Actress Martha Stewart dies at 89

Actress Martha Stewart, who came out in film, television and musical theater, died of natural causes in Northeast Harbor, Maine, on Feb. 25. She was 89. Stewart carried out Joan Crawford's nearest friend in Otto Preminger's 1947 romantic drama "Daisy Kenyon," also starring Dana Andrews and Henry Fonda. The actress also stood a significant supporting role in Nicholas Ray's "In the Lonely Place" (1950), starring Humphrey Bogart. Stewart made her feature debut in Fox's 1945 musical comedy "Toy Face," an adaptation from the play of Gypsy Rose Lee through which she completed with Perry Como, then roles in World war ii aftermath drama "Johnny Comes Flying Home" and musical "I Question Who's Kissing Her Now." Furthermore with a "Lonely Place," she came out inside the Broderick Crawford-Glenn Ford film noir "Billed" in 1950. Stewart came out on Broadway inside the musical comedy "Park Avenue" in 1946-47. Inside the 19 fifties the actress moved on to television, making looks on "The Jackie Gleason Show" and "The Red-colored-colored Skelton Hour" after which on "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" just before making her final screen appearance inside the 1964 film "Surf Party." Stewart's first husband was the famous comedian Joe E. Lewis, too as with 1957 Lewis biopic "The Joker Is Wild," starring Frank Sinatra, Mitzy Gaynor referred to Stewart. Stewart was produced in Bardwell, Ky., but spent her childhood in Brooklyn. She started singing in nightclubs carrying out a favorable reception when she required part within an invisible singing contest. A Hollywood talent scout spotted Stewart throughout her appearance within the Stork Club within the mid nineteen forties. After ending her showbiz career, Stewart spent decades just like a school librarian, retiring from that profession in 2002. Furthermore to Lewis, Stewart was married to actor-author George O'Hanlon also to Jonathan Crowne, who died in 2004 after 53 years of marriage. Stewart is managed to get by two sons. Contact Variety Staff at news@variety.com

Open Call for Extras for 'The Lone Ranger' in Colorado

Want to spend some quality time in the desert with Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer? Sande Alessi Casting is holding open calls for Disney's "The Lone Ranger," a new movie starring Hammer in the title role, with Depp as his sidekick Tonto. Gore Verbinski ("Pirates of the Caribbean") is directing the film, which will begin shooting in Colorado and Utah this summer.The casting director is primarily seeking Native American and Asian men at these calls, but men and women of all ethnicities are needed. Actors must be at least 18 years old to be considered. No experience is necessary for background roles.The open calls will be held Friday, March 23 in Durango, CO; Sunday, March 25 in Alamosa, CO; and Monday, March 26 in Colorado Springs, CO. For more information and audition details, view the full casting notice on BackStage.com. (Subscription required.)Sande Alessi is a Los Angeles-based casting director who has cast extras for dozens of films and TV series, including "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "Entourage," "There Will Be Blood," "Pirates of the Caribbean," "Catch Me If You Can," and more."The Lone Ranger" is scheduled to be released Summer 2013.

British invade WME

The WME legit department has signed a trio of British people towards the roster, while using tenpercentery now becoming Stateside repetition for helmer Timothy Sheader and scribes Mike Bartlett and Nick Payne. The a.d. in the London outdoors venue Regent's Park Outdoors Theater, Sheader was recently attracted onto helm the arrival Shakespeare neighborhood revival of tuner "To the Forest," following inside the actions of his much-famous 2010 staging in the show at Regent's Park. More youthful crowd directed last year's "Crazy deeply in love with You," which moved for the West Finish. Bartlett may also be searching for a Gotham stint along with his London hit "Cock," that the team of yank commercial producers is steering toward an Off Broadway bow later this year. Scribe's plays have "13," "Earthquakes employed in londonInch and "Love Love Love," playing the Royal Court later this year. Payne, meanwhile, recently acquired a slew of plaudits for "Constellations," another play envisioned having an approaching NY run. Also on his resume are plays "Should There Be I have Not Think It Is Yet" and "Wanderlust." The Three creatives it's still repped inside the U.K. by their Brit tenpercenters, with Sheader and Payne both on Curtis Brown's list and Bartlett repped with the Agency. Contact Gordon Cox at gordon.cox@variety.com

Safe House Director's Previous Feature Finally Striking Theaters

It's only taken a few years, however the wealth of director Daniel Espinosa's Safe House suggests that Harvey Weinstein is finally ready to permit the filmmaker's Swedish-language hit Quick Money -- ne Snabba Cash -- off his shelf about this summer time 27. The distributor reported the eventual Stateside publication in the film's source novel (rather than Safe House's $83 million-and-counting domestic haul) as his motivation: We love to the film, but we needed it being out here, he told the LAT. Right. Obviously with Harvey, all release dates are inclined to change and/or cancellation anytime, so make certain to mark your calendars in pencil. [LAT]

Sony nabs 'Invertigo' script

Sony has picked up script "Invertigo" from "Transformers" scribe Ehren Kruger. Kruger co-wrote the screenplay with Bradley Cramp and will also exec produce with partner Daniel Bobker. Neal Moritz, who brought the pic to Sony through his first-look deal with the studio, is set to produce, and Andrea Giannetti is overseeing for Sony. Logline is being kept under wraps. Kruger, whose previous credits include the last two films in Paramount's "Transformers" franchise, is currently at work on the series' next installment. Contact Rachel Abrams at Rachel.Abrams@variety.com

