Canadian Indie Shaftesbury Films To Launch US Branch & Tap Tom Mazza To Run It

EXCLUSIVE: Another leading Canadian production company, Christina Jennings’ Shaftesbury Films, is launching a U.S. arm. I hear veteran U.S. TV executive Tom Mazza is leaving Toronto/Burbank-based Cookie Jar Entertainment where he served as EVP and head of Worldwide TV for the past year and a half to run Shaftesbury’s new Los Angeles offices. He is expected to bring with him former UPN drama head and Regency TV executive Maggie Murphy who joined him at Cookie Jar at the beginning of this year and was his top development executive. I hear Mazza starts at Shaftesbury at the end of this week. At Cookie Jar, Mazza headed the television division, managing the company’s development and production departments as well as sales and distribution, program acquisition and international co-productions. He also ran the company’s newly launched primetime label, The Jar, as Cookie Jar, known mostly as a producer of kids programming, had been looking to broaden its portfolio. Mazza previously served as President of Columbia TriStar Network Television and spent 12 years at Paramount Network TV where he oversaw all primetime development. Shaftesbury Films’ series portfolio includes The Listener, which had a short run on NBC. This marks the latest major U.S. move for a Canadian production company. Last year, Montreal-based Cineflix launched Cineflix Studios and tapped former top AMC scripted executive Christina Wayne to run it. And Toronto-based Entertainment One got a toehold in the U.S. with the 2008 acquisition of Blueprint.

Montreal fest wild for Belgian comedy

Hasta la Vista, from helmer Geoffrey Enthoven, won Montreals Grand Prix des Ameriques and was chosen the fests most widely used pic. Belgian helmer Geoffrey Enthoven's road comedy "Hasta la Vista" (Come when you are) won the Montreal World Film Festival's Grand Prix des Ameriques on Sunday, marking the 2nd consecutive year and third amount of time in 5 years that the Flemish Belgian pic has had the fest's top prize."Hasta la Vista," around three disabled males who mind on a journey to look at a brothel in The country that suits individuals with disabilities, also won the award since many popular film in the festival, and was handed a unique Mention through the Ecumenical Jury.The Ecumenical Prize was handed towards the lone U.S. entry within the competition, Brooklyn helmer Joel Fendelman's "David," a drama a good unusual friendship between two boys, one from Brooklyn's Muslim community, another in the neighborhood's Orthodox Jewish community.The honours were doled out in a ceremony at Place des Arts in downtown Montreal on Sunday evening. The closing ceremony also incorporated a tribute to Gallic thesp Catherine Deneuve, who had been given an eternity achievement award through the festival.The 2nd prize Special Grand Prix from the Jury visited Japanese director Masato Harada's "Chronicle of My Mother." The director award was won by German helmer Brigitte Maria Bertele on her pic "The Fireplace,Inch a drama in regards to a lady recuperating carrying out a rape. Fatemeh Motamed-Arya won the actress prize on her performance within the Iranian pic "Here Without Me" from director Bahram Tavakoli. The award for actor was shared between Danny Huston, for his role within the Israeli-France pic "Playoff," and Borys Szyc for Polish pic "The Mole." Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Frank DiLeo, Michael Jackson's Former Manager, Dies at 63

