young, the Emmy-winning producer and founder of management-production company Make Good Content, also co-founded Principato-Young Entertainment in 2000, while concurrently serving as chairman of the Groundlings Theater. The onetime Variety reporter and Paramount creative executive recently produced the Duke Johnson film The Actor and will next make the Ferris Bueller spinoff Sam and Victor’s Day Off for Paramount.

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Paul Young

My name is Paul Young, and I own a management company called Make Good Content. I am writing to you because our entertainment community needs a leader. We need someone in power to take responsibility for making such a mess of things. We need a CEO who will seek to understand the writers’ concerns, not refuse to acknowledge their proposals, and then do something about what he’s learned. Quite simply, we need a rich guy to do the right thing. Even when it costs money.

Exclusive: Writer-director Duke Johnson has signed with WME in all areas for representation. He is best known for co-directing the critically acclaimed, Oscar-nominated film Anomalisa with Charlie Kaufman.

He is currently in post-production for his live-action film The Actor, which stars Andre Holland, Gemma Chan, May Calamawy, Toby Jones, and Joe Cole. Neon will distribute the film later this year. Johnson continues to serve as Creative Director for the animation studio Starburns Industries of which he’s also a Founding Partner.

He continues to be managed by Paul Young’s Make Good Content.

We’re still months away from clarity regarding this year’s Oscars race, but a glance at the upcoming releases reveals several likely craft contenders reuniting longtime collaborators or pairing intriguing sensibilities for the first time. Among them: Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon,” Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune: Part Two,” Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon,” Bradley Cooper’s “Maestro,” Wes Anderson’s “Astroid City,” and Yargos Lanthimos’ “Poor Things.”

These concern momentous events — historical as well as fictional. The moral struggle of “Oppenheimer’s” titular scientist (Cillian Murphy) as a result of developing the atomic bomb; “Flower Moon’s” fact-based serial murders of Osage tribal landowners in Oklahoma in the ’20s, which led to the formation of the FBI; the continuation of the destructive messianic prophecy in “Dune”; the titular military genius (Joaquin Phoenix) consumed by love and power in “Napoleon”; the complex life of...

The first episode of a new podcast for the people of Swansea will feature 80’s stars Matt Goss, Paul Young and The Selecter’s Pauline Black who are performing in the city this month. Hosted by Swansea Born DJ and broadcaster Shaun Tilley, The Totally Swansea Podcast will hear from local legends as well as the city’s current and emerging talent. The podcast will also shine the spotlight on singers and bands from the area, promote forthcoming gigs and events, plus promote businesses, charities and support good causes.

The Producers Guild of America Awards awarded Chloé Zhao’s “Nomadland” with their top prize, one of the key indicators for the Academy Awards, particularly the best picture category. Edging out its closest competitors including Emerald Fennell’s “Promising Young Woman,” Lee Isaac Chung’s “Minari” and Aaron Sorkin’s “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” this might just end any questions about whether or not the moving drama is running away with the Oscars’ big prize.

All the acceptance speeches were pre-recorded with “Nomadland” giving a more produced, glitzier presentation than what we’ve seen at other award shows.

It should be noted that last year’s “1917” from Sam Mendes lost the Oscar after wins from PGA and DGA to “Parasite,” which only had the coveted SAG cast ensemble prize under its belt. Coincidentally, “Nomadland” is not nominated at SAG in their top category, leaving an opening for...

“Nomadland” look home the top film prize at the 2021 Producers Guild Awards Wednesday, bringing it closer to a Best Picture win. The winner of the PGA Awards’ top prize has historically been a strong indicator of which film will will go on to win the Best Picture Oscar. Since 1989, the PGA winner has matched up with the top Oscar 21 out of 31 times. It happened in 2018 with “Green Book,” but not last year: “1917” won at the 2020 PGAs, but the Academy Award for Best Picture went to “Parasite.”

This year, 10 movies competed for the Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures (see the full list of nominees and winners below). Seven 2021 PGA nominees for the top prize are also 2021 Oscar Best Picture nominees: “Judas and the Black Messiah,” “Mank,” “Minari,” “Nomadland,” “Promising Young Woman,” “Sound Of Metal,” and “The Trial of the Chicago 7.”

One film,...

“Nomadland” has been named the best produced film of 202o by the Producers Guild of America, giving it yet another boost in an Oscar race where it was already considered the favorite.

In a category where Chloé Zhao’s understated travelogue was facing off against seven other Oscar nominees, the Producers Guild provided a key indicator that the film has the kind of strength within the industry that it already showed with critics. In doing so, it took away the chance that rivals like “Promising Young Woman,” “The Trial of the Chicago 7” and “Minari had to seize momentum at a crucial moment in awards season.

