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Business Mayor
06-05-2025
- Business
- Business Mayor
Film industry reels as Trump threatens 100% tariffs
Donald Trump's threat to impose 100 per cent tariffs on films made abroad would be 'devastating' for major Hollywood production hubs in countries including the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, executives warned. The US film industry and cinema chains would also be hit hard, with studios likely to have to swallow much higher costs, and consumers could face higher ticket prices, executives and analysts said. Trump, the American president, said on Sunday night that he wanted to introduce a '100% tariff' on any movies coming into the US because 'the Movie Industry in America is DYING a very fast death', while other countries were using 'incentives to draw our filmmakers and studios away'. Shares in Netflix fell 2 per cent on Monday, reflecting fears of higher costs, even though media executives questioned how the tariffs would work in practice. Claire Enders, a London-based media analyst, described the potential tariffs impact as 'beyond devastating' for key production hubs, including the UK. 'These are key services for the UK,' Enders said. 'We have been making movies in tandem with the US for 100 years.' Enders added that this was one of the first times that Trump had targeted services through his tariff plans, which would raise fresh worries for services-led economies such as the UK. Matthew Deaner, chief executive of Screen Producers Australia (SPA), said tariffs would 'send shockwaves' through the film industry worldwide. But executives also questioned how any tariff could work in practice, given films are often now distributed globally on streaming platforms and are not a physical good that passes a border when shown in US cinemas. 'In what sense can you put a tariff on a Netflix show made in the UK and distributed worldwide over the internet?' said Peter Bazalgette, former chair of British broadcaster ITV and an adviser on the creative industries to the UK government. Actor Robert Downey Jr at the 2024 Comic-Con International in San Diego, California. The US state has its own financial offers to lure filmmakers ©The fate of the industry would depend on what the US president meant by film production, and if this included the sorts of high-end streaming series being made by global platforms such as Netflix and Amazon that account for the most spending overseas, Bazalgette said. Analysts at Barclays said film studios would likely freeze activity until 'there is some clarity on actual policy'. The White House did not offer further details of the plan on Monday. A White House spokesperson told the Financial Times: 'Although no final decisions on foreign film tariffs have been made, the administration is exploring all options to deliver on President Trump's directive to safeguard our country's national and economic security while Making Hollywood Great Again.' Trump on Monday afternoon said: 'We're going to meet with the industry. I want to make sure they're happy with it. Because it's all about jobs . . . It's an industry that's abandoned the USA where it started.' He added that the film industry had been 'decimated' by incompetence and singled out California Governor Gavin Newsom as 'a grossly incompetent man', saying: 'He's just allowed it to be taken away from Hollywood.' Read More xAI Adds Memory To Grok To Personalize Future Responses Executives say free trade for the global film industry is hugely economically important to the US, where labour and facilities are more expensive. Given most money was made outside of the US, any reciprocal tariffs would be extremely damaging, they warned. However, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, a union that represents behind-the-scenes workers in the film and TV industries, said, 'Federal policymakers must act to level the playing field and make the US film and television industry more competitive on the global stage.' It added: 'President Trump has correctly recognised that the American film and television industry faces an urgent threat from international competition.' The US film and TV sector generated a trade surplus of $15.3bn in 2023 and made $22.6bn in exports, with a positive balance of trade in every major market in the world, according to the Motion Picture Association. The industry runs a trade surplus larger than each of the telecommunications, transportation, insurance and health-related services sectors, the association said. Even so, the US has lost ground in the past two decades in a global battle with countries in Europe and Asia to attract film makers with generous offers of tax incentives to offset some of the costs of production. Production in Greater Los Angeles fell 5.6 per cent in 2024, making it the second-least-productive year ever, said industry body FilmLA. Only 2020, disrupted by the global Covid-19 pandemic, had lower levels of filming, it said. Hollywood studios and streamers have instead turned to countries such as the UK, which offer generous tax incentives alongside world-class facilities, access to talented staff and a common language. The British Film Institute in February said spending on film and high-end TV production rose by almost a third in the UK to £5.6bn in 2024, with films such as Wicked made in the country. In 2024, almost two-thirds spent on UK film production was from five major American studios and three major US streaming platforms — Netflix, Apple and Amazon. The UK is not alone, with even higher tax breaks available in countries in parts of Europe. Australia last year boosted its tax incentives for foreign movies and TV series, which had already attracted movies such as The Fall Guy and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes . California has its own financial offers, including a $330mn-a-year film and television tax incentive programme that Newsom wants to expand to $750mn per year. Additional reporting by James Politi in Washington and Myles McCormick in New York
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The ultimate guide to the best museums in San Diego, California
