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Sky Talks Takes 3D Advice From James Cameron
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Representatives from Sky recently travelled to America to consult with James Cameron about creating viable viewing experiences in 3D, it has emerged.
According to a report on Sky News, the broadcaster sought to learn from the 3D experience of Cameron, whose blockbuster Avatar recently became the highest-grossing film release of all time.
“James is a massive evangelist about 3D and he lives, breathes and eats 3D and just wants to see good 3D out there,”
Revealed Sky Sports director of operations Darren Long.
“For him, it was about how we were going to do it, what equipment we were going to use, what were our filming techniques. He’s all about, ‘Get the message out there, get it out well and to the people properly’.”
On Sunday, Sky began the the first public trial of its 3D channel for a live broadcast of Arsenal’s match against Manchester United to a handful of pubs.
The firm will then rollout the channel to “hundreds” of pubs in April, with a consumer launch coming later in the year when 3D-ready TV sets become more widely available.
Sky News senior correspondent David Bowden said that the broadcaster opted to stage the trial this weekend to “steal a march” on the BBC, which recently announced that it will run 3D coverage of England’s Six Nations match against Wales in cinemas on February 6.
“The difference is Sky’s games will be shown on 3D television sets in pubs, whereas the BBC’s offering is only in cinemas, either way, the 3D bandwagon is well and truly rolling and the race is already on to get reasonably priced 3D tellies into the shops.”
However, Bowden accepted that 3D TV will be a whole new viewing experience which could prove “an acquired taste for some people”.
He added:
“And you might have to explain to your bewildered neighbours why you are wearing sunglasses in your front room in the dark. The next major obstacle for the broadcasters and set manufacturers alike is to persuade a recession-hit public who have just splashed out on their HD TV to start saving again for a new one capable of receiving 3D.”
LG, Panasonic, Samsung and Sony have all recently revealed plans to support Sky’s 3D channel in the UK and Ireland with a range of new 3D-ready TV sets.
BBC Are Making A Sci-Fi Gameshow
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Doctor Who writer Phil Ford has penned a new sci-fi gameshow for the BBC, it has been announced.
The 13-episode series, titled Mission: 2110, is set in a post-apocalyptic landscape and sees contestants span time and space to travel to the futuristic setting of our planet to try to restore peace and stability.
Executive producer Sue Morgan said of the show:
“Mission: 2110 is an exciting ambitious and challenging new fast-paced gameshow where the contestants will need to use all their cunning and guile to avoid elimination.”
Production is due to continue until early March, which the series being eyed for a spring broadcast on CBBC.
The Mentalist To Return To The UK In Less Than 3 Weeks
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The Mentalist will return to UK screens Friday, February 19, Five has announced.
The Simon Baker-fronted series, which Five opted to pick up instead of House, performed well during its first run, gaining the title of most successful ever launch of any US drama shown on Five.
Five has moved season two to a new Friday night slot after airing the first season on Thursday nights.
The Big Bang Theory Meets Stan Lee In March
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Comic book writer Stan Lee has signed to guest star in a forthcoming episode of The Big Bang Theory.
The Spider-Man creator will play himself in the March 1 installment of the CBS sitcom, reports TV Guide.
The main characters in the show, played by Johnny Galecki and Jim Parsons, will run into Lee at their favorite comic book shop, Kapow!
Lee has appeared in several films based on his Marvel comic book characters, including Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk and Fantastic Four.
The Big Bang Theory airs Mondays at 8:30pm ET on CBS and weekly on Channel 4 and E4 in the UK
Weird Al Yankovic Working On Cartoon Network Project
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80s pop parody singer Weird Al Yankovic has announced on his blog he’s working on a project at The Cartoon Network.
“The first thing I’m on track to do for them is, in fact, a live-action feature film, it needs to be fine-tuned a bit more and it hasn’t been officially green-lit yet, but it’s gotten some very positive buzz at the network.”
The movie will have a teenage star, but Yankovic will likely appear in the film.
Ghostfacers Web Series Update
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Supernatural creator Eric Kripke is reportedly developing a web-based spinoff of the show called Ghostfacers.
The series is to focus on the adventures of the Ghostfacers, a team of detectives that have appeared on episodes of Supernatural, says Variety.
Kripke and Wonderland TV will produce ten three-minute installments of Ghostfacers for the official WB and CW websites.
“It’s a fun, subversive way to allow these characters to play in the margins,”
Said Wonderland TV’s Peter Johnson.
The CW and Living TV show has already crossed over to comic books and novels so this is the natural next step!
Robot Chicken Gets 40 New Episode Pickup
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Underground comedy favorite Adult Swim has given Robot Chicken a two-season pickup.
The Cartoon Network has renewed the comedy series for 40 more episodes, says The Hollywood Reporter. The pickup signals the fifth and sixth seasons for the show, created by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich.
It is thought that high ratings and good DVD sales led to the renewal.