Frank DiLeo, a longtime music business executive and also the former manager of Michael Jackson, has died. He was 63. The Pittsburgh native, who had spent the final 5 years residing in La, started controlling Jackson's career following the record-breaking discharge of 1984's Thriller. He offered as executive producer of Jackson's movie Moonwalker andwas instrumental in settling the pop star's commercial cope with Pepsi. They separated ways appropriately in 1989 however it was reported last year that DiLeo was in the management picture and continued to be with Jackson until his final days. Just before his use Jackson, DiLeo was a professional with Epic Records, beginning as vice president of national promotion in 1979. Throughout his tenure in the The new sony label (then underneath the CBS Records umbrella), he saw hits with Jackson, REO Speedwagon, Gloria Estefan and Culture Club, among many more. Frequently connected with the concept of using "indie marketers" to operate records to radio (later simply viewed as payola), he would be a key player in Frederic Dannen's music business primer, Hit Males: Powerbrokers and Quick Money Within the Music Business. It was launched in 1990. DiLeo has additionally made an appearance in a number of movies including GoodFellas and theWayne's World franchise. Within the latter, he performed Frankie "Mr. Large" Sharp, the background music mogul who finds out Wayne and Garth while riding around in the limo watching television. Inside a statement launched on Wednesday, DiLeo is referred to like a "legendary, legendary and highly respected music business figure." He died between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Boardman, Ohioas a direct result complications following heart surgery, that they went through six several weeks ago. DiLeo is made it by his wife Linda and 2 children,Belinda and Dominic, together with a grand son, Frank.Services is going to be locked in Pittsburgh in a few days. Related Subjects Michael Jackson

