Latest news with #SamanthaQuan
South China Morning Post
01-03-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Hollywood hosts the Oscars, but will it be the centre of filmmaking for much longer?
Behind the glitz of the movie awards season that culminates with the 2025 Oscar awards ceremony, Hollywood is fighting a battle to keep its place at the centre of the global film business. Advertisement None of the 10 best picture contenders being celebrated at Hollywood's Dolby Theatre were filmed in the US city of Los Angeles, home to most major film companies for more than a century. Wicked , for example – a prequel to the classic movie The Wizard of Oz – was filmed in Britain. Movie and television production has been exiting Hollywood for years, heading to locations with tax incentives that make filming cheaper. Crew members were hoping for a rebound in Los Angeles after strikes by writers and actors in 2023 , but statistics show the comeback has been slow. The wildfires that destroyed sections of Los Angeles in January accelerated concerns that producers may look elsewhere, and that camera operators, costume designers, sound technicians and other behind-the-scenes workers may move away rather than try to rebuild in their neighbourhoods. Striking Writers Guild of America workers picket outside Paramount Studios in Los Angeles in 2023. Film crews have been hoping for a rebound in film and television production after a series of strikes that year. via AFP 'There are a lot of people that haven't worked in a while because of the strikes and everything, and now the fires,' said Samantha Quan, producer of Oscar best picture nominee Anora , filmed in Brooklyn, New York and Las Vegas.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Hollywood fights to keep its role as the world's film capital
By Lisa Richwine LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Behind the glitz of the movie awards season that culminates with the Oscars on Sunday, Hollywood is fighting a battle to keep its place at the center of the global film business. None of the 10 best picture contenders to be celebrated at Hollywood's Dolby Theatre were filmed in Los Angeles, home to most major film companies for more than a century. Nominee "Wicked," for example - a prequel to the classic movie "The Wizard of Oz" - was filmed in Britain. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Movie and TV production has been exiting Hollywood for years, heading to locations with tax incentives that make filming cheaper. Crew members were hoping for a rebound in Los Angeles after strikes by writers and actors in 2023, but statistics show the comeback has been slow. The wildfires that destroyed sections of Los Angeles in January accelerated concerns that producers may look elsewhere, and that camera operators, costume designers, sound technicians and other behind-the-scenes workers may move out of town rather than try to rebuild in their neighborhoods. "There are a lot of people that haven't worked in a while because of the strikes and everything, and now the fires," said Samantha Quan, producer of Oscar best picture nominee "Anora," filmed in Brooklyn, New York, and Las Vegas. "I think it's been a good wake-up call for everyone to push for production to go back to Los Angeles." Advocates have launched a "Stay in LA" campaign, hoping to capitalize on the goodwill toward Angelenos following the fires. A petition calls for politicians to lift the cap on tax incentives for filming in the city for the next three years as part of the wildfire recovery effort. They also are urging studios to commit to increasing production in LA by at least 10% over the next three years. Gavin Newsom, California's Democratic governor, has proposed boosting the state's film and TV tax credits to $750 million a year, up from $330 million annually. Filmmaker Sarah Adina Smith, an organizer of the "Stay in LA" campaign, said she backed that increase but called on the state to do even more, including making permitting easier. "We're not saying that everything should be shot in LA, but it's almost never an option anymore," she said. Smith said she had developed a show in which "the entire culture of it was LA and Malibu." "When it came time to budget that show, they had us choose between South Africa and Australia," she said. "LA was never a contender." "That's the kind of thing that needs to change, because I think it's really short-sighted of us to lose this absolutely amazing industry and legacy we have here," she added. More than 21,000 people have signed the "Stay in LA" petition, including big names such as Kevin Bacon, Zooey Deschanel, Bette Midler, Keanu Reeves and Olivia Wilde. "I hope people realize how important it is to bring jobs to LA," said Susan Sprung, CEO of the Producers Guild of America. "We have the best crews in the world. We have the best producers in the world. Most people live here. They want to work at home." PREFERRED FILMING LOCATIONS OUTSIDE U.S. Permitting data shows production in Los Angeles in 2024 fell to the second-lowest level on record, ahead of only the COVID-19 year of 2020. Production dropped 5.6% from 2023 to 2024 to 23,480 shoot days, according to FilmLA. A survey of executives by ProdPro found California was the sixth most preferred place to film in the next two years, behind Toronto, Britain, Vancouver, Central Europe and Australia. While studios including Walt Disney and Netflix are still based in Los Angeles, that could change, said writer Alexandra Pechman, a "Stay in LA" organizer. "If they don't commit to shooting projects here, where their offices are, why are the studios here? Those jobs might pick up and leave too," Pechman said. Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, national executive director of the SAG-AFTRA actors union, said he was optimistic after talks with Hollywood CEOs. One executive told him they had committed to shooting 60 projects in Los Angeles this year. "I think that we're going to see this rebuild, but it can't be fast enough for me," Crabtree-Ireland said. "I wish it was immediate." Sunday's Oscars will acknowledge the fires and celebrate the resiliency of Los Angeles, according to organizers. Some speakers may try to rally support for keeping production in Hollywood, as they have at other awards shows. At February's Critics Choice Awards, "Hacks" co-creator Paul W. Downs urged power players in the business to insist on filming in the city. "The more we tell people that we shoot in Los Angeles, the more we hear, 'you are so lucky,'" Downs said. "That shouldn't be the case because this is an industry town, and we should have more productions in LA." "I feel like the people in this room have the power to make that happen," he added, "so we need to ask to shoot our shows here in LA."