Inside Tennis Channel's fight with Comcast

Tennis Funnel topper Ken Solomon, center, with Jimmy Connors and Martina Navratilova within the U.S. Open this past year.Inside the nation's capital, Golf Funnel can be found on funnel 11 in the Comcast selection Tennis Funnel reaches 735. It may seem it is simply an indication of the Beltway, but to Ken Solomon, in charge of Tennis Funnel, the disparity is certainly an injustice carried out out nationwide. And he's succeeding to be able to convince authorities physiques, in this particular situation an administrative law judge in the FCC, the Goliath in the cable biz has discriminated against one of the Davids on the planet. Comcast has Golf Funnel, but doesn't have a very stake inside the individually possessed Tennis Funnel. The problem, Solomon states, is about greater than making sure a legal court can get equal footing while using club, but in the evolution of cable programming itself, where it's harder for indie systems to deal with people possessed by conglomerates. Tennis Funnel, according to him, remains "thrust in it of moving the flag for nearly any independent voice." "Inside the cable world, there is a time that it stops being a free of charge market," Solomon states. "Inside the cable world, we blew with this point a really very long time ago." Clearly, that isn't how Comcast sees it. Although administrative law judge Richard Sipple ruled in December that Comcast reaches breach of Section 616 in the communications act -- a "program carriage" law controlling cable provider control over channels through which they don't own a stake -- they think the supply continues to be familiar with rewrite the regards to a contract private contract between parties. The regards to that 15-year agreement, Comcast highlights, gives Comcast the legal right to carry Tennis Funnel "on any tier, like the sports tier." Furthermore they condition that Tennis Funnel filed the complaint after seeking bigger carriage, including offering cable operators equity stakes, but Comcast declined. The very best fight is finished when Comcast must immediately follow Sipple's ruling. Although FCC staffers have mentioned that Comcast must implement it now, the cabler states it shouldn't have to until it exhausts other administrative remedies, like taking their situation fully FCC. Carrying this out now, it states, might be "time-consuming, complex and pricey to implement." In addition, it may be confusing to clients it reshuffled its make to produce room for Tennis Funnel inside the lower tiers, then ultimately won within the claim on appeal. "Comcast's First Amendment rights will probably be infringed, as having the ability to speak through its systems will conditioned on bigger distribution of Tennis Funnel, an option that both usurps Comcast's editorial discretion and penalizes its speech," the business mentioned inside an FCC filing. Solomon thinks the liberty of expression argument is "specious." "We didn't awaken and pressure Comcast to put Tennis Funnel on air,Inch he mentioned. "They selected to get this done on their own volition. What they have to accomplish, once they make that determination, they have to give to us fair treatment once they get similar situated systems." Solomon, who before Tennis Funnel founded Fine Living and was leader of Universal Television, talks concentrating on the same showman's eagerness in regards to the situation he is doing in the channel's capacity to win rights to major competitions. Tennis Funnel, founded in 2003, is possessed having a consortium of traders including Apollo Partners, Bain Capital Endeavors, DND Capital Partners, sports management firm IMG and Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi. According to Derek Baine, SNL Kagan senior media analyst, the funnel has close to $100 million in annual revenue and went to the black this season. Although a completely new positioning on Comcast systems could eventually lead to an uptick in advertising dollars, in addition to a large rise in clients, the problem continues to be snapped up on by other individually possessed channels like a kind of hangover around-extended controlling wrangling that introduced for the government's approval of Comcast's along with NBCU. Bloomberg LP, which along with Tennis Funnel will be a critic in the NBCU transaction, snapped up on Sipple's ruling to call concentrate on its FCC complaint against Comcast inside the positioning of the business funnel within the same "neighborhood" as news channels, one of the conditions situated around the transaction. Again, Comcast disagrees. Prior to the FCC and Justice Department gave the merger the greenlight, it had vowed to incorporate 10 individually possessed channels towards the selection over the following eight years. But to Solomon, it's less determined by adding new channels but finding them. There's a voluminous situation file inside the criminal history round the situation, but according to him it is kind of grade-school clear to see: "Everything you do by yourself, you must do for some individuals.In . Contact Ted Manley at ted.manley@variety.com

Spicy sales for Salt

London-based sales outfit Salt has guaranteed a raft of pre-sales on Adam Brody and Jean-Claude Van Damme starrer "Thanks for visiting the Jungle."Pic, that is presently lensing in Puerto Rico, has offered to eOne for Canada, Ascot Elite for German-speaking Europe, Transmission for Oz and Nz and Pasatiempo for South America.Other worldwide sales include Scandinavia (Mis Label), A holiday in greece (Tanweer), Poultry (SPI), Eastern Europe (Freeman), CIS (Super Music), China (HGC), India (Pictureworks), Indonesia (PT Amero) and Middle East (Front Row).Pic, helmed by Take advantage of Melzer, follows an ex-boy scout, Chris, who's regularly cajolled in the place of work. Once the whole office is distributed on the backwoods retreat inside a team development exercise headed up by an ex-Marine (Van Damme) who's soon assaulted with a wild cougar, chaos develops and Chris needs to get out of his spend.Justin Kanew and Luillo Ruiz for Pimienta, Salt's Puerto Rico based sister production company, make the pic while Shaun Kauffmann pens the script.The Salt Company guaranteed financing and it is handling worldwide sales around the pic. Contact Diana Lodderhose at diana.lodderhose@variety.com