The film has now picked up a formidable array of awards, including wins at the Golden Globes, the Critics Choice Awards and the Gotham Awards.

Still, the Producers Guild Award is not the infallible Oscar predictor it had once seemed to be. For many years,...

The Producers Guild of America Awards were handed out during a virtual ceremony on Wednesday, March 24. Throughout their 31-year history, the PGA has proven to be one of the most successful Oscar bellwethers around. A whopping 21 of their picks have gone onto win Best Picture at the Academy Awards. That success rate flows from the fact that both the guild and the academy use the same voting system – the preferential ballot – to determine a winner. Scroll down for the 2021 Producers Guild of America Awards winners list.

This year, seven out of the 10 PGA contenders earned Oscar nominations for Best Picture: “Judas and the Black Messiah,” “Mank,” “Minari,” “Nomadland,” “Promising Young Woman,” “Sound of Metal” and “The Trial of the Chicago 7.” The eighth Best Picture Oscar nominee – “The Father” – was missing from the PGA lineup, with “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” and “One Night in Miami” rounding out the guild’s top 10 list.

Flanders funding organisation will invest €750,000 in a feature film every year.

In a move which could provide a major boost to long form animation in the Flemish region, The Flanders Audiovisual Fund (Vaf) is to set aside €750,000 ($793,000) each year to invest in a single majority-produced animated feature.

In an interview with Screen, Pierre Drouot, director of the Vlaams Audiovisueel Fonds (Vaf), explained the thinking behind the intervention. The aim, Drouot said, was to guarantee at least one animated feature a year for which “the content and the IP was in the hands of the Flanders sector”.

“Animation is a sector that we want to develop even more in the future,” the Vaf boss said.

Flemish animation producers have been involved as minority partners in several award winning features in recent years, among them The Triplets Of Belleville, The Secret Of Kells and A Cat In Paris (all Oscar nominated). The aim now is to give Flemish animators...

This week on USA Network’s Mr. Robot, one could only imagine the fallout of the Elliot/prison reveal, while Darlene & Co. felt the FBI (among others!) close in on their little operation.

RelatedMr. Robot Recap: The Truth Will Set You Free — Were You Surprised?

With neither Elliot nor Mr. Robot to be seen this week, all eyes were on the ladies: Darlene, Dom and Angela. The latter went to drown her latest sorrows at a Fourth of July karaoke night, where she blew off the guy (aka an FBI plant!) she hooked up with a few weeks back,...

Exclusive: Directors Tomm Moore and Nora Twomey to re-team on children’s story; The Song Of The Sea secures China deal.

Director Tomm Moore and Nora Twomey, who previously teamed on Oscar-nominated animated feature The Secret Of Kells, are set to co-direct animated feature My Father’s Dragon.

Irish outfit Cartoon Saloon, the company Moore and Twomey founded with producer Paul Young, is developing the project together with Bonnie Curtis (Minority Report) and Julie Lynn’s (Albert Nobbs) Mockingbird Pictures in La.

The feature has been adapted by Inside Out co-writer Meg LeFauve and John Morgan from the well-received children’s books by Ruth Gannett Stiles about a young boy, Elmer Elevator, who runs away to Wild Island to rescue a baby Dragon.

The news was confirmed by Young in Annecy.

Meanwhile, in a ground-breaking move, Moore’s second Oscar-nominated feature Song Of The Sea has been picked up for distribution in China by Huahua Media. A winner...

Directors Tomm Moore and Nora Twomey to re-team on children’s story; The Song Of The Sea secures China deal.

Director Tomm Moore and Nora Twomey, who previously teamed on Oscar-nominated animated feature The Secret Of Kells, are set to co-direct animated feature My Father’s Dragon.

Irish outfit Cartoon Saloon, the company Moore and Twomey founded with producer Paul Young, is developing the project together with Bonnie Curtis (Minority Report) and Julie Lynn’s (Albert Nobbs) Mockingbird Pictures in La.

The feature has been adapted by Inside Out co-writer Meg LeFauve and John Morgan from the well-received children’s books by Ruth Gannett Stiles about a young boy, Elmer Elevator, who runs away to Wild Island to rescue a baby Dragon.

The news was confirmed by Young in Annecy.

Meanwhile, in a ground-breaking move, Moore’s second Oscar-nominated feature Song Of The Sea has been picked up for distribution in China by Huahua Media. A winner...

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John Boyega, James McAvoy and Sir Ben Kingsley will star in Netflix’s Watership Down series...