Reuters
26-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Reuters
Hollywood fights to keep its role as the world's film capital
LOS ANGELES, Feb 26 (Reuters) - Behind the glitz of the movie awards season that culminates with the Oscars on Sunday, Hollywood is fighting a battle to keep its place at the center of the global film business. None of the 10 best picture contenders to be celebrated at Hollywood's Dolby Theatre were filmed in Los Angeles, home to most major film companies for more than a century. Nominee "Wicked," for example - a prequel to the classic movie "The Wizard of Oz" - was filmed in Britain. Movie and TV production has been exiting Hollywood for years, heading to locations with tax incentives that make filming cheaper. Crew members were hoping for a rebound in Los Angeles after strikes by writers and actors in 2023, but statistics show the comeback has been slow. The wildfires that destroyed sections of Los Angeles in January accelerated concerns that producers may look elsewhere, and that camera operators, costume designers, sound technicians and other behind-the-scenes workers may move out of town rather than try to rebuild in their neighborhoods. "There are a lot of people that haven't worked in a while because of the strikes and everything, and now the fires," said Samantha Quan, producer of Oscar best picture nominee "Anora," filmed in Brooklyn, New York, and Las Vegas. "I think it's been a good wake-up call for everyone to push for production to go back to Los Angeles." Advocates have launched a "Stay in LA" campaign, hoping to capitalize on the goodwill toward Angelenos following the fires. A petition calls for politicians to lift the cap on tax incentives for filming in the city for the next three years as part of the wildfire recovery effort. They also are urging studios to commit to increasing production in LA by at least 10% over the next three years. Gavin Newsom, California's Democratic governor, has proposed boosting the state's film and TV tax credits to $750 million a year, up from $330 million annually. Filmmaker Sarah Adina Smith, an organizer of the "Stay in LA" campaign, said she backed that increase but called on the state to do even more, including making permitting easier. "We're not saying that everything should be shot in LA, but it's almost never an option anymore," she said. Smith said she had developed a show in which "the entire culture of it was LA and Malibu." "When it came time to budget that show, they had us choose between South Africa and Australia," she said. "LA was never a contender." "That's the kind of thing that needs to change, because I think it's really short-sighted of us to lose this absolutely amazing industry and legacy we have here," she added. More than 21,000 people have signed the "Stay in LA" petition, including big names such as Kevin Bacon, Zooey Deschanel, Bette Midler, Keanu Reeves and Olivia Wilde. "I hope people realize how important it is to bring jobs to LA," said Susan Sprung, CEO of the Producers Guild of America. "We have the best crews in the world. We have the best producers in the world. Most people live here. They want to work at home." PREFERRED FILMING LOCATIONS OUTSIDE U.S. Permitting data shows production in Los Angeles in 2024 fell to the second-lowest level on record, ahead of only the COVID-19 year of 2020. Production dropped 5.6% from 2023 to 2024 to 23,480 shoot days, according to FilmLA. A survey of executives by ProdPro found California was the sixth most preferred place to film in the next two years, behind Toronto, Britain, Vancouver, Central Europe and Australia. While studios including Walt Disney (DIS.N), opens new tab and Netflix (NFLX.O), opens new tab are still based in Los Angeles, that could change, said writer Alexandra Pechman, a "Stay in LA" organizer. "If they don't commit to shooting projects here, where their offices are, why are the studios here? Those jobs might pick up and leave too," Pechman said. Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, national executive director of the SAG-AFTRA actors union, said he was optimistic after talks with Hollywood CEOs. One executive told him they had committed to shooting 60 projects in Los Angeles this year. "I think that we're going to see this rebuild, but it can't be fast enough for me," Crabtree-Ireland said. "I wish it was immediate." Sunday's Oscars will acknowledge the fires and celebrate the resiliency of Los Angeles, according to organizers. Some speakers may try to rally support for keeping production in Hollywood, as they have at other awards shows. At February's Critics Choice Awards, "Hacks" co-creator Paul W. Downs urged power players in the business to insist on filming in the city. "The more we tell people that we shoot in Los Angeles, the more we hear, 'you are so lucky,'" Downs said. "That shouldn't be the case because this is an industry town, and we should have more productions in LA." "I feel like the people in this room have the power to make that happen," he added, "so we need to ask to shoot our shows here in LA."
