Chadwick Boseman Special Coming to Netflix
“Chadwick Boseman: Portrait of an Artist” is coming to Netflix on April 17. The special is an inside look at the late actor’s artistry and his acting process.
Viola Davis, Phylicia Rashad, Spike Lee, Denzel Washington and “Black Panther” co-star Danai Gurira are just some of the names who will be providing the commentary on Boseman’s legacy and his commitment to his craft.
Boseman, who died last August from colon cancer, aged 43, made his last feature film appearance in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” The film stars Viola Davis as Ma, mother of the Blues, who records a song one hot Summer’s day in Chicago. Boseman plays Levee Green, a troubled trumpet player who sets his sights on bigger dreams outside of just being a band member for Ma Rainey (Davis).
Boseman is tipped to win the Oscar for Best Actor and most recently, won posthumously the SAG Award for Best Male Actor.
Popular on Variety
Watch the trailer below
New Video for Oscar-Nominated Original Song ‘Io Si’ by Diane Warren Highlights 2020
A new video released for Diane Warren’s Academy nominated Original song “Io Si” has been released.
The music video highlights the events of 2020 and 2021 including the Black Lives Matter movement, AAPI hate and the coronavirus pandemic impacting all lives. Warren who is on her 12th nomination in the category
Warren wanted to release this special video to reflect the hurt and the hope that we’ve all have experienced.
“Io Si (Seen)” Italian singer Laura Pausini performs the song.
Shout! Studios, Mutt Productions and Dead Rabbit Films Announce Multi-Picture Deal
Shout! Studios, Mutt Productions and Dead Rabbit Films has announced a multi-picture deal for two YA-comedy features directed by Aaron Lee Lopez, “Teenage Girl: Valerie’s Holiday” and “Teenage Vampire.”
The announcement was made today by Melissa Boag, Senior Vice President of Family Entertainment, and Jordan Fields, Vice President of Acquisitions at Shout! Studios.
Shout! Studios will oversee all theatrical and home entertainment rights (broadcast, digital, video-on-demand, and all packaged media) for cross-platform releases. Shout! Studios plan a strategic launch for these two movies, beginning with the release of “Teenage Girl: Valerie’s Holiday” on major entertainment platforms later this year.
The deal was negotiated by Shout’s Jordan Fields and Steven Katz, Vice President of Business Affairs, and Dead Rabbit Films David Chackler and Nadia Redler, and Kurt Wipfli for Mutt Productions.
Costume Designers Guild Awards to Honor Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers
Award-winning producers Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers will receive the Distinguished Collaborator Award at the 23rd CDGA (Costume Designers Guild Awards) taking place April 13.
“From the record-breaking series, ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ to the latest binge-worthy series, ‘Bridgerton,’ Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers have been longtime partners of the Costume Designers Guild,” said Salvador Perez, President of the Costume Designers Guild. “Throughout the years, the two have created cultural-defining TV moments with support from fellow collaborators and costume designers. We can think of no other duo more deserving of this award.”
The Distinguished Collaborator Award honors individuals who demonstrate unwavering support of costume design and creative partnerships with costume designers.
“Shonda and Betsy are visionaries of our time. They are originals; fierce, brilliant women who create rich worlds, characters and stories that enhance our lives. It’s truly been a gift collaborating with them. Whether I was setting the tone for the stylish and contemporary world of ‘How to Get Away With Murder,’ or painting a vibrant and lush picture for ‘Bridgerton,’ Shonda and Betsy’s vision was always present. They set the bar high at every turn. They spark the imagination and allow the creative process to thrive. Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers are an exceptional gift to our community and our culture,” said costume designer Ellen Mirojnick.
The award will be presented to Rhimes and Beers by Nicola Coughlan (“Bridgerton”). Past recipients have included Adam McKay, Ryan Murphy, Meryl Streep, Quentin Tarantino, Guillermo Del Toro, Lorne Michaels, Helen Mirren, Judd Apatow, Clint Eastwood, Rob Marshall and James Burrows.