MTV 'Awkward's' Beau Mirchoff Takes Season 2

MTV 'Awkward's' Beau Mirchoff Takes Season 2 By Jethro Nededog August 24, 2011 Photo by Tyler William Parker Beau Mirchoff While we're still watching the romance between Matty and Jenna (Ashley Rickards) unfold on MTV's new series, "Awkward," star Beau Mirchoff tells us he's been enjoying his hiatus from the show."I've just been in acting class, which is going awesome and staying busy," Mirchoff tells "The Hollywood Reporter." "You know, I've been doing a lot of outdoors stuff. I've been doing a lot of scuba diving on the weekends, and hiking, and playing music, and just, you know, hanging out really."In fact, he was traveling when the news that MTV had given the series another season broke. "We've been done for a few months," Mirchoff says."I was actually flying home from Miami," he remembers. "And just about to take off, and I got a text from my manager saying, 'We got a Season 2.' So, yeah, it was an exciting plane ride."Viewers have seen Mirchoff play a heart-stealing teen before on ABC's "Desperate Housewives." He played Angie's (Drea de Matteo) son whose romance with Gaby's (Eva Longoria) niece leads to a cross country chase on Season 6.The 22-year-old has also appeared in a recurring role on the Canadian drama, "Heartland," and his film credits include "I Am Number Four," "The Grudge 3," and "Scary Movie 4.""THR" spoke to Mirchoff about what we can expect from Matty and Jenna's romance this season, where he'd like to go with his character in Season 2, and what he has in common with the popular Matty on the MTV hit.The Hollywood Reporter: Where would you like Matty's story to go in Season 2? Beau Mirchoff: I think just to dive more in depth into Matty's life to see what makes Matty the way he is and what he loves, and his aspirations, and just more details about Matty. I think that's where I have the most fun is when it's emotional stuff or just high stakes and I find that's when it's the most fun, and more enjoyable when you really get to learn about someone's character. I think it's captivating to watch and yeah, that's what I'm looking forward to, hopefully. THR: Have you been able to speak with creator Lauren Iungerich about Season 2? Mirchoff: We haven't quite yet. You know, we just found out about it. Last year, we got to go into the writer's room and talk about our strengths and weaknesses. You know, how we would like to see our characters portrayed, and a bunch of stuff and so I'm sure we'll be going to do that again.THR: What can we expect from the Matt-Jenna relationship in the remaining episodes this season? Mirchoff: Kind of like this cat and mouse game. I'll kind of finally redeem myself, and then something will happen, and it all falls apart. Then, you're kind of on my side, and then you're kind of on her side. Then, you're not on her side; you're back on my side. I think we're just so young stupid kids to be honest. They're just really kind of nave, and they don't know how to deal with relationships, and communicate, really. That's the big part, so I think we're just, throughout the season, we're trying so desperately to be with one another, but it just doesn't work out, but it might work out at the end. THR: What would you say you have in common with Matty and what makes you different from him? Mirchoff: I think a lot of me is Matty. You know, outgoing like Matty. I'm athletic, I like girls; those are some similarities. I don't think I'm as self-conscious as Matty -- like he is kind of figuring everything out internally. He's still cautious. He's afraid of what other people think of him. He wants to be perfect. He has that feeling of wanting him to be perfect, and his family to be perfect. But he doesn't want anyone to know that, so he's kind of secretive, in that sense. Later in the season, he keeps some secrets from Jake [Brett Davern], his best friend and you would think he would tell his best friend anything, but he doesn't because he has this wall up. Me though, in real life, I'm not really like that. I'm pretty easy going, I think. I think it's just that I'm older than Matty, but you know, we're very similar, we really are."Awkward" airs Tuesdays at 11 p.m. on MTV. The Hollywood Reporter MTV 'Awkward's' Beau Mirchoff Takes Season 2 By Jethro Nededog August 24, 2011 Beau Mirchoff PHOTO CREDIT Tyler William Parker While we're still watching the romance between Matty and Jenna (Ashley Rickards) unfold on MTV's new series, "Awkward," star Beau Mirchoff tells us he's been enjoying his hiatus from the show."I've just been in acting class, which is going awesome and staying busy," Mirchoff tells "The Hollywood Reporter." "You know, I've been doing a lot of outdoors stuff. I've been doing a lot of scuba diving on the weekends, and hiking, and playing music, and just, you know, hanging out really."In fact, he was traveling when the news that MTV had given the series another season broke. "We've been done for a few months," Mirchoff says."I was actually flying home from Miami," he remembers. "And just about to take off, and I got a text from my manager saying, 'We got a Season 2.' So, yeah, it was an exciting plane ride."Viewers have seen Mirchoff play a heart-stealing teen before on ABC's "Desperate Housewives." He played Angie's (Drea de Matteo) son whose romance with Gaby's (Eva Longoria) niece leads to a cross country chase on Season 6.The 22-year-old has also appeared in a recurring role on the Canadian drama, "Heartland," and his film credits include "I Am Number Four," "The Grudge 3," and "Scary Movie 4.""THR" spoke to Mirchoff about what we can expect from Matty and Jenna's romance this season, where he'd like to go with his character in Season 2, and what he has in common with the popular Matty on the MTV hit.The Hollywood Reporter: Where would you like Matty's story to go in Season 2? Beau Mirchoff: I think just to dive more in depth into Matty's life to see what makes Matty the way he is and what he loves, and his aspirations, and just more details about Matty. I think that's where I have the most fun is when it's emotional stuff or just high stakes and I find that's when it's the most fun, and more enjoyable when you really get to learn about someone's character. I think it's captivating to watch and yeah, that's what I'm looking forward to, hopefully. THR: Have you been able to speak with creator Lauren Iungerich about Season 2? Mirchoff: We haven't quite yet. You know, we just found out about it. Last year, we got to go into the writer's room and talk about our strengths and weaknesses. You know, how we would like to see our characters portrayed, and a bunch of stuff and so I'm sure we'll be going to do that again.THR: What can we expect from the Matt-Jenna relationship in the remaining episodes this season? Mirchoff: Kind of like this cat and mouse game. I'll kind of finally redeem myself, and then something will happen, and it all falls apart. Then, you're kind of on my side, and then you're kind of on her side. Then, you're not on her side; you're back on my side. I think we're just so young stupid kids to be honest. They're just really kind of nave, and they don't know how to deal with relationships, and communicate, really. That's the big part, so I think we're just, throughout the season, we're trying so desperately to be with one another, but it just doesn't work out, but it might work out at the end. THR: What would you say you have in common with Matty and what makes you different from him? Mirchoff: I think a lot of me is Matty. You know, outgoing like Matty. I'm athletic, I like girls; those are some similarities. I don't think I'm as self-conscious as Matty -- like he is kind of figuring everything out internally. He's still cautious. He's afraid of what other people think of him. He wants to be perfect. He has that feeling of wanting him to be perfect, and his family to be perfect. But he doesn't want anyone to know that, so he's kind of secretive, in that sense. Later in the season, he keeps some secrets from Jake [Brett Davern], his best friend and you would think he would tell his best friend anything, but he doesn't because he has this wall up. Me though, in real life, I'm not really like that. I'm pretty easy going, I think. I think it's just that I'm older than Matty, but you know, we're very similar, we really are."Awkward" airs Tuesdays at 11 p.m. on MTV. The Hollywood Reporter