San Diego's epicenter for arts and culture is Balboa Park. This 1,200-acre urban oasis is home to 18 museums (and dozens of gardens, attractions, and fun venues). Visit the traditional institutions here—or swing over to the recently added Comic-Con Museum. In case you didn't know, Balboa Park shares a zip code with downtown San Diego, and the city's urban core has its own set of eclectic offerings, like the nautical USS Midway Museum and the Maritime Museum. With so many museums in the city, museophiles can pare down their options with this helpful list of must-see museums in San Diego. (Related: The essential guide to visiting San Diego.) Comic-Con International is an annual mega-convention of 130,000 sci-fi, superhero, and cosplay fanatics who flock to downtown San Diego in late July. The convention has a 55-year legacy, but the Comic-Con Museum opened in Balboa Park in 2021. Year-round, visitors can wander through exhibits like 'Becoming Betty Boop,' showcasing a century of the history and evolution of iconic cartoon characters. Journey through time and space during Comic-Con at the 'Doctor Who Worlds of Wonder: Where Science Meets Fiction' exhibit, which combines real-life science with the science fiction universe of British hero, Doctor Who. Be sure to visit the Monster Vault. To better reflect inclusivity, the San Diego Museum of Man changed its name to Museum of Us in 2020. Visitors will spot the museum's 198-foot-tall, domed California Tower well before entering Balboa Park. Guests can tour the tower, whose elements are reminiscent of a Spanish-Colonial church. It was also featured prominently in Orson Welles' classic movie Citizen Kane. The museum focuses on cultural resources from more than 200 indigenous communities from all over the world. (Related: 10 experiences families shouldn't miss in San Diego.) The Fleet Science Center offers mental stimulation for all ages. There's a good chance your visit will coincide with a school field trip of students excitedly exploring more than 100 hands-on, interactive exhibits. The Fleet is also home to the immersive Eugene Heikoff and Marilyn James Heikoff Giant Dome Theater. In Balboa Park,you can catch an IMAX movie on a 76-foot wraparound movie screen. Explore space with a 360-degree view in 'The Sky Tonight' show. Trace the roots of breaking gravitational bonds in displays of historical aviation and space flight technology. The San Diego Air & Space Museum has a rare collection of models and some mint condition aircrafts. Go back in time to the Montgolfier brothers' 1783 hot-air balloon. Imagine the bravery of the 1920s barnstormer plane pilots, or inspect the military aircraft of the Vietnam War and World War II. The museum's space-age tech displays are continually evolving. (Related: The best restuarants in San Diego.) The unique, peace-minded House of Pacific Relations is a consortium of 33 International Cottages representing different world cultures. From Germany and France to Israel and Palestine, the cottages are arranged in the middle of Balboa Park like a village. On weekends, the cottages are open to visitors, who can learn about specific cultures, histories, and traditions. Plan ahead and look for special afternoon programs focusing on food, music, dance, costumes, and arts and crafts. San Diego is a seaside city with 70 miles of coastline along the Pacific Ocean. Just blocks from each other, the USS Midway Museum and the Maritime Museum are floating museums moored downtown along the Embarcadero walkway. The USS Midway is a decommissioned aircraft carrier, with a flight deck filled with 26 restored carrier aircraft, from jet fighters to helicopters. The Maritime Museum is a collection of antique vessels, starring the 150-year-old, three-masted sailing ship Star of India. Other attractions include the steam ferry Berkeley, the USS Dolphin submarine, and the HMS Surprise—a replica of the Royal Navy frigate from the movie Master & Commander. (Related: Don't leave San Diego without trying these 9 experiences.) It's all about the kids at The New Children's Museum. Imagination meets creativity with activity-oriented art installations, with names like 'Wobbleland' and 'Disco Rainbow Cave.' Virtual art experiences also aim to be fun, like 'Sketch Aquarium' and 'Wonder Sound.' Children are allowed to get hands on at the Clay Studio and a Paint Studio that features a large-scale sculpture named 'The Loving Dragon.' Downtown's WNDR Museum is a high-tech, adult version of an interactive children's venue. WNDR is, of course, the word 'wonder' without vowels. You'll want to engage with the wonder of innovative displays that include: A multi-sensory Light Floor that glows wherever you leave a footprint. And a Quantum Mirror room, where 150 mirrors create an infinity reflection billed as an ode to our obsession with screens and the need for attention on social media. (Related: An neighborhood guide to San Diego.) A public facility in La Jolla, Birch Aquarium at Scripps is also the public outreach center for Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego. With a focus on marine life, the aquarium houses more than 380 species. Visitors flock to the Blue Beach shark and ray habitat, as well as the Tide-Pool Plaza, with close-up views of hermit crabs, lobsters, starfish, and more. The colorful Hall of Fishes is just finishing a renovation, set to reopen as Living Seas on May 22, 2025. The flagship La Jolla location of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego has newly expanded galleries, exhibitions, and a sculpture garden. With idyllic, real-life coastal views of the Pacific Ocean, the MCASD recently expanded its collections of land and seascapes. Outside on the museum grounds, the Edwards Sculpture Garden is enlivened by numerous installations, including the 'Displaced Person' garden planter and a 'Crossroads' sculpture–a combination of city-specific directional arrows and signs with witty maxims, such as 'Words Without Thoughts Never to Heaven Go.' (Related: How families, culture hounds, and adventurers can spend the perfect day in San Diego.) Ron Donoho is a San Diego-based freelancer whose San Diego Sun website focuses on downtown news.