Marc Webb talks The Astounding Spider-Guy

Having a completely new trailer set to land in US cinemas now, The Astounding Spider-Guy director Marc Webb remains speaking about how exactly his undertake Spidey will be different in the Mike Raimi trilogy.It is necessary for people to be capable of communicate this isn't a remake of Mike Raimi's movie," states Webb for the annual Comic-Disadvantage magazine. "There's a brand new territory, there's a brand new villain, it's a different Peter Parker."One of the important components Webb has looked for to produce for the forefront within the version, is Spidey's keen sense of humour."We wanted that humour later on in the real place," according to him. "Transpire was to make a world helping you to feel all people feelings. You'll find certainly deeper, more intense feelings in this particular movie. There's disloyality, there's tragedy, there's however also humour and romance... You'll find moments of furiousness and gravity, absolutely. But they're there moments of humour and levity and whimsy? Absolutely.""There's a punk rock quality to Peter Parker that's really irreverent and fun," continues Webb, "which is one thing which Andrew includes with techniques that individuals haven't seen before. Certainly materials that have emerge have a very deeper sentiment or there's a far more dark projection, but we're very thinking about remaining faithful towards the humour of Spider-Guy."The Astounding Spider-Guy opens inside the Uk on 4 This summer time 2012.

Reese Witherspoon, Colin Firth Tie West Memphis Three Into A 'Devil's Knot'

Colin Firth is joining Reese Witherspoon in Atom Egoyan's drama based on the real-life case of the West Memphis Three, "Devil's Knot." Deadline has the news, and reports that the story centers on Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley, Jr. who were convicted of the murder of three 8-year-old boys. The case was sensationalized with reports of devil worship and ritualized sacrifice, despite lack of physical evidence. Witherspoon will play a mother of one of the murdered boys, while Firth will take on the role of the heroic investigator who helped the Memphis Three when no one else would, uncovering important evidence for their defense. Peter Jackson talks West Memphis Three doc! While truth is usually scarier than fiction, we have some frightening fictional features in this week's Horror Bites that should please. Hit the jump for more of this week's news. Cubicles Are Terrifying and "Not Safe for Work" "Wolfman" director Joe Johnston will be heading up the horror realm once more with a thriller set in an office building. The "Captain America" filmmaker is taking on "Not Safe for Work" about a young paralegal that becomes trapped in her office, desperately trying to evade a killer who has set out to destroy company files for a rival corporation. Writers Simon Boyes ("Broken") and Adam Mason ("Pig") lend a hand, which means this one might be more brutal than we are expecting. From Exorcisms to Werewolves for "The Devil Inside" Team "The Devil Inside" director William Brent Bell has a werewolf film heading our way soon. The project details have been tightly under wraps, but Screen Daily found out that the film now being called "Wer." All we know is that the movie will use a found footage element and that Bell has co-written the script with "Devil Inside" collaborator Matthew Peterman. Things start rolling for the cameras in Romania this April. Are you ready to see more from this team? Paranormal Thrills in "Red Lights" Trailer Last week we showed you the Spanish language trailer for Rodrigo Cortes' "Red Lights," but this week there's an English version. The "Buried" director sets Sigourney Weaver, Robert De Niro, and Cillian Murphy in a psychological thriller involving a psychic and a dark mystery. Now that some of you can actually understand what the heck is being said, do Weaver and Murphy make good paranormal fraud investigators? Killer Grizzly Bears Battle the "Red Machine" Bloodthirsty grizzly bears in Alaska? Count us in! "Carriers" actress Piper Perabo just signed onto David Hackl's "Red Machine." The "Saw V" director leads the story about two couples who soak in the great outdoors on a camping expedition to the Last Frontier, but encounter a bear out for blood. Perabo plays a deaf photographer, while the already announced Thomas Jane ("The Mist") is an Iraq War veteran. James Marsden and Billy Bob Thornton also star. "Intruders" Gets a Disfigured Poster We saw the theatrical one sheet for Clive Owen's supernatural home invasion nightmare, "Intruders." We like the actor better with his eyes and mouth, but we suppose it's ok to sacrifice them in the name of horror. "28 Weeks Later" director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo tells the tale about two children who are haunted by a strange, faceless entity (Hollow Face) that wants to take possession of them. Are we the only ones who hope to see Owen beating the hell out of a ghost? Uncool Vampire Comedy Coming Soon Jemaine Clement of Flight of the Conchords fame will possibly team up with Academy Award nominated director Taika Waititi ("Two Cars, One Night") who is also directing an American version of "The Inbetweeners" for MTV for a vampire comedy six years in the making. Waititi joked to The Playlist that " Its taken so long that vampires are now very uncool." So far we don't know much, but the director is hopeful to finally get the project off the ground. Stay tuned for more details, this one should be fun. Tell us what you think of this week's Horror Bites in the comments and on Twitter!