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
What were 2024's best movies? Our new Movie Meter will track your votes before the Oscars
Do you love movies as much as we do? Well, the Des Moines Register is partnering with USA TODAY to launch USA TODAY Movie Meter, which lets you choose the nation's best film of the year. Whether you enjoyed the Best Picture nominees from the Fleur Cinema, Varsity Cinema, your favorite Cinemark movie theater or from the comfort of your couch, we want to hear your opinions. The platform is a way to rate the year's most beloved films, based on the movies nominated by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the Academy Awards. USA TODAY Movie Meter will lift up the opinions of the public, not industry insiders. Cast your votes now at and then tune in on March 2 to see how they compare to the winners. More: The Oscar nominations are out. How to watch the Best Picture nominees in Des Moines. The 2025 Best Picture nominees include a range of films including drama offerings like "The Brutalist" or "Conclave" and box office blockbuster "Wicked." Alex Coco, Samantha Quan and Sean Baker, Producers Nick Gordon, Brian Young, Andrew Morrison, D.J. Gugenheim and Brady Corbet, Producers Fred Berger, James Mangold and Alex Heineman, Producers Tessa Ross, Juliette Howell and Michael A. Jackman, Producers Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Tanya Lapointe and Denis Villeneuve, Producers Pascal Caucheteux and Jacques Audiard, Producers Maria Carlota Bruno and Rodrigo Teixeira, Producers Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner and Joslyn Barnes, Producers Coralie Fargeat and Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner, Producers Marc Platt, Producer Movie Meter builds on the popularity of Ad Meter, which USA TODAY launched in 1989 and has become the leading tracker of public opinion on Super Bowl ads. 'Movie Meter expands panelist ratings into the world of cinema, creating a new standard for audience-driven awards,' said USA TODAY Senior Vice President Monica Richardson. 'USA TODAY is evolving our content to better serve our audiences, and Movie Meter is a testament to that commitment. USA TODAY Movie Meter seeks to be the industry's leading opinion tool to gauge true public sentiment regarding films and their impact on consumers. We are creating a platform that truly reflects the voices of everyday Americans.' Victoria Reyna-Rodriguez is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her at vreynarodriguez@ or follow her on Twitter @VictoriaReynaR. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: What were 2024's best movies? Vote with Movie Meter before the Oscars
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Be a critic from your couch. Cast your vote for the 2025 Best Picture with Movie Meter
The Super Bowl of movies is almost here and we know that you're just as excited as we are. To help you show your love and appreciation for motion pictures, The Arizona Republic is partnering with USA TODAY to launch the USA TODAY Movie Meter, a way to let you choose the nation's best film of the year. Award shows are not just an event for those attending, but for the viewers at home as well. This year is stacked with some great nominees and you don't want to miss out on what all the hype is about, you can catch up from the comfort of your couch or at your favorite Arizona theater. After you've checked out what's up for the 2025 Best Picture Oscar, you can join the fun and be a critic from your couch from now through March 2 at 11 p.m. MST. Your vote will matter as USA TODAY Movie Meter harnesses the opinions of the public, not industry insiders, to rate the year's most beloved film based on the movies nominated by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the Academy Awards. The USA TODAY Movie Meter winner will be announced live on the "TODAY Show" on March 3. Alex Coco, Samantha Quan and Sean Baker, Producers Nominees to be determined Fred Berger, James Mangold and Alex Heineman, Producers Tessa Ross, Juliette Howell and Michael A. Jackman, Producers Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Tanya Lapointe and Denis Villeneuve, Producers Pascal Caucheteux and Jacques Audiard, Producers Nominees to be determined Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner and Joslyn Barnes, Producers Nominees to be determined Marc Platt, Producer Movie Meter builds on the popularity of Ad Meter, which USA TODAY launched in 1989 and has become the leading tracker of public opinion on Super Bowl ads. 'Movie Meter expands panelist ratings into the world of cinema, creating a new standard for audience-driven awards,' said USA TODAY Senior Vice President Monica Richardson. 'USA TODAY is evolving our content to better serve our audiences, and Movie Meter is a testament to that commitment. USA TODAY Movie Meter seeks to be the industry's leading opinion tool to gauge true public sentiment regarding films and their impact on consumers. We are creating a platform that truly reflects the voices of everyday Americans.' Reach the reporter at Follow @dina_kaur on X, formerly known as Twitter. Subscribe to today. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Who deserves the 2025 Best Picture Oscar? You decide with Movie Meter