FilmNation acquires 'Moon Disaster' spec

FilmNation Entertainment is going to the moon, snapping up Mike Jones thriller spec script "In the Event of a Moon Disaster."FilmNation principal Glen Basner confirmed the sale Monday and told Variety that the budget on the project will be north of $35 million, making "Moon" the largest Filmnation production to date. The company's planning to go out to directors shortly.FilmNation principal Aaron Ryder will produce and Basner will be in charge of international sales.Story will focus on a revised version of the first moon mission, in which disaster hits the astronauts. In the actual Apollo 11 mission on July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin spent two hours on the lunar surface.Jones was signed last year for Sony's CGI "Popeye" bigscreen project. Jones landed the writing gig based on his screenplay "The Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break."Jones told Variety that he was inspired by coming across a speech written by William Safire for President Nixon to deliver in the event that the astronauts were unable to make it back to Earth."It's really a harrowing speech and it was really helpful in pushing me towards creating the story," he added. "It's not a monsters on the moon story but more in the vein of 'The Hunt for Red October.'"FilmNation has finished "House at the End of the Street" and "The Raven."Jones is repped by CAA and The Gotham Group. Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com

CAA Signs Toby Kebbell

CAA has signed Toby Kebbell, the young British actor who played a memorable gunman in Guy Ritchie's RocknRolla, followed by playing John Wilkes Booth in the Robert Redford-directed The Conspirator, and has leads in the upcoming Steven Spielberg-directed War Horse and the Jonathan Liebesman-directed Clash of the Titans 2. Kebbell had been at WME. He remains with UK's Independent Talent.

