Lie Lower With Dogs, Awaken With Beverly Slopes Ninja 2 together with a Suit

There is a classic Korean proverb intoning that anyone who attempts to produce a follow-up to Beverly Slopes Ninja starring David Hasselhoff may ultimately have the cosmic punishment they warrants. If you don't believe that, then request Jay So, the complaintant in the new suit such as the incomplete Beverly Slopes Ninja 2 and six figures' cost of delinquent development work. THR passes along word in the suit filed Wednesday in L.A., through which So alleges that author-director Mitchell Klebanoff and also the Korean traders (the 2nd who Klebanoff effectively punished a year ago for his or her own improper termination) stiffed him around the $100,000 co-producer fee. This came after So "commenced substantial pre-production efforts and activities, including sourcing potential traders" Body who, Jungho Han, eventually became a member of with Klebanoff, with both allegedly changing the business title and edging So out: Consequently, So requested about his $100,000. He then stood a meeting Han, who allegedly told him that $200,000 happen to be acquired for your project, that the cash might be prone to Klebanoff and Han. So was allegedly rejected his fee. [...] Meanwhile, at concerning the time that So was karate-chopped in the picture, the film experienced some money issues, according to particulars that have been revealed within the last Klebanoff suit. The film stopped production in LA, before coming back to in Vancouver. A couple of from the film was shot, nevertheless it was not ever completed because Klebanoff and Han contended over things like when the film's lead actress should appear nude inside the film. Clearly. I enjoy that David Hasselhoff reaches this, too? What might have to go wrong? In addition, this is just what they're dealing with at La Superior Court? I believe that let Judge Joe Brown eliminate this in a quarter-hour, together with a lesson in regards to the stinking miasma of Hollywood values and possibly remanding the litigants with a kind of experimental rehab for hideous taste. Or exiling those to space. Now i'm from ideas. Suggestions? [THR] Follow S.T. VanAirsdale on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.

Ghost House taps Cross to pen 'Triffids'

Ghost House Pictures has tappped Neil Cross ("Luther") to write "The Day of the Triffids," based on the sci-fi horror novel written by John Wyndam and the 1962 film.The film will be produced by Ghost House Pictures, The Mark Gordon Company, and Preger Entertainment, LLC. Mark Gordon, Michael Preger and Don Murphy are partnering with Ghost House principals Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert to produce. Ghost House principals Nathan Kahane and Joe Drake will exec produce alongside Susan Montford. J.R. Young and Audrey Chon will oversee the project for Ghost House. Drew Simon will supervise the project for The Mark Gordon Company. Cross created and wrote "Luther," which will air its third season on BBC. He was recently named one of Variety's 10 Screenwriters to Watch. Cross currently has several feature scripts being produced by Guillermo Del Toro including the horror film "Mama," staring Jessica Chastain, which is in post-production. Cross is represented by UTA, UK agent Michael McCoy at Independent Talent Group, and attorney Fred Toczek. Preger is represented by Laurence Becsey of IPG and attorney Wayne Alexander of Alexander, Nau, Lawrence Frumes & Labowitz. Murphy is represented by attorney Craig Emanuel of Loeb & Loeb LLP. Dan Freedman and Allison Mella Strina negotiated the deals for Ghost House. Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com

