The Cinemart, the production company behind Amazon’s “Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets” and Netflix’s “Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal,” has signed an overall deal with Banijay’s Truly Original.
Under the new pact, The Cinemart will expand its development and production operations in premium documentaries and other genres of unscripted programming through Truly Original, a subsidiary of Banijay backed by co-CEOs Steven Weinstock and Glenda Hersh.
Run by co-CEOs and producing partners Julia Willoughby Nason and Michael Gasparro, The Cinemart was founded by Nason in 2011. The production company’s programming lineup currently includes “Welcome to Leith” (PBS), “The Kalief Browder Story” (Paramount), “Rest in Power: The Trayvon Martin Story” (Paramount), “Fyre Fraud” (Hulu), “LulaRich” and “Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets” (Amazon), “The Pharmacist” and “Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal” (Netflix), with numerous features and series in production and development.
Truly Original’s notable series include “Ink Master,...
Under the new pact, The Cinemart will expand its development and production operations in premium documentaries and other genres of unscripted programming through Truly Original, a subsidiary of Banijay backed by co-CEOs Steven Weinstock and Glenda Hersh.
Run by co-CEOs and producing partners Julia Willoughby Nason and Michael Gasparro, The Cinemart was founded by Nason in 2011. The production company’s programming lineup currently includes “Welcome to Leith” (PBS), “The Kalief Browder Story” (Paramount), “Rest in Power: The Trayvon Martin Story” (Paramount), “Fyre Fraud” (Hulu), “LulaRich” and “Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets” (Amazon), “The Pharmacist” and “Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal” (Netflix), with numerous features and series in production and development.
Truly Original’s notable series include “Ink Master,...
- 5/7/2024
- by Jennifer Maas
- Variety Film + TV
Netflix sure owes a lot to horrific crimes being committed. The streaming service has had massive hits with such true crime documentaries as the truly harrowing "American Murder: The Family Next Door," "The Staircase," and the original Netflix crime doc phenomenon "Making a Murderer." The list of Netflix true crime documentaries is seemingly endless, and it's only growing year after year as our obsession with real-life acts of shocking barbarity shows no signs of abating.
Earlier this year the cinematic true crime series "Missing: Dead or Alive?" found its way into the Netflix Top 10. But that wasn't the first true crime hit for Netflix this year. That honor belongs to "Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal." Across three episodes, the series laid out the events surrounding the downfall of prominent South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh, who in 2023 was convicted of murdering his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul. From directors Jenner Furst and Julia Willoughby Nason,...
Earlier this year the cinematic true crime series "Missing: Dead or Alive?" found its way into the Netflix Top 10. But that wasn't the first true crime hit for Netflix this year. That honor belongs to "Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal." Across three episodes, the series laid out the events surrounding the downfall of prominent South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh, who in 2023 was convicted of murdering his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul. From directors Jenner Furst and Julia Willoughby Nason,...
- 9/24/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
Netflix has ordered a second season of the documentary series “Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal.” Season 2 will premiere with all three episodes on September 20.
The series covers the true story of Alex Murdaugh, who was found guilty of the murder of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul in 2021. Season 2 will feature first-hand accounts from those who were there the days leading up to and following the murders, including the family’s former housekeeper Blanca Turrubiate-Simpson, Libby Murdaugh’s caregiver Mushelle “Shelly” Smith, Alex Murdaugh’s cousin Curtis Edward Smith and juror Gwen Generette. Returning voices from Season 1 include Paul’s ex-girlfriend Morgan Doughty, Paul’s friend Anthony Cook and Wall Street Journal reporter Valerie Bauerlein.
Season 1 of “Murdaugh Murders” debuted as Murdaugh’s trial was actively unfolding. It premiered on Feb. 22 and Murdaugh was found guilty of both murders on March 2. The attention on the case propelled the series to solid viewership numbers,...
The series covers the true story of Alex Murdaugh, who was found guilty of the murder of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul in 2021. Season 2 will feature first-hand accounts from those who were there the days leading up to and following the murders, including the family’s former housekeeper Blanca Turrubiate-Simpson, Libby Murdaugh’s caregiver Mushelle “Shelly” Smith, Alex Murdaugh’s cousin Curtis Edward Smith and juror Gwen Generette. Returning voices from Season 1 include Paul’s ex-girlfriend Morgan Doughty, Paul’s friend Anthony Cook and Wall Street Journal reporter Valerie Bauerlein.
Season 1 of “Murdaugh Murders” debuted as Murdaugh’s trial was actively unfolding. It premiered on Feb. 22 and Murdaugh was found guilty of both murders on March 2. The attention on the case propelled the series to solid viewership numbers,...
- 8/31/2023
- by Selome Hailu
- Variety Film + TV
Pack your water bottles, because a second Fyre Festival seems to be in the works. On Aug. 20, Billy McFarland, the organizer behind the original failed event, revealed that tickets for a second installment of the festival were on sale for $499 apiece in an Instagram video. He also said the event was scheduled for December 2024.
Just two days later, McFarland claimed that the festival had sold out entirely. However, event's website claims more tickets are "coming soon," though they'll cost between $799 and $7,999 each.
Not many details or specifics about the second Fyre Festival are available, and the website merely says that the festival will take place somewhere in "The Caribbean." Meanwhile, in 2022, the Bahamas Tourism Industry said it would "not endorse or approve any event" on the islands "associated with" McFarland, per NBC.
Speculation about a second Fyre Festival began to swirl when McFarland shared a series of cryptic tweets on April 9 teasing a follow-up.
Just two days later, McFarland claimed that the festival had sold out entirely. However, event's website claims more tickets are "coming soon," though they'll cost between $799 and $7,999 each.
Not many details or specifics about the second Fyre Festival are available, and the website merely says that the festival will take place somewhere in "The Caribbean." Meanwhile, in 2022, the Bahamas Tourism Industry said it would "not endorse or approve any event" on the islands "associated with" McFarland, per NBC.
Speculation about a second Fyre Festival began to swirl when McFarland shared a series of cryptic tweets on April 9 teasing a follow-up.
- 8/24/2023
- by Chandler Plante
- Popsugar.com
Years after the disastrous 2017 Fyre Festival, Billy McFarland has announced that Fyre Festival II is in the works.
McFarland said in a video posted on social media Sunday that after speaking with “people as far away as the Middle East and South America” to host the festival, he ultimately decided that the festival would be “coming back to the Caribbean” with a target date at the end of 2024. Specific locations, dates and festival lineup have yet to be revealed.
“This is a big day,” he added in the clip. “It has been the absolute wildest journey to get here, and it really all started during a seventh-month stint in solitary confinement. I wrote out this 50-page plan of how it would take this overall interest and demand in Fyre and how it would take my ability to bring people from around the world together to make the impossible happen.
On Tuesday morning,...
McFarland said in a video posted on social media Sunday that after speaking with “people as far away as the Middle East and South America” to host the festival, he ultimately decided that the festival would be “coming back to the Caribbean” with a target date at the end of 2024. Specific locations, dates and festival lineup have yet to be revealed.
“This is a big day,” he added in the clip. “It has been the absolute wildest journey to get here, and it really all started during a seventh-month stint in solitary confinement. I wrote out this 50-page plan of how it would take this overall interest and demand in Fyre and how it would take my ability to bring people from around the world together to make the impossible happen.
On Tuesday morning,...
- 8/23/2023
- by Carly Thomas
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The world’s most poorly planned, money-grabbing, disgusting music festival is back! No, not Woodstock ‘99, but the Fyre Festival, which is set to return next year. Just when you got the image of that cheese sandwich out of your head…
The brain cell behind the first Fyre Festival, Billy McFarland, announced the event in a YouTube video this week. “This is a big day because as of right now, Fyre Festival II tickets are officially on sale. It has been the absolute wildest journey to get here, and it really all started during a seventh-month stint in solitary confinement. I wrote out this 50-page plan of how it would take this overall interest and demand in Fyre and how it would take my ability to bring people from around the world together to make the impossible happen.”
The 2024 edition of Fyre Festival, like 2017’s event, will be held in the Caribbean,...
The brain cell behind the first Fyre Festival, Billy McFarland, announced the event in a YouTube video this week. “This is a big day because as of right now, Fyre Festival II tickets are officially on sale. It has been the absolute wildest journey to get here, and it really all started during a seventh-month stint in solitary confinement. I wrote out this 50-page plan of how it would take this overall interest and demand in Fyre and how it would take my ability to bring people from around the world together to make the impossible happen.”
The 2024 edition of Fyre Festival, like 2017’s event, will be held in the Caribbean,...
- 8/22/2023
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Generally speaking, it’s a good idea to wait until a case is all wrapped up before giving it the true crime docuseries treatment. Some cases are so explosive, however, that documentarians just can’t wait to get their cameras on it. Such are the circumstances with the story of South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh.