Adele's '21' hits 17th week at No. 1

Adele's "21" required a 17th nonconsecutive week at No. 1, homing in around the 18-week run set by Garth Brooks' "Ropin' the Wind" in 1991. The British vocalist's Columbia release offered 95,000 copies, based on Nielsen SoundScan data for that week ended Jan. 22. Just the Brooks title and Whitney Houston's soundtrack for "The Bodyguard," which totalled 20 days at the very top in 1992-93, have drenched more nonconsecutive time at No. 1 since SoundScan started monitoring sales in May 1991. It remains to appear if Adele's smash set can maintain its pace in the summit, since perennial chart-topper Tim McGraw's "Emotional Traffic" arrived at stores now. However, an anticipated bonanza in the Grammy Honours the following month could return "21" towards the apex. Adele takes her honors among a threadbare The month of january release schedule that created just two top-10 debuts. The 21st installment in Kidz Bop Kids' number of tot-friendly covers bowed at No. 2 having a 59,000-unit first week. Current entry within the Razor & Tie Records franchise includes buffed-up versions of adult hits by LMFAO, Rhianna and, obviously, Adele. "Identity" (Light), by gospel unit James Fortune & FIYA, signed on at No. 7 having a slim 18,000-unit score. It is the first top-10 album through the Houston-based group. Holdovers within the top 5 range from the Black Keys' "El Camino" (No. 3, 29,000 offered, lower 19%), Drake's "Be MindfulInch (No. 4, 29,000, lower 8%) and Rihanna's "Talk That Talk" (No. 5, 20,000, off 8%). Relaxation from the top ten comprises Youthful Jeezy's "TM 103: Hustlerz Ambition" (No. 6, 19,000, lower 19%), Toby Keith's "Clancy's Tavern" (No. 8, 17,000, up 27%), Coldplay's "Mylo Xyloto" (No. 9, 17,000, off 13%) and Nickelback's "PresentInch (No. 10, 17,000, lower 13%). New game titles by Celtic Lady and Kelli Pickler, the all-star Amnesty Intl. benefit tribute to Bob Dylan and also the 2012 "Grammy Nominees" package will even contend for major chart records in a few days. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Julia Roberts Knows The Normal Heart

Alec Baldwin & Jim Parsons also aboardThough he announced in 2010 he was setting up an adaptation of Larry Kramer's autobiographical AIDS drama The Normal Heart, director Ryan Murphy (Eat Pay Love) has taken a little bit longer to pull things together than planned. But from the looks of the cast he's assembling, it appears it was worth the wait, as Julia Roberts will star alongside Alec Baldwin, Matt Bomer, Jim Parsons and the already-attached Mark Ruffalo.Kramer originally wrote and staged the play back in 1985, looking at the rise of HIV/Aids among NY's gay community in the 1980s. It scored a Tony for Best Revival last year, and also won awards for John Benjamin Hickey and Ellen Barkin.Ruffalo's playing writer/activist Ned Weeks, who throws himself into the struggle to get the disease seen as something other than the "gay cancer" that many branded it at the time. Roberts will be Emma Brookner, a doctor who is one of the few medical professionals in NY to take the problem seriously. Baldwin is on as Weeks' brother, a lawyer who has a tough time with his brother's homosexuality. Bomer's signed on as Felix Turner, who romances Weeks and tragically contracts the disease. Finally there's Parsons, who is reprising his role from the Broadway version, a fellow activist who is part of a gay men's health crisis group.Murphy is now looking to lock down the financing for the film, but with Roberts and the rest on board, that shouldn't take too long. Meanwhile, the Glee co-creator has been busy on his other successful TV series, American Horror Story.Roberts, who starred in Eat, will next be seen in Snow White tale Mirror Mirror. Baldwin has musical Rock Of Ages set to arrive this year as well as his day job on 30 Rock. Bomer was last seen in In Time and will next crop up in Steven Soderbergh's stripper drama Magic Mike, while Parsons, usually best known as Sheldon on The Big Bang Theory, graced the big screen briefly in The Muppets. Last but by no means least there's Ruffalo, who appears in The Avengers, which one or two of you might be aware of...

