Camerimage to honor John Seale

Cinematographer John Seale, best known for his Oscar-winning work with the late Anthony Minghella ("The English Patient," "The Talented Mr. Ripley") and fellow Aussie Peter Weir ("Witness," "Dead Poets Society") will receive the Golden Frog Award for career achievement at the Plus Camerimage Festival, which is dedicated to the art of cinematography. The 18th annual fest in Bydgoszcz, Poland, runs Nov. 26-Dec. 3. His work will be celebrated with the screening of a handful of films at the weeklong event, as well as a limited edition book published by Camerimage. The fest, which attracts the cream of the d.p. crop from throughout the world, features three cinematography competitions: the main bar, student films and Polish films. Seale, part of the Australian New Wave of the '70s that propelled a slew of Down Under filmmakers to migrate to Hollywood, worked as a camera operator on such early Weir works as "Picnic at Hanging Rock," "The Last Wave" and "Gallipoli." His subsequent d.p. credits included "Rain Man," "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" and "The Tourist." Contact Steve Chagollan at steve.chagollan@variety.com

Matthew Daddario joins Doremus pic

Newcomer Matthew Daddario has walked directly into replace Nico Tortorella in Drake Doremus' untitled follow-as much as "Constantly,Inch while Elise Eberle can also be in foretells join the ensemble cast. Guy Pearce stars like a senior high school teacher who's enticed to cheat on his wife (Amy Ryan) having a student (Felciity Johnson). Tortorella have been in discussions to experience a well known jock named Aaron, but he still had not wrapped Stephen Sommers' "Odd Thomas." The producers of this supernatural indie labored together with his reps to resolve the arranging problem but ultimately, could not result in the dates work. Daddario had initially been cast as Aaron's closest friend, but was knocked as much as the larger role when Tortorella fell out. Eberle will have the closest friend of Mackenzie Davis, who's playing Pearce and Ryan's daughter, a job that Eberle was considered for. Director Doremus and Ben You are able to Johnson co-authored the semi-improvised pic, which Indian Paintbrush is financing and co-creating with Super Crispy Entertainment. Daddario, the brother of "Percy Jackson" thesp Alexandra Daddario, has made an appearance in a number of advertisements and can make his feature debut using the film. Eberle next stars opposite Willa Holland in Lawrence Blume's adaptation of his mother Judy Blume's novel "Tiger Eyes." Thesp lately wrapped the indie "As Awesome like me,Inch which stars Claire Danes and James Marsden. Eberle is handled by Christopher Rockwell at Global Creative, while Daddario is repped by Innovative Artists and Harvest Talent Group. Contact Shaun Sneider at shaun.sneider@variety.com

Julian Sands in a Celebration of Harold Pinter

Julian Sands performs a one-man show in tribute of playwright Harold Pinter in Edinburgh. A one-act anthology of the work of Harold Pinter directed by John Malkovich. Opened, Aug. 5, 2011. Reviewed, Aug. 11, 2011. Running time: 50 MIN.Performer - Julian SandsThrowing himself into the egalitarian spirit of the Edinburgh Fringe, the world's largest arts festival, John Malkovich has been spotted flyering the crowds on the city center streets. Thesp was in town as helmer of this anthology of poetry and a little prose by the late playwright Harold Pinter put together by his friend, actor Julian Sands. Delivered with sensitivity and precision, it is a performance as stripped back and elemental as Pinter's language, delivered to an aud happy to savor the British actor's every word. Sands explains his interest in Pinter goes back to his high school days when he studied "The Birthday Party," later working on scenes at drama school in London and becoming a great fan. In 1987, he starred in "Basements," a TV adaptation of two Pinter plays "The Room" and "The Dumb Waiter," playing a "menacing" character called Mr. Sands. Then, six years ago, the playwright asked him to deliver a poetry reading on his behalf. Too ill to perform it himself, the scribe was nonetheless exacting in his instructions to Sands. It was the actor's first encounter with Pinter's poetry and the basis of this performance. Sands builds the show around the romantic, personal and political poems in Pinter's "Various Voices," adding commentary from colleagues and critics, observations by the playwright's widow, Lady Antonia Fraser, and the occasional anecdote of his own. He recalls the shame of suggesting to Pinter there was a typo in one of his poems (the word "corrects" appearing where he expected to see "connects") and the withering reply he got in return. He mentions the critic who said he was scared to shake the playwright's hand for fear of the electrical charge, and gives an illuminating imitation of Pinter explaining the difference between a beat, a pause and a silence. Appearing on a bare stage in a black suit and an open-collared white shirt, Sands is poised, serious and striking, with his angular features and thinning shock of spiky blond hair. Under the no-nonsense direction of Malkovich, whom he has known since meeting on the set of "The Killing Fields," he punches out Pinter's clipped Anglo-Saxon language with a sharp attack, tilting his upper body toward us for emphasis. His performance is taut, clean and actorly. Framing the selection with Pinter's observation that his writing life was defined by "relish, challenge and excitement," Sands gives equal weight to the writer's various passions. If there's not quite as much of the political poetry as you would expect from so outspoken a human-rights campaigner, that is because Sands wants also to give a flavor of Pinter's love of cricket, of his wife and of his own life after he was diagnosed with cancer in 2002. The poetry, he argues, is not unrelated to the plays, but is more subjective and "came from himself." As celebrations go, it is an austere, ascetic and restrained performance, one that captures the pugnacity, precision and a little of the dry humor of an exacting writer. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Tokai exex pay cost for prank

