Hollywood International Filmaker Magazine – Spring 2021 by HiFex

ISSUE 014

SPRING 2021

F I L M M A K E R

TOM CRUISE: THE 10 BILLION DOLLAR MAN

FOR

MOV IE M A KE R S

S T RE A MING RE VOLU T ION ROBOT FIL M S TA R

T HE PRINCE SS NE T WORK

WORLDWIDE MOV IE HOT EL

FIL MING M A NK S TA R S TAT UE S

CONTENTS Cover Story

QUARTERLY PUBLICATION Issue 14 | Spring 2021 PUBLISHED BY: Hollywood International Film Exchange ADDRESS: 6565 East Washington Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90040, USA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Sandro Monetti EDITOR: Jimmy Jiang ART DIRECTOR: Gabriela Lepervanche EDITORIAL COMMITTEE: Kimberley Kates, Jimmy Jiang, Sandro Monetti. IMAGE RESEARCH ASSISTANT: Chris Master Tang FACEBOOK: Hollywood International Express TWITTER: @HiFilmExpress WEBSITE: Hi-Fex.com

TOM CRUISE: KING OF THE BOX OFFICE

CHLOE ZHAO: MOVIEMAKER OF THE MOMENT

SPONSORS

THE SOUND OF CLOONEY 32

• Big Screen Entertainment Group

THE LOOK OF MANK 34

• Big Screen Holdings

• Hollywood International Film Exchange • Hollywood International Film Festival • Hollywood International Express • Diamond Sofa • Fairfax Entertainment • Chinese Creative Culture Organization

WORLD’S FIRST ROBOT MOVIE STAR

Policy & Regulations

MOVIE HOTEL: BILTMORE OPEN AGAIN TO HOLLYWOOD

NEW RULES FOR STUNT PERFORMERS

Back Cover Story HOLLYWOOD’S STREAMING REVOLUTION

COVER STORY

THE 10 BILLION DOLLAR MAN Hollywood icon Tom Cruise is the very definition of the word superstar. It is now 40 years since his big screen debut and the charismatic actor is still at the top of his profession. He’s also a box office king whose movies have made a total of just over $10 billion internationally. His string of hits includes Rain Man, Cocktail, The Firm, Minority Report, Interview with the Vampire, A Few Good Men, the Mission Impossible films and many more. The only thing which has eluded him so far in this stellar career is an Oscar. He’s been nominated for that ultimate award three times – for Born on the Fourth of July, Jerry Maguire and Magnolia – but few would count him out of getting a gold statue eventually. For it seems there is no mission too impossible for this living legend who, even at 58, continues to do many of his own deathdefying stunts. Proving his out of this world abilities, he will even go into orbit at the end of this year to film a movie aboard the International Space Station. Before then he will be seen returning to the role which first made him a household name in the eagerly awaited sequel to Top Gun. Tom Cruise is Hollywood’s top gun – a dynamic and daredevil talented hotshot who shows no signs of slowing down. – Sandro Monetti

COVER STORY

LCAOTVEES RT SNTEOWRSY

COVER STORY

LCAOTVEES RT SNTEOWRSY

LCAOT V EE SR T N S TEO WRSY

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THE MARVEL-OUS

MISS ZHAO Moviemaker of the moment Chloe Zhao is going from low budget drama to comic book blockbuster by directing the next Marvel film. Having won a string of awards for her $5 million movie Nomadland, the Chinese director has been handed a $200 million budget to shoot Eternals. It’s a huge step up to a star-studded epic with Angelina Jolie but the acclaimed filmmaker is getting creative freedom to use the same visual style and techniques o n w hi c h s h e h a s r a pid l y b u il t h e r reputation. “I’ve been able to shoot exactly the way I wanted to shoot,” said Zhao, who is a big fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Born in Beijing, she studied film at New York University, where Spike Lee was one of her professors, and after directing just three praised movies – Songs My Brothers Taught Me, The Rider and current awards circuit darling Nomadland - was picked by Marvel bosses to helm this story of immortal aliens protecting the Earth. – Sandro Monetti