National Geographic
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- National Geographic
10 eclectic, must-see museums in San Diego
San Diego's epicenter for arts and culture is Balboa Park. This 1,200-acre urban oasis is home to 18 museums (and dozens of gardens, attractions, and fun venues). Visit the traditional institutions here—or swing over to the recently added Comic-Con Museum. In case you didn't know, Balboa Park shares a zip code with downtown San Diego, and the city's urban core has its own set of eclectic offerings, like the nautical USS Midway Museum and the Maritime Museum. With so many museums in the city, museophiles can pare down their options with this helpful list of must-see museums in San Diego. (Related: The essential guide to visiting San Diego.) 1. Comic-Con Museum Comic-Con International is an annual mega-convention of 130,000 sci-fi, superhero, and cosplay fanatics who flock to downtown San Diego in late July. The convention has a 55-year legacy, but the Comic-Con Museum opened in Balboa Park in 2021. Year-round, visitors can wander through exhibits like 'Becoming Betty Boop,' showcasing a century of the history and evolution of iconic cartoon characters. Journey through time and space during Comic-Con at the 'Doctor Who Worlds of Wonder: Where Science Meets Fiction' exhibit, which combines real-life science with the science fiction universe of British hero, Doctor Who. Be sure to visit the Monster Vault. A Star Wars cosplayer dons a Marilyn Monroe/Chewbacca crossover costume at the Comic-Con Museum booth during Comic-Con International held at the San Diego Convention Center. Photograph by Daniel Knighton, Getty Images 2. San Diego Museum of Us To better reflect inclusivity, the San Diego Museum of Man changed its name to Museum of Us in 2020. Visitors will spot the museum's 198-foot-tall, domed California Tower well before entering Balboa Park. Guests can tour the tower, whose elements are reminiscent of a Spanish-Colonial church. It was also featured prominently in Orson Welles' classic movie Citizen Kane. The museum focuses on cultural resources from more than 200 indigenous communities from all over the world. (Related: 10 experiences families shouldn't miss in San Diego.) The California Tower stands to the right of the Museum of Us in Balboa Park in San Diego. Photograph by csfotoimages, Getty Images The Museum of Us was constructed in 1915 for the Panama-California Expo. Photograph by csfotoimages, Getty Images 3. Fleet Science Center The Fleet Science Center offers mental stimulation for all ages. There's a good chance your visit will coincide with a school field trip of students excitedly exploring more than 100 hands-on, interactive exhibits. The Fleet is also home to the immersive Eugene Heikoff and Marilyn James Heikoff Giant Dome Theater. In Balboa Park,you can catch an IMAX movie on a 76-foot wraparound movie screen. Explore space with a 360-degree view in 'The Sky Tonight' show. Children explore the ''Taping Shape'' display at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, where about 21 miles of packing tape created rooms, tunnels, arches, and slides. Photograph by Peggy Peattie, San Diego Union-Tribune/ZUMA Press/Alamy Stock Photo 4. San Diego Air & Space Museum Trace the roots of breaking gravitational bonds in displays of historical aviation and space flight technology. The San Diego Air & Space Museum has a rare collection of models and some mint condition aircrafts. Go back in time to the Montgolfier brothers' 1783 hot-air balloon. Imagine the bravery of the 1920s barnstormer plane pilots, or inspect the military aircraft of the Vietnam War and World War II. The museum's space-age tech displays are continually evolving. (Related: The best restuarants in San Diego.) Air & Space Museum in San Diego's Balboa Park has a rare collection of models and some mint condition aircrafts. Photograph by Michael Snell, Alamy Stock Photo 5. House of Pacific Relations International Cottages The unique, peace-minded House of Pacific Relations is a consortium of 33 International Cottages representing different world cultures. From Germany and France to Israel and Palestine, the cottages are arranged in the middle of Balboa Park like a village. On weekends, the cottages are open to visitors, who can learn about