Richard Adams’ classic rabbit-based novel Watership Down is being adapted into animated form once again. This time, Netflix and the BBC have teamed up to create a four-part CGI-led miniseries, and have assembled an impressive voice cast to fill the manifold furry roles.

James McAvoy will play the heroic Hazel, while Ben Kingsley brings the frightful General Woundwort to life. Nicholas Hoult is Fiver, John Boyega is Bigwig, Gemma Arterton is Clover, Miles Jupp is Blackberry, Freddie Fox is Captain Holly, Olivia Colman is Strawberry and Anne-Marie Duff is Hyzenthlay.

Tom Bidwell of writing-the-excellent-series-My Mad Fat Diary fame is the one penning the scripts, and Fantastic Mr Fox’s Pete Dodd is handling the animation.

If you’re unfamiliar with the story, here’s a synopsis...

“Set in England’s Downs,...

Exclusive: After spending two decades as a talent agent and manager working for other companies, Jennifer Gabler Rawlings is starting her own management company, Omni Artists Limited. She leaves Principato Young Entertainment, where she has been since joining Peter Principato and Paul Young in 2012. I’m told the exit is an amicable one, born of Rawlings’ desire to hang her own shingle. She has a varied group of clients from actors to athletes, and they include John Malkovi…...

Exclusive: After spending two decades as a talent agent and manager working for other companies, Jennifer Gabler Rawlings is starting her own management company, Omni Artists Limited. She leaves Principato Young Entertainment, where she has been since joining Peter Principato and Paul Young in 2012. I’m told the exit is an amicable one, born of Rawlings’ desire to hang her own shingle. She has a varied group of clients from actors to athletes, and they include John Malkovi…...

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Song Of The Sea's Tomm Moore is working on a new film called Wolfwalkers. Here are the new pictures...

Cartoon Saloon and Tomm Moore’s The Secret Of Kells was a very beautiful, tender and exquisitely crafted feature film, but their follow up, Song Of The Sea (available now on DVD and Blu-ray), was on another level entirely. It was even more beautiful, more tender and even more exquisitely crafted, as well as being smarter, richer and more cogent, coherent and complete.

One was a very good film, the other was a genuine masterpiece. Maybe Cartoon Saloon will soon become as widely known and well-loved as Pixar and Studio Ghibli.

The studio’s next film is to be The Breadwinner, Norah Twomey’s adaptation of Deborah Ellis’ novel about a girl going undercover as a boy in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan so that she can provide for her family.

Name: Bupsi

Category: Overs

Mentor: Simon Cowell

Eliminated: Week 1 (bottom of the public vote)

Auditions Week 1: The Beatles - 'All My Loving' and Bb King's 'Rock Me Baby'

Boot Camp 1: Tina Turner - 'Proud Mary'

Boot Camp 2: Paul Young - 'Every Time You Go Away'

6 Chair Challenge: Aretha Franklin - 'Respect'

Judges' Houses: Ginuwine - 'Pony'

Week 1 - This Is Me: Marvin Gaye - 'You're A Wonderful One'...

Fox’s latest small-screen venture is seriously en pointe.

The network has teamed with acclaimed ballerina Misty Copeland to develop a drama set in the world of dance, our sister site Deadline reports.

RelatedLee Daniels’ Star: Meet Fox Drama Pilot’s Core Characters, Including a Transgender Woman

The as-yet-untitled project centers on a young, diverse group of aspiring hoofers as they compete for places in a top ballet company.

Tracy Oliver (Survivor’s Remorse) will write the script and exec-produce with Copeland, Brian Dobbins, Peter Principato and Paul Young.

Ready for more of today’s newsy nuggets? Well…

* In...

Last week's group challenges brought us plenty of ups and downs (and an unforgivable number of missed lyrics). We're at the second stage of Boot Camp this week, and we're in for plenty more drama as the contestants will be singing individually.

We've heard there's going to be a wardrobe malfunction to rival Madonna's amongst plenty of other memorable moments and we're already on the edge of our seats. Join us from 7pm as we bring you all the action from Boot Camp as it happens...

20:59So that's it for this week! Thank you for joining us, as always it's been loads of fun. Next week it's time for the Six Chair Challenge. The trailer looks particularly dramatic and best of all, it looks like Simon will be sporting some interesting facial hair! Join us on Sunday 4th October at 7pm and we'll be liveblogging it as it happens!

It's time for part two of Boot Camp on The X Factor! The group performances were pretty spectacular (in both good and bad ways) but now it's time for the acts to perform solo in their last chance to make it to the Six Chair Challenge. But which 31 hopefuls will we see?