SAG-AFTRA: Anti-Merger Lawsuit Drops a Key Demand

SAG-AFTRA: Anti-Merger Lawsuit Drops a Key Demand By Jonathan Handel February 28, 2012 Anti-merger activists filed an amended complaint today, unexpectedly backtracking on a claim that the SAG/AFTRA merger referendum amounted to an improper election by extending the terms of existing board members, and also dropping their demand that SAG provide them access to and use of member email addresses.That latter is a strategic setback, because it removes a demand that anti-merger forces be granted a low-cost or no-cost method of communicating with the membership, other than the opposition statement included in the referendum packet.SAG sources confirmed that those packets are being mailed today to approximately 131,000 members of SAG and AFTRA. The packets include pro and con statements, merger ballots, the merger agreement, proposed SAG-AFTRA constitution and a pension and health feasibility review. Ballots are due back March 30.The suit does not seek to stop the mailing, but does demand that the union not "call for a vote" on the proposal until it performs an actuarial study of the impact of pension and health plan merger.Additional papers filed today spell out the terms of the preliminary injunction the plaintiffs seek and will argue for at a March 26 hearing: an order that SAG and its officers be "enjoined and prohibited from tallying the merger vote, or publicly announcing the results" until the guild's executive committee "has recommended . . . an independent study detailing the actuarial effect of any proposed merger of the pension and/or health plans."The requested injunction would also mandate "a truthful and complete disclosure . . . (of the merger plan's) limitations and omissions, including any potential adverse impacts."As expected, the amended complaint also seeks to add a claim against SAG's officers asserting that they've violated their fiduciary duty to the union. The plaintiffs need court approval to add this claim, so they filed a brief allowing with the amended complaint.Approval is not unusual, but would only mean that the court will then review whether a claim might be legally and factually supportable, and not necessarily that the court agrees with the claim. In most areas of litigation, plaintiffs can file whatever claims they think appropriate, but sometimes as is the case here statutes require them to seek court permission even to assert the claim.The new claim brings with it a demand for attorneys fees, and also interposes a demand in the name of SAG itself that the officers pay damages to the union. In other words, the plaintiffs suing SAG and the officers are also purporting to make a claim on behalf of one defendant (SAG) against the other defendants (the officers).Meanwhile, SAG is expected to file a motion later today seeking to dismiss the entire lawsuit. The motion will be heard at the same March 26 motion as the plaintiff's demands.As to why the plaintiffs dropped the claim of improper election, SAG general counsel Duncan Crabtree-Ireland pointed out to "The Hollywood Reporter" last week that unions merge all the time, and said that "federal Department of Labor regulations allow merging unions to establish interim officers and boards appointed as part of the merger." Court cases have upheld those regulations, THR is told.It's somewhat unusual for a plaintiff to delete a claim in this fashion just days after an initial filing, without the court having even held a hearing.As in the initial complaint filed last week, defendants in the suit are SAG, guild president Ken Howard, secretary-treasurer Amy Aquino and vice-presidents Ned Vaughn, Mike Hodge and David Hartley-Margolin. In addition, national executive director David White is listed in the caption (i.e., title) of the case, but omitted from the list of defendants in the body of the document.The plaintiffs are Martin Sheen, Edward Asner, Ed Harris, Valerie Harper, Clancy Brown, James Remar, George Coe, Diane Ladd, Lainie Kazan, Nichelle Nichols, Renee Aubry, Jane Austin, Erick Avari, Steve Barr, Sara Barrett, Terrance Beason, Michael Bell, Warren Berlinger, Joe Bologna, Ralph Brennen, Alexandra Castro, Jude Ciccolella, Cynthia Lea Clark, David Clennon, Joe D'Angerio, Patricia D'Arbanville, Dick Gautier, Dorothy Goulah, Marty Grey, Sumi Haru, Angel Harper, Basil Hoffman, David Huddleston, Anne-Marie Johnson, David Jolliffe, Kerrie Keane, Peter Kwong, Kurt Lott, Barbara Luna, Eric Lutes, Stephen Mach, Michael McConnohie, Peter Antico, Susan McNabb, Phyllis Timbes, Marguerite Moreau, Traci Murray, Nicole Mandich, Larry Newman, Barbara Niven, Kathleen Nolan, Jack Ong, Peggy Lane O'Rourke, Leslie Parrish, Scott Pierce, Robin Riker, Stephanie Rose, Alan Rosenberg, Alan Ruck, Wendy Schaal, Tascha Schaal, Nancy Sinatra, Cynthia Steele, Renee Taylor, Malachi Throne, Beverly Todd, Jessica Wright andMomo Yashimo. The Hollywood Reporter SAG-AFTRA: Anti-Merger Lawsuit Drops a Key Demand By Jonathan Handel February 28, 2012 Anti-merger activists filed an amended complaint today, unexpectedly backtracking on a claim that the SAG/AFTRA merger referendum amounted to an improper election by extending the terms of existing board members, and also dropping their demand that SAG provide them access to and use of member email addresses.That latter is a strategic setback, because it removes a demand that anti-merger forces be granted a low-cost or no-cost method of communicating with the membership, other than the opposition statement included in the referendum packet.SAG sources confirmed that those packets are being mailed today to approximately 131,000 members of SAG and AFTRA. The packets include pro and con statements, merger ballots, the merger agreement, proposed SAG-AFTRA constitution and a pension and health feasibility review. Ballots are due back March 30.The suit does not seek to stop the mailing, but does demand that the union not "call for a vote" on the proposal until it performs an actuarial study of the impact of pension and health plan merger.Additional papers filed today spell out the terms of the preliminary injunction the plaintiffs seek and will argue for at a March 26 hearing: an order that SAG and its officers be "enjoined and prohibited from tallying the merger vote, or publicly announcing the results" until the guild's executive committee "has recommended . . . an independent study detailing the actuarial effect of any proposed merger of the pension and/or health plans."The requested injunction would also mandate "a truthful and complete disclosure . . . (of the merger plan's) limitations and omissions, including any potential adverse impacts."As expected, the amended complaint also seeks to add a claim against SAG's officers asserting that they've violated their fiduciary duty to the union. The plaintiffs need court approval to add this claim, so they filed a brief allowing with the amended complaint.Approval is not unusual, but would only mean that the court will then review whether a claim might be legally and factually supportable, and not necessarily that the court agrees with the claim. In most areas of litigation, plaintiffs can file whatever claims they think appropriate, but sometimes as is the case here statutes require them to seek court permission even to assert the claim.The new claim brings with it a demand for attorneys fees, and also interposes a demand in the name of SAG itself that the officers pay damages to the union. In other words, the plaintiffs suing SAG and the officers are also purporting to make a claim on behalf of one defendant (SAG) against the other defendants (the officers).Meanwhile, SAG is expected to file a motion later today seeking to dismiss the entire lawsuit. The motion will be heard at the same March 26 motion as the plaintiff's demands.As to why the plaintiffs dropped the claim of improper election, SAG general counsel Duncan Crabtree-Ireland pointed out to "The Hollywood Reporter" last week that unions merge all the time, and said that "federal Department of Labor regulations allow merging unions to establish interim officers and boards appointed as part of the merger." Court cases have upheld those regulations, THR is told.It's somewhat unusual for a plaintiff to delete a claim in this fashion just days after an initial filing, without the court having even held a hearing.As in the initial complaint filed last week, defendants in the suit are SAG, guild president Ken Howard, secretary-treasurer Amy Aquino and vice-presidents Ned Vaughn, Mike Hodge and David Hartley-Margolin. In addition, national executive director David White is listed in the caption (i.e., title) of the case, but omitted from the list of defendants in the body of the document.The plaintiffs are Martin Sheen, Edward Asner, Ed Harris, Valerie Harper, Clancy Brown, James Remar, George Coe, Diane Ladd, Lainie Kazan, Nichelle Nichols, Renee Aubry, Jane Austin, Erick Avari, Steve Barr, Sara Barrett, Terrance Beason, Michael Bell, Warren Berlinger, Joe Bologna, Ralph Brennen, Alexandra Castro, Jude Ciccolella, Cynthia Lea Clark, David Clennon, Joe D'Angerio, Patricia D'Arbanville, Dick Gautier, Dorothy Goulah, Marty Grey, Sumi Haru, Angel Harper, Basil Hoffman, David Huddleston, Anne-Marie Johnson, David Jolliffe, Kerrie Keane, Peter Kwong, Kurt Lott, Barbara Luna, Eric Lutes, Stephen Mach, Michael McConnohie, Peter Antico, Susan McNabb, Phyllis Timbes, Marguerite Moreau, Traci Murray, Nicole Mandich, Larry Newman, Barbara Niven, Kathleen Nolan, Jack Ong, Peggy Lane O'Rourke, Leslie Parrish, Scott Pierce, Robin Riker, Stephanie Rose, Alan Rosenberg, Alan Ruck, Wendy Schaal, Tascha Schaal, Nancy Sinatra, Cynthia Steele, Renee Taylor, Malachi Throne, Beverly Todd, Jessica Wright andMomo Yashimo. The Hollywood Reporter