Kudos spotlight PGA's credits conundrum

The Producers Guild put an energetic party in the last weekend and given out its annual honours, but finding myself talking about a table with 10 producers triggered the inevitable question: Why it always take 10 producers to create a movie? The answer, clearly, is it doesn't. Indeed, producers are fighting a war in regards to the absurd proliferation of credits. It's a worthy fight because an growing quantity of people are demanding credit for just about any diminishing volume of movies. Every movie begins getting a succession of four to five company logos (exactly why is not there an award to find the best logo design design?) a extended report on producers and executive producers. I am in a position to understand why an offbeat film like "The AssistanceInch needed co-financing (its credits appear just like a Not treaty) but a genre thriller like "Contraband" billed eight producers plus logos for six production organizations. (Typically the most popular is Mark Walhberg's Nearest for the Hole Productions.) The Producers Guild is starting to win its fight to choose people producers nobody perform production services around the film. Some art galleries have made the decision to put the "PGA" mark alongside what they're known as of people producers. I am encouraging using this campaign: Personally, i've acquired production credit on five films, a couple of this we actually done (I didn't even request credit round the others). The borrowed funds issue is connected by having an extensive problem: The lower status in the producer inside the filmmaking energy pyramid. The fantastic Mister Laurence Olivier complained within the memoir that his producer, Samuel Goldwyn, was constantly nattering at him over his performance in "Wuthering Heights' that they rarely have been told by his director. A great producer like Hal Wallis not only had sole credit on his films but, around the picture like "True Grit' (the very first) he supervised the cut instead of his director. The decline in the producer began inside the '70s when obstreperous youthful filmmakers snapped up the majority of the responsibilities of producers. A lot of the films that emerged using this epoch were low-budget -- and several went over budget. Extended forgotten is the fact renegade producers like the late Burt Schneider fostered the most effective of people films -- "Easy Driver" and "Five Easy Pieces," for example. It takes a number of packagers and financing organizations to produce a movie to existence nowadays and so they deserve credit for putting their dollars -- in addition to their butts -- in danger. But do everybody needs to become producers? One admirable trait among producers is that they learn how to deliver a gracious acceptance speech. This is often a dying skill, knowing within the bizarre acceptances within the Golden Globes. The normally peaceful Meryl Streep mumbled a profanity, blew off her speech and mentioned she'd lost her glasses. Octavia Spencer shipped her laundry report on agents and acolytes. Dustin Hoffman started saying because of his wife and agent even though he was only a presenter. George Clooney, commonly a master as of this, am generous to his pals and co-employees (also to the ubiquitous Kaira Pitt) it made an appearance as though he'd forgotten that he'd really won something themselves. Part of the problem, clearly, is always that individuals who win desire to help help remind everyone they are fully aware it's just the Globes -- it's a large show but it's not the main event. For the reason, you need to attend once grateful, yet humble -- which is really a significant test for nearly any celebrity. Over a few days Tom Sherak, the best choice in the Academy, will deliver his annual speech within the Oscar nominees lunch, where he'll plead for concise, even eloquent, acceptance speeches. "Here is your moment on the planet,Inch he'll help help remind them. This is an opportunity to inspire youthful talent, to sum up training learned and traps avoided. It is a rare chance for stars and filmmakers to exhibit the inteligence that are hidden round the red-colored-colored carpet. You should not need to rattle off lists of parents, press agents and proctologists. Sherak themselves will deliver an excellent speech. His admonitions will probably be overlooked. Contact Peter Bart at peter.bart@variety.com

Start Searching at Greys Anatomy's Alt-Reality: Which Has Kids? Who's Dating Who?

Ellen Pompeo and Justin Chambers Dallas Sophistication will get switched upside-lower. The Thursday, Feb. 2 episode of Grey's Anatomy will feature another reality where Ellis Grey (Kate Burton) was not ever stricken with Alzheimer's, producing a really different upbringing for Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo). The once dark and twisty doc is becoming vibrant and shiny. Unhealthy news? Derek (Patrick Dempsey) and Addison (Kate Walsh) may also be still married. Grey's Anatomy Scoop: MerDer happiness, a Cristina-Owen explosion as well as the alt-reality What do i mean for your relaxation in the Dallas Sophistication-rs? Using the just-released photos for your episode, you'll find two strangest pairs, a few the documents may genuinely have children together together with a extended-dead cohort is within action. See the photos here to obtain the scoop round the alt-reality episode. Grey's Anatomy airs Thursdays at 9/8c on ABC.