In fact, even though the trial of Alex Murdaugh is ongoing and fresh revelations about his crimes are being uncovered almost daily, one could argue that Netflix is getting into the Murdaugh game late with its three-episode series, Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal. Many media entities have already tried their hand at explaining this shifty saga of murder, corruption, and cover-up from HBO Max’s Low Country: The Murdaugh Dynasty to ID’s The Murdaugh Murders: Deadly Dynasty.
By waiting just a little bit longer than its peers, Netflix hopes that it can present the...
In fact, even though the trial of Alex Murdaugh is ongoing and fresh revelations about his crimes are being uncovered almost daily, one could argue that Netflix is getting into the Murdaugh game late with its three-episode series, Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal. Many media entities have already tried their hand at explaining this shifty saga of murder, corruption, and cover-up from HBO Max’s Low Country: The Murdaugh Dynasty to ID’s The Murdaugh Murders: Deadly Dynasty.
By waiting just a little bit longer than its peers, Netflix hopes that it can present the...
- 2/23/2023
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Directors Jenner Furst and Julia Willoughby Nason were never short on angles through which to investigate the crimes, casualties and collusions of the powerful Murdaugh family of South Carolina’s Lowcountry.
The most obvious one would have been to tell the story through Alex Murdaugh, a former solicitor who’s currently on trial for the 2021 murders of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul. Thanks to dozens of live feeds on YouTube, the ongoing courtroom drama has emerged as the trial of the year.
But once they were on the ground in the Lowcountry, the directors behind Netflix’s new docuseries “Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal” were told there was only one place to start –– the 2019 boat crash that had killed Mallory Beach.
“I think what people don’t understand is that had there not been a boat crash years prior, and had Mallory Beach not died the way she did...
The most obvious one would have been to tell the story through Alex Murdaugh, a former solicitor who’s currently on trial for the 2021 murders of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul. Thanks to dozens of live feeds on YouTube, the ongoing courtroom drama has emerged as the trial of the year.
But once they were on the ground in the Lowcountry, the directors behind Netflix’s new docuseries “Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal” were told there was only one place to start –– the 2019 boat crash that had killed Mallory Beach.
“I think what people don’t understand is that had there not been a boat crash years prior, and had Mallory Beach not died the way she did...
- 2/22/2023
- by Hunter Ingram
- Variety Film + TV
Out of the bustling ecosystem of this season’s true crime dramas and docs, “The Dropout,” Hulu’s dynamic adaptation of the ABC News podcast about disgraced Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes, has emerged as an innovative creation in the sub-genre of scam TV. But when she created the series, showrunner Elizabeth Meriwether didn’t see it that way at first.
“I never really thought of ‘The Dropout’ as a scam show,” she says. “I saw it as a character study.”
Meriwether accepts the placement of her series within the overall scam genre, which has never been more popular, but says there are more differences between the myriad projects than similarities.
“The quote-unquote scam that was committed is so different in each show, and I think that may be easy to lose sight of,” she says.
It’s impossible to name every possible flavor of schemes. As with “The Dropout,” the...
“I never really thought of ‘The Dropout’ as a scam show,” she says. “I saw it as a character study.”
Meriwether accepts the placement of her series within the overall scam genre, which has never been more popular, but says there are more differences between the myriad projects than similarities.
“The quote-unquote scam that was committed is so different in each show, and I think that may be easy to lose sight of,” she says.
It’s impossible to name every possible flavor of schemes. As with “The Dropout,” the...
- 5/26/2022
- by Sasha Urban
- Variety Film + TV
In making “LuLaRich,” Jenner Furst and Julia Willoughby Nason both talk about how they came up with the idea of “true comedy.” “Everybody knows true crime, everybody knows true con and we called it a ‘true comedy.’ The reality is that we saw so many similarities with ‘Fyre Fraud,’ that we understood the language for telling a story like this,” Furst tells Gold Derby during our Meet the Experts: TV Documentary panel (watch the exclusive video interview above). He clarifies that the film doesn’t poke fun, laugh at people as a spectacle or in an exploitative way. “We’re ultimately laughing at ourselves because, in the end… we’re actually part of the problem and I think that all of our work has shown that.”
“LuLaRich,” which is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video, takes an in-depth look at the LuLaRoe women’s clothing company that was accused of being a pyramid scheme.
“LuLaRich,” which is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video, takes an in-depth look at the LuLaRoe women’s clothing company that was accused of being a pyramid scheme.
- 5/20/2022
- by Charles Bright
- Gold Derby
Six top TV documentary filmmakers will reveal secrets behind their projects when they join Gold Derby’s special “Meet the Experts” Q&a event with 2022 Emmy Awards contenders. They will participate in two video discussions to premiere on Tuesday, May 17, at 6:00 p.m. Pt; 9:00 p.m. Et. We’ll have a one-on-one with our contributing editor Charles Bright and a roundtable chat with all of the group together.
RSVP today to our entire ongoing Emmy contenders panel series by clicking here to book your free reservation. We’ll send you a reminder a few minutes before the start of the show.
This “Meet the Experts” panel welcomes the following 2022 contenders:
Aly Raisman: Darkness to Light (Lifetime)
Synopsis: Aly Raisman helps victims of sexual assault find their voice in order to start healing and turn from victim to survivor.
Bio: Aly Raisman was an American gymnast and captain of the U.
RSVP today to our entire ongoing Emmy contenders panel series by clicking here to book your free reservation. We’ll send you a reminder a few minutes before the start of the show.
This “Meet the Experts” panel welcomes the following 2022 contenders:
Aly Raisman: Darkness to Light (Lifetime)
Synopsis: Aly Raisman helps victims of sexual assault find their voice in order to start healing and turn from victim to survivor.
Bio: Aly Raisman was an American gymnast and captain of the U.
- 5/11/2022
- by Chris Beachum and Charles Bright
- Gold Derby
Jenner Furst and Julia Willoughby Nason have become pioneers in a new genre within the true-crime category, something they call “true comedy.”
The directors/executive producers earned an Emmy nomination for their 2019 documentary Fyre Fraud, about the luxe music festival that turned hilariously bad. Their latest docuseries, LuLaRich, from Amazon Prime Video, takes a comedic look at the rise and fall of LuLaRoe, a clothing company known for leggings that featured pizza slice prints, grinning pineapples, bespectacled canines and other fanciful designs.
Contenders TV Docs + Unscripted — Deadline’s Complete Coverage
LuLaRoe was founded by DeAnne and Mark Stidham, a couple steeped in the ways of multi-level marketing – businesses set up like Amway and Avon that sell direct to consumers.
“They started in their garage and they had to keep expanding and expanding until they had all their inventory out in a parking lot, which led to it being infested by...
The directors/executive producers earned an Emmy nomination for their 2019 documentary Fyre Fraud, about the luxe music festival that turned hilariously bad. Their latest docuseries, LuLaRich, from Amazon Prime Video, takes a comedic look at the rise and fall of LuLaRoe, a clothing company known for leggings that featured pizza slice prints, grinning pineapples, bespectacled canines and other fanciful designs.
Contenders TV Docs + Unscripted — Deadline’s Complete Coverage
LuLaRoe was founded by DeAnne and Mark Stidham, a couple steeped in the ways of multi-level marketing – businesses set up like Amway and Avon that sell direct to consumers.
“They started in their garage and they had to keep expanding and expanding until they had all their inventory out in a parking lot, which led to it being infested by...
- 4/23/2022
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
Hulu’s docuseries on Victoria’s Secret has been added to its summer slate. “Victoria’s Secret: Angels and Demons” will debut on the streamer in July.
The docuseries dives deep into the brand and its former CEO, Les Wexner.
“Truth is not what it seems; as the underworld of fashion, the billionaire class, and Jeffrey Epstein are revealed to all be inextricably intertwined with the fall of this legendary brand,” a logline for the series reads.
Journalist Matt Tyrnauer directs the series. He also executive produces alongside his Altimeter Films partner Corey Reeser, as well as Elizabeth Rogers and Jennifer Ewing. Film 45’s Peter Berg, Matt Goldberg and Brandon Carroll also executive produce.
Prior to its launch on Hulu, “Victoria’s Secret: Angels and Demons” will premiere at the 2022 Tribeca Festival June 18.
The series hits the streamer on July 14.
The series, originally titled “The Rise and Fall of Victoria’s Secret,...
The docuseries dives deep into the brand and its former CEO, Les Wexner.
“Truth is not what it seems; as the underworld of fashion, the billionaire class, and Jeffrey Epstein are revealed to all be inextricably intertwined with the fall of this legendary brand,” a logline for the series reads.
Journalist Matt Tyrnauer directs the series. He also executive produces alongside his Altimeter Films partner Corey Reeser, as well as Elizabeth Rogers and Jennifer Ewing. Film 45’s Peter Berg, Matt Goldberg and Brandon Carroll also executive produce.
Prior to its launch on Hulu, “Victoria’s Secret: Angels and Demons” will premiere at the 2022 Tribeca Festival June 18.
The series hits the streamer on July 14.
The series, originally titled “The Rise and Fall of Victoria’s Secret,...