PaleyFest opens door to online TV lovefests

'Sons of Anarchy'Now the film biz's silly several weeks are gone, the smallscreen is incorporated in the spotlight while using 29th annual Paley Festival, which starts Friday getting a gabfest about FX's edgy drama "American Horror Story."For people who cannot achieve the seshes for such buzz shows as "Community," "Sons of Anarchy" or "New Girl," the Paley Center is joining track of Livestream to supply live streaming in the occasions, a preliminary for your event. PaleyFest runs through March 14 within the Saban Theater in Beverly Slopes.Paley has furthermore pacted with Hulu to produce nine in the 13 seshes available via Hulu and Hulu Plus by March 15."At its heart, PaleyFest is among the communal knowledge about television, as well as the unique relationship between TV audiences in addition to their favorite series," mentioned Paley Center prexy and Boss Pat Mitchell.Other new elements to PaleyFest this year add a live online auction marketplace marketplace of memorabilia and "unique encounters" connected with shows featured in this particular year's selection additionally to past PaleyFests.The Gotham branch of Paley Center will host viewing parties for Saturday's "Community" panel as well as the March 9 gathering for "Castle" -- together with a pep rally for your hard-core "Community" buffs together with a scavenger look for "Castle's" mystery fanatics.Other frosh series acquiring a PaleyFest showcase include "Not such a long time ago" (March 4) and "Revenge" (March 11). Veterans displayed include "WorkInch (March 6), "two and a half Males" (March 12) and "Modern Family" (March 14). Contact Shalini Dore at shali.dore@variety.com

Hulu Pacts To Stream PaleyFest Sections

PaleyFest 2012 Sets Panel Schedule Beverly Slopes, CA, February 22, 2012 The Paley Center for Media today introduced Hulu can be a partner for PaleyFest 2012. Incorporated within the agreement with PaleyFest, beginning March 15, Hulu will stream full-length content and short form clips exclusively on-demand from nine in the festivals sections round the free, ad-supported Hulu as well as the Hulu Plus subscription service at http://internet.hulu.com.Hulu might be the premier movie streaming service offering current season Tv shows, classic series and acclaimed movies from greater than 350 content partners, including five in the six major broadcast systems. Hulu will stream PaleyFest2012 sections featuring the casts of Community, Not such a long time ago, New Girl, Work, Bones, Castle, The Vampire Journals, Revenge and Modern Family. PaleyFests two-week celebration of great television runs March 2-14, 2012 within the Saban Theatre in Beverly Slopes.