'Curb,' 'Modern Family' top DGA TV noms

HBO's 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' obtained two DGA noms.'Modern Family' also acquired a set of Director's Guild nominations.HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and ABC's "Modern Family" ruled within the Company directors Guild of America's TV nominations with two bids each. Helmer Patty Jenkins also snapped up two mentions within the nominations revealed Tuesday. The DGA will unveil the those who win Jan. 28 in the DGA's 64th annual honours ceremony within the Grand Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland. The "Curb" noms visited David Steinberg (for that seg "DivorceInch) and Robert B. Weide ("Palestinian Chicken"). "Modern Family's" mentions visited Fred Savage ("Following the Fire") and Michael Spiller ("Express Christmas"). Don Scardino is really a contender within the category for that "Double-Edged Sword" seg of NBC's "30 Rock." "Modern Family" has won the DGA comedy series trophy two times consecutively. Jenkins required nods in drama series category for that pilot of AMC's "The Killing" and among five company directors in Lifetime's five within the TV movie-miniseries category. The drama category saw two other aircraft pilots besides "The Killing" take nominations -Michael Cuesta for that pilot of Showtime's "Homeland" and Tim Van Patten for HBO's "Bet on Thrones" first seg. "Breaking Bad" creator/professional producer Vince Gilligan obtained a drama jerk for helming the growing season finale from the AMC drama, as did Michael Waxman for that series finale of NBC/DirecTV's "Friday Evening Lights." Martin Scorsese won the DGA drama trophy this past year for that "Boardwalk Empire" pilot. The Television movie-miniseries category saw four other company directors for Lifetime's "Five" together with Jenkins - Jennifer Aniston, Demi Moore, Penelope Spheeris and Alicia Secrets. "Five" competes against Shaun Bleckner for "Past the Blackboard" for CBS's "Hallmark Hall of Fame," Jon Cassar for Reelz' "The Kennedys," Stephen Gyllenhaal for Lifetime's "Girl Fight" and Michael Stevens for HBO's "Thurgood." Around the reality front, the challengers are Neil DeGroot (NBC's "The Greatest Loser"), Eytan Keller (Food Network's "The Following Iron Chef: Super Chefs"), John Cruz (Fox's "MasterChef"), J. Rupert Thompson (NBC's "Fear Factor 2.") and Bertram van Munster (CBS' "The Astonishing Race"). And also the nominees are: MOVIES FOR TELEVISION AND Small-SERIES Shaun Bleckner - "Hallmark Hall of Fame: "Past The Blackboard"" (CBS)Directorial Team:Production Manager: Lester BermanFirst Assistant Director: Anne BergerSecond Assistant Director: Ben ScissorsSecond Second Assistant Director: Alex LeimoneAdditional Second Second Assistant Director: Louis Lanni Jon Cassar - "The Kennedys" (Reelz Funnel) Stephen Gyllenhaal - "Girl Fight" (Lifetime) Demi Moore - "Five: Charlotte now"Jennifer Aniston - "Five: Mia"Penelope Spheeris - "Five: Cheyanne"Alicia Secrets - "Five: Lili"Patty Jenkins - "Five: Gem" (Lifetime)Directorial Team:Unit Production Manager: Richard RothschildFirst Assistant Director: Cara GiallanzaSecond Assistant Director: Hope Garrison Michael Stevens - "Thurgood" (Cinemax)Directorial Team:Connect Director: Jim TankerStage Manager: Arthur Lewis DRAMATIC SERIES Michael Cuesta - "Homeland," "Pilot" (Showtime)Directorial Team:Unit Production Managers: Michael Klick, J. David BrightbillFirst Assistant Company directors: Ivan J. Fonseca, Louis J. GuerraSecond Assistant Company directors: Karen E. Collins, Kim Kennedy Vince Gilligan - "Breaking Bad," "Face Off" (AMC)Directorial Team:Unit Production Manager: Stewart A. LyonsFirst Assistant Director: Nina JackSecond Assistant Director: Louis LanniAssistant Unit Production Manager: James Paul HapsasSecond Second Assistant Company directors: Anna Ramey, Joann Connolly Patty Jenkins - "The Killing," "Pilot" (AMC) Tim Van Patten - "Bet on Thrones," "Winter is originatingInch (Pilot) (Cinemax) Michael Waxman - "Friday Evening Lights," "Always" (NBC)Directorial Team:Unit Production Manager: Nan Bernstein FreedFirst Assistant Director: Cleta EllingtonSecond Assistant Director: Carla BowenCOMEDY SERIES Fred Savage - "Modern Family," "Following the Fire" (ABC)Directorial Team:Unit Production Manager: Sally YoungFirst Assistant Director: Alisa StatmanSecond Assistant Director: Helena LambSecond Second Assistant Director: Matthew W. Heffernan Don Scardino - "30 Rock," "Double-Edged Sword" (NBC)Directorial Team:Unit Production Manager: Diana SchmidtFirst Assistant Director: James E. SheridanSecond Assistant Director: Jennifer Truelove Michael Spiller - "Modern Family," "Express Christmas" (ABC)Directorial Team:Unit Production Manager: Sally YoungFirst Assistant Director: Jim HenszSecond Assistant Director: Helena LambSecond Second Assistant Director: Matthew W. Heffernan David Steinberg - "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "DivorceInch (Cinemax)Directorial Team:Connect Company directors: Dale Stern, Jonathan HarrisStage Managers: Jonathan Harris, Jerri Churchill, Denny Craig Robert B. Weide - "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "Palestinian Chicken" (Cinemax)Directorial Team:Connect Director: Dale SternStage Managers: Jonathan Harris, Jerri Churchill, Dana Jackson MUSICAL VARIETY Louis J. Horvitz - "The Kennedy Center Honors" (CBS)Directorial Team:Connect Company directors: Jim Tanker, Mike Polito, Richard A. PreussStage Managers: Garry Hood, Andrew Feigin, Doug Fogel, Arthur Lewis, Dency Nelson, Tammy Raab, Doug Cruz Don Roy King - "Saturday Evening Accept Host Justin Timberlake" (NBC)Directorial Team:Connect Company directors: Bob Caminiti, Stefani Cohen, Michael PooleStage Managers: Gena Rositano, Chris Kelly Don Mischer - "83rd Annual Oscars" (ABC)Directorial Team:Connect Company directors: Jim Tanker, Lori Margules, Jennifer Mischer, Michael Polito, Richard A. Preuss, Leslie WilsonStage Managers: Gary Natoli, Josh Berger, Rita Cossette, Dork Cove, John Esposito, Valdez Flagg, Alissa Levisohn, Arthur Lewis, Dency Nelson, Ron Paul, Vince Poxon, Tammy Raab, Jason Seligman, Doug Cruz, David Wader CHUCK O'NEIL - "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" (Comedy Central)Directorial Team:Connect Director: Paul A.J. PennolinoStage Manager: Craig Spinney Glenn Weiss - "65th Annual Tony Honours" (CBS)Directorial Team:Connect Company directors: Ken Diego, Robin Abrams, Debra Gelman, Ough KirshnerStage Managers: Garry Hood, Peter Epstein, Andrew Feigin, Lynn Finkel, Doug Fogel, Jeffry Gitter, Phyllis Digilio-Kent, Arthur Lewis, Shaun Markowitz, Joey Meade, Tony Mirante, Cyndi Owgang, Shaun Gem, Elise Reaves, Lauren Class Schneider, Annette Powlis REALITY PROGRAMS Neil P. Degroot - "Greatest Loser," "Episode #1115" (NBC)Directorial Team:Connect Director: Andy Nelson Eytan Keller - "The Following