- 4/21/2022
- by Katie Campione
- The Wrap
Best Ever Channels and The Stand Group announced Tuesday the launch of a new Fast (free ad-supported streaming TV) comedy channel Witz. Featuring stand-up comedy specials, talk shows and curated library programming, the channel is set to launch later this year.
Fast channels are designed to mimic live television with ads, as opposed to on-demand subscription-based services like Netflix and Hulu. In collaboration with tech supplier Wurl, Witz will broadcast “true live” feeds with real-time stand-up performances from comedians. Additionally, the channel will feature newly produced stand-up specials from Rich Vos titled “Vos Anonymous”, Derek Gaines’ pandemic special called “Why Was I Home Anyway?,” Laurie Kilmartin’s “45 Jokes About My Dead Dad” and Aaron Berg “Stands Down.”
“We think the new homerun in comedy is to mirror the physical comedy experience with a digital one.” said The Stand Group’s partner Cris Italia. “With their technical, syndication and marketing prowess,...
Fast channels are designed to mimic live television with ads, as opposed to on-demand subscription-based services like Netflix and Hulu. In collaboration with tech supplier Wurl, Witz will broadcast “true live” feeds with real-time stand-up performances from comedians. Additionally, the channel will feature newly produced stand-up specials from Rich Vos titled “Vos Anonymous”, Derek Gaines’ pandemic special called “Why Was I Home Anyway?,” Laurie Kilmartin’s “45 Jokes About My Dead Dad” and Aaron Berg “Stands Down.”
“We think the new homerun in comedy is to mirror the physical comedy experience with a digital one.” said The Stand Group’s partner Cris Italia. “With their technical, syndication and marketing prowess,...
- 1/25/2022
- by Sasha Urban
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: A Slight Change of Plans, one of the breakout podcasts of the year, is being adapted as a television documentary series from the team behind docs including Fyre Fraud and LuLaRich.
The Cinemart, which is also behind Time: The Kalief Browder Story, has acquired the rights to the audio series from host and creator Dr. Maya Shankar and Malcolm Gladwell’s Pushkin Industries.
Shankar, who served as Senior Advisor in President Barack Obama’s White House, is a cognitive scientist who studies how and why we change and the series looks at how people navigate changes of all kinds.
The series, which was named as the best show of the year by Apple, featured the likes of Tiffany Haddish, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Riz Ahmed and Kacey Musgraves as well as those such as a young man who builds cancer detection tools and who finds himself in the throes of his own stage 4 diagnosis,...
The Cinemart, which is also behind Time: The Kalief Browder Story, has acquired the rights to the audio series from host and creator Dr. Maya Shankar and Malcolm Gladwell’s Pushkin Industries.
Shankar, who served as Senior Advisor in President Barack Obama’s White House, is a cognitive scientist who studies how and why we change and the series looks at how people navigate changes of all kinds.
The series, which was named as the best show of the year by Apple, featured the likes of Tiffany Haddish, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Riz Ahmed and Kacey Musgraves as well as those such as a young man who builds cancer detection tools and who finds himself in the throes of his own stage 4 diagnosis,...
- 12/8/2021
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Gunpowder & Sky, the company behind Hulu’s 69: The Saga of Danny Hernandez and Discovery+’s Last Exit: Space documentaries, is expanding its non-fiction team.
The company, which has a first-look documentary deal with HBO and HBO Max, has hired Joanna Zwickel and Art Lyons.
Zwickel, who was previously Head of Development at My Entertainment, joins as SVP of Documentary Features and Series, while Art Lyons, who was previously SVP, Development at The Content Group, is joining as SVP of Unscripted.
Zwickel previously worked closely with Spotlight producer Sugar23 and Mark Wahlberg’s Unrealistic Ideas and before My Entertainment, was VP, Scripted TV development at MRC Studios and was one of the original hires at Blumhouse TV.
Project she has overseen include Hulu’s Fyre Fraud, Peacock’s Angelyne and FX’s Wilderness of Error.
Lyons, meanwhile, previously helped launch series such as TNT’s Shaq Life, Discovery’s...
The company, which has a first-look documentary deal with HBO and HBO Max, has hired Joanna Zwickel and Art Lyons.
Zwickel, who was previously Head of Development at My Entertainment, joins as SVP of Documentary Features and Series, while Art Lyons, who was previously SVP, Development at The Content Group, is joining as SVP of Unscripted.
Zwickel previously worked closely with Spotlight producer Sugar23 and Mark Wahlberg’s Unrealistic Ideas and before My Entertainment, was VP, Scripted TV development at MRC Studios and was one of the original hires at Blumhouse TV.
Project she has overseen include Hulu’s Fyre Fraud, Peacock’s Angelyne and FX’s Wilderness of Error.
Lyons, meanwhile, previously helped launch series such as TNT’s Shaq Life, Discovery’s...
- 10/7/2021
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Woodstock ’99 Documentary ‘Burn It Down!’ From MRC Non-Fiction Bound for London Festival (Exclusive)
MRC Non-Fiction’s feature documentary “Burn It Down!,” which reexamines the infamous Woodstock ’99 music festival, will have its world premiere at the 65th British Film Institute (BFI) London Film Festival.
The festival took place during the last summer of the 20th century on July 23-25, 1999 and featured performances by Kid Rock, Limp Bizkit, Korn, Insane Clown Posse, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Wyclef Jean and Sheryl Crow among others. It was meant to invoke the spirit of the iconic 1969 Woodstock music festival on its 30th anniversary, but failed to do so.
“Festival organisers cobbled together a poorly conceived rehash of an iconic cultural moment. From security, to basic needs, nothing had been properly planned,” reads the film’s description in the BFI London Film Festival program. “The line-up was a cocktail of 1990s pop rock and peak nu metal angry-white-man bands, including Limp Bizkit and Korn. What began as carefree revelry...
The festival took place during the last summer of the 20th century on July 23-25, 1999 and featured performances by Kid Rock, Limp Bizkit, Korn, Insane Clown Posse, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Wyclef Jean and Sheryl Crow among others. It was meant to invoke the spirit of the iconic 1969 Woodstock music festival on its 30th anniversary, but failed to do so.
“Festival organisers cobbled together a poorly conceived rehash of an iconic cultural moment. From security, to basic needs, nothing had been properly planned,” reads the film’s description in the BFI London Film Festival program. “The line-up was a cocktail of 1990s pop rock and peak nu metal angry-white-man bands, including Limp Bizkit and Korn. What began as carefree revelry...
- 9/14/2021
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Lately, it feels like documentaries are in a rush to capitalize on the next big scandal, whether it’s the mullet-cut world of Joe Exotic or the privileged attendees of the Fyre festival. The desire to create a guilty exposé of an unknown world can lead to stories where the scandal isn’t as obvious as the surrounding peculiarities. In other cases, like Amazon Prime Video’s “LulaRich,” a docuseries hits paydirt. Directors Jenner Furst and Julia Willoughby Nason — who, incidentally, directed Hulu’s “Fyre Fraud” documentary in 2019 — craft a thrilling, nightmarish story that combines elements of fashion, feminism, and fraud all in one beautiful package.
In 2018 the first major report on the multi-level-marketing company (MLMs), LulaRoe, was published in Bloomberg. The company, touting female empowerment through the selling of leggings and maxi skirts, was not only battling numerous lawsuits but several claims that they were a pyramid scheme. The...
In 2018 the first major report on the multi-level-marketing company (MLMs), LulaRoe, was published in Bloomberg. The company, touting female empowerment through the selling of leggings and maxi skirts, was not only battling numerous lawsuits but several claims that they were a pyramid scheme. The...
- 9/10/2021
- by Kristen Lopez
- Indiewire
The forensic breakdown of corporate greed may be the defining artwork of this historical moment.
From the dueling Fyre Festival documentaries of 2019 to the multiple filmed and written explorations of overweening founders like Adam Neumann (WeWork) and Elizabeth Holmes (Theranos), there’s a sort of giddy weightlessness in watching the mighty brought low, and seeing the plebes who worked for them elevated, for a moment, to star-witness status. At a moment in which inequality seems more pronounced, and more top-of-mind, than ever in Americans’ lifetimes, there’s potential for real analysis of the chaos of the global economy in each of these stories — but what people are tuning in for is the carnage.
So it is with “LuLaRich,” a new Amazon Prime Video series that makes a worthy addition to its genre. It serves up both a sense of what multilevel marketing does to those who participate in it and...
From the dueling Fyre Festival documentaries of 2019 to the multiple filmed and written explorations of overweening founders like Adam Neumann (WeWork) and Elizabeth Holmes (Theranos), there’s a sort of giddy weightlessness in watching the mighty brought low, and seeing the plebes who worked for them elevated, for a moment, to star-witness status. At a moment in which inequality seems more pronounced, and more top-of-mind, than ever in Americans’ lifetimes, there’s potential for real analysis of the chaos of the global economy in each of these stories — but what people are tuning in for is the carnage.
So it is with “LuLaRich,” a new Amazon Prime Video series that makes a worthy addition to its genre. It serves up both a sense of what multilevel marketing does to those who participate in it and...