Discovery Taps MTV Vet Courtney Menzel As SVP Domestic Distribution

SILVER SPRING, MD Discovery Communications has named Courtney Menzel Senior V . P ., Domestic Distribution, effective March 1. An excellent 20-year internet affiliate marketing and advertising executive with MTV Systems and several recently Current Media, Menzel will lead National Accounts and Area Advertising and marketing efforts for Discoverys Domestic Distribution team, responsible for the correct oversight and distribution from the portfolio of 13 U.S. systems, nine HD channels and many types of Discovery U.S. Hispanic systems. “Courtney is an excellent and dynamic leader who certainly really are a significant resource towards the team,” mentioned Bill Goodwyn, Leader, Global Distribution and Boss, Discovery Education, Discovery Communications, with whom Menzel will report. “She has proven her ability, over and over, to create strong, productive client associations and mutually beneficial partners. With Courtney aboard, Discovery is extremely well situated to keep its solid tradition of employing the potency of its brands and quality ready to drive incredible value for entrepreneurs. In their new role, Menzel will oversee every factor of Discoverys partners with entrepreneurs, together with its industry-famous advertising and marketing team. She'll develop and direct all national accounts strategy while using top entrepreneurs, and may oversee the Domestic Distribution Area Sales force and many types of Internet Internet Affiliate Marketing efforts country wide. Menzel will manage the teams inside the Silver Spring headquarters location, together with the La and Charlotte now now regional offices. Discoverys Domestic Distribution team was ranked #1 by Beta Research for seven consecutive years since the top sales organization within the cable television industry and contains been formerly named Affiliate Sales force of year by CableFAX magazine. Menzel involves Discovery most recently from Current Media, where since 2010 she introduced all affiliate sales and partner marketing initiatives. Among her many accomplishments for Current, Menzel smartly talked about affiliate contracts to secure extended-term carriage and revenue created and drove a comprehensive, company-wide way of disseminating Energy TV video content across platforms and guaranteed Energy first national VOD and tv Everywhere deals. Right before joining Current, Menzel spent 14 years at MTV Systems, in a number of senior distribution and marketing roles. There, she developed proper associations with major entrepreneurs and elevated carriage for many systems including TV Land, Comedy Central, MTV2, CMT, Logo design design and Wager. Among her many achievements for MTV Systems, Menzel introduced partnership discussions with affiliate entrepreneurs and forged key marketing initiatives, most particularly a multi-platform music partnership with Comcast and VH1 Storytellers. Her latest charge for MTV Systems was leading distribution and web marketing strategy for EPIX, the partnership including Viacoms Vital, Lionsgate and MGM. Within twelve several weeks, Menzel and her team elevated distribution of EPIX to Thirty Dollars million available houses. Menzel started her career inside the cable industry just like a marketing manager for Cox Communications. Among her many industry achievements and organizations, Menzel is area of the Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing (CTAM) and girls in Cable Telecommunications (WICT). She's a couple-time CTAM Mark Award champion and offered around the committee to develop WICTs senior executive leadership program. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications within the College of Delaware.

Terence Davies to shoot 'Sunset Song'

LONDON -- British auteur Terence Davies is poised to produce his extended-anticipated feature using the classic Scottish novel "Sunset Song." According to producer Bob Last, the pic is casting to shoot in the finish of 2012 or early 2013 in Scotland and Sweden. Last, who produced "Home of Mirth" for Davies in 2000, has struck a deal to co-finance "Sunset Song" with Sol Papadopoulos and Roy Boulter of Hurricane Films, who produced Davies' 2008 doc "Of Your Energy as well as the City." Hurricane has elevated its equity fund, which will buy the project. Last, who most recently produced "The Illusionist," has furthermore guaranteed a Swedish co-production deal with Christer Nilson of Gotafilm, producer of "Simon as well as the Trees." "Sunset Song," put together by Lewis Grassic Gibson, was launched in 1932. Occur the very first last century, it's the story from the farmer's daughter in northern Scotland fighting for love among difficulty and family misfortune. Davies remains developing this passion project with Last for quite some time, nonetheless its tough written content handled to obtain difficult to get backing. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com