Tokyo, japan -- The prexy of Tokai TV, a station in Nagoya, openly apologized on Thursday for any prank that mocked sufferers from the triple problems that hit Japan last March. The station hasn't only punished staffers involved, but canceled this news and info show which the prank broadcast. On August. 4 the show under consideration, "Pikkan Terebi," broadcast a listing of those who win of the studio promotion targeted at supporting the grain farmers of Iwate Prefecture, one sector worst hit through the March 11 earthquake, tsunami and reactor meltdowns. What made an appearance on screen, however, would be a prank listing of "awards" for example "contaminated grain" and "those who win" with names like "Mr. Cesium." When news from the prank went countrywide, the station was flooded with complaint calls from audiences, using the number reaching 15,300 by Thursday, while 17 from the show's 20 sponsors drawn their advertisements. The producer from the list was later discovered to be a staffer of the company that does computer graphics work with the station. Station prexy Sekiya Iwano and three some of the best executives will require 30% to 50% pay cuts within their directors' compensation for periods as much as three several weeks, as the two top executives from the news production division happen to be demoted and also the show's producer and director happen to be handed five-day work headgear. The station can also be looking into how the prank list happened to air. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

NBC Sports Group, Major League Soccer Ink Three-Year Privileges Deal

NEW You are able to -- NBC Sports Group, a part of Comcast's NBCUniversal, and Major League Soccer on Wednesday revealed a 3-year media privileges deal, beginning using the 2012 season. The offer will replace what was previously a privileges package held by News Corp.'s Fox Soccer Funnel. Wally Disney's ESPN is constantly on the hold MLS game privileges for many more years. Financials the agreement weren't revealed. It requires 45 MLS games and four U.S. men's national team matches to become public liveon NBC and NBC Sports Network, that will change its title from Versus by Jan. 2, each season. Stated Mark Lazarus, chairman, NBC Sports Group: "MLS is an ideal fit for the new group, and that we are distinctively situated to assist grow soccer within the U . s . States with extensive coverage on NBC Sports Network, significant programming about the broadcast network and our growing digital platforms. Furthermore, this agreement complements the close ties that five in our regional sports systems have using their local MLS teams." Comcast SportsNets in California, Chicago, the mid-Atlantic, Colonial andPhiladelphia have such handles local teams. NBC will broadcast two regular-season MLS games, two playoff games and 2 national team matches each season, marking the very first time since 2002 that four MLS matches is going to be broadcast on British-language network TV. NBC Sports Network will air 38 regular-season games, three playoff games and 2 national team games. The NBC Sports Group also acquired digital privileges across all digital platforms and products for that games it airs. "Our new partnership using the NBC Sports Group is really a significant advance for Major League Soccer and U.S. soccer," stated MLS commissioner and Soccer U . s . Marketing Boss Don Garber. "We're excited to participate NBC's ambitious plans for soccer, and anticipate reaching a substantial audience on multiple platforms." Related Subjects Comcast NBC NBCUniversal NBC Sports

"How About We They Simply Leave?" Ryan Murphy Promises Solutions about Horror Story's Haunted House