specific cultures, histories, and traditions. Plan ahead and look for special afternoon programs focusing on food, music, dance, costumes, and arts and crafts. Visitors looking for a unique way to experience cultures from around the world should consider visiting International Cottages, where guests can learn about specific cultures, histories, and traditions found in a village of 33 different cottages in Balboa Park. Photograph by Michael Snell, Alamy Stock Photo 6. USS Midway Museum / The Maritime Museum of San Diego San Diego is a seaside city with 70 miles of coastline along the Pacific Ocean. Just blocks from each other, the USS Midway Museum and the Maritime Museum are floating museums moored downtown along the Embarcadero walkway. The USS Midway is a decommissioned aircraft carrier, with a flight deck filled with 26 restored carrier aircraft, from jet fighters to helicopters. The Maritime Museum is a collection of antique vessels, starring the 150-year-old, three-masted sailing ship Star of India. Other attractions include the steam ferry Berkeley, the USS Dolphin submarine, and the HMS Surprise—a replica of the Royal Navy frigate from the movie Master & Commander. (Related: Don't leave San Diego without trying these 9 experiences.) The USS Midway, a legendary aircraft carrier that served from World War II through Operation Desert Storm, is now a living museum that features a colossal flight deck, historic aircraft, and well-preserved exhibits. The iconic ship is floating in the San Diego Bay. Photograph by Yiming Chen, Getty Images 7. The New Children's Museum It's all about the kids at The New Children's Museum. Imagination meets creativity with activity-oriented art installations, with names like 'Wobbleland' and 'Disco Rainbow Cave.' Virtual art experiences also aim to be fun, like 'Sketch Aquarium' and 'Wonder Sound.' Children are allowed to get hands on at the Clay Studio and a Paint Studio that features a large-scale sculpture named 'The Loving Dragon.' 8. WNDR Museum San Diego Downtown's WNDR Museum is a high-tech, adult version of an interactive children's venue. WNDR is, of course, the word 'wonder' without vowels. You'll want to engage with the wonder of innovative displays that include: A multi-sensory Light Floor that glows wherever you leave a footprint. And a Quantum Mirror room, where 150 mirrors create an infinity reflection billed as an ode to our obsession with screens and the need for attention on social media. (Related: An neighborhood guide to San Diego.) Guests at the WNDR Museum in San Diego can see the 'Iris' exhibit which highlights how the unique patterns, colors, and textures in each iris are like miniature works of art. Photograph Courtesy WNDR Museum/Kyle Flubacker 9. Birch Aquarium at Scripps A public facility in La Jolla, Birch Aquarium at Scripps is also the public outreach center for Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego. With a focus on marine life, the aquarium houses more than 380 species. Visitors flock to the Blue Beach shark and ray habitat, as well as the Tide-Pool Plaza, with close-up views of hermit crabs, lobsters, starfish, and more. The colorful Hall of Fishes is just finishing a renovation, set to reopen as Living Seas on May 22, 2025. Plan a trip to Birch Aquarium to see the new 'Living Seas' exhibit, set to open May 2025, which will explore the wonders of the ocean (like this giant kelp forest), from the Pacific Northwest and scenic Coastal California to the tropical Pacific. Photograph Courtesy Birch Aquarium at Scripps/Jordann Tomasek 10. Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (La Jolla) The flagship La Jolla location of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego has newly expanded galleries, exhibitions, and a sculpture garden. With idyllic, real-life coastal views of the Pacific Ocean, the MCASD recently expanded its collections of land and seascapes. Outside on the museum grounds, the Edwards Sculpture Garden is enlivened by numerous installations, including the 'Displaced Person' garden planter and a 'Crossroads' sculpture–a combination of city-specific directional arrows and signs with witty maxims, such as 'Words Without Thoughts Never to Heaven Go.' (Related: How families, culture hounds, and adventurers can spend the perfect day in San Diego.)
