Cuba Gooding Jr. To Star In Fox Pilot Guilty

In what would be his first series-regular gig, Oscar winner Cuba Gooding Jr is set as the lead in Fox’s legal drama pilot Guilty, from Marc Guggenheim and Greg Berlanti. The project, written by Guggenheim and to be directed by McG, centers on William Billy Remz (Gooding), a brilliant, morally questionable defense attorney who, after being falsely convicted of fraud and stripped of his legal license, uses his unorthodox methods to solve the cases hes been prohibited from handling and to exact revenge on those who set him up. Guggenheim, Berlanti, McG and Peter Johnson executive produce the pilot for Warner Bros TV. While broadcast networks very rarely cast black actors as the leads of drama series, this pilot season we have two such projects –Guilty and ABC’s Last Resort, toplined by Andre Braugher. Additionally, Kerry Washington plays the lead in ABC’s upcoming midseason drama series Scandal. Gooding Jr, best known for his Oscar-winning turn in Jerry Maguire, recently co-starred in George Lucas’ Red Tails.

Music artist Mike Melvoin dies at 74

Jazz pianist, composer, arranger, former Recording Academy leader and prolific studio music artist Mike Melvoin died on Feb. 23 in Burbank. He was 74. Sporting a recording resume that incorporated the Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds" additionally to key tracks from Frank Sinatra, John Lennon, the Jackson 5 and Tom Waits, Melvoin appeared to become active just like a film and tv composer and released numerous respected jazz tracks under their very own title. Born in Oshkosh, Wisc., Melvoin began singing at 2 and playing piano at 3. He told William Grimm in the 2003 interview, "(I believed) the alphabet ended with G." He attended Dartmouth College inside the late 19 fifties too as with 1961 gone after La, where he increased to become fixture inside the city's jazz scene, getting fun using the type of Joe Williams and Peggy Lee. Melvoin released his first album just like a bandleader, "Secrets for the Mind," round the Liberty label in 1966, yearly which saw him notch studio time round the Beach Boys' "Good Shake" single and "Pet Sounds" LP, additionally to Sinatra's "That's Existence." Studio concentrate on Lennon's "Uphold Me," Barbra Streisand's "Evergreen," the Jackson 5's "ABC" and Waits' live album "Nighthawks within the Diner" would follow. Melvoin began creating for TV and film at the begining of '70s and brought scores to skeins "Fame" and "MacGyver." He'd just a little role inside the Robert P Niro-directed "The Truly Amazing Shepherd" in 2006. Melvoin was the initial active music artist for everybody as topper in the Recording Academy. He received a Grammy nomination in 2003 for his recording of "Any Nothing whatsoever," additionally to lifetime achievement honours within the Pals of Jazz at UCLA and La Jazz Society. Ongoing your family tradition, Melvoin's twin kids Wendy and Susannah carried out and recorded with Prince inside the eighties (while using former developing half from the Wendy & Lisa duo), and also the boy Jonathan will be a touring part of the Smashing Pumpkins until his dying in 1996. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Downton Abbey Finale Draws 5.4 Million

The 2nd season finale of popular culture phenom Downton Abbey averaged 5.4 million audiences on Sunday, PBS’ biggest audience because the premiere of Ken Burns’ documentary Nature in September 2009. Versus. its first season, Downton was up 25%, doubling pubcaster’s primetime average. The development was most dramatic in youthful demos, 251% among women 18-34, 145% among women 35-49, 111% among males 18-34 and 84% among males 35-49 versus. the Masterpiece 2010-11 season average.”Downton Abbey has turned into a cultural phenomenon,” Masterpiece executive producer Rebecca Eaton stated. “It is really satisfying to determine our beloved Masterpiece, after a lot more than 4 decades on PBS, bringing in another audience.”

Kasulke: ).g. draws attention from peers.

Kasulke'The Off Hours'Role model: Ellen Kuras. "After I saw what she did on 'Personal Velocity,' it had been very liberating. It had been shot on a single gear along with the same means I had been using, however it appeared as if a genuine movie. She's a really holistic concept of exactly what a director of photography does. She creates very diverse projects, and she or he broke in to the boys' club. She's certainly quite the hero.Inch Camera and film preferred: "I really like Super 8. I'd go ahead and take Canon 1014 XL-S camera having a roll of vintage Kodachrome. As speaking digital, I love the Arri Alexa with a few vintage Baltar contacts. For everyday shooting, I really like the Aaton XTR."Favorite tool: "A properly-filled kitchen. Cooking is centering. It's social, and never as self-centered as making movies. Making and discussing meals is a very good emotional and spiritual recharge in the finish of the shooting day."Representation: UTA's Erich Aguillon for features as well as for television and advertisements, Ryan TraceyBenjamin Kasulke's cinematography in "Safety Not Guaranteed" and "Your Sister's Sister" was seen by packed houses at Sundance this season, where "Safety" produced alluring buzz.However it was his d.p. focus on the micro-allocated "The Off Hrs," which gained Kasulke a completely independent Spirit Award nomination for 2011, that caught the interest of two-time Oscar-nominated cinematographer Stephen Goldblatt."Depending positioned on the lowly Canon 5Dmk11, Kasulke balances the evening inside towards the coming beginning having a fine control," Goldblatt informs Variety. "His shots are pretty straight forward and eloquent, and also the camera brings remarkable performances to existence."Frequently inhabiting the nether world between day and night," Goldblatt continues, "the 'ordinary' is really a character by itself and it is more captivating compared to some exotic locales of numerous other productions."Kasulke analyzed cinema at Ithaca College, did a stint like a taxi driver and spent 4 years employed in publish-production before becoming a tight schedule-to shooter for Seattle's modern dance films. His connection to the neighborhood arts scene brought towards the chance to shoot "Guy Maddin's Brand Upon the mind!InchBecause he then has put into his feature resume "My Easy Brilliance," "Humpday," "Keyhole," "The Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye" and "The Lie."Kasulke is presently preparing another project with Maddin which will involve shooting 100 short films in 100 days at various art museums all over the world.InchMan is reimagining 100 classic quiet films which were lost using the creation of seem," states Kasulke.Trailer: "The Off Hrs"Go back to 10 Cinematographers to look at Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Benbihy holds 'Berlin, I Like You'