Sam Riley on Brighton Rock and His Arduous Trip On the Road

Back in 2007, Sam Riley burst on the scene with a starmaking performance in the critically acclaimed film Control. Poised to be the latest hot British import to invade U.S. shores, Riley followed Control up with two intriguing-on-paper titles — Franklyn with Ryan Phillippe and Eva Green and 13 opposite Ray Winstone, Mickey Rourke, Jason Statham, Michael Shannon and Alexander Skarsgaard. The rest, as they say, is history — though maybe not the kind Riley initially envisioned. Despite expectations, both films were little-seen flops that slowed down Riley’s trainride to international stardom. Not that the actor was deterred. He took the role of Pinkie Brown in Rowan Joffe’s updated adaptation of Graham Greene’s famed ’30s-set noir thriller Brighton Rock, as well as the potential part of a lifetime: Sal Paradise in the long, long, long gestating adaptation of On the Road opposite Garrett Hedlund and Kristen Stewart. Riley rang up Movieline from the garden of his home in rainy Berlin to discuss what led him to Brighton Rock (out Friday), how much pressure he felt to live up to the Sir Richard Attenborough-starring original film, and why he almost said no to On the Road. You’ve had a very interesting career in a very short time; the big break with Control, then Franklyn and 13 — two films that looked like possible hits on paper, but weren’t. Did those experiences have anything to do with your decision to make Brighton Rock? It was the last job that anyone was going to offer me, so I had to take it! [Laughs] I have some sort of internal manifest, but I don’t really know what it is. If I’m lucky, I choose things. If someone wants me to do something, then — I do things that I’m interested in, or that could be interesting or different from what I’ve done before. If it doesn’t work out, then it doesn’t work out. It’s a bit of a shame. But I’m not kicking myself for saying yes to a turkey knowing it was going to be a stinky, cheesy piece of shit, and then wondering why everyone says it is, y’know? I’m picky, I guess. In that regard, how did Brighton Rock come about? Was it one of those that you chose, or that someone wanted you to do? They sent the script out to every male actor between the ages of 16 to 30. The usual routine. The stage that I am in my career, I’m certainly not phoning anyone up [to ask for roles]. I read it, and I knew the story, and it’s a lead role, which is lucky — an interesting thing for someone starting out. It’s exciting. It was dangerous, which is good. And the people they were talking about being in it certainly made me very keen. Meeting Rowan sealed the deal. I thought this guy really knows Graham Greene back to front, and had an interesting twist on it, and it was like, ‘Let’s do it.’ Knowing the source novel is so beloved, and that the original film adaptation has such a reputation, did you have any moment of doubt about taking the role? Do I want to play Pinkie Brown from Graham Greene’s Brighton Rock? Of course I do. Shit, even if everyone is going to say Richard Attenborough [who played Pinkie in the original film] and that the original film is brilliant. It is. But, unfortunately — it’s a million times that these things happen. I’m too cocky, I guess. [Laughs] I wouldn’t do Lawrence of Arabia again, but I thought not many people had seen Brighton Rock, the original. Obviously, everyone who is a movie critic who writes about movies, should and has seen the original. But I figured most people would be pretty unaware of it. Plus, with the way Joffe updates the setting to the Mod Era, it separates things further from the film. Besides, you’re really adapting the novel itself and not remaking the film. That’s what it is. We’re certainly not doing a shot-for-shot thing, it’s different. I don’t remember Richard Attenborough calling anyone a cunt in the original. I don’t know whether that made it into the final cut. It was different enough, and it was at a time when I was still eager to stay in the game. I was very grateful. You mentioned before how you’re picky. How do you reconcile that with wanting to “stay in the game”? The first film I did came out in such the sort of wham-bam type way. The very first time I saw myself on a cinema screen was at the Cannes Film Festival with 600 people. As soon as we all left, we had a lot of smoke blown up our ass. It was very much, [affects French accent] easy to be a new star. I’ve been there before with a band, where people thought we might do well and we didn’t, so I was quite wary. Also, I’ve always been fascinated by films, I’ve always watched how people progressed in their careers. How certain actors have a big break and then maybe desperately fill in with five films in one year; one, two turkeys after another, then two are quite good, and everyone is quite sick of you. Bish, bash, bosh, and it’s all over. There are times — months or weeks — where I think, ‘Am I doing the right thing? I should maybe just work, for the sake of it. It’s only me that gives a shit about the arc of my career, or the types of movies I choose. No one out there really gives two hoots.’ I have an idea — I owe it to the opportunity that came my way at 26, to be an actor, with such an incredible film, playing a part that all actors dream of playing, with a reception that some people work 20 years and are still searching for. I may work for another 30 and may never get that again. I’m fully aware of that. I want to work as long as I can still speak, and walk and move, and am capable of it. But I want to do it in my terms as well, to some extent. Which is cocky, I guess. I say no to things — I question myself sometimes, but I usually know, ‘No, I wouldn’t want to see myself in this, I wouldn’t want to go work and do this. I don’t want to say these lines.’ You share the screen with both Helen Mirren and John Hurt in Brighton Rock, two acting greats who definitely do things in their own terms. Did you pick up anything from how they’ve managed their careers? They do. And they’ve earned it as well. It’s strange. I just said to someone else, when you’re doing a scene with Helen Mirren or you’re doing a scene with John Hurt, you’re not allowed to think you’re doing a scene with Helen Mirren or John Hurt. You don’t think, ‘My God, they’re brilliant.’ You know that, but I’m supposed to be intimidating these people, that’s my thing. But you watch them in between; how they handle themselves in the canteen, or the way they have ideas about how their hair should be in the makeup trailer. Whether he’d like a handkerchief here, and why he wants a handkerchief here. And why Helen Mirren would like to carry this sort of bag and not that, and you think, ‘Fuck, they think about everything.’ It’s fascinating. The way they behave to the crew, as well. All the ones who are really big and really good are as charming as anything with the people who make the films possible, the crew. It’s the ones — the exceptions are obviously there, I’m sure there are very difficult and very successful actors, but I don’t want to be like that. When I worked with Ray Winstone, it’s not so much that I learned from him — I’ve watched his films, and I’ve soaked up as much as I can, as you soak up everything you’re watching, crap and good — but it’s just the way he carries himself, that I admire or aspire to or something. To be that successful and cool would be great. You’re following Brighton Rock with another seminal literary classic, On the Road… Rub it in, why don’t you! Rub it in! What led you to that film? Walter Salles had seen Control, and I think he saw a lot of people — every young guy who is interested in acting wanted a piece of this. I auditioned with Garrett Hedlund, who had already been given the part. It was three and a half years ago. It looked like it was gonna happen, then nothing. We didn’t hear anything, it disappeared. Then, a year and a half ago, my agent rings me up and says, ‘It’s happening in two months, you’re shooting for six months all across America. Start dialect sessions tomorrow; call the personal trainer, it’s on.’ You know, I almost felt like I didn’t even have an opportunity to say, ‘Well…’ I was thinking these things: I wasn’t sure, I was intimidated, I just got married, I didn’t want to go away for six months. But, you know, it was just one of those crazy, lucky things that happened. It’s a dream gig, on paper, for a young actor to play another iconic role in such a short career. The pressure is enormous on this one. As a cast we stuck together and tried to make it as free and fun as we could, without the weight of, ‘Shit, Johnny Depp maybe played my part. And Brad Pitt. And Jack Kerouac really wanted Marlon Brando to play it.’ No one could ever get it made. The very first day of shooting, it pissed down so badly with rain that we couldn’t shoot. It was like it was never meant to be. There were many other days like that in what was a very arduous shoot in many ways for everybody — for Walter particularly, and for all those who were there for the full six months. It’s a battle to get this done. But then it was a battle to get Apocalypse Now done, and Easy Rider, so… fingers crossed.