“We never expected to do a second season, let alone a fifth and sixth, so we are thrilled by the audience response and how the show continues to grow internationally,”
Torchwood US Update
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A US version of cult programme ‘Torchwood’ is being developed for Fox.
This project is going to be one of the first major moves to come from the new BBC Worldwide Productions drama team in the States.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the US version will be penned by Russell T Davies (who of course, played a big role of revitalising Doctor Who when it returned to our screens in 2003).
It is expected the American Torchwood would feature more global storylines and may include John Barrowman, who starred in the UK version.
Torchwood has already been aired in the US on BBC America.
3-D TV Is Coming This Summer
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Japan’s leading satellite and cable broadcasters have 3D programming in the works, with Sky Perfect expected to have some content on its satellite channels by the summer, according to local media reports.
Sky Perfect J SAT Holdings Inc. is to meet with production companies this month to discuss plans for 3D movies and sports contents for its existing channels. Initial plans are for a small number of trial programs, leading to specialist channels in the future.
Jupiter Telecommunications Co. (J:COM), the nation’s biggest cable company, is also understood to have plans to introduce 3D programming.
Japanese manufacturers, Sony, Panasonic and Toshiba, have been showcasing their 3D TV sets at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this month, and all three will bring them to market in the U.S. and Japan by the autumn.
Sony, which owns 8.4% of Sky Perfect, has pledged to put 3D at the centre of its plans for corporate recovery.
Sky Perfect has just over 3.7 million subscribers, while J:COM has 3.25 million.
The Chances Of Heroes Having A Fifth Season Are “Very Good”
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NBC has described the chances of Heroes returning for a fifth season as “very good“.
The series, which recently dropped to a low of 4.57m, has once more been widely tipped for the axe.
However, speaking at the TV Critics Association press tour, the network’s president Angela Bromstad revealed that the show’s creator Tim Kring will be pitching his ideas for a new season in the coming weeks and she believes it stands a decent chance of coming back.
Production on the fourth season of Heroes recently wrapped, meaning that the February 8 season finale may serve as a series finale if NBC does decide to end it
Sam Beckett To Return To Chuck
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Scott Bakula has signed on to reprise his role as ‘Chuck’s dad, Steve, for multiple episodes!
Bakula was last seen in the season 2 finale fleeing daughter Ellie’s wedding reception but Chuck exec producer Josh Schwartz has announced he has signed on for these further episodes. Schwartz also calls Bakula’s comeback arc — which would fall at the end of the spy comedy’s third season (premièring this Sunday in the U.S) —
“The biggest thing we’ve ever done on the show.”
Big shout!
Bakula is currently starring in TNT’s Men of A Certain Age. With production wrapped on that show’s first season, Bakula was free to return to Chuck.
Lost Shuts The Mouth Of B-Rack
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The White House has come to its senses and won’t hold the State of the Union speech on Feb. 2. Why does this matter to me you ask? Well, this was due to collide with the return of hit show ‘Lost’s final series, and fans of the show were not happy.
When word leaked out this week that President Obama’s team were mulling over scheduling SOTU on the same night ABC had long ago slotted the final season premiere of “Lost’; likely resulting in a one-week delay of the premiere, fans were up in arms.
However, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs assured fans that the President won’t speak on Feb. 2.
Joy
Doctor Who New Writers Revealed
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The new issue of Doctor Who magazine announces for the first time the writers creating the 13-episode run due this spring. New show runner Steven Moffat will obviously write the majority of the shows with six episodes. Law & Order: UK chief Chris Chibnall is doing a two-parter, Toby Whithouse, Gareth Roberts and Mark Gatiss, all veterans of the Russell T Davies years, have one each.
In a bit of a curveball however, it’s been confirmed that the Britcom king Richard Curtis will write one alien-filled episode. Strange shout and i suppose one that will terrify fans of the show, but before we panic, let’s not forget this man created Blackadder. Plus his story, features Vincent Van Gogh, so his Blackadder roots could actually help make an interesting and funny episode.
The biggest detachment though comes in the form of an episode written by the creator of Men Behaving Badly, Simon Nye. His recent attempt ‘Hardware’ starring Martin Freeman didn’t really cut it and MBB is hardly sci-fi friendly. We shall see….
Is The Crystal Maze Coming Back?
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‘The Crystal Maze’, the classic gameshow almost as famous for it’s eccentric hosts and dodgy set’s than anything else, could be set to return to our screens.
Yeah that got me pretty excited too – but sadly ITV are set to once again miss the point completely and name Amanda Holden – yes, really – as the host. ITV have obviously got some sort of high tech revamped version in mind but the whole reason why the show worked was because of its quirkiness and odd ball presenters; very much in the same way that Vic Reeves Big Night Out worked better than the latter, slicker versions.
Without harmonica wielding Richard O’Brien, or equally madcap Edward Tudor Pole, surely a perfect host would be someone of the Bill Bailey, Ross Noble, Noel Fielding or dare I say it even Harry Hill ilk rather than a lifeless, humourless troll.
ITV, this is why no one sane watches you.