- 9/9/2021
- by Daniel D'Addario
- Variety Film + TV
Jenner Furst and Julia Willoughby Nason had only been working for a few months on “LuLaRich,” their docuseries about the clothing company LuLaRoe — which operates as a multi-level marketing company, a.k.a. a pyramid scheme — when they learned the company’s co-founders, DeAnne and Mark Stidham, were willing to sit down with them.
The project, which Furst and Nason directed for Amazon Studios, had been the idea of Cori Shepherd Stern and Blye Pagon Faust of Story Force Entertainment. Stern, who’s from Florida, had for years seen her friends from high school hawking LuLaRoe clothing all over her Facebook feed. “There were these cat leggings and pizza-print leggings — and not just one kind of pizza print, multiple pizza prints,” Stern recalled. “I was trying to figure out what the hell is going on.”
LulaRoe sold clothing — its signature item were the leggings Stern saw all over Facebook, oft-described...
The project, which Furst and Nason directed for Amazon Studios, had been the idea of Cori Shepherd Stern and Blye Pagon Faust of Story Force Entertainment. Stern, who’s from Florida, had for years seen her friends from high school hawking LuLaRoe clothing all over her Facebook feed. “There were these cat leggings and pizza-print leggings — and not just one kind of pizza print, multiple pizza prints,” Stern recalled. “I was trying to figure out what the hell is going on.”
LulaRoe sold clothing — its signature item were the leggings Stern saw all over Facebook, oft-described...
- 8/30/2021
- by Kate Aurthur
- Variety Film + TV
Amazon Prime Video announced that the investigative docuseries “LuLaRich” will drop on Sept. 10, and unveiled a trailer for the series.
“LuLaRich” is a four-part docuseries — from “Fyre Fraud” documentarians Jenner Furst and Julia Willoughby Nason — examining the pyramid scheme that was (and shockingly still is) LuLaRoe. The explosive growth of the clothing company, which began as a multi-level marketing scam in which people (mostly women) sold leggings to one another, while also signing up new retailers to be beneath them in the pyramid, has played out, as so many evil things do, mostly on Facebook. The doc series features former retailers and LulaRoe staffers as talking heads, who’ve tried to dig themselves out from their ruined lives.
Shockingly, LuLaRoe’s co-founders DeAnne and Mark Stidham also sat down for an interview with the filmmakers, and try to happy-talk their way out of what they’ve done. Their interview stands...
“LuLaRich” is a four-part docuseries — from “Fyre Fraud” documentarians Jenner Furst and Julia Willoughby Nason — examining the pyramid scheme that was (and shockingly still is) LuLaRoe. The explosive growth of the clothing company, which began as a multi-level marketing scam in which people (mostly women) sold leggings to one another, while also signing up new retailers to be beneath them in the pyramid, has played out, as so many evil things do, mostly on Facebook. The doc series features former retailers and LulaRoe staffers as talking heads, who’ve tried to dig themselves out from their ruined lives.
Shockingly, LuLaRoe’s co-founders DeAnne and Mark Stidham also sat down for an interview with the filmmakers, and try to happy-talk their way out of what they’ve done. Their interview stands...
- 8/16/2021
- by Kate Aurthur
- Variety Film + TV
The US Bankruptcy Court in the Southern District of New York has approved a $2 million class-action settlement for ticket-holders to the ill-fated Fyre Festival.
The disastrous April 2017 event, which promised blissful luxury and delivered tents and cheese sandwiches, was the subject of two films and widely ridiculed. The event was co-created by promoter Billy McFarland and rapper Ja Rule. Promoted by such influencers as Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid and Emily Ratajkowski, the festival, set on the Bahamian island of Great Exuma, failed on almost every level.
In March 2018, McFarland pled guilty to one count of wire fraud and a second count to defraud a ticket vendor. He was sentenced to six years in prison and ordered to forfeit US$26 million. He is still imprisoned.
Two documentaries detailing the monumental disaster, Fyre Fraud on Hulu and Netflix’s Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened, captured the post-event outrage.
The class-action...
The disastrous April 2017 event, which promised blissful luxury and delivered tents and cheese sandwiches, was the subject of two films and widely ridiculed. The event was co-created by promoter Billy McFarland and rapper Ja Rule. Promoted by such influencers as Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid and Emily Ratajkowski, the festival, set on the Bahamian island of Great Exuma, failed on almost every level.
In March 2018, McFarland pled guilty to one count of wire fraud and a second count to defraud a ticket vendor. He was sentenced to six years in prison and ordered to forfeit US$26 million. He is still imprisoned.
Two documentaries detailing the monumental disaster, Fyre Fraud on Hulu and Netflix’s Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened, captured the post-event outrage.
The class-action...
- 4/16/2021
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Von Dutch, the 2000s fashion brand known for its trucker hats worn by the likes of Britney Spears, Paris Hilton and Justin Timberlake, is getting the documentary series treatment.
Hulu has ordered a three-part series based on the story of the brand from the Intellectual Property Corporation, the Industrial Media-owned producer behind YouTube’s This Is Paris.
The series chronicles the true story behind the rise and fall of the iconic 2000s fashion brand. In this character-driven saga, Venice Beach surfers, gangsters, European fashionistas and Hollywood movers and shakers all vie for control of the infamous brand — pushing it from obscurity to one of the most recognizable labels on Earth. After a decade of backstabbing, greed and bloodshed, their lives – and pop culture – will never be the same.
The brand was inspired by Kenny Howard, known as Von Dutch, an American artist and member of the Kustom Kulture movement,...
Hulu has ordered a three-part series based on the story of the brand from the Intellectual Property Corporation, the Industrial Media-owned producer behind YouTube’s This Is Paris.
The series chronicles the true story behind the rise and fall of the iconic 2000s fashion brand. In this character-driven saga, Venice Beach surfers, gangsters, European fashionistas and Hollywood movers and shakers all vie for control of the infamous brand — pushing it from obscurity to one of the most recognizable labels on Earth. After a decade of backstabbing, greed and bloodshed, their lives – and pop culture – will never be the same.
The brand was inspired by Kenny Howard, known as Von Dutch, an American artist and member of the Kustom Kulture movement,...
- 4/1/2021
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
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Netflix has some competition in the streaming universe. Even if the streaming giant is still pretty much the king of the streaming services, it’s no longer the only major player in the game: The past few years have seen the launch of dozens of platforms for streaming entertainment, such as Disney+, Hulu, Paramount+, HBO Max, and many of them have as robust (or even better) offerings as the streaming giant.
Even better are the smaller ones that appeal to a very specific group of fans, like the horror streaming service Shudder, or the foreign-language TV channel packages available via Sling TV.
Below, an outline of a few of the many (many) streaming...
Netflix has some competition in the streaming universe. Even if the streaming giant is still pretty much the king of the streaming services, it’s no longer the only major player in the game: The past few years have seen the launch of dozens of platforms for streaming entertainment, such as Disney+, Hulu, Paramount+, HBO Max, and many of them have as robust (or even better) offerings as the streaming giant.
Even better are the smaller ones that appeal to a very specific group of fans, like the horror streaming service Shudder, or the foreign-language TV channel packages available via Sling TV.
Below, an outline of a few of the many (many) streaming...
- 3/29/2021
- by Jean Bentley and Latifah Muhammad
- Indiewire
A docuseries titled “The Rise and Fall of Victoria’s Secret” has been ordered at Hulu, TheWrap has learned.
The show comes from “Valentino” and “The Reagans” director and former Vanity Fair journalist Matt Tyrnauer. It consists of three hourlong episodes about the fashion brand, which has been plagued by public criticism and internal complaints in recent years.
Per its official description, “‘The Rise and Fall of Victoria’s Secret’ takes us behind the scenes through first-hand accounts and deep investigative research to reveal the inner workings of one of the country’s largest brands and cultural institutions.”
L Brands, which owns the lingerie company, scrapped the annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in 2019.
“We think it’s important to evolve the messaging of Victoria’s Secret,” Stuart Burgdoerfer, L Brands chief financial officer, said in an interview with New York Magazine in November 2019. “We will be communicating to customers but...
The show comes from “Valentino” and “The Reagans” director and former Vanity Fair journalist Matt Tyrnauer. It consists of three hourlong episodes about the fashion brand, which has been plagued by public criticism and internal complaints in recent years.
Per its official description, “‘The Rise and Fall of Victoria’s Secret’ takes us behind the scenes through first-hand accounts and deep investigative research to reveal the inner workings of one of the country’s largest brands and cultural institutions.”
L Brands, which owns the lingerie company, scrapped the annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in 2019.
“We think it’s important to evolve the messaging of Victoria’s Secret,” Stuart Burgdoerfer, L Brands chief financial officer, said in an interview with New York Magazine in November 2019. “We will be communicating to customers but...
- 2/23/2021
- by Jennifer Maas
- The Wrap
Hulu has ordered the three-part docuseries “The Rise and Fall of Victoria’s Secret.”