“Shonda and Betsy are such innovative collaborators. Every new world that they present is a lush landscape in which I have room to create beautiful pictures, a world where the clothes can help to tell a small part of the story. I love that those landscapes include diversity, challenge norms, and allow for strong female leads. Scandal and the upcoming Inventing Anna were gifts. Shonda and Betsy are a gift to Costume Design and are truly deserving of this recognition,” said costume designer Lyn Paolo.
As previously announced, Lana Condor will host the snow. Additional presenters will include Andra Day, Rose Byrne, Emerald Fennell, Carey Mulligan, Leslie Odom Jr. and Regina King. Full list of nominees here.
“Shonda and Betsy’s partnership spans decades; their collaboration as two powerhouse women in Hollywood is as inspirational as the collaborative relationship they build with each of their costume designers.” said CDGA Executive Producer JL Pomeroy. “Together, they build worlds where every race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality is celebrated as beautiful and represented in every form. We felt this year was especially meaningful to showcase their aspirational worlds on-screen and off, in their dedication to the art of storytelling.”
Final Draft 12 Drops Surprise New Update
Final Draft, a Cast & Crew Company, now in its 30th year as the industry standard for screenwriting software, launched its latest update, Final Draft 12, a surprise drop that includes automatic upgrades for anyone that purchased Final Draft 11 after February 15th.
Thousands of existing users woke up to emails today from the company providing them with the free upgrade.
“Everyone’s been through so much over the past 13 months so we wanted to make it as easy as possible for our existing users to experience the very latest in our software. We also wanted to invest in the next generation of storytellers by offering our support to organizations that are truly making a difference,” stated Shelly Mellott, President of Final Draft.
Final Draft’s multi-year partnership with Hillman Grad Mentorship Lab includes not only providing software to Hillman Grad Mentorship Lab participants but also providing education resources, partnering on events and other collaborative activations to nurture new screenwriting talent.
Developed by writers for writers, Final Draft 12 offers unprecedented flexibility to accommodate various work styles. “Focus Mode” lets users eliminate distractions. “Track Changes” function keeps a record of edits to the script and allows users to choose whether to accept or reject them, giving writers even greater control over the editing process. “Outline Editor” gives users a ‘bird’s eye view’ of their screenplay’s structure and offers multiple customizable lanes for high-level outlining. Writers can then send their outline to script as “Outline Elements” and see it on the page for easy reference as they write.
“Great technology is not one size fits all,” stated Mellott. “We enlisted the insight of real writers and real Final Draft users to develop the latest version because we wanted to create something that would work for every screenwriter. We’re really excited by the result.”
‘Insecure’ Costume Designer, Shiona Turini is Campari’s Guest at Costume Designers Guild Awards
Shiona Turini, the costume designer behind the looks of “HBO’s Insecure” (seasons three, four, and five) has partnered with Campari for the CDGAs.
The event will be held via a virtual ceremony on Twitter, and Campari has been on board, championing art and film creatives who are exploring their “red passion”.
Says Turini, “As a costume designer, I lean into my passion for visual storytelling through style in various forms. At the heart of Campari is a deep passion and appreciation for excellence in creative culture and the creative process. I am proud to work alongside the brand to celebrate the evening by designing a Campari Negroni kit to toast the passion demonstrated by the honorees across so many categories tonight.”
Of the nominated looks this year, three stand out for her, “Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey, and the costumes in “Judas and the Black Messiah.” Turini says of Charlese Antoinette Jones costumes, “They authentically told the story of the Black Panthers and Black communities of the time period in such a real way.” She adds, “Although not nominated this year, my favorite costumes were by Zerina Akers in Beyoncé’s ‘Black Is King.'”
Reflecting on the year, Turini says the year posed its challenges for her, but she was able to work through it and her costumes will be seen in the upcoming Amazon Original series “Solos,” a dramatic and thought-provoking anthology that explores the deeper meaning of human connection, as explored through the lens of the individual.