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HOLLYWOOD INTERNATIONAL FILM EXCHANGE, CAPSTONE GROUP

EVEN THE PANDEMIC COULDN’T STOP CAPSTONE GROUP’S STAR-STUDDED NEW ACTION THRILLER FROM BEING COMPLETED. Vanquish, starring Morgan Freeman and Ruby Rose (both pictured above), was shot under strict COVID protocols, showing the way to an industry finding its way back to filming. Director George Gallo and his fellow moviemakers showed great teamwork to get the action packed picture made despite the current challenges. The movie sees Freeman playing a retired police commissioner who goes to great lengths to rid his city of corrupt cops. 10

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THERE’S AUTHENTICITY AS WELL AS ACTION IN GERARD BUTLER’S PULSE POUNDING NEW FILM, KANDAHAR. That’s because it is co-written by a former m i l i t a r y i n t e l l i g e n c e o f f i c e r, M i t c h e l l LaFortune, based on his own experiences serving in Afghanistan. Butler plays an undercover CIA agent in the Middle East who must fight his way out of hostile territory after his identity is revealed. Capstone is handling international sales on the movie which is direc ted and co written by Ric Roman Waugh who previously directed Butler in both Angel Has Fallen and Greenland.

HOLLYWOOD INTERNATIONAL FILM EXCHANGE, CAPSTONE GROUP

L AT E S T N E W S

Learning from the Legends Masterclasses from the world’s top moviemaking talents are now available free, courtesy of BAFTA. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts has posted a series of insightful and instructional conversations with the greats on its You Tube channel, BAFTA Guru. Recent additions include acting advice from Da 5 Bloods star Delroy Lindo. Kate Winslet, Cate Blanchett, Benedict Cumberbatch and Timothee Chalamet can also be found on the channel sharing their top tips. There’s a screenwriting lecture from Taika Waititi, who won a BAFTA Film Award for his JoJo Rabbit screenplay and tips on editing from Wolf of Wall Street editor Thelma Schoonmaker. Quentin Tarantino and David Fincher are among the big names passing on their expertise about directing. These easily accessible interviews are all part of BAF TA’s mi s s ion to in s pire a nd educ ate filmmakers from all walks of life to reach their potential and become storytellers themselves.

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BIG SCREEN ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

now

Everyone

L AT E S T N E W S

Princess

CAN BE A

Big Sc re e n Enter t ainme nt Gro up (OTC: BSEG) is expanding into the retail business by forming a par tner ship with majes tic lifes t yle brand, The Princess Network. The new venture encourages customers to embrace their inner princess via its fashion store, blog posts and other magical content, including Princess TV. From selling tiaras to sharing elegant living tips, the idea is to help make royal fantasies come true. It was inspired and created by Big Screen CEO Kimberley Kates and her actress best friend Diane Franklin (pictured together here) who, ever since they played the princesses in iconic movie Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, have loved the princess lifestyle. They have built up the business with the exper t support of two fans who share their love of all things regal, Gretchen Landin and Sarah Starling. Part of the partnership will see Princess TV videos and related programming shared on Big Screen’s streaming site, Big Stream. Big Screen Entertainment Group (BSEG) is a publicly traded company located in Los Angeles, California, focused on making commercial content and strategic partnerships to thrive in the modern media landscape.

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THE GOLD RUSH

A RECORD 382 SUBMISSIONS F R O M 3 0 D I FFE R E N T CO U N T R I E S MADE THE LATEST US HOLLYWOOD I N T E R N AT I O N A L G O L D E N F I L M AWARD A TRULY GLOBAL CONTEST. Es t ablished and undiscovered filmmaker s all competed for the trophies in an event held virtually for the first time with the movies streamed for delegates and judges at Flixge.com. The attention, feedback, profile and prizes helped all entrants advance their careers and highlight their movies. GFA Chair Michael Tea explained: “GFA enables filmmakers to hone their craft, promote their work and interact with a global audience.” Ultimately, no one film dominated the December 2020 ceremony and the main prizes were shared around. Winners included USA’s Forbidden Power for best picture, Argentina’s Small Town Big Winter capturing Outstanding International Film, Turkey’s Barcode winning best screenplay and best director going to China’s Li Taiyanzi for Ouyang Hai. The main acting awards went to Gregg Christie for American film Await the Dawn and Nicolette McKeown for British movie Autumn Never Dies. A selection of films and filmmakers celebrated at the event are featured on these pages. – Sandro Monetti

Supported by: 16

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WE LIVE IN FAST CHANGING TIMES BUT THERE IS STILL ROOM FOR TRADITIONAL AND TIMELESS ENTERTAINMENT.