Captain Jack Hints At New Sidekick
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John Barrowman has hinted that ‘Being Human’s Russell Tovey could be in line to join the Torchwood team.
The pair recently starred alongside each other in the Doctor Who Christmas special when Captain Jack and Alonso Frame met for the first time.
Speaking to Doctor Who magazine, Barrowman described Tovey’s character as “the perfect companion” for Jack.
“What I’d love, what I think would be great, is if Midshipman Frame became Jack’s companion in Torchwood. He’s the perfect companion for Jack.
It’d be like Batman and Robin. Of course I’m Batman. He’s Robin.”
Torchwood third series, which aired in July last year, saw fan favourite Ianto Jones killed off in the penultimate episode, leaving just Captain Jack and Eve Myles’s Gwen on the team.
MTV’s “Teen Wolf” TV Series Has Been Cast!
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MTV has assembled the acting pack for “Teen Wolf,” its reinvention of the 1985 movie.
Tyler Posey, Tyler Hoechlin, Crystal Reed and Dylan O’Brien have been cast in the pilot presentation penned by “Criminal Minds” creator Jeff Davis.
MTV’s take on the film, which starred Michael J. Fox as a high-school student who discovers he is a werewolf, is a dramatic thriller with a buddy-comedy element at the center and a romantic plot line.
It revolves around Scott McCall (Posey), a dorky high-school student who gets a rush of new powers, including the ability to attract girls, after a wolf attack.
Posey’s series credits include “Lincoln Heights” and “Brothers & Sisters.”
O’Brien will play Scott’s best friend who is initially dismissive of Scott’s theory that he was bitten by a wolf but then begins research on human-werewolf transformation.
Reed (MTV’s “Hard Times”) will play a sweet new girl at school who is immediately smitten with Scott. Reed is repped by Mavrick Artists and Main Title.
“7th Heaven” alum Hoechlin will play a handsome local boy who in fact is a vicious and predatory werewolf capable of great harm.
“Wolf” is executive produced by Davis, Marty Adelstein and Rene Echevarria.
Talk About NBC’s Chuck Online And Win Points
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NBC is launching a “Chuck” game that gives points to fans who talk about the show using social media – nice way to advertise eh!?
The game is called “Mission: Chuck Me Out” and is designed to track users who mention “Chuck” on Twitter, Facebook and MySpace. In fact, every tweet that mentions “Chuck” can earn the user a point.
The fan who racks up the most points between now and March 10 will be rewarded by having their photo appear during the NBC program in one of Chuck’s mental flashes.
The game is similar to the “Biggest Gleek” game Fox launched for “Glee” in August.
“The fans of ‘Chuck’ have been incredibly passionate and supportive of the show,” said Adam Stotsky, president of entertainment marketing at NBC. “We want to reward this loyalty and activate further social conversation about the incredible new season. This innovative promotion is an excellent way to accomplish both objectives.”
“Chuck” returns in the US on January 10th.
“Starbuck” Katee Sackhoff To Write A Comic Book
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Katee Sackhoff has revealed that she is co-writing a new comic book that will launch next year.
Sackhoff said that the comic, which she co-wrote with a friend, would be called Versus and launch at Comic-Con 2010.
However, the actor, who played Starbuck in Battlestar Galactica and features in 24 season eight, has yet to announce what it will be about.
She told TV Guide:
“I grew up reading Betty & Veronica.
I was obsessed with it. Every time that we would go on an airplane or on a car trip I would go and get them and now I’ve become a fan of just the genre in general.
It really makes me excited. I’m a huge fan of [comics writer and television producer] Jeph Loeb. I’ve read all his work and I think he’s phenomenal. And I love all the Superman stuff he’s done.”
Stargate Universe AND Sanctuary To Get New Seasons
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Syfy has handed new seasons to both Stargate Universe and Sanctuary.
SGU, which recently aired its midseason finale, will extend its hiatus until April, with season two arriving in the Fall alongside Sanctuary’s third run.
“We’re dealing with 15 seasons of expectations with a certain fanbase,”
Said Universe’s executive producer Robert Cooper.
“Hopefully, as the show goes on, people will appreciate Universe for being its own thing.
The implications of leaving Rush on the planet, the real division that will cause among the crew, the judgment of those characters and their actions are going to have a big impact on the show.
“We have a lot of things planned for the second half of the season.”
Flight Of The Conchords Take Flight And Head For The Sunset
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Flight Of The Conchords will not be returning for a third season, its creators have announced.
Writing on their website, Bret McKenzie, Jemaine Clement and James Bobin confirmed that the HBO series is officially dead.
“We’ve noticed the less we say about the future of the show, the more people want to talk about it, so in an effort to reverse this trend we are today announcing that we won’t be returning for a third season.
We’re very proud of the two seasons we made and we like the way the show ended.”
For me the second season, although having a few highlights, was much weaker than the first which suggests they were running low on material; so maybe its not such a bad time for it to be put out to pasture…
