July 2021 – Below the Line

The White Lotus Cinematographer Ben Kutchins Exposes the Darkness and Light Amidst Hawaii’s Natural Beauty

July 30, 2021 Robin Milling Comments Off

The natural beauty of Hawaii with its golden hues and glorious sunshiny surf can’t help but lend itself to the stunning look of The White Lotus. However, according to Cinematographer Ben Kutchins, it also posed a significant challenge with changes in weather and utilizing real world outdoor sets such as the beach. The six-episode limited series on HBO and streaming on HBO Max is shot entirely on location on the […]

End of Week Production Notes 7/30/21: ScarJo Sues Disney, A New Waterworld Streaming Series, and More News

July 30, 2021 Edward Douglas Comments Off

The biggest news that’s been shaking up the industry over the past 24 hours is that Scarlett Johansson is suing Walt Disney Studios over its decision to release Black Widow concurrently on Disney+ with Premier Access (for $29.99) on the same day as its theatrical release, back on July 9. This decision was announced months prior, but Disney decided to double down by announcing that the movie pulled in $60 million through the Disney+ initiative on […]

IATSE Re-Elects Matthew D. Loeb as International President at 69th Quadrennial Convention

July 30, 2021 Staff Comments Off

The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) re-elected Matthew D. Loeb as its International President at the union’s 69th Quadrennial Convention on Thursday. Other incumbent officers, including General Secretary-Treasurer James B. Wood, 13 International Vice Presidents, three International Trustees, and one delegate to the Canadian Labour Congress, were also re-elected by acclamation to their posts. The lack of opposing nominations indicates overwhelming support for the union’s leadership as it navigated and mitigated […]

The Prime Time Softball League is Back This Fall — Sign Up Now!

July 29, 2021 Staff Comments Off

The Prime Time Softball League (PTSL), which has been taking place for over 30 years, but had to take a hiatus over the past year and a half — much like everything else — is looking to return with a new season this fall, beginning September 11. Registration has already begun. All Television shows that are produced in Los Angeles and are in active production are welcome for a slow-pitch coed […]

Wooden Camera Releases New Ultra QR Articulating Monitor Mount

July 29, 2021 Staff Comments Off

Wooden Camera, the Dallas-based designer and manufacturer of professional camera accessories, is now shipping the Ultra QR Articulating Monitor Mount, a quick-release solution designed to support up to 45 pounds and easily integrate with select SmallHD production monitors. Compatible with most production monitors, this Ultra QR accessory mounts via the 75mm or 100mm VESA Hole Standard or an ARCA Swiss Rail. It attaches to any 5/8” male baby pin system. […]

The Slow Mo Guys Introduce MRMC’s High-Speed Bolt Cinebot to Line-Up

July 29, 2021 Staff Comments Off

The Slow Mo Guys, masters of high frame rate, slow-motion, and internet breaking viral videos, have announced that they’ve partnered with camera robot experts MRMC [A Nikon Company] to take their slow-motion skills to the next level by introducing the Bolt™ High-Speed Camera Robot to their arsenal of content capture technology at their studios in the U.S. A natural next step in the development of their spectacular slow-mo sorcery, the Slow […]

Hump Day News Update 7/28/21: Bob Odenkirk Collapses on Set (UPDATED!), A New Exorcist Trilogy, and More News

July 29, 2021 Edward Douglas Comments Off

Our weekly mid-week news update kicks off with the shocking news that actor Bob Odenkirk collapsed on the set of Better Call Saul yesterday and had to be rushed to the hospital, according to TMZ. The 58-year-old act was filming the sixth and final season of the AMC show in New Mexico when he collapsed last night, although there have been no new reports about his condition and when production might resume. (The series producer, Sony […]

Silicon Valley Video Offers Virtual Tour of ASG’s Virtual Production Control Room

July 29, 2021 Staff Comments Off

Advanced Systems Group (ASG), a solutions provider for media creatives and content owners, has announced that Sports Video Group’s Silicon Valley Video initiative will host a free virtual tour of ASG’s new Virtual Production Control Room on Thursday, Aug. 5, at 5 p.m. PT. Powered by Google Cloud, the VPCR remote production service allows real-time, broadcast-quality coverage of live events and other programming. Dave Van Hoy, president of ASG, will […]

Review: The Suicide Squad Transforms into a Hilarious R-Rated Gorefest in the Hands of James Gunn

July 28, 2021 Edward Douglas Comments Off

When Warner Bros. announced the very first movie based on DC Comics’ Suicide Squad, I honestly had no idea what they were thinking. The ‘80s comic book series written by John Ostrander was a favorite of mine, but a major studio making a movie with “suicide” in the title? That just didn’t seem to jibe with my experiences with big corporations trying to make the most commercially-viable product to appeal […]

The Accidental Turitz: Emmy Category Packing, Point and Counterpoint

July 28, 2021 Neil Turitz Comments Off

If you’re like me — and let’s be honest, this seems highly unlikely — you do things like pour over new Emmy nominations for patterns and absurdities. This is just one of my particular eccentricities, but I find it more engaging and fun to do than with the Oscars, as there are just so many more categories. Like, dozens more. You can fit the entire list of Oscar nominees in […]