That was shown by two recent New Year concerts celebrating Chinese culture and supported by Hi-Fex. One was a performance of opera and the other a mix of musical genres, spectacle and dance. Broadcast online and enjoyed right around the world, the performers involved – several of whom are shown on these pages – raised smiles worldwide with their prodigious talent.

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TRU M P NO LONGER A UNION MAN Donald Trump not only lost the White House, he also lost his place in the actors’ union. SAG-AFTRA’s board decided the former President would f ace ex pulsion proceedings for allegedly violating its rules and regulations. But Trump quit without waiting for the verdict, sending a blistering resignation letter in which he called the disciplinary proceedings “a blatant attempt at free media attention to distract from your dismal record as a union.” Trump had a pension with the union and collected residuals from his appearances in Home Alone 2, The Apprentice and other projects. But following his attacks on the media and then the deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol, SAG-AFTRA chief Gabrielle Carteris initiated firm action. She said, “Donald Trump attacked the values that this union holds most sacred – democracy, truth, respect for our fellow Americans of all races and faiths, and the sanctity of the free press.”

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HiFEX Hollywood International Film Exchange 电影投资版权买卖国际发行协助拍摄电影原创人才交流

H O L LY W O O D S P O T L I G H T

The world’s top three action stars all have statues erected in their honor which have become popular tourist attractions. Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jean-Claude Van Damme are each immortalized in bronze around the world. Stallone’s statue, which was originally a prop for Rocky III, is at the base of the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps which his title character memorably runs up in the Rocky films. Schwarzenegger’s likeness can be found flexing in front of his childhood home in Thal, Austria, which has been converted into a museum celebrating the star’s life. Van Damme’s life-size statue is not at a museum but outside a popular shopping mall in his home town of Brussels, Belgium. Normally, celebrities have to wait until after they are dead to get a statue. But this trio of larger than life megastars have muscled tradition out of the way their whole lives. 23

H O L LY W O O D S P O T L I G H T

FILMED VERSIONS OF HIT

PLAYS AND MUSICALS ARE BECOMING INCREASING

POPULAR ON STREAMING SERVICES.

While theatres remain closed, stage fans are getting their fix from the likes of Hamilton on Disney+ and a whole host of other crowdpleasing shows. The latest to make the leap from the stage to the small screen is Marilyn & Sinatra, which reveals the little known tale of the rollercoaster relationship between those two showbiz icons. Now playing among hundred of hours of ot h e r f r e e e nte r t ai n m e nt o n Ro k u c hannel Big St ream, t his u niq ue love s tor y c an als o b e w atc he d o nline via bigstreamentertainment.com.

The play toured around the world, selling out in London, New York, Edinburgh and Los Angeles, and the filmed version was shot in Beverly Hills, close to the spot where Marilyn Monroe and Frank Sinatra first met in 1954. An intimate, enter taining and poignant dr ama, it was writ ten and direc ted by S a n d r o Mo net t i (C o nf e s s io ns of a Hollywood Insider) and stars Erin Gavin (Still Game, Footballer’s Wives) and Jeff Bratz (America’s Got Talent, Game of Thrones: The Musical) as the showbiz greats. Marilyn Monroe isn’t the only blonde icon to inspire a play headed to streaming. As popularity continues to build for filmed plays, it was just announced that a show about Princess Diana, will premiere on Netflix before it opens on Broadway.