1. Silver Tone

Song: 'Changing' - Paloma Faith

2. Lauren Murray

Song: 'If You Love Me' - Brownstone

3. Brodie Kelly

Song: 'Diamonds' - Rihanna

4. Simon Lynch

Song: 'First Time Ever I Saw Your Face' - Roberta Flack

5. Josh Daniel

Song: 'Want To Want Me' - Jason Derulo

6. Seann Miley Moore

Song: 'A Song For You' - Ray Charles

7. Anton Stephans

Song: 'A Song For You' - Ray Charles

8. Alien

Song: 'Diamonds' - Rihanna

9. Tonatha Raihan

Song: 'Love Runs Out' - OneRepublic

10. Joseph McCaul

Song: 'Same Love' - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

11. Monica Michael

Song: 'Ain't No Sunshine' - Bill Withers

12. Papasidero...

CBS has handed out a script commitment for an untitled drama pilot inspired by the life of the famed feminist attorney Gloria Allred.

Both Allred and Deborah Schoeneman ("Girls," "The Newsroom") will executive produce the untitled fictional drama about a fearless, outspoken lawyer who takes on the toughest civil rights cases and is a master at using the media in order to get justice.

Schoeneman will pen the script while Peter Principato and Paul Young will also serve as executive producers.

Allred has represented a number of clients in high-profile cases over the years including Nicole Brown Simpson's family during the O.J. Simpson murder trial, one of the children who accused Michael Jackson of sex abuse, and the family of a murdered transgender teen. She's currently representing at least twenty women who have accused Bill Cosby of sexual assault, harassment and/or sexual misconduct.

Source: The Live Feed...

The multi-hyphenate and her Jolie Pas Productions have joined the filmmaking team on the upcoming animation.

Jolie Pitt will serve as an executive producer on The Breadwinner, which is based on Canadian author Deborah Ellis’ Ya novel and scheduled to begin shooting in August for an early 2017 delivery.

Nora Twomey, who co-directed the Oscar-nominated The Secret Of Kells, will direct from Anita Doron’s script based on the screen story by Ellis about a young girl living under the Taliban regime in Afghanistan who must disguise herself as a boy and look after her family when her father is imprisoned unfairly.

Aircraft Pictures, Cartoon Saloon and Melusine Productions are producing English-language and Dari versions. CAA represents all three companies on the production.

Tomm Moore and Paul Young of the Cartoon Saloon produce with Anthony Leo and Andrew Rosen of Aircraft Pictures and Stephan Roelants of Melusine Productions.

Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer – the filmmakers behind documentary The Square...

We look at how director Tomm Moore created the Oscar-nominated animation Song Of The Sea, and how the Irish landscape inspired it...

Walking along Ventry beach in south west island, it's easy to see how a filmmaker might be inspired by the spectacular landscape: the rolling hills and craggy rocks, the overwhelming air of tranquillity. But the inspiration for animator Tomm Moore's new film, the Oscar-nominated Song Of The Sea, was inspired by a less than tranquil experience.

About a decade ago, Moore was staying on holiday in the nearby town of Dingle, and visited Ventry beach with his 10-year-old son. To their horror, they found the beach littered with the bodies of dead grey seals. Reports at the time suggested that local fishermen, who blamed the seals for dwindling fish stocks, were responsible for the cull.

"I was talking to a local lady, and we were disturbed by...

“The thing about the Academy is it’s a political campaign. It has nothing to do with artistic endeavor at all,” said George Lucas on “CBS This Morning” after the highly publicized Oscar snubs of “Selma” director Ava DuVernay and star David Oyelowo. Below Listen To George Lucas Interview: Nominations for the 87th Academy Awards Performance by an actor in a leading role Steve Carell in “Foxcatcher” Bradley Cooper in “American Sniper” Benedict Cumberbatch in “The Imitation Game” Michael Keaton in “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” Eddie Redmayne in “The Theory of Everything” Performance by an actor in a supporting role Robert Duvall in “The Judge” Ethan Hawke in “Boyhood” Edward Norton in “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” Mark Ruffalo in “Foxcatcher” J.K. Simmons in “Whiplash” Performance by an actress in a leading role Marion Cotillard in “Two Days, One Night” Felicity Jones in “The Theory of Everything...

At the second VFX + Animation Summit Dublin, international experts and growing local companies gathered to talk about issues such as global competition, tight schedules and training needs. Wendy Mitchell reports.

As Ireland’s VFX and animation industries continue to grow steadily, international experts have reminded the sector that competing in a global marketplace is not just about skills and technical prowess.