Iron Chef: Super Chefs," "Next Iron Chef Episode" (Food Network)Directorial Team:Connect Director: Tom BorgnineSecond Assistant Director: Patrick CunninghamSegment Director: Stephen Kroopnick John Cruz - "Master Chef," "Episode #201" (Fox)Directorial Team:Connect Director: Anna Moulaison J. Rupert Thompson - "Fear Factor 2.," "Scorpion Tales" (NBC)Directorial Team:Stage Managers: Thomas Kuk, Alexa Sheehan Bertram Van Munster - "The Astonishing Race," "You Do Not Get Compensated Unless of course Won By You?" (CBS)Directorial Team:Segment Director: Evan WeinsteinAssociate Director: Serta Coffie DAYTIME SERIALS Ray Contractor - "One Existence to reside,Inch "Episode #10917" (ABC)Directorial Team:Connect Company directors: Teresa Anne Cicala, Tracy Casper Lang, Michael SweeneyStage Managers: Alan Needleman, Keith Greer, Jennifer Bloodstream, Brendan HigginsProduction Affiliates: Kevin Brush, Nathalie Rodriguez Casey Children's - "My Children," "Episode #10712" (ABC)Directorial Team:Connect Company directors: Anthony Pascarelli, Marika KushelStage Managers: Michele Azenzer, Teri Pensky, Brendan HiggensProduction Affiliates: Diana Johnson, Allison Reames, Lia Katz Mike Denney - "The Youthful and also the Restless," "Episode #9710" (CBS)Directorial Team:Connect Company directors: Marc Beruti, Chris Mullen, Robbin PhillipsStage Managers: Tom McDermott, Herbert Weaver Junior.Production Affiliates: Erica Meyer, Vanessa Noland, Nancy Ortenberg William Ludel - "General Hospital," "Intervention" (ABC)Directorial Team:Connect Company directors: Christine Magarian Ucar, Denise Van Cleave, Cent Pengra, Peter Fillmore, RC Cates, David MacLeodStage Managers: Craig McManus, Very CraftProduction Affiliates: Christine Cooper, Andrea Compton Scott Mckinsey - "General Hospital," "Episode #12364" (ABC)Directorial Team:Connect Company directors: Christine Magarian Ucar, Denise Van Cleave, Cent Pengra, Peter Fillmore, RC Cates, Dork MacLeodStage Managers: Craig McManus, Very CraftProduction Affiliates: Allison Reames, Christine Cooper Cynthia J. Popp - "The Bold and also the Beautiful," "Episode #6057" (CBS)Directorial Team:Connect Company directors: Clyde Kaplan, Casey Kasprzyk, Steven Wacker, Catherine SedwickStage Managers: Laura Yale, Douglas Hayden, Lisa Winthur-Huston Angela Tessinari - "My Children," "Episode #10704" (ABC)Directorial Team:Connect Company directors: Marika Kushel, Anthony PascarelliStage Managers: Michele Azenzer, Teri Pensky, Brendan HigginsProduction Affiliates: Diana Johnson, Allison Reames, Lia Katz CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS John Fortenberry - "Fred 2: Evening from the Living Fred" (Nickelodeon)Directorial Team:Unit Production Manager: Pavlina HatoupisFirst Assistant Director: David MendozaSecond Assistant Director: Blake PerkinsonSecond Second Assistant Director: Michelle SchrauwersAdditional Second Second Assistant Company directors: Alex Leimone, Crisoforo Aguilar Jeffrey Hornaday - "Geek Charming" (Disney Funnel) Michael Lembeck - "Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure" (Disney Funnel) Patricia Riggen - "Lemonade Mouth" (Disney Funnel)Directorial Team:Unit Production Manager: Brent MorrisFirst Assistant Director: Kaaren F. OchoaSecond Assistant Director: Chemen A. OchoaSecond Second Assistant Director: Sarah LemonAdditional Second Second Assistant Director: Kevin Black Damon Santostefano - "Best Player" (Nickelodeon) Amy Schatz - "Children's Garden of Poetry" (Cinemax) Advertisements Lance Acord(Park Pictures) The Pressure, Volkswagen Passat Deutsch LAFirst Assistant Director: Thomas SmithSecond Assistant Director: Take advantage of KayPaint the city, NIKE Basketball Wieden & Kennedy/PortlandFirst Assistant Director: John LoweSecond Assistant Director: Stanley WienckoSecond Second Assistant Director: John Scott WilsonSweetest Moment, National basketball association Goodby, Silverstein & PartnersFirst Assistant Director: Mike SaffieSecond Assistant Company directors: Mike Alvelo, Marcin BorkowskiThe Selected, NIKE - Wieden & Kennedy/PortlandFirst Assistant Company directors: Howell Caldwell, John LoweSecond Assistant Company directors: Ben Randolph, Bob King, Stanley WienckoDGA Student: Gabriel Blom Dante Ariola (MJZ)Parallels, Jim Beam Strawberry FrogUnit Production Managers: Natalie Hill, Brady Vant HullFirst Assistant Director: David DeanSecond Assistant Director: Carl JacksonSecond Second Assitant Company directors: Vincent Terrazzino, Gail ShandBlack Betty, Volkswagen Deutsch/LAUnit Production Manager: Natalie HillFirst Assistant Director: David DeanSecond Assistant Director: Carl JacksonGas Powered Everything, Nissan Leaf TBWA Chiat DayUnit Production Manager: Brady Vant HullFirst Assistant Director: David DeanSecond Assistant Director: Carl Jackson Fredrik Bond (MJZ)Date, Heineken - Wieden & Kennedy/AmsterdamFirst Assistant Director: William BookerThe Entrance, Heineken - Wieden & Kennedy/Amsterdam Steve Burns (@radical.media)Pommel Equine, Dos Equis Euro RSCG Worldwide/NYFirst Assistant Director: John ChurchillSecond Assistant Company directors: Frank Tignini, Trevor TavaresSecond Second Assistant Director: Gavin KleintopSpeed Dating, Dos Equis - Euro RSCG Worldwide/NYFirst Assistant Director: John ChurchillSecond Assistant Company directors: Frank Tignini, Trevor TavaresSecond Second Assistant Director: Gavin KleintopPygmy, Dos Equis Euro RSCG Worldwide/NYFirst Assistant Director: John ChurchillSecond Assistant Company directors: Frank Tignini, Trevor TavaresSecond Second Assistant Director: Gavin KleintopGuinea Pigs, Geico Martin AgencyFirst Assistant Director: John ChurchillSecond Assistant Director: Trevor TavaresSushi, Geico Martin AgencyFirst Assistant Director: John ChurchillSecond Assistant Director: Trevor TavaresFort, Cheetos Goodby Silverstein and PartnersFirst Assistant Director: Michael SalvenSecond Assistant Director: Robert KayParking Lot, Ortega Gray WorldwideFirst Assistant Director: Michael SalvenSecond Assistant Director: Robert Kay Noam Murro (Biscuit Filmworks)Handle Bar Moustache, Heineken Premium Light- Wieden & Kennedy/NYUnit Production Manager: James Powell VealFirst Assistant Director: Tommy GormleySecond Assistant Director: Ian Robert CalipSecond Second Assistant Director: Michael KingHot House, DirecTV Gray/NYUnit Production Manager: James Powell VealFirst Assistant Director: Scott C. HarrisSecond Assistant Director: Mark R. RobinsonSecond Second Assistant Director: Brady SloanPinata, Volkswagen Tiguan Deutsch/LAUnit Production Manager: James Powell VealFirst Assistant Director: Scott M. MetcalfeSecond Assistant Director: Ty ArnoldIs It Real?, EA Battleground 3 - Wieden & Kennedy/PortlandFirst Assistant Director: Michael David SalvenSecond Assistant Director: Erv E. GentrySecond Second Assistant Director: Eric Schneider Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com