American Horror Story, Connie Britton In approaching Forex series American Horror Story, the fragile, broken Harmon family moves to La to begin again. The issue? Their home seems to become haunted. Series creator and executive producer Ryan Murphy knows what you are thinking: How about we they simply move? "'Why will they remain in the home?A We actually considered that many. Which was the most crucial factor we done," Murphy told reporters at Saturday's Forex fall TV preview, adding that it'll be described in Episode 2. Start looking: Ryan Murphy's "psychosexual thriller" American Horror Story: It's really no Glee! Forex tested the premiere for reporters earlier within the week, as well as in the episode many disturbing breakthroughs are created through the family - including, although not restricted to, a homicidal, Victorian-era baby within the basement as well as an enigmatic rubber-suited guy -- because they make an effort to heal. Meanwhile, a number of strange figures, varying in the longtime housekeeper towards the mysterious burn victim who appears outside, invade their lives. It's deliberately unclear what's real and exactly what the family could just be imagining. At any given time when fans are quick to consider a set to job for departing them hanging (begin to see the uproar over Lost's ending and much more lately AMC's The Killing), one journalist requested the producers how lengthy the pilot's many tales and cliffhangers could be pulled out. "We felt like we'd a duty towards the audience [to reply to questions], and within the next two scripts we'll start doing that," Murphy stated. "Through the third episode, all individuals large mysteries are settled. "We all do know where it is going, we all do understand what exceptional last episode is." Ryan Murphy talks new Forex show American Horror Story: Everybody was freaked by the creature It has been recommended that future seasons may center around different casts - as well as occur in various cycles - but Murphy stated that whether individuals unexpected things happen, the series would feel timely. The present economic atmosphere "enables you to feel paranoid, suspenseful and worried, which zeitgeist is certainly reflected within the show... and all sorts of the American horror tales we are being inundated with every day.Inch Simultaneously, series star Connie Britton states American Horror Story isn't nearly the horror elements or even the mysteries. "In my experience, it's not only horror, exactly the same way Friday Evening Lights wasn't just football," stated. "It comes down to these grounded, dilapidated associations... this psychosexual strange factor happening within this house." Added Murphy: "Hopefully, people watch out for a couple of things: Emotional tales and... some very frightening stuff." American Horror Story premieres Wednesday, March. 5 at 10/9c on Forex.

'Marilyn' is NYFF focal point

Michelle Williams stars in "My Week with Marilyn."The Weinstein Co.'s "My Week With Marilyn" will world preem this fall because the Focal point Gala film from the New You are able to Film Festival, that also has arranged retrospective showcases of "Ben Hur," Nicholas Ray's "We Can Not Go Back Home Again" along with a roster of movies from Japanese production company Nikkatsu Films. Helmer Simon Curtis' "My Week With Marilyn" stars Michelle Williams as Lana Turner within the behind-the-moments tale of "The Prince and also the Showgirl," the 1957 pic which starred Laurence Olivier, performed in "Marilyn" by Kenneth Branagh. Dougray Scott, as Monroe's new husband Arthur Burns, is one kind of an ensemble which includes Dominic Cooper, Judi Dench, Julia Ormond, Emma Watson, Derek Jacobi and Simon Russell Beale. Film is dependant on the journals of Colin Clark, an assistant about the 1957 film who's performed in "Marilyn" by Eddie Redmayne ("Red-colored"). David Parfitt produces the film, which TWC has looking for release on November. 4. Meanwhile, the fest's Masterworks number of retrospectives has arranged a slate which includes a recently restored version of William Wyler's 1959 epic "Ben Hur" together with Ray's little-seen, experimental 1976 offering "We Can Not Go Back Home Again." The Nikkatsu tribute, timed towards the company's centennial, will feature 36 photos including Kon Ichikawa's "The Burmese Harp," Ko Nakahira's "Crazed Fruit," Shohei Imamura's "Pigs and Battleships" and Seijun Suzuki's "Toyko Drifter." Good reputation for Nikkatsu includes the studio's youth-oriented actioner output in the sixties in addition to its "romantic porn" series in the seventies. "Marilyn," skedded to screen March. 9, joins a fest slate which will start Sept. 30 with "Carnage," Roman Polanski's film version of Yasmina Reza's hit play. Further choices still be introduced. The 49th annual New You are able to Film Festival runs Sept. 30-March. 16. Contact Gordon Cox at gordon.cox@variety.com