“The role of the VFX industry is to help stories; it’s important we embed storytelling from the beginning,” said Darren O’Kelly, MD of London-based The Mill, in his keynote address that kicked off the VFX + Animation Summit Dublin (November 29-30). “We must not let VFX and animation become a substitute for great stories.”

He continued: “I feel for some of our comrades who worked on projects like John Carter; there were absolutely breathtaking effects but a film like that gets neglected after a poor opening weekend… Unless we’re connecting with audiences we’re irrelevant...

It was announced today at the VFX Summit in Dublin that the Cartoon Saloon and Aircraft Pictures production is closing finance now.

Financing is being completed now for the animated feature The Breadwinner, based on Deborah Ellis’ bestselling and influential novel.

Ireland’s Cartoon Saloon (The Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea) and Canada’s Aircraft Pictures (Cybergeddon, Todd & The Book of Pure Evil) are partnering on the animated family feature.

Paul Young, co-founder of Cartoon Saloon, announced at the VFX Summit in Dublin today that production is expected to begin on the film in April 2015, with a theatrical launch planned for 2017. StudioCanal will release the film in the UK, building on its work with Cartoon Saloon’s Oscar nominee The Secret of Kells and the forthcoming Song of the Sea.

Cartoon Saloon partner Nora Twomey [pictured], who co-directed Kells, will direct.

The Breadwinner tells the story of Parvana, a young girl living under Taliban rule in...

Irish animation outfit Cartoon Saloon, one of the producers behind Oscar-nominated The Secret of Kells and upcoming Tomm Moore animation Song of the Sea, is in development on new project The Breadwinner, a co-production with Canadian company Aircraft Pictures.

The Secret of Kells co-director Nora Twomey from Cartoon Saloon will direct the film, which will be produced in Ireland and Canada. Production is planned to begin this year.

Deborah Ellis and Anita Doron’s adaptation of Ellis’ novel of the same name follows Parvana, a young girl living under the Taliban regime in Afghanistan who must disguise herself as a boy and become the breadwinner of the family when her father is unfairly imprisoned for being an intellectual.

Development work on the project has been assisted by Telefilm Canada, the Irish Film Board, The Belinda Stronach Foundation and Movie Central, a Corus Entertainment company.

Cartoon Saloon was established by Tomm Moore, Paul Young and [link...

The Weinstein Company has taken North American and UK rights to 'Santa's Apprentice', a feature animation co-produced by Ireland's Cartoon Saloon. The film tells the story of Santa who finds himself nearing the age of retirement. 'Santa's Apprentice', directed by Luc Vinciguerra, sees Santa having to retire against his wishes and thus having to train his replacement. The film's Irish producers are Cartoon Saloon's Paul Young (Song of the Sea) and Ross Murray (The Secret of Kells). Background animation was carried out in Cartoon Saloon under the supervision of Marco Martin.

The Weinstein Company has taken North American and UK rights to 'Santa's Apprentice', a feature animation co-produced by Ireland's Cartoon Saloon. The film tells the story of Santa who finds himself nearing the age of retirement. 'Santa's Apprentice', directed by Luc Vinciguerra, sees Santa having to retire against his wishes and thus having to train his replacement. The film's Irish producers are Cartoon Saloon's Paul Young (Song of the Sea) and Ross Murray (The Secret of Kells). Background animation was carried out in Cartoon Saloon under the supervision of Marco Martin.

Ballyfermot College of Further Education will be represented by four of its graduates at the 82nd Academy Awards, held in Hollywood's Kodak Theatre on Sunday, March 7th. The annual awards ceremony sees nominations for the animation skills of former Ballyfermot College graduates Tomm Moore for 'The Secret of Kells'; Darragh O'Connell and Nicky Phelan for their short 'Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty' and Richard Baneham for 'Avatar'. Tomm Moore's feature length animation 'The Secret of Kells' is nominated for an Oscar in the category of Animated Feature Film. The film, which recently walked away with two IFTAs, sees a 12-year-old Brendan fighting Vikings and a serpent god to find a crystal and complete the legendary Book of Kells. The film was directed by Tomm (The Three Wise Men) and produced by Paul Young (Skunk Fu!) for Cartoon Saloon, the company Tomm co-founded. 'The Secret of Kells...

Film Categories Film The Eclipse – Robert Walpole, Rebecca O’Flanagan (Treasure Entertainment) Ondine – Neil Jordan, James Flynn (Octagon Films) Eamon – Seamus Byrne (Zanita Films) The Secret of Kells – Paul Young,...