Media

Once thought of as a relic of yesteryear, the limited series—or miniseries, depending on which generation you belong to—has rapidly shifted back into focus. – Fast Company

Three municipalities in Georgia are suing Netflix, Hulu, and other streaming video providers for as much as 5 percent of their gross revenue in the district — joining a nationwide group of towns and counties that want these services regulated more like cable TV. It’s a small but growing front in the war over cord-cutting, challenging regulators to decide which matters more: the increasing role streaming services play in American media diets or their significant practical differences from traditional TV. – The Verge

“With the Cannes Lions [advertising convention] still on track to run June 21-25, it’s feasible that the Cannes Film Festival could be assembled in time to roll out in early July. One industry insider says it would take only a few days or roughly a week to set up the film festival.” – Variety

Journalist Matthew Teague made his career covering war and disaster zones, but it was a longform essay for Esquire about his wife’s terminal cancer that got him a National Magazine Award, legions of new fans, and a movie deal. “What he didn’ account for was just how cruel Hollywood can be when a movie does come together, an experience he is still coming to terms with.” – The New York Times

“Ahead of Biden’s inauguration, Vulture spoke with multiple late-night writers who either still work or previously worked for Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Trevor Noah, Jimmy Kimmel, Samantha Bee, Jim Jefferies, and John Oliver about what it was like inside the Trump-joke trenches — and how they see the next administration affecting their jobs. … In every interview, two themes emerged: Writing Trump jokes sucks, and those who are still working in late night are exhausted.” – Vulture

“Canada forcing Netflix and other foreign streamers to pour $800 million annually into local Canadian content will be a lifeline for world-beating creators, say Bill C-10 supporters.” – The Hollywood Reporter

The new network’s executive director sounds hopeful. “As our elders pass away, we are fighting against time to keep Inuit culture and language alive for our children and grandchildren. TV in Inuktut all day every day is a powerful way to keep a living language for future generations.” – CBC

The Academy concluded that there was no way to keep the larger executive committee’s deliberation process secure on Zoom or other platforms – so the “preliminary committee,” a smaller group, is now the only arbiter of what movies will be nominated for Best International Feature. Unrelated (or so they claim), the shortlist has expanded from 10 to 15. – The Hollywood Reporter

And casting villains, that is to say law enforcement and others deeply committed to white supremacy, as heroes. But the new documentary MLK/FBI isn’t confused: it “weaves a deeply troubling portrait of King being hounded and harassed by the FBI, while the murders of his fellow activists went strangely unsolved.” – Washington Post

What’s Lady Whistledown’s business model? Seriously: To produce and print enough scandal sheets to feed the appetite of the ton, surely Lady Whistledown owns a printing press or something. And how does she pay her workers? Also, let’s talk about that typeface. – Slate

TV writers have helped changed public opinion on drunk driving, cigarette smoking, and – in the opposite direction – marriage equality. Why not mask-wearing, social distancing, and getting vaccinated? – Los Angeles Times

The film is based on a one-act play by Kemp Powers (a long one-act play), and the playwright calls it “a work of fiction powered by the truth” – the truth being that Malcolm X, Cassius Clay before he was Muhammed Ali, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown, “four modern legends, really did hang out for one night in Miami, and yes, they really did bond over vanilla ice cream. – Vulture

Why sea shanties, and why now? I do not have any concrete ideas about this; all I can tell you is that it’s happening. Apparently we’re doing sea shanties now. It makes as much and as little sense as anything else. – The Cut

“A common misconception is that niche shows geared toward specific audiences will not fare as well as more universal programs, but Lucinda Martinez, executive vice president of HBO and HBO Max brand marketing, says fan marketing is more focused on quality of connection rather than quantity.” – Variety

Beginning in 1964 with Seven Up!, Apted made a series of nine films, shot at seven-year-intervals, following the lives of a group of 14 Englishmen and -women from ages 7 through 14, 21, 28, etc. (63 Up was released in 2019.) After his death last week, the 12 remaining subjects and several longtime crew members are considering whether to proceed on to 70 Up, and, if so, how. – The New York Times

“The steep decline in airport traffic because of COVID-19, coupled with all of the new ways that people are consuming content on their personal devices, has lessened the need for the CNN Airport Network and we had to make the very difficult decision to end its operation [as of March 31],” the cable news giant announced. – Variety

“I always go off of this dancing logic: for every system of control that establishes itself in a very direct and very antagonizing way, or in a very pervasive and ubiquitous way, there will always be subcultures or underground communities that will try to dismantle them in some way.” – Howlround

“Total spending on streaming services and software is projected to reach a record $112 billion in 2021, an 11 percent growth over 2020, according to Consumer Technology Association projections announced on Monday. … This follows 31 percent growth in 2020 over 2019.” – The Hollywood Reporter

Eleven more cases came from The Kominsky Method, a Michael Douglas-starring Netflix series where aging actors confront mortality. Around the same time, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health’s COVID-19 database, which tracks workplace outbreaks from the past 14 days, Netflix had nine more positive cases; NBC Universal, including some crew of the show Mr. Mayor, had 23; CBS reported 45. – The Daily Beast

During The Birds, even. The loss of the venue deeply affected Seattle’s southern neighbor. “Before it was the Music Box the building was originally called the Tacoma Theater. Built in 1890 as an opera house, all that remains today is a single stone wall.” – KING 5

There’s a mix, from viewer disorientation – meant to mimic that of a person experiencing dementia – to body horror. – The Hollywood Reporter

But not just best pic: “The film won best picture and best cinematography, while Zhao was awarded best director and star Frances McDormand was named best actress.” That’s a big sweep. – Variety

It’s a path that others could follow, if they had the courage (and the funding). “Crossing Delancey is a culturally distinctive romcom, not one that mutes down its differences in an attempt to assimilate, and is all the more enjoyable for it, whatever the audience’s ethnicity. More pickle, less vanilla.” – The Guardian (UK)

Renting your own movie theatre isn’t cheap, but (once we can gather in greater numbers than two or three), it’s not exactly unaffordable. And it makes some things far better: For instance, “when attending a public theater, your experience is completely reliant on the strangers in there with you. It all hinges on others adhering to theater etiquette rules, which tend to vary from person to person. This is a problem that is mitigated by the private theater experience.” – CinemaBlend

That’s right, even the streaming device is getting into content now. (Actually, it already was; this is just the newest content it has acquired.) “Quibi’s content could be especially valuable because it features well-known celebrities. Hollywood also is hungry for new content because the COVID-19 pandemic has canceled or delayed new production. And the programming can help set Roku apart from its bigger rivals” – even while some of the rivals are featured apps on the streaming devices. – Los Angeles Times