Los Angeles Times
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
More than 50,000 fans from around the globe turned out for this year's WonderCon
All manner of cosplayers, gamers, artists and comic book collectors made their way into the Anaheim Convention Center on March 29 for WonderCon, the annual comic, science fiction and film convention. Many stopped to take pictures near the fountain just outside the center, a popular meeting spot for those who dress up in elaborate costumes and makeup to emulate their favorite comic or film character. Produced and operated by San Diego Comic Convention, which also hosts Comic-Con International in San Diego each year, WonderCon hosted more than 50,000 people, all with varying degrees of fandom, over the last weekend of March. Bill Ponseti, owner of Fantastic Worlds Comics in Scottsdale, Ariz., was among the comic book vendors selling issues from the Silver and Bronze ages of the collectibles at the convention. While he negotiated over the price of a stack of comics one customer pulled, he talked about his early experience with comic conventions. 'I have been doing shows since about 1974,' said Ponseti. 'Early on, they were more than just comics. The first one I went to was a Star Trek science fiction and comic book convention.' Like most conventions, WonderCon has always attracted an eclectic mix of fans and vendors. Originally known as the Wonderful World of Comics Convention when it began in the late 1980s in the Bay Area, the convention came to Orange County in 2012, rebranded as WonderCon Anaheim, where it has become a highly anticipated event with an international following. This year's convention welcomed attendees from Afghanistan, Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Canada, Columbia, Costa Rica, Denmark, France, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Mexico, Netherlands, Philippines, Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom and Zimbabwe. The 2025 convention featured speaker panels, autograph moments, original art, toys, games and even a masquerade. More than 900 exhibitors participated in the event. Graphic artist Molly Nemecek, who uses they and their pronouns and goes by the name Mollinko, was working a booth on Artist Alley, where they offered a commissioned drawing for $75. 'It is my first time at WonderCon, and so far everyone has been really nice,' said Nemecek, who traveled from Canada for the event. Nemecek has done illustrations for video games and comic books and loves to make stickers for conventions because it gives the artist the chance to put their design skills to the test, drawing characters from video games and television shows. 'Some people call my style Lisa Frank, but with muscles,' said Nemecek, referring to the design firm that was especially popular in the 1980s and '90s. 'There are a lot of really bright colors and I love doing male pin-up work. You don't see a lot of people doing sexy dude pin-ups; it is usually women. I like to even the playing field a little bit.' Nemecek sketched on a pad in their lap, while cosplayers perused stickers and prints. 'I want people to come to my booth and see my art and see a safe space where they can be themselves,' Nemecek said. Sometimes being yourself means dressing like someone else. Alex Nicholson was one such cosplayer, dressed as Seiko Ayase from the manga series Dandadan, complete with a gray wig fluffed up to stand at attention like Seiko's trademark hairstyle. 'This is a store-bought wig that we literally teased and formed last night,' Nicholson explained. Some cosplayers worked on their costumes a little longer, like Vivienne Dubrock, who began putting together her Ahsoka costume in January. The Star Wars character, played by Rosario Dawson on the Disney+ show, has distinctive head features; two montrals and three head tails with blue and white coloring. Dubrock said she made most of her costume from scratch, including the headpiece. 'It is all, for the most part, 3D printed and then I sanded and hand-painted everything,' said Dubrock. 'The headpiece I made start to finish from silicone. We 3D printed a mold for it.' In the gaming area, attendees gather around tables for popular role playing games like Dungeons & Dragons, or to discover a new favorite. Aric Lorton attend the convention promoting his new extraction style board game, Duelgeon. 'At a convention you get direct interaction with people that are probably going to be very invested in your game, that otherwise would not see it,' Lorton said. Orange County Public Libraries also set up a booth at the event, using the convention as an opportunity to call attention to the selection of graphic novels available to check out at local branches. 'We are promoting literacy,' said Katherine Ramirez, a representative of OC Public Libraries. 'Pictures with words is a great for kids who like to read, or are learning to read.' Ramirez offered library card membership and talked to attendees about Comic Orange, a family-friendly event celebrating comics and promoting literacy that will be held on May 10 at the Tustin Library. Whether people were attending as fans of comics, gaming, cosplaying or art, they found a little bit of magic and wonder at the convention. Ponseti said he is glad the conventions are still going strong and his booth remained busy throughout the weekend. 'There is a whole other generation we are passing the torch to and it is super fun to see,' he said.