From director and former Vanity Fair journalist Matt Tyrnauer, “The Rise and Fall of Victoria’s Secret” takes viewers behind the scenes through first-hand accounts and investigative research to reveal the inner workings of one of the country’s largest brands and cultural institutions.
Tyrnauer, whose past credits include “Studio 54,” “Where’s My Roy Cohn,” and “The Reagans,” will direct all three episodes. Tyrnauer will also executive produce along with Corey Reeser under their Altimeter Films banner. Peter Berg, Matt Goldberg, and Brandon Carroll of Film 45 will also executive produce along with Elizabeth Rogers.
Endeavor Content is handling worldwide sales on the docuseries, which is currently slated to be released on Hulu in early 2022. Production is currently underway.
Victoria’s Secret was originally founded in the 1970s and expanded into a retail powerhouse going into the 1990s.
From director and former Vanity Fair journalist Matt Tyrnauer, “The Rise and Fall of Victoria’s Secret” takes viewers behind the scenes through first-hand accounts and investigative research to reveal the inner workings of one of the country’s largest brands and cultural institutions.
Tyrnauer, whose past credits include “Studio 54,” “Where’s My Roy Cohn,” and “The Reagans,” will direct all three episodes. Tyrnauer will also executive produce along with Corey Reeser under their Altimeter Films banner. Peter Berg, Matt Goldberg, and Brandon Carroll of Film 45 will also executive produce along with Elizabeth Rogers.
Endeavor Content is handling worldwide sales on the docuseries, which is currently slated to be released on Hulu in early 2022. Production is currently underway.
Victoria’s Secret was originally founded in the 1970s and expanded into a retail powerhouse going into the 1990s.
- 2/23/2021
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Another nonfiction film about Britney Spears hoping to compete with the popular Hulu documentary “Framing Britney Spears,” as Netflix is working on its own project about the pop star.
According to Bloomberg, filmmaker Erin Lee Carr is directing her own nonfiction film about Spears for Netflix — a project that began prior to the debut of “Framing Britney Spears” earlier this month.
Carr is known for previously directing the Netflix miniseries “How to Fix a Drug Scandal” and the HBO documentary “At the Heart of Gold” about the scandal surrounding physician Larry Nassar and the U.S. Olympic gymnast team.
No other details were available about the specific focus of Netflix’s project, which Bloomberg said has not been completed and does not have an air date. Netflix had no comment. Representatives for Carr did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“Framing Britney Spears,” which comes from The New York Times and FX,...
According to Bloomberg, filmmaker Erin Lee Carr is directing her own nonfiction film about Spears for Netflix — a project that began prior to the debut of “Framing Britney Spears” earlier this month.
Carr is known for previously directing the Netflix miniseries “How to Fix a Drug Scandal” and the HBO documentary “At the Heart of Gold” about the scandal surrounding physician Larry Nassar and the U.S. Olympic gymnast team.
No other details were available about the specific focus of Netflix’s project, which Bloomberg said has not been completed and does not have an air date. Netflix had no comment. Representatives for Carr did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“Framing Britney Spears,” which comes from The New York Times and FX,...
- 2/15/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Hulu has promoted Candice Ashton to vice president, originals publicity. In her new role, the veteran communications exec will oversee publicity across series, film and documentaries. She will report to Hulu’s originals marketing chiefs — Barrie Gruner on series and Spencer Peeples on film and documentaries
Ashton joined Hulu in 2016 as it was ramping up its original-programming efforts. At the streaming service, she has led campaigns and awards pushes for series including “The Mindy Project,” “The Looming Tower,” “Difficult People” and “Catch-22.” She also has overseen Hulu’s biannnual presence at the Ctam portion of the Television Critics Association press tour.
In 2018, she was promoted to lead Hulu’s originals-publicity team, overseeing all publicity for the streamer’s slate of original series and documentaries, including “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “The Act,” “Little Fires Everywhere,” “Normal People,” “Ramy,” “The Great,” “Hillary” and “Fyre Fraud.” Ashton recently added to her purview oversight of...
Ashton joined Hulu in 2016 as it was ramping up its original-programming efforts. At the streaming service, she has led campaigns and awards pushes for series including “The Mindy Project,” “The Looming Tower,” “Difficult People” and “Catch-22.” She also has overseen Hulu’s biannnual presence at the Ctam portion of the Television Critics Association press tour.
In 2018, she was promoted to lead Hulu’s originals-publicity team, overseeing all publicity for the streamer’s slate of original series and documentaries, including “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “The Act,” “Little Fires Everywhere,” “Normal People,” “Ramy,” “The Great,” “Hillary” and “Fyre Fraud.” Ashton recently added to her purview oversight of...
- 1/15/2021
- by Daniel Holloway
- Variety Film + TV
Leading independent media and entertainment companies Penske Media Corporation (Pmc) and MRC announced today a deal to create two joint ventures in publishing and content, with both companies holding significant ownership. The announcement, effective today with a transition period through the end of 2020, was made by Pmc CEO Jay Penske and MRC CEOs Asif Satchu and Modi Wiczyk.
The first joint venture is the establishment of Pmrc which includes some of the most iconic, trade and consumer brands in entertainment and music. These distinguished brands include Pmc’s Variety, Rolling Stone and Music Business Worldwide interests along with MRC’s The Hollywood Reporter, Billboard and Vibe. Together, these brands offer clients opportunities to reach an influential audience at scale through editorial, advertising and other marketing solutions. Pmrc’s day-to-day operations will be led by Pmc, a digital media pioneer and platform innovator whose ever-growing constellation of iconic brands include Deadline,...
The first joint venture is the establishment of Pmrc which includes some of the most iconic, trade and consumer brands in entertainment and music. These distinguished brands include Pmc’s Variety, Rolling Stone and Music Business Worldwide interests along with MRC’s The Hollywood Reporter, Billboard and Vibe. Together, these brands offer clients opportunities to reach an influential audience at scale through editorial, advertising and other marketing solutions. Pmrc’s day-to-day operations will be led by Pmc, a digital media pioneer and platform innovator whose ever-growing constellation of iconic brands include Deadline,...
- 9/23/2020
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
Los Angeles – September 23, 2020 – Leading independent media and entertainment companies Penske Media Corporation (Pmc) and MRC announced today a deal to create two joint ventures in publishing and content, with both companies holding significant ownership. The announcement, effective today with a transition period through the end of 2020, was made by Pmc CEO Jay Penske and MRC CEOs Asif Satchu and Modi Wiczyk.
The first joint venture establishes Pmrc which includes some of the most iconic brands in entertainment and music. These distinguished brands include Pmc’s Rolling Stone, Variety and Music...
The first joint venture establishes Pmrc which includes some of the most iconic brands in entertainment and music. These distinguished brands include Pmc’s Rolling Stone, Variety and Music...
- 9/23/2020
- by Rolling Stone
- Rollingstone.com
Big news for Deadline’s parent company PMC. Buckle up:
Penske Media And MRC Form Publishing And Content Ventures
Newly Established PMRC Will Steward Rolling Stone, The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Billboard, Vibe and Music Business Worldwide
Content Partnership Will Produce Television, Film and Other Formats With Access to Intellectual Property Across the Portfolio of Brands
Los Angeles – September 23, 2020 – Leading independent media and entertainment companies Penske Media Corporation (PMC) and MRC announced today a deal to create two joint ventures in publishing and content, with both companies holding significant ownership. The announcement, effective today with a transition period through the end of 2020, was made by PMC CEO Jay Penske and MRC CEOs Asif Satchu and Modi Wiczyk.
The first joint venture establishes PMRC which includes some of the most iconic brands in entertainment and music. These distinguished brands include PMC’s Rolling Stone, Variety and Music Business Worldwide interests along with MRC’s The Hollywood Reporter,...
Penske Media And MRC Form Publishing And Content Ventures
Newly Established PMRC Will Steward Rolling Stone, The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Billboard, Vibe and Music Business Worldwide
Content Partnership Will Produce Television, Film and Other Formats With Access to Intellectual Property Across the Portfolio of Brands
Los Angeles – September 23, 2020 – Leading independent media and entertainment companies Penske Media Corporation (PMC) and MRC announced today a deal to create two joint ventures in publishing and content, with both companies holding significant ownership. The announcement, effective today with a transition period through the end of 2020, was made by PMC CEO Jay Penske and MRC CEOs Asif Satchu and Modi Wiczyk.
The first joint venture establishes PMRC which includes some of the most iconic brands in entertainment and music. These distinguished brands include PMC’s Rolling Stone, Variety and Music Business Worldwide interests along with MRC’s The Hollywood Reporter,...
- 9/23/2020
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
In today’s Global Bulletin, ITV’s “I’m a Celebrity…” relocates, San Sebastián announced WIPs, Mikkelsen is honored, My Entertainment hires, Banijay finishes German setup and Formula 1 gets an anniversary docuseries.
Relocation
ITV tentpole reality program “I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!” will trade the jungles of down under for a rundown castle in the U.K. after Covid-19 travel restrictions have made producing the show in its traditional New South Wales home too challenging a prospect.