H O L LY W O O D S P O T L I G H T

all at sea Ocean bat tle movie Greyhound was a thrilling experience for movie watchers but a challenging one for the cast and crew. That’s because they were tilted, bucked and rolled around as if on a theme park ride to create the authenticity of the angry sea. Ins tead of shooting on a real ship in the ocean, they were on a sound stage aboard a specially built replica mounted on a gimbal to create the constant rolling motion. As a result, Tom Hanks and his colleagues on the film set during World War II’s Battle of the Atlantic ending up constantly falling into each other, bumping their heads and struggling for balance. But the combination of the rocking motion, wind machines and water cannons certainly helped create realism on the acclaimed Apple TV+ film. Sandro Monetti

H O L LY W O O D S P O T L I G H T

THE HISTORY OF PRODUCT PLACEMENT We are all familiar with the practice of promoting produc t s by placing them in movies but that particular advertising technique goes back much further than you might imagine. It o r igi nate d as l o ng ag o as 1896 w he n f il m projection pioneers the Lumiere brothers made a short film called Washing Day in Switzerland which prominently featured a bar of soap called Sunlight. Ever since then, product placement has exploded and there have been countless success stories over the years. These included the winner of the first Oscar for best picture, 1927 film Wings starring Gary Cooper and Clara Bow, featuring Hershey’s chocolate bars. By the 1930s, tobacco companies paid fortunes to stars like Clark Gable, Joan Crawford, Spencer Tracy and Carole Lombard to smoke their Lucky Strike cigarettes on screen. Alcohol brands became increasingly seen in movies in the 1950s and Gordon’s Gin paid big money to have Katharine Hepburn pour its bottles overboard in The African Queen. The James Bond films first appeared in the 1960s – with 17 product placements in the first film Dr No – and that character has continued to be a walking advertising billboard ever since as 007’s sophistication, sex appeal and st yle make him attractive to advertisers. Success of product placement can be measured in sales. Ray-Ban had sold only 18,000 pairs of Wayfarer sunglasses until Tom Cruise wore them in 1983’s Risky Business and more than 360,000 pairs were sold in the weeks following the film’s release. Countless examples since then have continued to prove the value to all sort of products of investing in film – and to think it all started with a bar of soap.

Sandro Monetti

H O L LY W O O D S P O T L I G H T

TECHNOLOGY & DEVELOPMENT

THE WORLD’S FIRST ROBOT MOVIE STAR

TECHNOLOGY & DEVELOPMENT

Producers of a new science fiction movie have no worries about their star being struck down by the coronavirus – as they have cast a robot in the lead role! An android named Erica is making movie histor y by becoming the first ar tificial intelligence to front a film. The $70 million budget picture is called b and Erica – having been programmed to act – has begun shooting scenes in Japan, where she was created. Having had no life experiences to draw on for the performance, she was programmed with emotions and motions in order to be able to deliver in the movie. Bondit Capit al Media, which financed Oscar nominated Loving Vincent, is one of the companies behind the film, for which none of the human casting has yet been announced.

– Sandro Monetti

TECHNOLOGY & DEVELOPMENT

the

SOUND OF CLOONEY As director and star of new movie The Midnight Sky, George Clooney faced a dilemma with having to show a younger version of his charac ter in flashback scenes. Instead of using a digital double or being made up to look younger, he hired 34-year-old actor Ethan Peck to play the part – but while Peck bore a physical resemblance to Clooney, 59, there remained the problem of how to make the characters speak in the same voice. So Peck’s dialogue was electronically altered using artificial intelligence techniques. By electronically combining his lines with a reading of the same words by Clooney, the result sounded like a believable younger version of the character. The film, also starring Felicity Jones, sees Clooney playing a dying astrophysicist in an Arctic research station who reflects on his life while trying to save the future of mankind.

TECHNOLOGY & DEVELOPMENT

INDELIBLE IMAGES

One of the biggest challenges in shooting Mank, the new movie set around the filming of 1941 classic Citizen Kane, was to recreate the beautiful black and white look of that lavish movie. So Mank cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt set out to pay homage to the talents of Kane cinematographer Gregg Toland by using elements of the late lensmaster’s innovative work. That’s why the new film is full of low camera angles and deep focus, both signatures of the influential director of photography. Instead of using Toland’s original Mitchell BNC film camera, which for years has been on display at the American Society of Cinematographers’ clubhouse, Messerschmidt photographed the film with a state of the art Red Helium Monochrome camera in a wider aspect ratio and enhanced the film’s period look in post-production. He is among countless cinematographers who grew up worshiping the work of Toland who, in addition to Citizen Kane, also worked on The Grapes of Wrath, The Best Years of our Lives and Wuthering Heights, winning an Oscar for the latter. Netlix film Mank is directed by frequent Messerschmidt colleague David Fincher and stars Gary Oldman as screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz.