Electronic products trading to top $1 tril in '12

Trading on electronic products items worldwide is predicted to top $1 trillion in 2012, driven largely by pills and cell phones, according to research released Sunday with the Electronic Products Assn.Televisions, extended a powerful category, are losing momentum.Sales of Televisions were up 2% this season, and for that reason could be up another 1% in 2012, to 262 million models. However that growth is specific in emerging areas, since the developed areas from the U . s . States, The Eu and developed Asia-Off-shoreline (mainly Korea and japan) are nearly saturated.Tablet sales, however, are forecasted for explosive growth: no less than 96 million models worldwide, and perhaps 100 million. This can be a rate of development of 65% year-on-year, and they're expected to become full 5% in the worldwide CE market."Because (tablet sales) is ongoing to develop so rapidly within the U . s . States, it's practically peaked already," mentioned Steve Bambridge, Global Business Director GfK Boutique Research, which labored with CEA to compile the data. "But there are many other growth later on in other areas."The motive pressure in the CE market in 2012 is predicted being the smartphone, composed of 22% of CE trading, up from 18% this season.Really, other product groups are advancing off or really beginning to contract.Hi fi systems, digital still camera and tv sales shown small increases this season, nevertheless the energy is within cell phones and pills. The Eu particularly can be a strong industry for high-finish cell phones, will developing APAC remains buying low-finish "feature phones."Really, mentioned Bambridge, "The hurry into cell phones has squashed other portable device groups: vehicle navigation, camcorders, portable media players A number of these are losing their relevance since the smartphone will get control their benefits." Inside the camera market, he noted, compact cameras are lowering, but high-finish digital SLRs are holding their ground.Consumer trading on electronic products ongoing to rebound within the 2008-2009 economic crash, but European figures remain depressed as several economic climates there stay with shaky ground. Meanwhile the emerging areas -- Central and Eastern Europe, developing Asia Off-shoreline (including India & China), South Usa and Middle East/Africa have grown to be to 46% around the world market and so are the key center of growth. Curiosity about LCD Televisions is especially strong inside the emerging areas.CEA presenters known to emerging areas roaring ahead while developed areas are plateauing. The BRIC areas (South usa, Russia, India, China) are leading this trend, with growth rates around 50%. "These emerging economic climates really would be the primary focus of growth," mentioned Steve Koenig, director of industry analysis for CEA.Overall consumer trading on CE products was up 8% this season worldwide, and was up in every single region: In developed areas The U . s . States 10%, The Eu 2%, and developed APAC 2%. In emerging areas, Central/Eastern Europe was up 18%, emerging APAC 17%, South Usa 11%, Mideast/Africa 8%.Television purchases elevated 5% this season, but were lower 3% in Eastern Europe. 3d TV does a lot better than some reviews have indicated, Koenig and Bambridge mentioned, with steady rise in the U.S. market.So far, they mentioned, that growth is linear, as opposed to the typical "S" curve of slow initial sales, rapid adoption, after which it advancing off.Nonetheless the marketplace while using finest 3d TV transmission is China, where passive glasses were placed on affordable sets. "Exactly what are they doing with people 3d Televisions?," mentioned Babridge, "Because of there being hardly any 3d content in China, which proves in the event you drive the price low enough people will proceed and take product." Contact David S. Cohen at david.cohen@variety.com