First launched in 2002, the series has become one of the most important in ITV’s catalog and this February received a three-season renewal. It boasts an average audience of more than 9 million viewers per season and dominates the social media landscape during and after broadcasts. It has spawned several local formats in other territories and an ITV2 spin-off, “I’m a Celebrity: Extra Camp,” which was dropped by the...
Relocation
ITV tentpole reality program “I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!” will trade the jungles of down under for a rundown castle in the U.K. after Covid-19 travel restrictions have made producing the show in its traditional New South Wales home too challenging a prospect.
First launched in 2002, the series has become one of the most important in ITV’s catalog and this February received a three-season renewal. It boasts an average audience of more than 9 million viewers per season and dominates the social media landscape during and after broadcasts. It has spawned several local formats in other territories and an ITV2 spin-off, “I’m a Celebrity: Extra Camp,” which was dropped by the...
- 8/7/2020
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: We hear that Cinemart, the documentary team of directors Jenner Furst, Julia Willoughby Nason and producer Mike Gasparro, is partnering on the documentary LuLaRich with Based on Media’s Blye Faust and Cori Shepherd Stern.
The doc will investigate LuLaRoe, the billion dollar clothing empire which has recently been accused of misleading thousands of American women with their multi-level marketing platform. Once promoted by Katy Perry and Kelly Clarkson, the brand has gone from an aspirational movement to a trending “pyramid scheme” that is now the subject of multiple lawsuits.
LuLaRoe’s founders DeAnne and Mark Stidham have denied all allegations and have launched countersuits of their own, defending the company’s legitimacy and model. LuLaRoe is still fully operational and many women continue to enthusiastically promote the brand. The company has also dramatically reduced entry costs to attract new saleswomen during the pandemic and economic downturn.
The film...
The doc will investigate LuLaRoe, the billion dollar clothing empire which has recently been accused of misleading thousands of American women with their multi-level marketing platform. Once promoted by Katy Perry and Kelly Clarkson, the brand has gone from an aspirational movement to a trending “pyramid scheme” that is now the subject of multiple lawsuits.
LuLaRoe’s founders DeAnne and Mark Stidham have denied all allegations and have launched countersuits of their own, defending the company’s legitimacy and model. LuLaRoe is still fully operational and many women continue to enthusiastically promote the brand. The company has also dramatically reduced entry costs to attract new saleswomen during the pandemic and economic downturn.
The film...
- 7/10/2020
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Quibi and LeBron James’ Uninterrupted sports media company are teaming up for a new docuseries about a cheating scandal that has gone down in baseball infamy.
The short-form content platform has ordered “Sign Language” (working title), a series which aims to give viewers an inside look at the Houston Astros sign stealing scandal and its unprecedented fallout.
Per the logline for the series, it will look to “transcend the baseball diamond to explore larger themes of greed, cheating, corruption, sportsmanship, and social media activism.” News of the series comes around two months after it was announced that “Slow Burn” producers Leon Neyfakh and Andrew Parsons are looking to hit a home run with a podcast about the Astros’ controversial World Series-winning 2017 season, which they then intend to adapt into a scripted series.
“Sign Language” also hails from investigative filmmaking company The Cinemart, which last year released the Hulu doc “Fyre Fraud...
The short-form content platform has ordered “Sign Language” (working title), a series which aims to give viewers an inside look at the Houston Astros sign stealing scandal and its unprecedented fallout.
Per the logline for the series, it will look to “transcend the baseball diamond to explore larger themes of greed, cheating, corruption, sportsmanship, and social media activism.” News of the series comes around two months after it was announced that “Slow Burn” producers Leon Neyfakh and Andrew Parsons are looking to hit a home run with a podcast about the Astros’ controversial World Series-winning 2017 season, which they then intend to adapt into a scripted series.
“Sign Language” also hails from investigative filmmaking company The Cinemart, which last year released the Hulu doc “Fyre Fraud...
- 5/15/2020
- by Will Thorne
- Variety Film + TV
Chris Longo Feb 7, 2020
The directors of The Pharmacist reveal how they captured the powerful story of Dan Schneider, an unlikely hero who took action from grief.
It sounds like something out of a pulpy comic book: A grieving father seeks to avenge his son’s murder by circumventing the police to identify the killer. But it was reality for Dan Schneider, a New Orleans-area pharmacist who channeled his grief over the drug-related shooting death of his son, Danny Jr., into a tireless Diy investigation. In The Pharmacist, Netflix’s latest documentary series and one of its most gripping to date, Schneider finds that justice for his son is only the beginning. Soon the well-meaning pharmacist embarks on a crusade to combat the unfolding opioid crisis that’s ravaging his region, and soon the entire country.
On first look, Schneider would appear to be an ideal subject for a documentary. His infectious personality,...
The directors of The Pharmacist reveal how they captured the powerful story of Dan Schneider, an unlikely hero who took action from grief.
It sounds like something out of a pulpy comic book: A grieving father seeks to avenge his son’s murder by circumventing the police to identify the killer. But it was reality for Dan Schneider, a New Orleans-area pharmacist who channeled his grief over the drug-related shooting death of his son, Danny Jr., into a tireless Diy investigation. In The Pharmacist, Netflix’s latest documentary series and one of its most gripping to date, Schneider finds that justice for his son is only the beginning. Soon the well-meaning pharmacist embarks on a crusade to combat the unfolding opioid crisis that’s ravaging his region, and soon the entire country.
On first look, Schneider would appear to be an ideal subject for a documentary. His infectious personality,...
- 2/7/2020
- Den of Geek
In today’s TV news roundup, Netflix announced the premiere date for “Tom Papa: You’re Doing Great!” and Quibi unveiled the title and artwork for its upcoming series starring Liam Hemsworth and Christophe Waltz.
Dates
“Tom Papa: You’re Doing Great!” will launch globally on Feb. 4, Netflix announced. The veteran comedian aims to remind viewers to take care of themselves, embrace who they’ve become, and absorb the beauty of life in his debut Netflix special, which was filmed in front of a live audience at the Victoria Theater at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark. View the trailer below.
First Looks
Quibi has unveiled the title and artwork for its forthcoming series “Most Dangerous Game.“ Starring Liam Hemsworth and Christoph Waltz, the action-thriller follows Dodge Maynard (Hemsworth) who, desperate to take care of his wife, accepts an offer to participate in a deadly game where he...
Dates
“Tom Papa: You’re Doing Great!” will launch globally on Feb. 4, Netflix announced. The veteran comedian aims to remind viewers to take care of themselves, embrace who they’ve become, and absorb the beauty of life in his debut Netflix special, which was filmed in front of a live audience at the Victoria Theater at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark. View the trailer below.
First Looks
Quibi has unveiled the title and artwork for its forthcoming series “Most Dangerous Game.“ Starring Liam Hemsworth and Christoph Waltz, the action-thriller follows Dodge Maynard (Hemsworth) who, desperate to take care of his wife, accepts an offer to participate in a deadly game where he...
- 1/22/2020
- by BreAnna Bell
- Variety Film + TV
Balisa Balaban has been promoted to VP Original Documentaries. The streaming service has been ramping up its Hulu Original Documentary films slate with recent titles including Ask Dr. Ruth, The Amazing Johnathon and the Emmy-winning Crime + Punishment.
Balaban joined Hulu in 2017 as Director of Original Content and helped to launch originals Minding The Gap and Fyre Fraud.
The news comes as Hulu recently announced two new high-profile original documentaries to stream in 2020: Hillary, its four-part docuseries about Hillary Clinton that debuts at the Sundance Film Festival, and Greta, a feature charting the rise of climate activist Greta Thunberg.
Prior to joining Hulu, Belisa was Head of Original Programming at Pivot, where she oversaw all original series and documentaries including Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s HitRecord. That stint followed posts at Actual Reality Pictures (Showtime’s Freshman Diaries), Comedy Central and started at Fox.
She...
Balaban joined Hulu in 2017 as Director of Original Content and helped to launch originals Minding The Gap and Fyre Fraud.
The news comes as Hulu recently announced two new high-profile original documentaries to stream in 2020: Hillary, its four-part docuseries about Hillary Clinton that debuts at the Sundance Film Festival, and Greta, a feature charting the rise of climate activist Greta Thunberg.
Prior to joining Hulu, Belisa was Head of Original Programming at Pivot, where she oversaw all original series and documentaries including Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s HitRecord. That stint followed posts at Actual Reality Pictures (Showtime’s Freshman Diaries), Comedy Central and started at Fox.
She...
- 1/22/2020
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Vice Media, which has been reshuffling its TV partnership plans after its long-term relationship with HBO wound down several months ago, has set a premiere on Hulu of Vice Investigates.
The Hulu Original show, from the producers and correspondents of Vice News, will see the first three episode go live on the streaming service on November 1. Remaining installments in the 10-episode series will appear monthly.
In the tradition of the original Vice on HBO, the new series will span the world and cover a range of topics. Initial episodes will take a close look at the geopolitical divide between Iran and Saudi Arabia; profile K-Pop rockstars; and a first-hand look at the experiences of intersex and transgender athletes.