P O L I C Y & R E G U L AT I O N S

THE

MOVIE HOTEL

NO HOTEL IN THE WORLD HAS BEEN USED AS A LOCATION IN SO MANY MAJOR MOVIES AS THE MILLENNIUM BILTMORE IN LOS ANGELES. Ghostbusters, Beverly Hills Cop, Rocky III, Splash, Chinatown, Cruel Intentions and Pretty in Pink are just some of the blockbusters which were shot in the grand old building before the hotel turned its focus away from Hollywood and onto the business customers market. But now, in a welcome change of policy, perhaps inf lue nce d by t he pand e mic’s impac t o n t he hospitality industry, the Biltmore has thrown back open its doors to moviemakers. 36

General manger Jimmy Wu and his staff are inviting location managers to consider the 98-year-old property as a filming venue when production ramps up again. That would continue a special relationship between the film business and the Biltmore, where eight Academy Awards ceremonies have been held over the years. Towering columns, ornate carvings, elegant hallways, stately ballrooms and an abundance of ambiance make the historic hotel an exquisite option for any film production. Sandro Monetti

P O L I C Y & R E G U L AT I O N S

EIGHT ACADEMY AWARDS CEREMONIES WERE HELD AT THE BILTMORE BETWEEN 1933 AND 1941. The famous phrase “May I have the envelope, please?” was first spoken at the Millennium Biltmore LosAngeles in 1941, after sealed envelopes were introduced to keep the winner’s names a secret.

P O L I C Y & R E G U L AT I O N S

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!

Decisive steps have been taken to create greater equality and fairness for stunt performers.

NEW RULES FOR STUNT PERFORMERS

Policies are now in place for more diverse hiring practices in the stunt world along with a task force appointed to ensure the rules are followed. The move follows outcry from stuntwomen about stuntmen putting on wigs and women’s clothes to double for actresses and from stunt performers of color outraged at white colleagues doubling for actors of color. The new code has been put in place by performers’ union SAG-AFTRA. The union’s National Executive Director David White said, “In this long and distinguished profession, there is a dark reality. The hiring practices and the expansive set of aggressions against people of color and women have existed for a long time, and the time has arrived that we must address it.” This new policy is in step with industry wide calls for greater inclusion and diversity.

BACK COVER STORY

WARNERMEDIA’S SHOCK DECISION TO PUT ITS WHOLE 2021 SLATE OF FILMS ON ITS HBO MAX STREAMING SERVICE IS BEING SEEN AS THE MOMENT EVERYTHING CHANGED IN HOLLYWOOD. Now ever y other s tudio is c hanging its distribution model in order to best monetize its titles in a Covid changed world – and deep-pocketed streaming companies appear to be the best customers. Paramount sold Eddie Murphy sequel Coming 2 America to Amazon, while Sony did a deal with Hulu over Kristen Stewart comedy The Happiest Season having earlier sent Tom Hanks war epic Greyhound to Apple +. Lionsgate has sent some titles to VOD and Hulu while holding onto others. Now Paramount has announced its own streaming platform but it will be playing catch up against established and rich rivals.

BACK COVER STORY

Netflix has acquired global rights to a string of prestige films like Aaron Sorkin’s The Trial of the Chicago 7 which put them at the forefront of awards season. Universal has given streaming rights to its upcoming blockbusters, like Fast & Furious 9 and Jurassic World 3, to its streaming partner, Peacock. Disney released both Mulan and Soul straight to its own streaming service, Disney Plus, but is still planning a traditional release for upcoming blockbusters Black Widow and Jungle Cruise. Meanwhile not everyone is taking Warners move lying down. Director Christopher Nolan has launched a blistering attack on the studio’s strategy saying it will destroy the business model which supports film worldwide. And Legendary, the company which produced two of Warners 2021 films – Dune and Godzilla v Kong – plans to fight the release plan in court. Others dismiss such protests and say the s treaming revolution has begun and the traditional powers will just have to adapt and jump on board. The pace of change has put theater chains on the brink of bankruptcy and left the entire future of the the exhibition system in doubt. As USC cinema professor Jason Squire said of the current situation: “This is the worst threat to moviegoing since the business began.”