Navy Closes Drama From Bruckheimer TV Lands At ABC With Put Pilot Commitment

EXCLUSIVE: In the second purchase this year, Bruckheimer TV provides a Navy Closes drama at ABC having a put pilot commitment. The untitled project, from Existence creator/executive producer Rand Ravich, is dependant on the lives of Navy Closes as well as their families. Ravich will write the script and executive produce the Warner Bros TV project together with his creating partner Far Shariat, Bruckheimer and Jonathan Littman. KristieAnne Reed is co-executive creating. The Navy Closes arena was likely to be hot this development season following a effective May murder of Osama bin Laden by a top-notch team of Closes. The ABC deal follows another major Bruckheimer TV purchase a week ago, once the company's procedural drama from author Aron Eli Coleite in regards to a mother who turns into a New You are able to Condition Trooperreceived a put pilot commitment at CBS.

HBO Renews True Blood For a Fifth Season

Anna Paquin True Blood will be back for a 12-episode fifth season, HBO announced Thursday. "I am thrilled that True Blood continues to enjoy a phenomenal reception from both subscribers and critics," said Michael Lombardo, HBO's president of programming. "Alan Ball and his gifted team have devised the greatest thrill ride on TV." True Blood's Alan Ball bringing new series to Cinemax Based on the Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris, the Emmy-nominated show follows part-faerie waitress Sookie, played by Anna Paquin, and 173-year-old vampire Bill Compton, played by her real-life husband Stephen Moyer. "I remain amazed and delighted by the enthusiasm of our viewers," Ball said."I can't imagine having more fun than this." Season 4 of True Blood, which ends Sept. 11, is airing on Sundays at 9/8c on HBO. The current season's premiere pulled 5.1 million viewers - 38 percent more than the Season 3 debut.