Vice, which has been in revamp mode under CEO Nancy Dubuc, has several established media companies as stakeholders. A+E Networks, a joint venture between Hearst and Disney where Dubuc had a long executive tenure,...
The Hulu Original show, from the producers and correspondents of Vice News, will see the first three episode go live on the streaming service on November 1. Remaining installments in the 10-episode series will appear monthly.
In the tradition of the original Vice on HBO, the new series will span the world and cover a range of topics. Initial episodes will take a close look at the geopolitical divide between Iran and Saudi Arabia; profile K-Pop rockstars; and a first-hand look at the experiences of intersex and transgender athletes.
Vice, which has been in revamp mode under CEO Nancy Dubuc, has several established media companies as stakeholders. A+E Networks, a joint venture between Hearst and Disney where Dubuc had a long executive tenure,...
- 10/24/2019
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
Former Universal Pictures executive Amit Dey has been named Svp & Head of Valence Media’s new non-fiction division at Mrc.
In the newly formed role, Dey will be responsible for developing, producing and managing all documentary content for film and TV, as well as working with sales and distribution partners across all documentary projects.
He will collaborate across Valence Media divisions which include Mrc Film, Mrc Television, dick clark productions and Billboard Media Group, and he will report to Valence Media co-CEOs Modi Wiczyk and Asif Satchu.
Dey will lead efforts on the first feature length documentary from Baby Driver director Edgar Wright, about California music duo, Sparks. The project is currently in production. Baby Driver director Wright shot footage of the band at a 2018 London concert.
Dey will also be across Mrc’s previously announced doc partnership with UK outfit Fulwell 73 (Carpool Karaoke). Valence previously produced the Hulu documentary Fyre Fraud.
In the newly formed role, Dey will be responsible for developing, producing and managing all documentary content for film and TV, as well as working with sales and distribution partners across all documentary projects.
He will collaborate across Valence Media divisions which include Mrc Film, Mrc Television, dick clark productions and Billboard Media Group, and he will report to Valence Media co-CEOs Modi Wiczyk and Asif Satchu.
Dey will lead efforts on the first feature length documentary from Baby Driver director Edgar Wright, about California music duo, Sparks. The project is currently in production. Baby Driver director Wright shot footage of the band at a 2018 London concert.
Dey will also be across Mrc’s previously announced doc partnership with UK outfit Fulwell 73 (Carpool Karaoke). Valence previously produced the Hulu documentary Fyre Fraud.
- 10/24/2019
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Lupita Nyong’o is a zombie-attacking schoolteacher in the newest trailer for Hulu’s upcoming “Little Monsters.”
The slasher-comedy follows washed-up musician Dave (Alexander England), who volunteers to chaperone his nephew’s elementary school field trip after developing a crush on his fearless kindergarten teacher Miss Caroline (Nyong’o). However, when Dave attempts to win over Caroline from another enthralled man (Josh Gad), a sudden zombie outbreak disrupts his plans. All of a sudden, the trio are forced to fight flesh-eating zombies while dealing with a messy love triangle.
The trailer warns that it contains flesh-eating zombies, assault with a deadly guitar, strong language, firearms, disembowelment, death metal, gore, mini-golf, and more.
Despite the violence, however, the teaser makes it clear that there will be laughs in store for the audience, too.
“This might be a little much…for everyone,” Nyong’o says when a zombie enters a school-bus, threatening...
The slasher-comedy follows washed-up musician Dave (Alexander England), who volunteers to chaperone his nephew’s elementary school field trip after developing a crush on his fearless kindergarten teacher Miss Caroline (Nyong’o). However, when Dave attempts to win over Caroline from another enthralled man (Josh Gad), a sudden zombie outbreak disrupts his plans. All of a sudden, the trio are forced to fight flesh-eating zombies while dealing with a messy love triangle.
The trailer warns that it contains flesh-eating zombies, assault with a deadly guitar, strong language, firearms, disembowelment, death metal, gore, mini-golf, and more.
Despite the violence, however, the teaser makes it clear that there will be laughs in store for the audience, too.
“This might be a little much…for everyone,” Nyong’o says when a zombie enters a school-bus, threatening...
- 9/12/2019
- by Anna Tingley
- Variety Film + TV
Ava DuVernay (“When They See Us”), David Mandel (“Veep”) and Bruce Miller and Kira Snyder (“The Handmaid’s Tale”) were among those honored at the Television Academy’s Emmy nominees writers reception on Tuesday night in North Hollywood.
There, ceremony hosts, “Escape at Dannemora” star Eric Lange and “Veep’s” Sam Richardson, kept the show moving by tossing in jokes between introductions as the writers from each Emmy-nominated show posed for photographs on stage. The two stars seemed especially excited to introduce the masterminds behind their own shows. Lange’s “Escape at Dannemora” writers Brett Johnson and Jerry Stahl accepted praise for their two nominations, while Richardson claimed it was a “privilege and honor” to introduce “Veep” showrunner Mandel to the crowd.
DuVernay briefly posed for photos as she accepted the honor for writing episode four of “When They See Us.” The series itself earned 16 Emmy nominations in total, the...
There, ceremony hosts, “Escape at Dannemora” star Eric Lange and “Veep’s” Sam Richardson, kept the show moving by tossing in jokes between introductions as the writers from each Emmy-nominated show posed for photographs on stage. The two stars seemed especially excited to introduce the masterminds behind their own shows. Lange’s “Escape at Dannemora” writers Brett Johnson and Jerry Stahl accepted praise for their two nominations, while Richardson claimed it was a “privilege and honor” to introduce “Veep” showrunner Mandel to the crowd.
DuVernay briefly posed for photos as she accepted the honor for writing episode four of “When They See Us.” The series itself earned 16 Emmy nominations in total, the...
- 9/12/2019
- by BreAnna Bell
- Variety Film + TV
The disastrous Fyre Festival inspires a fictional new spin in the trailer for The I-Land, a new series coming to Netflix on September 12th.
Created by Neil Labute (Billions, In the Company of Men, 2006’s The Wicker Man) and starring Kate Bosworth, Alex Pettyfer and Natalie Martinez, the show follows 10 people who mysteriously wake up on an uncharted island with no memory of how they got there, and their subsequent struggle to escape. The trailer opens with a glossy promotional clip inspired by the infamous Fyre Festival announcement video, before...
Created by Neil Labute (Billions, In the Company of Men, 2006’s The Wicker Man) and starring Kate Bosworth, Alex Pettyfer and Natalie Martinez, the show follows 10 people who mysteriously wake up on an uncharted island with no memory of how they got there, and their subsequent struggle to escape. The trailer opens with a glossy promotional clip inspired by the infamous Fyre Festival announcement video, before...
- 8/21/2019
- by Claire Shaffer
- Rollingstone.com
eOne’s international output deal with AMC Networks is coming to an end.
However, the agreement between eOne and the cable network will see the Designated Survivor studio continue to handle international distribution on The Walking Dead and Fear The Walking Dead.
eOne revealed the end of the output arrangement, which began in 2013, as part of its full-year financial results released to the London Stock Exchange earlier today. “International distribution of third party television titles will reduce as the AMC output deal has now ended for new productions,” it noted.
The distributor will launch distribution on season five of Fear The Walking Dead and season ten of The Walking Dead and the figures will be included in its 2020 full year financial results.
It comes as AMC has been building up its own international distribution capabilities through AMC Studios in recent years.
The 2013 deal included the distribution of Halt and Catch Fire,...
However, the agreement between eOne and the cable network will see the Designated Survivor studio continue to handle international distribution on The Walking Dead and Fear The Walking Dead.
eOne revealed the end of the output arrangement, which began in 2013, as part of its full-year financial results released to the London Stock Exchange earlier today. “International distribution of third party television titles will reduce as the AMC output deal has now ended for new productions,” it noted.
The distributor will launch distribution on season five of Fear The Walking Dead and season ten of The Walking Dead and the figures will be included in its 2020 full year financial results.
It comes as AMC has been building up its own international distribution capabilities through AMC Studios in recent years.
The 2013 deal included the distribution of Halt and Catch Fire,...
- 5/21/2019
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Billy McFarland, the concert promoter whose botched music festival spawned documentaries by Netflix and Hulu, is now working on a memoir that will talk about what happened.
McFarland is currently in federal prison in Otisville, NY, serving six years in prison for fraud and selling fake tickets to events. The saga was memorialized in the films “Fyre: The Greatest Party that Never Happened” and “Fyre Fraud.”
New York Magazine reported that McFarland is planning to self-publish a memoir. It is tentatively titled “Promythus: The God of Fyre.”’
The Fyre Festival will go down in concert annals as perhaps the worst-run show in history. Marketed as the ultimate luxury trip, its promotional materials were filled with celebrities and super models diving off yachts, emphasizing an appeal to join the young monied elite who will transform the world.
Instead, the event deteriorated into a Lord of the Flies horror, as the promised...