The producers from the movie ode for the German capital, initially titled "Love Berlin -- The Way You Met," have showed up in a contract with French producer Emmanuel Benbihy, the creative pressure behind the "Urban centers of affectionInch franchise including 2006's "Paris, je t'aime" and 2009's "NY, I Like You." Producers Steffen Aumueller and Claus Clausen of Munich-based the Useful Co. introduced the Berlin project within the Berlinale couple of years ago to become unrelated to Benbihy's series. That has now changed, along with the title. The project will proceed as "Berlin, I Like You," an episodic film that explores love inside the German metropolis. Benbihy professional produces Clausen and Aumueller produce alongside Josef Steinberger of Berlin-based Rheingold Films additionally to Katharina Kowalewski and Edda Reiser. "After lots of discussions and work behind the curtain, we are glad this film may ultimately lift off because it will likely be unfortunate to supply on this kind of wonderful project," Clausen mentioned. "Berlin, I Like You" will be the third film inside the franchise following a Paris and NY photos. The expansion will comprise 10 short love tales directed by established helmers, each occur another neighborhood in the city with intermediate moments telling an overarching story. Certainly one of the organization company directors likely to get familiar with the project is Oren Moverman, who received the Silver Bear within the 2009 Berlinale. The project may even feature some 20 German and worldwide thesps. "Each director provides you with their very own perspective and magnificence, reflecting the richness and fascination of Berlin, its landscape which is people," Clausen mentioned. "This mix of creative and cultural perspective will finish up being one of the film's best assets." Added Benbihy: "I am thrilled the city of Berlin will probably be our urban centers of love after i have always imagined it. This is amongst the creative and lively urban centers in the world filled with diversity together with a distinctive history that needs love and reconciliation. Furthermore, it has an incredible A-list film festival which defends film diversity in the large way." Benbihy's U.S.-based Very Close Corporation. is concentrating on planned Urban centers of love projects in Shanghai, Rio and Jerusalem. Contact Erection dysfunction Meza at erection dysfunction.meza@mannaa.de

Fox Creates Interactive "Choose Your Adventure" New Girl Video

Hey Girl video Who's that girl doing the chicken? It's Jess. Who's that girl in a flash mob? It's Jess. Who's that girl at a beach party? It's Jess. Fox creates Tuesday night comedy block, Glee goes on long hiatus In Fox's New Girl interactive video, viewers can decide what Jess is going to do next, set to an extended version of the comedy's catchy theme song "Hey Girl." With over 950 variations of the video, there's plenty of adventures to be had, whether it's getting a peek into Schmidt's ultimate fantasy (Cece's naughty pillow fight) or checking out Nick's dancing skills (or lack thereof). Check out the video here and watch the making of it below: New Girl airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on Fox.

'Red Machine' models out cast

Scott Glenn, Adam Beach, Michaela McManus, and Kelly Curran have rounded the cast of David Hackl's "Red-colored-colored Machine." Thesps join James Marsden, Piper Perabo, Thomas Jane and Billy Bob Thornton inside the film from Indomitable Entertainment and and Paul Schiff Prods. Pic centers climax estranged brothers and sisters (Marsden, Jane) who reconcile around the camping trip utilizing their female buddies. Once inside the remote backwoods, however, things go horribly awry when they are attacked and non-stop stalked having a horrifying grizzly bear -- the Red-colored-colored Machine. "Saw V" helmer Hackl will direct in the script by J.R. Reher. Paul Schiff, Tai Duncan and Hadeel Reda will produce. Indomitable's Dominic Ianno and Stuart Pollok will professional produce. Contact Rachel Abrams at Rachel.Abrams@variety.com

'G.I. Joe: Retaliation' Super Bowl Spot Continues Trend Of Awesome

Ladies and gentlemen, it was no fluke. When the first trailer for "G.I. Joe: Retaliaton" hit the web, I felt deceived by the director, Jon M. Chu. He had not told me how badass the sequel to Stephen Sommers' "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" could possibly be until he released that first trailer. It was quite a shock. Having eventually recovered, I was much more prepared for the thirty-second Super Bowl ad for the upcoming sequel. I expected ninja sword fights on a vertical rock face. Bruce Willis' terse, machine gun-toting Original Joe wouldn't bring me to tears. Those things could not surprise me. Then I saw Snake-Eyes' exploding motorcycle. The spot may be short, but it certainly leaves you with a good sense of what this movie's all about: fun, great action and Dwayne Johnson. We get the same feel as we did from the first trailer with a few new shots thrown in, including one of Snake-Eyes shooting ninja stars out of the air. It starts off in an entirely appropriate way, with Johnson quoting the "immortal words" of Jay-Z's "Don't Let Me Die." Things proceed as you'd expect from there showing off snippets of action and one final interaction with Willis' Joe. "Call me, Joe," he says. Yes, sir! An added bonus comes in the form of great look at the revamped Cobra Commander, mirrored mask and all! Watching these first two previews, it's difficult not to believe that Chu may have actually done it. He may have actually made a "G.I. Joe" movie. Head over to Apple to see the spot! What do you think of the "G.I. Joe: Retaliation" Super Bowl ad? Let us know in the comments below and on Twitter!