McFarland is currently in federal prison in Otisville, NY, serving six years in prison for fraud and selling fake tickets to events. The saga was memorialized in the films “Fyre: The Greatest Party that Never Happened” and “Fyre Fraud.”
New York Magazine reported that McFarland is planning to self-publish a memoir. It is tentatively titled “Promythus: The God of Fyre.”’
The Fyre Festival will go down in concert annals as perhaps the worst-run show in history. Marketed as the ultimate luxury trip, its promotional materials were filled with celebrities and super models diving off yachts, emphasizing an appeal to join the young monied elite who will transform the world.
Instead, the event deteriorated into a Lord of the Flies horror, as the promised...
- 5/4/2019
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Last Year’s Winner: “The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling”
Still Eligible: No.
Hot Streak: Prior to the Netflix disruption, this category was a three-horse race from 2003 – 2016. During those 13 years, only HBO, History, and PBS earned victories in the category, and aside from one win each from Discovery and CBS, these were the only networks to win in the history of Best Documentary or Nonfiction Special category.
Fun Fact: One of the Big Four broadcast networks hasn’t been nominated in this category since 2011 — just two years before the TV Academy renamed Outstanding Nonfiction Series as Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special. Prior to the shift toward including feature-length documentaries, ABC, CBS, NBC, and/or Fox had been in the running nine of the 11 years prior.
Notable Ineligible Series: Docuseries have their own category, so don’t expect the likes of “America to Me” or “Our Planet” here.
At the bottom...
Still Eligible: No.
Hot Streak: Prior to the Netflix disruption, this category was a three-horse race from 2003 – 2016. During those 13 years, only HBO, History, and PBS earned victories in the category, and aside from one win each from Discovery and CBS, these were the only networks to win in the history of Best Documentary or Nonfiction Special category.
Fun Fact: One of the Big Four broadcast networks hasn’t been nominated in this category since 2011 — just two years before the TV Academy renamed Outstanding Nonfiction Series as Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special. Prior to the shift toward including feature-length documentaries, ABC, CBS, NBC, and/or Fox had been in the running nine of the 11 years prior.
Notable Ineligible Series: Docuseries have their own category, so don’t expect the likes of “America to Me” or “Our Planet” here.
At the bottom...
- 4/16/2019
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
Entertainment One has landed in Cannes with “Tricky Dick” after securing the international rights to CNN’s Richard Nixon documentary series. The deal comes as producer-distributor eOne moves more heavily into factual sales and sets out to acquire standout shows that can sit alongside its drama offerings.
Four-part documentary “Tricky Dick” is an original from news network CNN, which launched it in the the U.S. Produced by Red Arrow-backed producer Left/Right, it explores Richard Nixon’s life and times; tracking his rise, fall, comeback and political destruction.
The series takes in his early political career in California, to the game-changing Kennedy-Nixon debates through to his disgraceful Watergate exit. The archive-based series has never-before-seen footage.
“Its pieced together through archive so you follow it as people witnessed it, as it was told [at the time],” Noel Hedges, eOne’s Evp of acquisitions, told Variety. “You’re following it first-hand rather than...
Four-part documentary “Tricky Dick” is an original from news network CNN, which launched it in the the U.S. Produced by Red Arrow-backed producer Left/Right, it explores Richard Nixon’s life and times; tracking his rise, fall, comeback and political destruction.
The series takes in his early political career in California, to the game-changing Kennedy-Nixon debates through to his disgraceful Watergate exit. The archive-based series has never-before-seen footage.
“Its pieced together through archive so you follow it as people witnessed it, as it was told [at the time],” Noel Hedges, eOne’s Evp of acquisitions, told Variety. “You’re following it first-hand rather than...
- 4/7/2019
- by Stewart Clarke
- Variety Film + TV
After the success of Fyre Fraud, Hulu is presenting an entirely different kind of true crime with its new series, The Act. The first installation of the anthology series follows how the toxic relationship between Dee Dee and Gypsy Rose Blanchard led to the former's bloody murder. As we now know, Dee Dee had Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a condition that led her to trick her daughter Gypsy into thinking she was ill in order for the pair to gain sympathy. Patricia Arquette and Joey King demystify this contentious bond by portraying both women on the small screen. But while the volatile mother-daughter relationship has had the most attention in this case, it's not actually by Gypsy's hand that Dee Dee died.
Dee Dee's murder has many layers. While we can't know for sure how much Gypsy knew about her true physical capabilities (despite what Dee Dee told her), Gypsy...
Dee Dee's murder has many layers. While we can't know for sure how much Gypsy knew about her true physical capabilities (despite what Dee Dee told her), Gypsy...
- 3/18/2019
- by Stacey Nguyen
- Popsugar.com
By Glenn Dunks
We sometimes get so carried away with Oscar and all things award season adjacent that we forget there are very real movies being released in those first couple of months of the year. After last week's very topical Leaving Neverland review, we're going to back back into January and February and pluck out a few titles we have seen: Fyre, The Image Book, and The Gospel According to Eureka.
Fyre
It's not very often that Shoah comes up in conversation at a party, but there we were when somebody asked me about Fyre, the new documentary from the director of American Movie, Chris Smith. I had said I would rather watch all nine and a half hours of Holocaust testimonials than I would watch another 90 minutes of Fyre (including the adjacent Hulu documentary Fyre Fraud that I have no endured). I may have been several margaritas down...
We sometimes get so carried away with Oscar and all things award season adjacent that we forget there are very real movies being released in those first couple of months of the year. After last week's very topical Leaving Neverland review, we're going to back back into January and February and pluck out a few titles we have seen: Fyre, The Image Book, and The Gospel According to Eureka.
Fyre
It's not very often that Shoah comes up in conversation at a party, but there we were when somebody asked me about Fyre, the new documentary from the director of American Movie, Chris Smith. I had said I would rather watch all nine and a half hours of Holocaust testimonials than I would watch another 90 minutes of Fyre (including the adjacent Hulu documentary Fyre Fraud that I have no endured). I may have been several margaritas down...
- 3/13/2019
- by Glenn Dunks
- FilmExperience
Entertainment One has picked up international rights to Hulu’s documentary on the disastrous Fyre Festival.
“Fyre Fraud” looks at the unscrupulous dealings of Billy McFarland, the self-aggrandizing huckster who sold thousands of tickets to a music festival in the Bahamas that turned out to be a sham. Duped by a promotional campaign on social media featuring rapper Ja Rule and bikini-clad models, the festival-goers found themselves scrambling for food and shelter on a remote island, with musical acts nowhere in evidence.
McFarland is now serving a six-year jail sentence. “Fyre Fraud” looks into how the scam was built and the personalities, especially McFarland, behind it.
“As soon as it was launched, this brilliantly made film garnered huge critical acclaim for its quality execution and access to the key players and has instantly become widely talked about,” said Noel Hedges, eOne’s executive vice president of acquisitions for international distribution.
“Fyre Fraud” looks at the unscrupulous dealings of Billy McFarland, the self-aggrandizing huckster who sold thousands of tickets to a music festival in the Bahamas that turned out to be a sham. Duped by a promotional campaign on social media featuring rapper Ja Rule and bikini-clad models, the festival-goers found themselves scrambling for food and shelter on a remote island, with musical acts nowhere in evidence.
McFarland is now serving a six-year jail sentence. “Fyre Fraud” looks into how the scam was built and the personalities, especially McFarland, behind it.
“As soon as it was launched, this brilliantly made film garnered huge critical acclaim for its quality execution and access to the key players and has instantly become widely talked about,” said Noel Hedges, eOne’s executive vice president of acquisitions for international distribution.
- 2/19/2019
- by Henry Chu
- Variety Film + TV
Hulu’s Fyre Fraud documentary is set to go global after eOne secured the international rights to the feature-length film.
The distributor has taken the international rights to the doc, which told the explosive story of the failed festival and its founder, con-man Billy MacFarland.
While Hulu got first drop on Netflix by releasing Fyre Fraud ahead of its rival’s Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened, the latter was able to be watched internationally, whereas Hulu’s film was only available in the U.S.
In addition to telling the story of the catastrophic music festival, which was co-founded by rapper Ja rule, Hulu’s film features an interview with MacFarland, who is now serving six years in jail, and also documents his role in other scams.
Fyre Fraud was directed by Jenner Furst and Julia Willoughby Nason and backed by The Cinemart, Mic and Billboard.
“As soon as it was launched,...
The distributor has taken the international rights to the doc, which told the explosive story of the failed festival and its founder, con-man Billy MacFarland.
While Hulu got first drop on Netflix by releasing Fyre Fraud ahead of its rival’s Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened, the latter was able to be watched internationally, whereas Hulu’s film was only available in the U.S.
In addition to telling the story of the catastrophic music festival, which was co-founded by rapper Ja rule, Hulu’s film features an interview with MacFarland, who is now serving six years in jail, and also documents his role in other scams.
Fyre Fraud was directed by Jenner Furst and Julia Willoughby Nason and backed by The Cinemart, Mic and Billboard.
“As soon as it was launched,...
- 2/19/2019
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
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